The hum of the helicopter blades vibrated beneath me. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the pale glow of the interior lights. Everything felt surreal. My body ached from the rough handling, my cheek throbbed from the slap, but there was something else too—an unfamiliar weight of safety. I wasn't sure if I should trust it yet.
A man in a crisp military uniform sat across from me. Not masked, not threatening. Calm. Calculated. Powerful. Every movement radiated authority. I tried to speak, my throat dry.
"Who… are you?" My voice barely rose above a whisper.
His gaze locked on mine, unwavering, sharp, piercing. "You're awake. Good. You were unconscious for a long time."
"I asked… who you are!" I forced the words out. My hands fidgeted with the straps holding me safely, not bound, just secure.
He straightened slightly, the muscles in his jaw tightening. "I am General Adriel Kael. Your kidnappers lost control of you before they could act. Consider yourself… rescued."
I blinked. "Rescued?" My mind churned, disbelief and suspicion tangled together.
"Unexpectedly," he added. His calm tone did not soothe me—it demanded respect, attention, and acknowledgment.
My gaze drifted out the small window. The darkness stretched endlessly below. No city lights, no landmarks. Only clouds and night. My chest tightened, a familiar ache of abandonment resurfacing. Liam… had chosen Grace. They had all chosen Grace. And me? I was left alone, again.
Then he spoke my name, softly, almost as if testing me: "Do you remember Robin?"
My brow furrowed. "Robin?"
He leaned closer, eyes softening just enough for me to notice. "I am Robin… the same Robin who shared his bread with you at the orphanage. Do you remember now?"
A jolt ran through me. My mind raced through blurred, distant memories—a small boy, messy hair, gentle hands breaking a piece of stale bread, sharing it with me.
"You… you're Robin?" My voice trembled, disbelief clashing with hope.
He allowed a faint smile. "Yes. I never forgot you, Fiona. Every night, every struggle, I remembered the girl who fought beside me, who showed kindness even when the world didn't deserve it."
I swallowed hard. "But… you disappeared. Why?"
"I was adopted," he said quietly, voice tight with the weight of years. "I tried to find you for years. But the orphanage records… they were gone. Wiped clean." His eyes darkened. "I never stopped searching."
The helicopter tilted slightly, the subtle motion reminding me of how precarious everything still was. My heart fluttered, both with fear and a strange comfort.
"I… I can't believe it," I whispered. "All this time… and now…"
Adriel reached out, lightly touching my left cheek. "You're hurt," he said, massaging it gently. His hand was warm, steady, and full of purpose. "I will take care of you. No one else can touch you."
I flinched slightly—not from fear, but from the intensity in his touch. Memories of Liam, the cruelty, the claiming, the fear, flashed in my mind. Yet, this was different. This was safety… protection… and maybe something more.
"You…" I hesitated, voice barely audible. "…you really were Robin."
His expression softened further, almost boyish for a fleeting moment. "The same Robin. But I've grown, learned… trained. I have power now, Fiona. And I will use it to keep you safe."
A strange warmth surged in my chest. In a life full of betrayal, pain, and loss, here was someone who remembered the real me. Not the orphan, not the servant, not the object of lust and control. Me. Fiona.
The helicopter began its descent, the island coming into view below—a paradise shrouded in secrecy. Lush greenery, a glimmer of buildings, and a calm coastline stretched out beneath us. A utopia designed to shield, protect, and isolate.
"You will have a home here," Adriel continued, voice soft but firm. "School, food, protection. You will not be harmed. Not by anyone who thinks they own you, not by the past you've endured."
I swallowed, eyes wide, taking it all in. A new life. Safety. But also a prison of sorts. Only he could touch me—he had the power to control everything around me. My past echoed in my mind, the Smith mansion, Liam, John, Grace… my own silence.
"Do you… trust me?" he asked, studying me like he could read my every thought.
I hesitated. Trust was foreign, dangerous, and yet alluring. "I… I don't know," I admitted honestly.
"You will learn," he said, tone commanding but patient. "For now, just survive. Heal. I'll handle the rest."
And for the first time in what felt like an eternity… I allowed myself to breathe.
Because Robin—Adriel Kael—was back.And this time, he wouldn't let me go.