Chapter 2
The rain only kept getting heavier. The man in the alley hugged his knees and shivered as Sophie walked over in a daze, crouched down, and finally made out his face through the curtain of rain.
It was filthy, caked with mud, and his hair was matted beyond recognition.
Even so, it couldn't hide how striking his features were: a high nose, deep-set eyes, and tightly pressed lips. If he were cleaned up, he'd definitely be handsome.
When he slowly raised his head, Sophie was caught by those dark, crystal-clear eyes, full of confusion and fear.
The moment he saw Sophie, he curled in on himself even more. Something gave a soft tug at her heart. She lowered her voice and tried to seem harmless.
"Are you okay?" The man said nothing. He just looked at her with those impossibly clear eyes.
Sophie sighed and took the last pack of tissues from her bag, holding it out to him. "Here. Wipe your face." He didn't take it. He only kept staring at her, like a startled little animal wary of everything around him.
Helpless, Sophie pulled out a tissue and tried to wipe his face herself. The second her hand touched his cheek, he jerked back like he'd been shocked.
She awkwardly withdrew and set the tissue on the ground beside him. "I'm not trying to hurt you."
Her clothes were soaked through, and she was freezing. She stood up, ready to leave, but after one step someone gently tugged at the hem of her shirt.
When she turned around, he was already standing there, head lowered like a chastened child.
His lips moved, and a single syllable came out. "Hungry..." His voice was hoarse, with the faintest trace of grievance.
Sophie's heart softened completely. Looking at him, she was reminded of a stray puppy she'd once rescued on a rainy day.
A crazy thought began to grow in her mind. Her boyfriend of five years had just betrayed her, and her best friend had stabbed her in the back.
She thought, 'I have nothing and I am a wreck. What could possibly be worse than this? Nothing.'
"Come home with me." The moment the words left her mouth, even Sophie was stunned.
But the man seemed to understand the word home; a spark lit up his eyes, and he nodded.
Just like that, she brought a man of unknown origin back to the new apartment she'd just rented.
The apartment was tiny, just one bedroom and a living room. She had rented it for the future she'd planned with Henry, never expecting to move in alone first.
She switched on the light. The place was almost bare, with only a bed and a few basic necessities. The man followed her in, nervous and out of place.
"Go take a shower first." Sophie dug a clean men's T-shirt and a pair of shorts out of her suitcase. She had bought them for Henry once, and he'd never worn them. Now they finally had a use.
She pushed the man into the bathroom and turned on the hot water for him. "Can you wash yourself?"
He nodded, then shook his head. Sophie pressed a hand to her forehead. This guy really didn't seem quite all there.
With a sigh, she resigned herself to helping him out of his filthy clothes. When his torn shirt came off, Sophie sucked in a breath.
His body was covered in old and new scars crossing over one another, shocking to look at.
She wondered, 'Who is he? What happened to him?' But she asked nothing and closed the bathroom door. 'Call me when you are clean.'
Outside the bathroom, Sophie's feelings were complicated. She had no idea what kind of man she'd brought home, but after seeing the scars on him, all her caution had melted into sympathy.
Before long, water started running in the bathroom. She went to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and found it completely empty, so she had no choice but to order takeout.
Half an hour later, the bathroom door opened and the man walked out. Sophie turned around to look and froze.