I RISK EVERYTHING FOR LOVE YET HE ABANDONED ME AND NOW WANT ME BACK

Renee POV

The cold night wind brushed harshly against my face as I stepped down from the crowded bus with weak trembling legs. My body ached terribly after hours of traveling without proper rest.

For several seconds, I simply stood there silently.

The city before me looked nothing like Veritas City.

Tall bright buildings stretched across the distance while unfamiliar voices echoed around the busy station. People hurried past each other without care, dragging luggage and shouting over phone calls.

Everything felt strange.

Everything felt lonely.

Fear slowly crept into my chest.

Had I made the wrong decision?

My fingers tightened around the handle of my suitcase while my other hand moved gently toward my stomach.

“No,” I whispered softly to myself. “I have to survive… for my baby.”

Even if my heart remained broken.

Even if Lucas had destroyed every dream I once had.

I could not afford to fall apart anymore.

Slowly, I began walking toward the station exit, but after only a few steps, dizziness struck me violently.

My vision blurred instantly.

The sleepless nights.

The endless crying.

The emotional exhaustion.

Everything finally crashed down on me at once.

I stumbled forward weakly—

But before my body could hit the ground, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around my waist.

“Careful.”

The deep masculine voice startled me completely.

I froze.

Slowly, I lifted my eyes.

And my breath caught.

The man standing before me looked impossibly handsome.

His sharp jawline, cold dark eyes, and perfectly tailored black suit radiated wealth and authority. Even the expensive watch around his wrist probably cost more than most people’s yearly salaries.

Behind him stood several bodyguards dressed in black.

They immediately surrounded him protectively.

“Sir, please step back,” one of them warned cautiously while eyeing me suspiciously.

But the man ignored them.

Instead, his eyes remained fixed on my pale face.

“You’re burning up,” he said calmly. “Are you sick?”

I quickly stepped away from him.

“I-I’m fine,” I answered softly despite my unstable breathing.

The last thing I wanted was pity from strangers.

The man studied me carefully, as though he could already tell I was lying.

Before either of us could speak again, sudden screams erupted nearby.

“Someone help her!”

“Oh my God!”

A crowd instantly gathered near one of the waiting benches.

Without thinking, I turned immediately toward the commotion.

An elderly woman had collapsed onto the floor clutching her chest while struggling to breathe properly.

Panic spread quickly around her.

“Call an ambulance!”

“She can’t breathe!”

The woman’s frightened granddaughter knelt beside her crying helplessly.

“Grandma! Grandma please wake up!”

My body moved before my mind could even think.

I rushed toward them immediately.

“Everyone move back and give her space!” I said firmly.

The crowd hesitated before slowly stepping away.

I quickly knelt beside the elderly woman and checked her breathing.

Her pulse was weak.

Very weak.

“She’s choking,” I realized instantly.

The young girl burst into tears.

“Please save my grandmother!”

“Don’t panic,” I told her calmly.

I carefully lifted the elderly woman slightly forward before performing quick emergency first aid exactly the way I had learned years ago during one of my culinary training programs.

Several painful seconds passed.

Then suddenly—

The woman coughed violently.

A piece of candy flew out from her throat.

The crowd gasped loudly.

The elderly woman finally inhaled deeply again while breathing shakily.

“She’s breathing!”

“Oh thank God!”

Relief spread through the station immediately.

The little girl cried harder and hugged her grandmother tightly.

“Grandma!”

I released a quiet breath of relief.

But before I could stand properly, another wave of dizziness hit me.

My vision darkened again.

Strong hands instantly caught me before I collapsed.

The same man.

His grip around my arm tightened slightly.

“You need a hospital,” he said firmly.

“I said I’m fine,” I whispered weakly.

“You nearly fainted twice in less than five minutes.”

I tried pulling away again, but my body no longer had strength left.

The man’s expression darkened slightly.

“For someone trying so hard to appear strong,” he said quietly, “you look like you’re carrying the weight of the world alone.”

His words pierced straight through me.

Pain tightened painfully inside my chest again.

For a second, Lucas’s face flashed through my mind.

The betrayal.

The humiliation.

The divorce papers.

I immediately lowered my eyes.

“I’m used to it,” I whispered.

Something unreadable crossed the stranger’s face.

Before he could respond, one of the bodyguards stepped forward respectfully.

“Sir, the car is ready.”

The man ignored him again.

Instead, he reached into his coat pocket and handed me a black card.

“My name is Adrian Knight,” he said calmly. “If you need help, call the number on that card.”

I stared at the card in complete surprise.

Even without recognizing the name, I could already tell he was someone powerful.

Very powerful.

“I can’t accept this,” I said quickly.

“You saved someone’s life tonight,” Adrian replied. “Consider it repayment.”

His voice remained calm, yet strangely commanding.

The little girl suddenly ran toward me and hugged me tightly around the waist.

“Thank you for saving my grandma,” she cried emotionally.

My heart softened instantly.

I gently stroked her hair before smiling faintly.

“You’re welcome.”

The elderly woman slowly approached me afterward with trembling steps.

“Young lady,” she said gratefully, “thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” I replied softly.

But the woman continued staring at me carefully.

Then her eyes slowly dropped toward my stomach.

“You’re pregnant,” she said gently.

I froze completely.

Even Adrian’s expression shifted slightly.

Before anyone could say another word, exhaustion finally overtook me completely.

Darkness swallowed my vision.

And the last thing I felt before collapsing was Adrian Knight catching me in his arms.