“Leave me…alone…” Anna muttered, her voice ice cold as her dark gray eyes pierced the leering man in front of her.

The intensity of her gaze sent an involuntary shiver down their spines, momentarily paralyzing them with an inexplicable dread.

However, shaking off the chill, one of them forced a laugh, trying to mask his discomfort,

“Whooo…I almost got scared to death there. You have quite the spunk in your eyes despite being a cripple.”

“Can you imagine how much spunk she would have in bed then?” his companion added with a snicker, the crudeness of the joke hanging thick in the air.

“I’m really curious to find out. But hey, do you feel it down there? Maybe we can help you find out since you poor thing mustn’t have known the feeling of a man inside you,” the first man remarked, his smile stretching into a leer that twisted his features grotesquely.

“I am calling the police,” Anna stated flatly, her voice devoid of fear as she unlocked her phone.

“Not so fast, bitch,” the first man snapped, reaching out to snatch the phone from her grasp. His hand clamped around her wrist, trying to pry the device from her steel-like grip.

However, despite his efforts, Anna’s fingers didn’t budge, her grip firm and immovable. The man’s eyes widened in shock, not expecting her to be this strong.

“Bro, what the **? You can’t even overpower a crippled girl?” The other man called out to his friend, who quickly stepped forward to assist, only to find himself equally matched against this crippled chick’s surprising strength.

“What are you—” one began, his question cut short as a sharp, powerful kick landed squarely in his chest. “URGH!” The force of the impact sent him flying backward, crashing into his friend and sending both sprawling to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

“Urgh…” they groaned, the air knocked out of them as they writhed on the cold pavement. Saʀᴄh the NovelFull.net website on Ggl to access chapters of nvels early and in the highest quality.

“Leave her alone,” came a firm, angry command. Anna turned toward the voice, her expression shifting from guarded to surprised as she saw Arthur stepping forward.

He was dressed casually, but his presence carried the usual warm and protective air while a mask covered his face.

Arthur ignored the groaning duo on the ground and turned his attention to Anna, his expression etched with worry and concern, “Are you alright?” he asked, stepping closer to survey her for any injuries.

Anna’s eyes, dazed and clouded, met his. The warmth in his gaze was like a soothing balm, drawing her in and making her nod slowly, almost as if in a trance.

Arthur’s shoulders relaxed as a wave of relief washed over him. Turning on his heel, he faced the two would-be attackers. The sight of him, a shadowy figure who had dismantled them with a single, effortless kick, made their faces pale as death. They scrambled to their feet, their movements desperate and disjointed. Adrenaline pushed them forward, but every step was marred by the crippling pain that gnawed at their body. They fled, their retreat a hasty blur of panicked urgency.

With the danger momentarily behind them, Arthur turned back to Anna.

Her usual radiance had dimmed, her face etched with a weariness that didn’t suit her.

He could see the questions swirling in his mind, but there was something more pressing at hand, “Let’s go home.”

–

The door to Anna’s modest house creaked open as Arthur guided her inside. He noticed her unusual silence on the way, the air between them thick with unspoken words.

As they moved through the quiet, Arthur’s concern deepened, “You must be tired. Do you want me to help you wash?”

Anna’s body tensed imperceptibly, her hand drifting to her abdomen as if she was concerned about something, though she remembered her wound should have healed completely without a scar. Still, she felt she needed some time alone to pull herself together before she could talk to Arthur normally.

She kept her gaze lowered, her voice barely above a whisper, “It’s fine. I’ll manage. You can leave if you have somewhere else to be. I wouldn’t want to hold you back.”

Arthur’s eyes softened with understanding, “It’s okay. I’ll wait for you here.”

Anna gave a faint nod, her movements slow and deliberate as she wheeled herself toward her room. The door closed behind her with a soft click.

Arthur let out a low sigh, his worry growing as he took a seat in the living room. The silence seemed to press in on him, a heavy reminder of the weight of Anna’s hidden burdens. He glanced toward her closed door, his mind racing with concern, knowing that he had to be patient for now, even as the gnawing anxiety settled in his chest.

Her bathroom was a sanctuary of steam and solitude, its small space echoing with the faint hiss of water as Anna maneuvered her way to the edge of the tub. She’d set up the bath carefully: a bench had been placed by the side, and the water was warm, promising a brief respite from the shadows that clung to her soul.

As she began the mundane and laborious process of bathing, her mind betrayed her. The soothing warmth of the water was a poor counter to the cold, unrelenting images that plagued her thoughts. Mira’s lifeless corpse flashed before her eyes, a grim reminder of her failures and the price paid. The guilt and pain roared within her, a storm she struggled to suppress. Why did someone like her have to die while she got to live?

Her hands trembled, and every splash of water seemed to mix with her sorrow.

She tried to focus on the present, on the task at hand. With careful precision, she used a washcloth to clean herself, her movements methodical but strained. She could feel her heart pounding, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. Despite her efforts to hold herself together, the weight of her grief made each action feel like a monumental task.

Finally, she managed to finish her bath. With a sense of hollow relief, she reached for the towel, wrapping it around her torso. Her hands were still unsteady, the towel slipping slightly as she tried to secure it. In her dazed state, she lost her grip entirely, her vision swimming with tears and exhaustion. The towel fell, and she stumbled, her half-paralyzed body unable to compensate. She crashed to the floor with a resounding thud.

Arthur’s sharp ears caught the sound—a heavy, jarring noise that shattered the quiet of the living room. He sprang to his feet, his heart racing with immediate concern, “Anna!” he called out, his voice laced with urgency as he raced toward the bathroom.

He flung open the door, his eyes quickly scanning the room. There on the floor, Anna lay sprawled, her towel askew, her face obscured by her long, wet black hair. Arthur’s worry deepened as he knelt beside Anna, his arms instinctively wrapping around her damp, trembling shoulders. The chill of the bathroom seemed to seep into his bones as he pulled her gently against his chest, “Anna, you’re not hurt, are you?” he asked, his voice thick with concern.

Anna shook her head slowly, her breath hitching as she leaned into his warmth.

“You must be feeling cold. Let me help you,” Arthur said softly, preparing to lift her. But as he moved, Anna’s hand shot out, gripping his shirt with a desperate intensity.

“Please… stay like this,” she whispered, her voice strained and fragile.

Arthur froze, the weight of her request sinking in. He gently looked at her lowered head, “Can you tell me what happened or what you were doing in that strange neighborhood filled with scum like those men? I was so worried because you weren’t picking up your phone and you weren’t at the orphanage.”

A pang of fear struck Arthur’s heart as he wondered if Anna had been attacked. Her body, though damp and shivering, seemed unharmed, which provided some relief. Yet her mood—dark and heavy—left him deeply unsettled.

Anna’s eyes fluttered shut, and her voice was barely more than a whisper, “I… I lost someone I cared about… someone who was like a sister to me…” She choked on the words, unable to keep them contained any longer. Arthur’s embrace, warm and enveloping, seemed to loosen the dam within her.

Arthur’s eyes widened in surprise and concern, “A sister? Who… You never told me you had someone so close like that.” He was surprised since he couldn’t remember Anna being close to anyone else during the old days. Did she meet that person after he left the orphanage?

Anna’s lips pressed together tightly, a flicker of pain crossing her features, “I am sorry. She…she didn’t want her existence to be known and wanted to live quietly and peacefully. But now…when I visited her again… she was gone.”

Arthur’s heart ached at her words. He pieced together the fragments of her story, realizing why she occasionally left the orphanage in between her work hours and sensing that her pain was deep and raw, “You don’t have to apologize. I just never knew you were going through something like this. I just wish you had reached out to me when it happened so that I could have been there for you. I wouldn’t want you to go through this alone.”

Anna’s grip on his shirt tightened, her fingers clutching him, his words making her heart heavier yet filling her with a sense of warmth.

Arthur looked at her with a softer gaze, his eyes filled with understanding, “I am sorry about your sister… you must have loved her a lot, and she must have felt happy to have you as her sister all this time.”

A single tear escaped Anna’s tightly shut eyes, trailing down her cheek. Her voice quivered, breaking as she spoke, “It’s my fault… I couldn’t help her… I couldn’t…” The words came out like a fragile whisper, each one laden with guilt and sorrow.

Arthur’s heart clenched at her pain. She always had a smile on her face with bright eyes. For someone like her to break down like this must mean she must be in great pain.

His eyes grew misty as he pulled her closer, enveloping her in a comforting embrace, “Anna, don’t say that. I am sure whatever her situation might have been, you tried your best. You are the kindest woman I know and would go to great lengths for those you care about. That is why I fell in love with you.”

He held her tightly, his own sorrow mingling with hers as he tried to offer solace. He had never seen Anna this broken, this vulnerable. He didn’t know the full story of her sister’s death or why she blamed herself, but he was determined to be a source of strength, refusing to let her hurt alone in the dark.

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