Nara gasped when someone suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth and pulled her away. She struggled to fight back, but then her body was lifted into the air.
"Don't make a sound!" whispered a man in a black hoodie that concealed part of his face.
The man carried Nara into hiding behind a stack of empty drums, keeping his hand over her mouth so she wouldn't make another sound.
Evan and Bella's footsteps drew closer, and the two of them could be seen pacing aimlessly in front of her.
"Looks like she got away!"
"Damn it! We'll teach that country bumpkin another lesson later! No matter what, she has to take responsibility for her reckless stunt earlier!" Evan said as he went back down the stairs with Bella.
Once the situation seemed safe, the mysterious man finally released Nara. He also removed his hood, revealing his face.
"Dimas?" Nara let out a soft sigh. "Thank goodness. You finally came. I thought—"
"Forget it. We'd better get to the car now," Dimas cut her off as he stepped out of their hiding place.
"But, Dimas. My leg—"
"I'll help you!" the man interjected, immediately scooping Nara into his arms.
Dimas carefully descended the stairs, prompting Nara to instinctively loop both arms around his neck. His eyes remained alert, watching their surroundings with every step. At last, he reached the bottom and met one of his trusted men, who had been waiting for him there.
"How is it?" he asked briefly, without setting Nara down.
"It's safe, sir. The two of them left this place about five minutes ago."
"Good. Then go back. I'll drive my own car!" he ordered, and his subordinate immediately obeyed.
Dimas carried Nara back into his car and began driving, occasionally glancing at her as she grimaced in pain. He searched for the fastest route and stopped directly in front of a rather magnificent multistory building in the city.
"Dimas, I think I can walk by myself. I'm embarrassed to have so many people watching me," Nara said in a whisper when she noticed the many eyes around them.
Unfortunately, Dimas paid no attention to her protest. He continued carrying Nara past several of his employees and carefully set her down on a large sofa inside his office.
"Bring me a small towel and a basin of cold water," Dimas ordered someone over the office phone.
For the moment, Nara could no longer protest his every action. Her attention had shifted to the spacious room, where several gleaming trophies and various luxurious amenities filled the man's office.
"Does this hurt?"
Nara was startled when she saw Dimas kneeling in front of her and reaching for one of her legs.
"N-no, it's only a little."
"That's still pain."
Just then, the door opened. A woman appeared carrying the items Dimas had requested. Nara furrowed her brow slightly when she saw Dimas kneel before her again and begin gently applying a cold compress to her ankle.
"You really don't have to do this," she whispered, feeling uncomfortable.
"What? You mean this?" Dimas continued tending to Nara's ankle with great care, making the woman nod in agreement.
"It's fine. I'm only doing this because it's my responsibility. No matter what, it's also my fault for arriving late to help you."
Nara fell silent for a moment at Dimas's answer. Once again, the way Dimas treated her was completely different from Evan's treatment. Dimas's attention felt so wholehearted and sincere. With everything he had in his life, the man seemed all the more perfect.
"Is it feeling better now?" Dimas asked, gently rubbing Nara's ankle.
"It is, Dimas. Thank you! Of course, this feels much better than my heart does right now."
Nara lowered her gaze, prompting Dimas to slowly lift her chin. His movement stopped when their eyes met. Then the eyes that had already been glistening began to spill tears.
Nara's tears finally broke free. When she was facing Evan and Bella, she might have been able to pretend to be strong. But when she was with Dimas? She simply couldn't keep pretending and hide all her fragility.
"It turns out Evan and that actress have been working together all this time. They've been working together to destroy my life!" she whispered hoarsely.
Dimas immediately pulled her into a warm embrace and gently stroked her, soothing her deeply. Once Nara's sobs subsided, Dimas took both of her hands and held them tightly. His brown eyes stared deeply into hers, as if he were about to tell her something extremely serious.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Dimas was forced to hold back his words when a persistent knocking rang out. Sensing that something was amiss, he rose and peered through the window. He was quite shocked to see an unexpected woman arrive. Dimas then walked back to Nara and carried her into a secret room in his office.
"You'd better wait here for a while," he said before leaving Nara sitting there in confusion.
Nara tried to peek outside for a moment, but Dimas quickly shut the door tightly.
What's going on? I could've sworn I recognized that woman's voice, Nara thought, inexplicably reminded once again of Bella.
Nara wanted to listen to whatever Dimas and the woman she hadn't managed to see were discussing, but unfortunately, the room she was in was soundproof. So all Nara could do was glance around the black-and-white room.
"That photo?" Nara murmured in disbelief as she rubbed both eyes.
Nara's attention was suddenly drawn to a small photograph in front of her. She immediately reached for it and stared at the woman in the picture, utterly stunned.
"No! This can't be! How could this photo be here?"