Chapter 12 He didn't flinch. "You were shot. Face torn open. My sister patched you up. If it wasn't for her, you'd be in a body bag." I froze, my hands shaking. "My... my face?" He tilted his head, cold and blunt. "Your old face is gone. What's left was shattered. My sister rebuilt you." A woman slipped in from the side. She wore a mask too, but her presence felt different-softer, calmer. She held a mirror out to me. My stomach turned, but I forced myself to take it. My hands trembled so bad I almost dropped it. The bandages covered almost everything, only the shape of my face showing. And that shape wasn't mine. My breath caught, a sob escaping before I could stop it. I pressed the mirror against my chest, tears spilling. He stepped closer, his voice firm but not cruel. "Don't cry. Scars don't make you weak. They make you untouchable. No one will recognize you now. And that's your weapon." I couldn't answer. My head spun with memories. Paris. The cheap apartment I rented, the little corner store I went to for food. I remembered the noise outside, shouting, the sound of guns. I remembered turning, feeling something crack across my face so loud it drowned out everything. Then the bullets, three of them, slamming into me. The pain was fire, endless fire. I was sure I died there, bleeding on dirty pavement. But now... I was here. I lifted my eyes at him again. "Why save me?" My voice broke. "You don't even know me." His gaze didn't soften. If anything, it got colder. "I'm not in the mood to talk. You need to rest." He turned, motioning to his sister. They walked out without another word. The door shut and silence wrapped around me. But I couldn't stay in that bed. I couldn't just... lie there. So I pushed myself up, ignoring the screaming pain in my body, and shuffled to the door. When I opened it, the night air hit me. Cold, sharp, filled with the roar of waves crashing close by. The ocean was right there, black and endless. Tears fell down my face. My cheeks were wet, but I couldn't even feel them. My skin didn't feel like mine anymore. I pressed my hand against the bandages, whispering to myself. "Who am I now? And why... why me?" And somewhere behind that ocean, behind the pain, I swore I heard fate laughing. Two weeks. That's how long it's been since I opened my eyes in this strange place. I was stronger now, though my body still felt like glass. Every step I took, every breath I pulled, reminded me I wasn't the same woman who boarded that plane to Paris. The room wasn't a prison. No locks, no chains. Just four walls, quiet air, and the sound of the ocean outside. The masked man and his sister hadn't come back since five days ago. No Chapter 12 840 212 AC 70 11:37 am names. No explanations. Just silence that pressed on me like a weight. Then today, the door creaked open, and instead of the cold shadow I expected, a young man leaned against the frame. No mask, no sharp aura, just a grin stretched across his face. "Hey, walking mummy girl," he said, hands shoved in his pockets. "Glad you didn't croak. Two weeks and you're still kicking. I was starting to bet you'd turn into a ghost." I blinked at him, caught off guard. "Walking... what?" "Mummy girl. You know, with all those bandages wrapped around you. Don't look at me like that it's a compliment." He laughed, light, careless, the opposite of everything his boss was. For the first time since I woke up, I almost smiled. Almost. "That's not very polite." "Polite?" He raised an eyebrow. "Sweetheart, polite is boring. I'm the guy they send when things get too serious. Someone's gotta keep you from crying yourself back into a coma." I shook my head, pressing a hand to my ribs as I tried to sit up straighter. "You're... different. No like him." "Who, the boss?" He smirked. "Yeah, I get that a lot. He's ice, I'm fire. Works out somehow." His words made me curious, more than I wanted to admit. "So you're his assistant?" "Assistant, errand boy, poor bastard who runs around cleaning up after him. Pick whichever you like." He stepped closer, offering me his arm. "Come on. You've been lying in bed too long. Time to stretch those pretty legs before they forget how to work." I hesitated, but the warmth in his voice made me trust him, just a little. I reached out, and he helped me up gently, carefully. My knees trembled, but he steadied me without making me fee weak. We walked down the hall slowly. The safehouse was bigger than I thought-long corridors, old wooden beams, the faint smell of saltwater clinging to everything. "So," I asked softly, testing him, "your boss... does he have a name?" He looked at me sideways, lips twitching like he was holding back a laugh. "Boss doesn't like people sniffing around." "That's not an answer." "It's the only one you'll get right now." He winked. "But since I like you, I'll toss you a bone Name's Vincenzo. Vincenzo L. That's all I'm saying." The name rolled in my head, heavy and dangerous. I whispered it without meaning to "Vincenzo..." He stopped walking for a second, studying me. "Yeah. Better keep that name to yourself. Ghosts don't like being called out loud." "Ghosts?" "Mm-hmm. He disappeared from the underworld years ago. People thought he was dead. But nope. He's here, breathing, scaring the shit out of men twice his size. Lucky you, huh?" My grip on his arm tightened. "Then why me? Why save me?" He gave me that sly grin again. "You ask too many questions. Better you focus on breathing without crying. Boss doesn't take kindly to nosy birds." 2/3 46.7 11:38 am I stopped walking, frustration bubbling up. "You can't expect me to just... accept all of this. I don' even know where I am, or why I'm alive." He leaned closer, his tone softer but teasing. "You're alive because he wanted you alive. That's all that matters right now. The rest? Save it. Your ribs will thank you." I bit my lip, torn between anger and gratitude. My heart wouldn't stop pounding. He was right, my body wasn't ready for answers. But my mind was hungry, desperate. Then next morning, Vincenzo's sister, Miranda came in like she always did, quiet and sharp-eyed hands steady as she started peeling the bandages off my face. "Are you ready?" 11:38 am Title: After Breakup, Spoiled by Three Big Shot Brothers (English-dubbed) On the brink of her wedding, she faces heartbreak as her fiancé calls it off. However, fate takes a surprising turn at the engagement celebration when three influential brothers unveil her true identity as their long-lost sibling. Uncovering her hidden wealth, she navigates a whirlwind of emotions amidst the complexities of family ties and newfound affluence. Immerse yourself in this captivating tale of love, family bonds, and self-discovery in a backdrop of modern romance and office drama. With its blend of billionaire allure and sweet relationships, this ongoing story sets itself apart with its engaging narrative and dynamic character interactions. Discover the intriguing twists and turns that await in this unique saga, available to read at CrushReel for those craving an unforgettable literary journey.