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February in Sureton City was wet. It had been drizzling throughout the day, leaving the roads damp. The cold wind brought with it the rain, making Freya Somner shiver. She held an umbrella and curled up while crouching before the entrance to the city hall.

It was already 5:00 pm. Would that person come?

She was worried as she thought about her grandfather, Neil Somner, who lay sick in bed. Had he finished his IV drip? Would he need to use the restroom? Had Thomas Talbot already gone home?

She looked up and scanned the empty streets. The city hall would close for the day at 5:30 pm. She would just grit her teeth and wait for another half an hour, then.

If that person didn't show up, she could blame him and tell Neil and Thomas that he'd stood her up. It wasn't because she didn't want to marry him or anything.

Neil was sick. As a traditional medicine practitioner, he knew his time was running out. Freya was his only concern—she would be alone in the world once he passed.

He'd contacted Thomas, whom he'd saved many years ago. Thomas had promised Neil that he would do everything in his power to help if Neil ever needed it. All Neil had to do was make the call.

Years had passed since then, but the call had miraculously gone through. Thomas had shown up the very next day.

Neil had explained the situation to him and asked Thomas to help care for Freya in the future.

Thomas had generously said, "It's only natural for me to care for her. How about this—I have many grandsons, so I'll have one of them marry Fae as a way of repaying you. That way, she won't be alone."

Neil had agreed, leaving Freya with no room to object. She didn't want to marry—she could take care of herself and was fine alone.

She was currently staying at the dormitory her university had prepared for graduate students. She even had 2,300 a month as financial aid. Eating at the hospital's and university's cafeterias was cheap—she only needed to spend 15 a day on food.

However, Neil had insisted. He felt that it was hard to predict the future, and he would only be able to rest in peace once he saw that marriage certificate. That way, he'd be able to face Freya's parents in the afterlife with no regrets.

Freya's parents had died after falling off a cliff. They'd been searching for a herbal catalyst to save Thomas back in the day.

It had rained that day, just as it had on this day. Freya had seen her parents' corpses entwined with one another, their hands still clutching the herbal catalyst.

After her parents passed away, she and Neil depended on each other for survival. It was on that day that she'd suddenly grown up.

She'd studied hard and skipped grades, sitting for her SATs at 17 years old. Then, she'd gotten into Sureton University's medical faculty, joining the seven-year integrated bachelor's and master's program. She only had two years to go before she could graduate and officially start working.

Things were starting to look good. Then, Neil had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. It was taking his life away.

The screeching of brakes pulled Freya out of her reverie. She looked up at the offroad vehicle before her. It was painted a military green and covered in mud, and the tires were soiled. It was clear the car had ventured through the mountains.

The door opened, blocking the man's face from her view. Still, she'd gotten a glimpse of his chiseled features. His bushy brows, tall nose, and deep-set eyes formed a handsome, honest face.

With the door open, all Freya could see was the army pants enveloping his long legs and the leather boots he wore. It was a cold day, yet he only wore an olive green T-shirt.

He stepped away from the car. Before Freya could take a closer look at his face, he approached her, stopping before her so his boots were level with her eyes.

"Are you Freya Somner?" he asked, his voice deep and somewhat daunting.

"Yeah."

"Let's get married, then."

He turned and headed into the city hall.

Chapter 2
Freya wanted to stand up, but she'd been crouching for so long that her legs had gone numb.

"What's wrong?" the man asked.

"My legs have gone numb."

She was lifted off her feet as soon as the words were out of her mouth. An unfamiliar scent enveloped her, and she felt her face burn.

The man placed her on the seat before the counter. "Get your identification."

She kept her head lowered as she obediently placed the things on the counter.

"Daniel Talbot," the staff said.

"That's me," the man said.

"Freya Somner."

"Here," Freya said. She looked up at the staff.

The staff looked at the identification she held, then at Freya. The latter's eyes were spirited but also carried a hint of naivety. Freya was only 22, but Daniel was already 28. He'd even carried her in.

That made the staff suspect whether Freya had been forced into this. She asked, "Are you here to get married at your own will?"

"Yes, I am," Freya said.

"Alright, then. Fill up these forms, please."

At 5:30 pm, Freya and Daniel walked out of the city hall. Freya looked down at her marriage certificate. She'd gone from being single to married once the staff stamped the certificate.

She'd married a man she'd met for the first time without even dating him. The whole thing had only taken a matter of minutes.

Daniel stopped and looked at her. "Where are you headed now?"

She had kept her head down and hadn't been paying attention to the distance between them. She walked right into his chest.

Pain spread through her, starting from her nose. Tears welled in Freya's eyes. How could his chest be as hard as a wall?

She clamped a hand over her nose and looked at him tearily. "I'm going back to the hospital."

He was so tall that her eyes were only level with his chest. It was incredibly muscular and looked just like the diagrams she'd seen in her medical texts.

"Get in the car," he said.

Freya struggled to open the door. She tugged it with all her strength, but it didn't budge. Daniel saw her from the driver's seat. He waved at her, gesturing for her to back up. Then, he opened the door from inside.

"Which hospital are you going to?" he asked.

"The county tumor hospital, the one at Percat Street. Thanks." Freya obediently settled in her seat.

"Your seatbelt," he said.

She put it on, and he started the car. She noticed that his hands and arms were tanned, with protruding veins. He oozed strength and power.

Suddenly, Freya's stomach rumbled. The sound was magnified in the silent car. She instinctively held her stomach, her face turning beet red.

What was wrong with her? Why did she keep embarrassing herself? Was there something about her that made her incompatible with Daniel?

Her stomach continued to rumble for a while. Finally, the car stopped. Freya thought they'd arrived at the hospital and moved to open the door. Then, she looked out and said, "We're not at the hospital."

Daniel had already gotten out of the car, though. He headed to a fruit store without looking back at her. Soon, he returned with a bag full of fruits. "I don't know what your grandfather likes, so I bought a little of everything."

"He can't eat anything. Doctor's orders."

Daniel looked at her, perhaps because she sounded too calm. Only then did Freya notice how deep-set his eyes were. There was a hint of dominance in them.

"You have them, then." He placed the bag on her lap. "Have some to tide the hunger. I'm in a rush."

Freya wondered whether he was showing his concern for her. A wave of warmth surged in her as she peeled a banana. It was sweet.

…

The nurse had just removed Neil's IV drip when Freya and Daniel arrived at the ward. Thomas took the marriage certificates from Daniel and Freya and held them before Neil. He said happily, "Look at this, Neil. They're official marriage certificates with the stamps and all. They're genuine!"

Neil smiled and nodded weakly. "That's great. I won't have anything to worry about anymore."

"Come closer so Neil can see you, Dan," Thomas said.

Daniel stepped forward. "Hi, Grandpa."

Neil's smile widened. "Hi…"

He held Daniel's hand and said, "I'll leave Freya in your hands from now on. She's a softie but is stubborn on the inside. I hope you'll be more tolerant of her and take the time to explain your thoughts to her if you two ever get into an argument."

Tears streamed down Freya's face when she heard this. Daniel said, "I will, Grandpa."

"Don't worry, Neil. We won't mistreat Freya. Daniel has property and a car—I'll have him show Freya around his place right now. She can move in when she's free," Thomas said.

Freya forgot about crying and stared at Thomas in shock when she heard that. Didn't she and Daniel only have to get married? Why did they even have to live together?

"Go on, then. It's still light out, so you can see what the place is like," Neil said.

Daniel and Freya headed to his place under Thomas' urging.

Chapter 3
Daniel's apartment was in Sureton City's central commercial area. It was an expensive area with good infrastructure—the medical and education systems were well-established. The residential area was right next to Sureton City's largest park.

Freya looked at the minimalist, almost stark apartment. The marble coffee table was covered in a layer of dust. "This is your home?"

"Yeah." Daniel also saw the dust. "I don't usually stay here."

That didn't make sense at all. Why would anyone not live in their own home? Freya couldn't understand it.

"There's a card here that you can use to pay for the utilities." He opened a drawer in the TV cabinet to show her. "If anything needs fixing, you can speak to the management office.

"I'll have someone clean up the place later. There are two rooms, so you can pick whichever one you want. Feel free to use the study as well…"

Freya observed the place. It was well renovated but showed no signs of being lived in. There weren't even any plates or utensils around.

"What am I to you?" she suddenly asked.

"My wife."

"But I feel like your mistress," she said boldly.

She didn't know whether Daniel had a girlfriend or anything—perhaps he'd only married her due to Thomas' pressure. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made her wait a whole afternoon for him, only arriving right before the city hall closed for the day.

"What are you getting at?" Daniel asked.

"I'm fine with getting a divorce if you already have a partner—our grandfathers have seen the marriage certificates, anyway. I don't want to inadvertently end up as a homewrecker."

She respected the elderly but wouldn't do anything immoral just to comply with Neil's and Thomas' wishes.

Daniel understood now. "I'm single. I usually stay at the military camp in the mountains."

Freya recalled his offroad vehicle and the mud on it. That, coupled with his outfit, made her realize just who he was. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding you."

"It's fine. I'll take you back to the hospital now—you can move in here whenever it's convenient for you."

"What about you?" she blurted.

Then, she disdained herself for asking. What did his matters have to do with her?

"I need to head back after this. There's an urgent mission I need to handle."

That was the last thing Daniel said to her.

…

Shortly after Daniel left, Neil's condition took a turn for the worse, and a new semester started. Freya bustled back and forth between the university and the hospital daily.

On days when Neil felt better, he could even hold Freya's hand and reminisce with her. Neither of them mentioned that rainy night, though.

He kept telling her that life was long and that she had to live well independently. However, he also told her she couldn't expect to do everything herself. She had to give in occasionally.

Daniel looked like a good man, and they had to communicate with each other. They had to understand each other…

Neil said many things. Freya wanted to object to everything and tell him that none of that mattered. She wanted him to know that she only wanted to spend her life with him in a small town called Floriver Town. She wanted to read medical texts and pick herbs with him.

However, as a doctor, she was rational enough to know there was no chance of them ever returning to that life. The reports and data she saw every day were enough to tell her that Neil's condition was deteriorating.

She cried almost daily throughout that month but hid it well. Neil never noticed.

One day, white clouds floated in the blue sky. Freya drew the curtains, allowing the sunlight to stream into the room.

Neil was in good spirits. "The weather is so nice today, Fae. Maybe you should take me off my oxygen tube now."

He sounded calm, but Freya faltered while clipping his nails. She acted like she hadn't heard him and moved on to the next finger.

"I can't take it anymore, Fae. I'm on drug every day, but it still hurts so bad. I'm begging you, okay?"

His plea made Freya's nose prickle. Tears rolled down her face and landed on the floor, fading within seconds.

Neil was a proud and strong man who'd never begged anyone in his life. Now… It looked like she really had to let him go.

She slowly shut her eyes, sounding choked up as she said, "Okay. I'll get a doctor after I'm done clipping your nails."

"The weather is so nice today that I feel so much more relaxed," Neil said. He lifted a hand with difficulty to caress her head one last time.

It reminded her of how he'd praised her whenever she could memorize the things she'd read in the medical texts.

After Freya signed the necessary documents, the doctor removed Neil's oxygen tube. She stood by his bedside and held his hand until his body became devoid of warmth.

Thomas helped her with Neil's funeral, after which he urged her to move into Daniel's apartment.

Chapter 4
Two years passed in the blink of an eye.

"There's no time to eat, Dr. Somner. We're being dispatched for a house call."

Freya was in a hospital's emergency room. When she heard the nurse, Jade Winton, call her, she put a folder over her unfinished instant mac and cheese and left the doctor's lounge.

"Where's Dr. Wood?" she asked while wearing a mask. She hurried to catch up with Jade.

"He's accompanying Lena for a prenatal check. I've called him, and he's on his way." Jade grabbed a first-aid kit and an extra bag of gauze and bandages. She handed them to Freya.

"What's the situation? Why do we need so many bandages and gauze?"

"A luxury jewelry store was robbed. The store's staff called the police, but the robbers discovered them and took ten staff hostage. We're being dispatched to provide medical assistance," Jade said.

She told Freya everything she knew, then added, "Don't be rash later. Leave everything to Dr. Wood."

"Got it. Thanks, Jade."

Freya's mentor, Jason Wood, arrived at the same time as Freya and Jade. He was a tall, skinny man whose hairline was receding. He'd come from a prenatal check with his wife, Lena Johnson, and had already changed into his uniform. It made him look particularly spirited.

"What's the situation?" he asked as he got into the car.

"A jewelry store's been robbed. The robbers are armed," Jade said.

Silence descended upon the car. They didn't know what they were facing but had to go at it regardless. Medicine knew no borders, and all lives were equal in worth. They had to save lives as long as they were at risk.

When Freya and the others arrived, the police had already secured the scene. A crowd consisting of spectators and staff from various media outlets gathered behind the police line, surrounding the place and making it hard for anyone to get through.

Police cars and vehicles belonging to a SWAT team were parked outside the jewelry store. There were also three buses with the windows tinted black.

Freya followed Jason out of the car. A man who looked like an administrator hurried over to them, looking anxious. "The robbers need a doctor in there to save their comrade. Which one of you two will go in?"

Freya looked at the jewelry store. It had three floors and was a corner lot with an expansive view. A mall was behind it, which meant it probably had more than one exit.

"I'll go," Jason said, dragging Freya out of her reverie.

She gave him a disagreeable look. "No way. I'll go, Dr. Wood. You have parents and children to care for, and Lena's conceived with your second child. You can't go in there."

"You can't, either. You're inexperienced." Jason's attitude was firm. "The situation is complicated. I'm the only one who can head in there."

Freya didn't argue with him. She turned to the administrator and volunteered. "I'll go, sir. I've passed the medical board exam and can practice independently. I don't have any dependents or relatives to care for."

He looked at her. She was young and so nervous that she clenched her fists, but her expression was calm. She was bold, but her courage needed some training.

"You can go, then. We don't know the situation inside, so we can only act when the Falcon Strike Unit arrives. All you need to do when you get in there is to save whoever is injured. Drag things out for as long as possible while ensuring your safety and wait for help."

"Understood, sir." Freya wore her medical cap and gave herself a mental pep talk.

"Freya…" Jason started.

"I have to gain experience since I don't have it, Dr. Wood. You have to give me a chance," she said.

That was what medicine was like. One had to be bold and careful while constantly defeating one's old self. That way, one would only become a better version of oneself.

Jason knew what Freya was like. She'd met various people when treating patients. When some of them criticized or insulted her, she wouldn't take it lying down. Her retorts left much to be desired, though.

For instance, if a patient said she was incapable and that a doctor online had told them this and that, she would say, "I'll leave, then. You can ask your online doctor to treat you."

Once, someone had shouted at her, saying she was useless. She'd clapped back, calling that person the useless one.

"Do you guys have a bulletproof vest or something? Give one to her." Jason knew nothing he said would change Freya's mind.

The administrator gave one of his subordinates a look. A member of the SWAT team brought a bulletproof vest over.

Freya took her doctor's coat off and put the bulletproof vest on over her T-shirt. Then, she put her uniform on.

Chapter 5
Jade handed Freya the first-aid kit before hanging the stethoscope from her neck. "You're just going to ignore everything I told you before we came here, aren't you? You're bound to get into trouble if you continue like this."

"No one is more suitable than me, Jade," Freya said calmly.

"It's not like the military region's general hospital lacks doctors. If you turn them down, they'll arrange for someone else to come."

"But it's too far away. They'll take at least 30 minutes to arrive. That doesn't conform to the principles of pre-hospitalization emergency care."

Jade was one of the emergency room's most experienced nurses, so she knew Freya was right. It was the only thing they could do under the circumstances.

The administrator held a loudspeaker and shouted toward the store, "The doctor is coming. Open the door."

A hoarse voice rang out as soon as the words were out of his mouth. "Put the first-aid kit on the ground and turn in a circle. Then, take everything out of the first-aid kit and lay them on the ground."

Freya did as told. She'd just placed the final tool on the ground when the hoarse voice rang out again. "Put the things back in and come inside."

Freya packed everything back. She was about to enter the store when she felt a cool breeze. Curious, she looked in the direction it had come.

A helicopter was hovering in midair in one of the jewelry store's blind spots. A tall figure in camouflage slid down the rope and made a smooth landing.

It happened in seconds. Freya stared at the man, finding his figure incredibly familiar. He wore a black mask, and his sharp eyes flitted past her. Then, he hid behind the wall. Another team member landed behind him.

"Come in," the hoarse voice urged loudly. He sounded impatient.

Freya knew she had to enter the store since these people had yet to infiltrate it. Once she understood that, she didn't hesitate to head inside.

As soon as she pushed open the door, she smelled the metallic scent of blood. Suddenly, someone grabbed her by the neck and roughly dragged her inside. Then, he flung her onto the floor and commanded, "Save him."

She looked at the man on the floor. His mask, shaped like a pig's head, had been thrown aside. He looked ashen while struggling to breathe and had cyanosis of the nail bed. These were all signs of a lack of oxygen.

Freya checked him and concluded that he was having an asthma attack. His throat had swelled up, leading to breathing difficulties.

She searched his bag while muttering, "Where's the inhaler?"

Asthma patients would bring their inhalers when they were out, but she didn't find one in his bag.

"What are you looking for?" a man in a mask shaped like a dog's head asked.

"His inhaler," she said.

"He doesn't have one. Do a cricothyrotomy on him right now."

Freya was taken aback. "How are you related to him? You know how to save him?"

Suddenly, he pressed a gun to her forehead. "Shut up if you don't want to die. Just do as I say!"

The iciness of the metal made Freya's heart clench. Her mind went blank for a second, and she couldn't think.

"Hurry up!" He kicked her shoulder.

The pain made her snap to her senses. She forced herself to calm down and took a deep breath before commencing anatomical positioning and sterilization. Then, she inserted a thick injection needle into the cricothyroid membrane.

The process didn't take long, and the man gradually started looking better.

Suddenly, a black thing landed not far from Freya. Before she realized what it was, a few more followed. The inside of the store was quickly filled with smoke, and people started yelling. The alarm went off.

Freya wanted to take advantage of the chaos to hide, but a hand wrapped around her neck. A gun was pressed to her forehead, and someone snarled, "You're coming with me."

Chapter 6
The man dragged Freya to a secluded corner to hide. The cold feeling against her temple made her compliant. Her palms grew sweaty as she stood there, and she could hear her heart racing.

No matter how nervous or scared she was, she could only place her faith in the Falcon Strike Unit and tightly hold the needle in her hand.

A few minutes later, red lights flashed at them. The man dragged Freya out of their hiding spot. Before she could even see what was happening, she heard a muffled groan behind her. Then, there was a thump, and the robber's hand fell before her.

She was still lost when a team of three surrounded her.

A familiar voice said, "Take her out, Rabbit."

"Roger, Falcon." This voice belonged to a woman.

Rabbit, or Loren Smith, turned to Freya. "Come with me."

Freya turned to look at the familiar man while following Loren out. He glanced at her while walking up the stairs, and his sharp eyes matched the ones in her memory.

She asked Loren, "Is the person you called Falcon Daniel Talbot?"

Loren faltered. Then, she continued walking out while observing their surroundings. She didn't respond to Freya's question, but Freya knew she was right.

After leaving the jewelry store, the situation outside left no room for Freya to be pensive. She threw herself into work—the jewelry store's staff had more or less been injured. Jason was rescuing the most critically injured ones, so she had to handle those who were only bruised or scraped.

The injured staff came and went as she stopped the bleeding, cleaned wounds, and bandaged them.

"Freya."

She looked up in the middle of stopping a patient's bleeding to see black leather boots before her. Then, she raised her head to find Daniel standing before her.

She looked away and continued with her work. "Yes?"

"Help me clean this up." He'd taken his mask off, his tanned face unreadable.

It had been two years since they'd last seen each other. Now that they were reunited, Freya still couldn't help feeling a little scared of him. Based on what she remembered, he was a little domineering, and he spoke and acted brusquely.

"I'm almost done here." She picked up the pace and recorded the time. Then, she called out to Jade, who was somewhere behind her, "I'm done with the last one, Jade. They can be sent to the hospital now."

She turned back to Daniel. "Have a seat."

She sterilized her hands and scanned him. There didn't seem to be any wounds on him, so she asked, "Where's your injury?"

"The side of my abdomen." He lifted his shirt, revealing the bandage around his waist.

Freya crouched before him, finding that the bandage had already been stained with blood. She removed it and looked at the stitches on the neat wound—it was a knife wound.

He asked, "How have you been for the past two years?"

"Not too bad."

"I was on a mission abroad when your grandfather passed. I've only just returned."

Freya faltered. Daniel was explaining why he had missed Neil's funeral. Her voice remained calm as she said, "I understand."

They didn't speak anymore after that. Freya didn't ask about the wound, merely cleaning it and bandaging it again.

She stood up and took off her gloves, throwing them into the medical waste bin. "You'll have to be careful with your wound for some time. It'll take longer for you to recover if you keep reopening it."

"Thanks," he said.

"You're welcome."

Their conversation was polite and distant.

"This is yours, right?" Daniel suddenly held out a sandalwood bracelet with an emerald pendant in the middle. Freya's face was carved on it—it didn't look much like her, though.

It was a bracelet her father had made for her.

"Yes, it is. Thanks." She reached out for it. Her fingers brushed against his palm as she took the bracelet from him, making her heart skip a beat. She immediately retracted her hand.

"I'm leaving." Daniel stood up. He straightened his shirt and returned to his unit.

Freya watched as the helicopter started up. The blades spun, lifting the aircraft into the air. Then, it flew away.

"Let's go, Dr. Somner. We're taking a police car back," Jade called.

Freya snapped to her senses. The helicopter was no longer in sight. All that was left was a vortex cloud left from its tail.

She tightened her grip on the bracelet and packed everything up. Then, she ran to Jade with the first-aid kit and medical waste bag in hand.

…

After the incident, Jason requested that she be placed under counseling and given a month off. Freya returned to work after only three days at home, though.

"Go home and rest," he said.

"I need to do something with my hands, Dr. Wood."

Jason pressed a hand to his forehead and threw her a pair of gloves. "Go to the debridement room and change the dressing for the patients there. You're not allowed to go on house calls or dispatches in the future."

"Why?" Freya didn't get it.

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