Chapter 1: Prologue
Driving along the deserted road, Theodore suddenly noticed his car accelerating beyond his control. Panic crawled up his throat as he wrestled with the steering wheel, attempting to regain control.
’What on earth is happening?’ he wondered, straining to reduce the speed to no avail.
His eyes widened as he saw a big oil tanker ahead of him. Adrenaline propelled him to wrench the wheel sharply. The car screamed in protest, its tires clawing at the asphalt as it veered off the road. A sickening crunch echoed through the air as the car crashed into a tree alongside the road.
Theodore’s world began spinning as dizziness threatened to consume him. Pain exploded in his head. Blood dripped from a wound above his eyebrow, matting his hair and obscuring his vision. Every inch of his body hurt, rendering his limbs almost too feeble to move. Consciousness slipped through his grasp. The darkness at the edges of his vision crept closer.
Just as he thought he was going to die, a female voice filled his ears. "Don’t fall asleep, alright? I’ll get you out of here."
Theodore forced his eyes open, leaving the world a blurry mess. He perceived a radiant face looming overhead—golden locks framing delicate features, accentuated by mesmerizing deep blue eyes brimming with concern.
"Who are you?" he managed through his foggy perception.
"Isabella," she answered tenderly and reassuringly. "Just hang on there. I’m taking you to the hospital."
Through the haze of pain and confusion, Theodore felt the woman’s steady hands unbuckle his seatbelt, her touch gentle yet resolute as she pulled him from the wreckage.
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