The night grew deeper as Aileen left the Menteng district behind. The rain, which had momentarily subsided, now poured down once more in sheets, transforming the capital's streets into rushing streams reflecting the city's neon lights. Inside her car cabin, Aileen drove at a moderate pace, accompanied by the soothing melodies of classical music playing softly from the radio.

Yet, that peace did not last long.

Suddenly, the indicator light on her dashboard flashed a bright, angry red. The car engine emitted a strange, choked sputtering sound, followed by severe vibrations beneath the front hood. Before Aileen could fully process what was happening, her speed dropped drastically, and the engine died completely in the middle of a dark, deserted highway.

Aileen twisted her ignition key repeatedly. Click... click... The engine refused to turn over entirely. Her car had completely broken down in the middle of a torrential downpour.

"Damn it... why did it have to break down in a place like this?" Aileen muttered anxiously, staring out the window where the rain fell so heavily it restricted visibility to just a few meters.

She reached into her work bag, intending to grab her primary phone to call a tow truck service. However, her main phone's screen was completely black—its battery had completely died. Just as she reached out to grab the encrypted phone given by Damian from her coat pocket, a soft knock suddenly rapped against the driver's side window.

Toc... toc... toc.

Aileen gasped in startle, whipping her head quickly toward the window. Amidst the lashing rain and the dim glow of the streetlamp, a tall figure clad in a black suit holding a massive umbrella stood out there.

The figure lowered his umbrella slightly, revealing the resolute, sharply defined face she knew all too well.

Damian.

Aileen swiftly pressed the window control button. The glass slid down slowly, allowing the night air and the scent of rain to rush into the cabin.

"Damian? What... what are you doing here?" Aileen asked with eyes widened in disbelief.

Damian offered a subtle smile, leaning closer to the car window while rain dampening the shoulders of his trench coat. "The encrypted phone I gave you earlier is equipped with an emergency tracking system linked directly to my device. When I saw your car's GPS stop abruptly in the middle of this deserted highway during a severe storm, I knew you needed help."

Hearing that explanation, an overwhelming wave of warmth surged straight into Aileen's chest. This man truly watched over her every second, even from afar.

"My car engine suddenly died completely, Damian. My main phone battery is dead too," Aileen said, her tone softening slightly as she exposed a flicker of vulnerability beneath her usual fortitude.

"Don't worry, I'm right here," Damian replied gently.

Without wasting a second, Damian opened the car door from the outside, shielding Aileen with the umbrella efficiently before slipping off his still-warm suit jacket to drape over Aileen's shoulders so she wouldn't catch a chill. He then arranged for a private tow truck service to handle Aileen's vehicle before inviting her to find shelter nearby.

A few hundred meters from the stalled car stood a small, vintage-themed coffee shop still open past midnight. The cafe was empty of patrons, inhabited only by the fragrant aroma of roasted coffee beans and dim amber lighting that created an intensely cozy atmosphere.

Aileen and Damian sat across from each other in a corner booth near a glass window streaked with raindrops. Before them, two cups of hot chocolate billowed thin wisps of steam.

Aileen cradled the ceramic cup with both hands, absorbing the warmth spreading into her chilled fingers. She lowered her gaze to the surface of the hot cocoa, her mind drifting back to the bitterness of the life she had endured.

"Damian..." Aileen whispered softly, her voice sounding heartbreakingly fragile. "Sometimes, it still feels like all of this is an endless nightmare. In my past life, I was so foolish. I surrendered my entire life to a man who intended to murder me, and I turned my back on those who genuinely cared for me... including you."

Damian fell silent for a moment. He looked at Aileen intently, seeing the inner scars she had long hidden behind a cold facade and a thirst for vengeance.

"Don't blame yourself for the wickedness of others, Aileen," Damian said with a deep, intensely soothing baritone. "You weren't foolish; you were simply far too sincere in loving the wrong person. And that is your greatest strength, not your weakness."

Aileen looked up, her tear-glossed eyes locking onto Damian's gaze, which overflowed with profound understanding. There wasn't a trace of judgment in the man's eyes; there remained only unconditional sincerity ready to cradle every broken fragment of her heart.

"In the past, after my father passed away, I felt utterly alone in this world," Aileen continued, warm tears finally spilling silently down her cheeks. "Rehan came offering an embrace and false promises, making me feel safe. But in truth... that embrace was a death trap. Every time I remember what it felt like to be hurled into that ravine that night, my chest tightens, Damian... I'm terrified."

Seeing Aileen weep, Damian rose instantly from his chair, moving to sit right beside her. Without hesitation, he pulled the woman into the warmth of his broad chest.

Aileen gasped briefly, but a second later, she buried her face against Damian's chest, releasing the choked sobs she had kept tightly suppressed for so long. She clutched fiercely at Damian's shirt, letting his embrace absorb all the lingering terror and trauma of her past.

Damian held her tight, one hand stroking Aileen's back with infinite tenderness while his lips murmured softly near her ear, "Cry all you want, Aileen. Let it all out. From now on, you don't have to carry that burden all by yourself anymore."

"Thank you, Damian... Thank you for always being here," Aileen sobbed against the man's chest.

At that moment, Aileen realized one undeniable truth: the man beside her wasn't merely an alliance partner in her mission of vengeance; he was her true home—the ultimate sanctuary she had been far too foolish to overlook in both her past and present lives.

The rain outside the cafe gradually tapered off, leaving behind the soothing patter of dripping water against the canopy. Inside the dim cafe corner, the atmosphere transformed into an intimate space charged with deep emotion.

Damian slowly eased his embrace, though his hands remained cupping both of Aileen's cheeks with utmost care. His thumbs meticulously swept away the tear tracks on her skin.

Aileen looked up, her breath hitching slightly as she realized how close their faces were. She could feel the warmth of Damian's breath brushing against her skin, sending her heartbeat racing wildly out of control.

Damian stared deeply into Aileen's eyes, channeling all the love and devotion he had bottled up in silence for years.

Damian's fingers slowly slid downward, firmly clasping Aileen's still-cool hand, as though fusing their souls into an unbreakable bond.

Damian's voice drifted out in a soft whisper that shattered every remaining wall around Aileen's heart:

"Listen to me, Aileen... I swear by everything, I will never let a single tear of sorrow fall from your eyes ever again. Let me protect you, love you, and walk with you through the rest of your days."

Thump!

Aileen's heart thundered violently. Those words weren't merely sweet promises; they were the lifelong vow of a man willing to wager everything for her sake. Every remaining wall of doubt within her heart crumbled entirely.

Aileen looked up at Damian with a genuine, blooming smile, opening her heart fully and surrendering her love without reservation.

"Yes, Damian..." Aileen whispered softly, her voice trembling with profound happiness. "I trust you."

Hearing that reply, the corners of Damian's lips curved upward into the most radiant smile he had ever shown. Slowly but surely, he closed the distance between them, uniting their lips in a gentle, warm, and deeply grateful kiss—a declaration that a bright, joyful new chapter of life had officially begun for the two of them.