1. The Unexpected Combination

Elijah Norton woke up early in the morning.

He felt something soft in his left hand, so he turned his head to the left and discovered a woman with a veil lying beside him.

His left hand was gripping her... Elijah subconsciously pinched it.

Sophia Donald was startled awake by the pinch, realizing she was completely naked except for the veil on her face.

"Ah!" Her scream echoed throughout the hotel.

Breathless with fear, she clutched the bed sheets tightly to cover her body and slowly moved back to distance herself from Elijah.

"Who... who are you? What did you do to me?" Sophia asked anxiously.

"My name is Elijah. It seems we've done everything a young couple can do," Elijah shrugged casually.

"How could you do this to me? You violated me; you're a criminal!" Sophia was both angry and embarrassed, but more than that, she felt wronged. Tears welled up in her eyes as her voice trembled.

"That's not true! You were the one who made the first move last night!" Elijah defended himself.

"No way! I would never..." Sophia started to retort, but suddenly, the events of the previous night flashed through her mind like a slideshow.

Feeling dejected about her upcoming marriage to Allen Shaw, she had gone to the bar and was drugged. This man saved her. He brought her to the hotel room and was about to leave, but she took the initiative to hug him and strip him off his clothes.

Suddenly, Sophia's expression changed as she realized a critical issue.

"Oh no... my engagement to Allen Shaw. The wedding is next week. If he and his family find out about this, my future is ruined..." Sophia murmured, her eyes filled with deepening fear.

Although she was not willing to marry Allen Shaw, she knew the power the Shaw family held in Atherton. If the Shaw family learned of this, both she and the man in front of her might not survive.

Seeing her so distressed, Elijah awkwardly scratched his head and tentatively asked, "So... am I responsible for you?"

Sophia looked up at him and replied dejectedly, "Do you have any idea how serious this situation is? It could bring disaster to me and my family, as well as to you."

"Please believe me, I'm powerful and wealthy. Many important people respect me!" Elijah said calmly.

"No, you don't understand. Just forget everything; let's pretend nothing happened between us, okay? Please leave here!" Sophia shook her head, her expression pleading and sorrowful.

Elijah sensed her fear and felt a pang of guilt rising in his heart.

"Look and listen to me!" He said, his voice softening slightly, "I’m not the one to spread rumors. So you don't have to worry about that!"

He reached out, meaning to wipe away tears that had slipped down her cheek, but his fingers accidentally brushed against her veil, pulling it off.

He froze!

Her face was marred by scars and burns, twisting what must have once been delicate features.

Elijah’s breath caught, and he didn’t flinch, his eyes remaining steady all the time. 

He had seen worse in wars. 

Besides that, he noticed the scars on her face were the result of severe burns. He had also been disfigured by fire in the past. 

Out of compassion, Elijah only wanted to gently touch her face.

However, Sophia just covered her face with hands, filled with a storm of shame and fear.

"Don’t look at me! Get out of here! Get out of this room! Leave me alone, please..." She cried, her voice almost breaking.

Elijah paused his movement, realizing that this woman was like a sensitive little cat right now.

To minimize her distress, he decided to leave her alone to calm down.

But before he left, he told her, "I'll get back to you soon! And... you are actually very beautiful!"

... ...

Two hours later, Elijah got into a car without a license plate.

"Dragon Marshal, I've investigated the identity of the girl who saved you ten years ago," A strong man in the driver's seat reported to Elijah.

"Who is she?" Elijah asked, a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Her name is Sophia Donald. She also survived the fire, but it's said that she suffered severe facial burns that left her disfigured."

At this, Elijah's expression darkened, and a chilling aura surrounded him, causing the strong man to shiver involuntarily.

Ten years ago, the Norton family was destroyed overnight, with all its members perishing in a devastating fire—except for Elijah. If it hadn't been for a young woman who risked her life to save him, he wouldn't have survived.

When he woke up again, he found himself at the southern border, having become an ordinary soldier. Later, due to his outstanding military achievements, he rose to the rank of commander of the entire Southern Legion, earning the title "Commander Long."

The formidable Dragon Marshal made several nations in the south tremble in fear. Now that he had successfully stabilized the turbulent southern region, he returned to Arthurton, determined to find that girl and repay her.

"Sophia, I will make you the happiest woman in the world!"

The strong man paused for a moment before continuing, "Marshal, Sophia has had a very difficult life since her disfigurement. Her classmates bully her, and her family sees her as a disgrace. She is engaged to a member of the Shaw family, but from what I know, her fiancé despises her and often humiliates her in public."

Elijah furrowed his brow tightly, shocked to learn that his savior had endured such hardship over the years.

"By the way, here are some details about her, including her current photo," the man said, pulling out a stack of documents and handing them to Elijah.

Elijah opened the file, his eyes widening in shock as he looked at the girl in the photo.

She was wearing a veil, appearing somewhat self-conscious and timid—the same as the girl he had spent the night with in the hotel.