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.

...

...

...

Theodore blinked away the haze of memory, murmuring, "Isabella."

Six grueling months were spent lying unconscious after the horrific accident. Now, having recently awakened, he embarked on a relentless search for Isabella, his savior.

Lost in contemplation, his fingers traced absentminded patterns on the glass of amber liquid before him. "Where are you?" he mumbled in a daze. His slightly frowned handsome face glowed under the dimly lit room of the club.

Meanwhile, the door swung open, and a woman barged in, taking him by surprise. Before he could react, she was on her knees in front of him, tears glistening on her cheeks. 

"Please save me, please, please," she sobbed desperately, reaching out to hold his hands. Her eyes, wide and frantic, darted to the door and then back to him.

Theodore, who never liked an unknown woman touching him, recoiled and shoved her hands away. "Who are you? I don't talk to strangers." His face was contorted with a mix of anger and disgust. "Go away."

"Please, please… I'll do anything you say," she begged desperately. "Save me."

Two hulking figures barged in, followed by two men in their forties. Theodore narrowed his eyes dangerously, realizing the woman was really in danger. He had initially thought she was faking it, trying to get his attention.

Theodore's countenance darkened. "Get out," he roared.

Those four men spun around and bolted out instantly.

When Theodore returned his focus to the woman, he felt a jolt in his heart. Her blonde hair and deep blue eyes mirrored the blurry image of his savior. After a brief moment of bewilderment, he thought that fate might have brought Isabella back into his life.

A flicker of hope ignited in his chest. 'Could it be Isabella?'

"Thank you so much," she sobbed, breaking his trance.

He studied her intently, trying to see if she recognized him. But her gaze held nothing but raw fear and gratitude. Perhaps she didn't remember him.

Theodore felt a bit uneasy with this thought. "What did you say? You can do anything I say if I save you!" He snarled, a dangerous edge in his tone.

"Um, yes," she stuttered. "I will do my best to repay your favor."

Intrigued, he leaned closer, his hand reaching out to pinch her chin. He forced her eyes to meet his, scrutinizing every detail of her face. "What's your name?"

"Bella," she replied.

'Bella? Why is it not Isabella?' A voice rang in the back of his mind.

Theodore ignored the voice, lost in her tear-filled, beautiful eyes. "Marry me, Bella," he murmured nostalgically.