Chapter 3

Unveiling Shadows: The Mysterious Encounter"

Slowly, she began to open his eyes. She could feel the pain in her arms and legs from running as she was being chased by a huge bear. She jerked upright as he remembered what happened to her. Looking around the room she was currently in, she noticed that it was quite dark with only two lights hanging on the wall giving a dim light. Even in the darkness, she knew it wasn't his house.

She got off the bed and saw a pair of slippers. She put them on, amazed that they fit perfectly, as if they were meant for her. She also checked the clothes she was wearing, the same ones she had on when she left their house. She noticed the bandage on her arm and some small bandage near her arms and legs.

Wearing the slippers, she headed towards the door, slowly pushing it open with caution. She was careful as she exited the room, looking around in the hopes of seeing who rescued her from the huge bear. She couldn't see the entire room, but she could see long couches, a table in the middle with some plants on it, and a single seat across it. It was near the closed window with thick curtains. In the center of the ceiling was a large lamp hanging there. She thought the house was made of wood.

"Oh, you're awake."

She suddenly looked back upon hearing a sound.

It was the deep and baritone voice that she last heard before losing consciousness. She saw a tall man wearing a pain stand collar shirt standing at the threshold of the door, apparently heading towards the kitchen of the house. She couldn't see his face clearly because the part where he was standing was not well-lit by the light coming from the living room.

She only nodded in response.

With the sudden appearance of this man, she then felt the strange aura of the entire house. An aura that would send shivers down the spine of anyone who entered. An aura that said you are not safe in that place. She could feel her heart rate slowly increasing due to the emerging fear from that house and what was in front of her.

"Are you afraid?"

She nodded absentmindedly.

The mysterious man standing by the doorway chuckled lightly. His laughter was as cold as ice.

"Oh, no, I'm not,"

She replied, trying to deny the feelings she had at that moment. She raised her hand and waved it left and right in a gesture of negation.

"Okay."

The mysterious man straightened his posture and slowly approached where she stood. She took slight steps backward with each of his movements, stopping as he was hit by the light illuminating the man's face. His hair was neatly styled, contrasting with the long hair she had imagined. He wore a dark suit jacket over a brown vest, a crisp white shirt and a black tie. His sharp nose, thick eyebrows, and thin lips were now clearly visible, giving him a striking and handsome appearance. The light revealed his chiseled features, making her realize he was perhaps the most attractive man she had ever seen. The background, with its ornate architectural elements, added to the aura of mystery surrounding him.

"Who are you?"

He stopped a few steps away from her. He was looking at her with a serious expression, devoid of any emotion.

"I think, I should be the one asking you that. Who are you?"

She swallowed involuntarily.

"I got lost on my way home,"

She replied shortly, feeling like he didn't believe her.

"Lost. Okay."

He responded with a series of nodding gestures to what she said.

"Whatever brought you here to this forest, do you know how dangerous this place is? You've already experienced it, and it's not just the dangers here. In the morning, leave this place and go back where you came from, and do not come back here."

There was something in his tone that instilled fear in her heart.

"This place is not meant for children like you."

She furrowed her brow at his words. She was small, yes, but she was no longer a child. She was a young woman now. In her estimation, he was only about two or three years older than her.

She couldn't help but voice out what was on her mind.

"If you think I'm still a child, how did this place become safe for someone like you? You seem only a few years older than me, right?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. He tilted his head to align their gazes.

"Human. I'm not like you."

Furrowing her brow again at his words, she wondered what he meant by it.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw him turn and head towards the room where she had woken up. A few moments later, he emerged carrying clothes, neatly folded.

He approached her and handed them to her. She took them and examined the plain white dress. She lifted her gaze from the dress he gave her. Curiously, she looked at him as if waiting for an explanation of its origin. However, he only looked at her, then raised his left hand and pointed to the door that she perceived led to the kitchen.

"That door leads to the kitchen. Turn left, you'll find a door there. The bathroom is there. You can take a bath and change your clothes."

With that, he didn't wait for any response from her. He entered another doorway next to the room she had come out of earlier, leaving her alone in the living room, where she stood for a few moments staring at the doorway he had just entered.