Chapter 7 What’s Your Name?

Arianna was the perfect daughter and student all her life. She didn’t know that the world was so broken when she first started leaving home. But this was something she learned quickly.

One night when she was leaving the nightclub, some men backed her into a corner. They wanted both her money and her body.

Her thoughts drifted away while she struggled. She noted that tragic novels were not far from reality. A poor, ignorant girl would usually fall into the hands of demons.

While both drunk and exhausted, her resistance was as weak as an ant’s, she noticed people walking past the alley, but they overlooked it. It was definitely safer not to get involved.

Maybe God finally pitied her. Just as she was getting desperate for help, the hands of the two gangsters loosened. She saw a thin figure in a white shirt in her peripheral vision.

Arianna shoved their hands off her and tried to run toward the figure in white. But her legs quickly gave out, and she fell to the ground before losing consciousness.

When she woke up the next morning, her eyes were stinging, and her head was pounding. She did not forget what happened to her last night.

She began to move. Her body was sore, and she was still in the same clothes she wore out the night before. She even had her shoes on.

Sitting up slowly, Arianna looked down at herself. Her clothes were stained with dirt, and her jeans were scratched open. There were several bruises on her elbows.

The white bedding was stained with mud and a little blood.

Arianna began examining the room. It was very small with only a single bed and a chair placed in the corner. But it was very clean.

It was silent in the house. She got up cautiously and opened the door. The furniture in the next room was similar, all white.

There was a sofa by the wall and a big bookshelf below the window.

Someone was lying on the couch, leaning against the armrests. His body was half-covered by a thin sheet. He must have slept there.

Arianna continued to move forward. She wanted to get out of the house before the man could wake up. However, with her second step passed the door, the floor creaked and awoke the man.

He turned to look at her. The sun from the window was shining directly on him, so Arianna could only see the outline of his body.

The man continued to quietly watch her.

Arianna swallowed her saliva. She knew she looked atrocious, but she said to him in a dignified tone, “Thank you for saving me last night.”

The man was silent for a moment before he snickered. His voice had a smooth texture, and his tone was sweet. Even in the heat of the morning, he was cool.

He said, “How do you know I’m not in the gang?”

Arianna frowned. It was a little too soon to joke about the event.

After yawning and stretching his arms, the man stood up and poured a glass of water for himself. With his back facing her, he mentioned, “If you’re awake enough, you can feel free to leave.”

She finally got a clear view of his looks. He was very tall with wide shoulders and had a slim back. He was wearing dark blue trousers and did not have a shirt on.

The outline of his face and jaw was very firm and distinct.

Arianna asked, “Can I wash my face?”

Without speaking, the man mindlessly gestured in the direction of the bathroom.

Though she knew he couldn’t see it, Arianna quickly bowed her head in gratitude before heading towards the bathroom.

It seemed like the bathroom had been vacant for a long time. Though everything was clean, all the products were new and unused.

She splashed the cool water on her face and rinsed out her mouth before gently dabbing water on her bruises. She grabbed the pure white towel to dry herself off with some hesitation.

Compared to her condition last night, she was not embarrassed at the moment.

She saw that the top three buttons of her shirt were gone, so she covered her chest with her hands as she walked out of the bathroom.

Arianna was now facing to face with her savior. She noticed his thick eyebrows, thin lips, and lush dark hair. He seemed like he was a few years older than her, she thought.

After several moments of silence, Arianna gave a small smile and said, “Thanks again.”

The man turned and entered the bedroom with no response. He returned and threw her a white cotton shirt and said, “Help yourself to a drink if you’re thirsty.”

She went to the bathroom and put on the shirt. It was a man’s shirt and was way too big for her. She tied the bottom hem into a knot.

The man was indifferent but good-natured. When she returned to the main room, he was no longer there.

Arianna stepped out the front door and was surprised to find that the house was an old-style cottage. Though it was small, it had a courtyard. There was a stone table with matching stone benches.

He was sitting at the table reading a magazine. On top of the table was her purse. She assumed she lost it in last night’s event.

“Check if anything is missing.” He ordered.

She subconsciously touched her neck and could feel that it was empty. She shook her head anyway and took her bag.

The necklace from her grandfather was gone, but she didn’t want to talk about that with a stranger.

“How can I thank you?” She asked sincerely.

“There’s no need.” He said absently without looking up from his magazine.

“Well, I’m Arianna. What’s your name?”

“Cooper.”

It was obvious that he did not want to establish a relationship with her. “How can I get your shirt back to you?”

“Unnecessary.”

Arianna paused for a moment before continuing, “I also ruined your bedsheets.”

“Are you going to wash them?”

She could sense the ridicule in his words. Her cheeks began to blush, and she decided to stop speaking. She bowed her head to him once more and quickly left.

As she was leaving the property, she realized she had never been to this part of town before. She was walking down the street quickly before spotting a taxi.

After telling the driver where to go, Arianna sank back into the seat. She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath.