Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

So, there was no dodging it now; I had to lay it all out.

I blurted out, "Bobby, you guys got it all wrong. Seriously, we're not what you think, we..."

"Girl, he's a good dude. You can't keep harping on one thing forever. Nobody's perfect. Even if he messed up, you gotta give him a shot to make things right, ya know?" Before I could finish, they cut me off, thinking Faris and I were just a bickering couple.

In the end, they practically shoved us into the room.

When we got there, I saw there were only two bedrooms. This one was ours, which meant all those big guys, including Bobby, had to cram into the other room. Faris flicked on his phone's flashlight, and the tiny beam barely lit up the small room.

A wooden bed, a desk, a chair, and an old TV on the desk.

On a snowy night, up in the mountains, with no heat, even with the doors and windows shut, the room felt like a freezer. Wearing a down jacket felt like wearing nothing.

The hail had stopped, but the wind and snow were still going strong. I could hear the wind howling inside the house.

The window glass was intact, but it probably didn't fit right. The curtain fluttered now and then as the wind sneaked in.

Staring at the only bed, I was on high alert.

Faris set his phone next to the TV, adjusting it for the best light, then suddenly turned to look at me. Even in the dim light, I could see his playful grin, like he already knew I was uneasy.

He suddenly grabbed my hand. Before I could pull away, he yanked me toward him, making me stumble and bump my forehead against his chin. I tried to back off, but he held my waist, pulling me close, and I felt a soft touch on my forehead. Startled, I looked up. In the dim light, Faris was smiling, his tongue slightly licking his lips, looking as pleased and proud as a kid who just got candy.

"Pervert!"

Out of shame and anger, I raised my hand to slap Faris.

But before I could bring it down, he caught it.

He looked at me calmly, with a smirk.

"Since you call me a pervert, should I really act like one?"

His deliberately gentle tone brushed past my ear like a feather, sounding very flirtatious.

I forcefully shook off Faris's hand, and this time, he let go.

"I'm used to sleeping alone, but now there's only one bed. Given the circumstances, I can't be too picky. We'll just have to squeeze in for the night. It's just one night, after all."

Faris said as he walked to the bed and sat down, looking at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"What, you don't wanna sleep? Think I'm a beast? Don't worry. I won't touch you." He sounded like he was laughing.

Spending a night in the same room with a dangerous man was already risky, especially since he had just crossed the line. Trusting him would be foolish.

"Really not sleeping? Then I'll sleep," he said again, and I still didn't respond.

Then he took off his shoes and lay down on the bed, which promptly collapsed under his weight.

I widened my eyes, and a few seconds later, I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

The bed collapsed? It collapsed!

At that moment, I felt quite pleased, especially seeing Faris's relaxed expression disappear the moment the bed collapsed. I felt a sense of satisfaction from head to toe. Bobby and the other guys came quickly after hearing the noise.

There was a knock on the door. I opened it, and as they came in, Faris was just getting up from the collapsed bed.

The guys took one look and started laughing, their eyes glancing meaningfully between Faris and me.

I instantly understood their misunderstanding, and a rush of heat surged to my face.

Bobby walked over to the bed, looked at it, and said a bit awkwardly and apologetically, "Actually, no one has slept in this room for a long time. It was used for people who couldn't make it down the mountain. I guess the bedboard has rotted over time. I'm really sorry."

Faris cleared his throat, the dim light hiding some of his embarrassment.

"Sleeping or not doesn't really matter. We're just grateful to have a place to shelter from the wind and rain."

The guys said they weren't sleeping either and were playing cards in the next room. I guessed they couldn't sleep, so they planned to play cards through the night.

They pulled Faris to join them. One of the guys invited me to watch them play cards, but I didn't go.

I was left alone in the dark and cold room. Fortunately, a beam of light from Faris's phone remained.

Outside, the wind rustled, and the sound of the wind was like a wail.

The curtain fluttered, casting shadows on the wall that swayed back and forth. I felt a chill down my spine and got a bit spooked.

After a bit, the door creaked open, and in walked Faris with a basin.

He set it down, and I saw it was filled with burning charcoal.

"Why didn't you play cards with them?" I asked.

He glanced at me, a smile in his eyes.

"If I played with them all night, I'd clean them out. How could I feel good about taking their money?"

I snorted. "You think you're some kind of card shark?"

Faris just smiled without saying anything. He got up and walked to a corner of the room, grabbing a discarded wooden plank about the length of a long bench.

He placed the plank next to the fire basin, sat down cross-legged, and then turned to look at me, patting the spot next to him.

"Come sit over here."

I didn't move.

Just then, the light from the phone suddenly went out, plunging the room into darkness.

The only light now came from the basin of charcoal.

Faris lit a cigarette with a lighter, calmly saying, "My phone must be out of battery."

I had seen some horror movies before, and they often had scenes where the lights suddenly went out. According to horror movie logic, this usually meant a monster was about to appear. The more I thought about it, the more terrified I felt, goosebumps rising on my skin, and my feet involuntarily moving towards the fire basin.

Suddenly, my hand was yanked forcefully, and I fell into Faris's arms.

The scent that filled my nose was completely different from Ethan's. My cheek touched his cold leather jacket, still carrying snowflakes from outside.

Blushing, I tried to scramble up, but his arm tightened, stopping me.

My hand pressed against his chest, and I stared at him warily.

The red glow from the fire basin reflected on his face, and he looked at me with amusement.

"What? Are you afraid I'll eat you?"

I didn't respond.

Given the unfavorable conditions, I had to be cautious with my words.

He suddenly lifted his arm, placing me next to him. As soon as he let go, I immediately scooted to the end of the plank.

Too far away, I was scared; too close, it was dangerous. The distance between us now was just right.

The room fell silent, with only the faint sounds of cards playing from the next room.

Faris sat cross-legged, the cigarette in his mouth, suddenly becoming very quiet. Only the faint smell of smoke lingered in the air.

The curtain fluttered more violently, and the sound of the wind and falling snow grew louder and more urgent. If the snow continued like this, we might not be able to get down the mountain tomorrow. Ethan would be worried if he couldn't reach me all night. Would he be looking for me everywhere?

"Is Ethan good to you?"

I was taken aback because Faris's tone was so unlike him, more like that of an old friend. It made me lower my guard significantly.

"Of course, he is." I stared at the fire basin.

Faris smiled, tapping the ash off his cigarette by the fire basin.

"Well, Ethan came to rescue you alone and was willing to give up a piece of land for you. Those actions show he cares about you."

But I thought differently. I remembered Ethan saying that even if Faris hadn't used me as leverage, he would have given up the land if Faris wanted it.

"You built a cemetery there to deliberately ruin Silent Grove Village," I said accusingly.

He laughed coldly. "If I wanted to ruin Silent Grove Village, I could have used more direct methods."

I stared at him in shock.

He glanced at me, curling his lips. "What? You don't believe I have the capability?"

I believed he had the capability; I was shocked that he had other motives.

"Then why do you insist on building a cemetery there? What are you really up to?"

He just smiled without answering. After a long while, he snorted arrogantly.

"I'm just building a cemetery. That land is mine. I can do whatever I want with it." How capricious!

"Whose cemetery are you building?" I asked.

The cigarette between his fingers bent as he tightened his grip. Losing interest, he tossed it into the fire. It flared up on the hot charcoal, then slowly died out.

Before I could get an answer, a loud crash above sent tiles falling. None hit us, but dust got in my eyes as I looked up.

An arm grabbed me, and we rolled to the ground just as something collapsed. A beam had fallen where I'd been sitting. If Faris hadn't pulled me away in time, I would have been crushed under it. Faris, who was on top of me, lifted his head, staring straight at me, breathing heavily. I could hear a sense of fear in his rapid breaths.

"I saved your life. How are you going to repay me?" he suddenly asked.