Deep into the forest, near the edge of a cliff, a figure could be seen lying weakly on the ground.
Her body was covered in wounds and cuts, her clothes tattered and torn. Her face was barely recognizable.
Another figure stood before her.
He slowly moved closer, then crouched down. From his hand, he brought out a knife.
Squirt.
The knife pierced through her body slowly. Blood flowed from the wound as the blade stopped just an inch away from her heart.
"Cough!"
She spat out a mouthful of blood.
The wind blew heavily, and the once-bright sky was now covered with dark clouds. The trees danced violently with the wind, as if they too could sense the heaviness in the atmosphere.
"W... why?"
The pain coursing through her body screamed at her to give up. It clouded her mind, making it difficult to think, but she refused to let it consume her.
The physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional pain she felt.
Why?
What had she done wrong?
Why had they done this to her?
Why had everything ended up this way?
Where had she gone wrong?
The questions kept repeating themselves in her mind as she desperately searched through her memories, trying to find something she had missed.
But there was nothing.
Her eyes became misty, but she refused to show weakness in front of her enemy.
Yes.
The person she had once considered family was now her enemy.
She forced her face to remain calm, as though she had accepted everything that had happened. But inside, her emotions were a complete mess.
She had never cried in her eighteen years of life.
Not once.
Yet now, a single tear escaped the corner of her eye.
And as her tear fell, the clouds finally released their own.
Rain began to fall, gradually drowning her tear as though even the sky was grieving with her.
"Groan..."
A sudden pain shot through her body like an electric shock, pulling her out of her thoughts.
Her gaze returned to the person above her.
He pushed the knife deeper.
But once again, he stopped before it could reach her heart.
"Why?"
He laughed viciously.
"Ha... ha... ha..."
But suddenly, his laughter stopped.
His eyes changed.
He no longer looked like a normal person. There was something almost frightening in his expression, like a madman determined to destroy the woman before him.
"Even now, you still have that look on your face, and you ask why?"
He stared at her.
"I would love to tell you... but..."
He raised his hand and gently wiped the raindrops from her face.
Yet more continued to fall.
For a moment, his eyes held so much love and tenderness that anyone looking at him would find it difficult to believe that this was the same person who was hurting her.
He gently cherished her face with his gaze.
"But I do not want you to have a peaceful rest in your grave."
His expression suddenly turned sinister.
With his other hand, he pushed the knife deep into her heart.
She gasped.
The strength slowly left her body as her senses began to fade.
The pain disappeared.
All that remained was numbness.
And she embraced it.
"Maybe... this could be the best outcome."
That was the last thought that crossed her mind before darkness consumed her.
For a moment, he remained completely still.
Then, as though he had suddenly snapped out of a trance, his hand released the knife.
He stared at her lifeless body.
His entire body began to tremble.
His eyes became misty.
"No..."
His voice cracked.
"Noooo...!"
He screamed as he pulled her body into his arms.
"This can't be happening. How could I...?"
His voice broke as he held her tightly, the rain falling heavily over them.
He looked down at her once-glowing face and gently touched her cheek.
"My love... I'm sorry."
His voice was barely audible beneath the sound of the rain.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
In a white room, a pale girl lay motionless on the bed. Different tubes and drips were connected to her body, and the steady sound of the heart monitor was the only thing proving that she was still alive.
The door opened.
Two men stepped into the room. One was dressed in a white coat, while the other wore a black suit.
The man in the black suit kept his hands in his pockets as he stared at the girl from a distance. At first glance, he looked young and well-preserved, but a closer look revealed the truth.
He was an older man, perhaps in his late forties or early fifties. There were barely visible dark circles beneath his eyes, evidence of many sleepless nights.
His gaze remained fixed on the girl.
His eyes were filled with pain, regret, and hope.
He wanted to walk toward her, but his feet remained firmly planted in place.
"Is there any progress?" he asked the doctor without taking his eyes off the girl.
Fear flashed through the doctor's eyes.
He bowed deeply.
"I'm deeply sorry, sir, but there has been no improvement."
The man's fingers tightened inside his pockets.
His expression remained calm, but the clenched fist betrayed the emotions he was desperately trying to hide.
He exhaled deeply before walking toward the door.
He looked okay, but only he knew the storm brewing inside him.
Just as he was a step away from the door, the heart monitor began beeping violently.
Then suddenly—
Silence.
They both froze.
At that moment, the man felt as though his heart had stopped. He couldn't move. His entire body was frozen in place.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The machine started again.
Relief washed over him as quickly as the shock had come.
Even he hadn't realized how tense his face had become until it slowly relaxed.
The doctor quickly recovered and rushed to check on the girl.
"My apologies, sir. It was a false alarm. It seems the machine is due for a replacement."
He bowed toward the man again, sweat slowly forming on his forehead.
We just bought this machine. How can it become faulty so soon? Does it want me dead or what?
He thought nervously.
"If your machine can't even do its job properly, then it seems the doctor is inefficient."
With that, he walked out.
But only he knew that his steps weren't as slow as before.
They were much faster.
The doctor sighed in relief as soon as the door closed and collapsed onto his knees.
"Thank you, Lord, for another day to live," he prayed silently.