Chapter 11: Having an unavoidable accident

Erica is carrying a great deal of pain and a broken heart, seeking a quiet place to find relief. She is now disoriented and unsure of where she is going. Her small body is curled up in a thin sweater, taking aimless steps through the bitter cold of winter. Erica appears very out of place in the crowd, feeling as though no one cares about her existence. Everyone hurries past Erica. There are some people who accidentally bump into Erica, causing her to fall onto the street. They quickly say sorry and then turn away, continuing on their journey. They don't care whether Erica is hurt or not. Actually, Erica wasn't in the mood to pay attention to her surroundings, let alone feel the scratches on her body.

The man that Erica thought would be with her for a lifetime turned out to be cruel and threw her away just because of a few lies from another woman. Erica's two years of love were not strong enough to hold onto someone who had changed his heart.

Looking back on what she had just been through, Erica felt overwhelmed with disappointment, anger, and, most of all, pain.

Her tears kept falling endlessly.

Why did this happen?

What did Erica do wrong to deserve such treatment?

Suddenly, Erica felt as if her life was worthless.

Life has been truly cruel to Erica. The poor girl lost both her parents when she was just ten years old. That age is usually innocent and cheerful, but for Erica, it was tinged with the dark colors of life. After the tragedy, Erica's uncle, her father's younger brother, brought her home and assumed the responsibility of raising and caring for her. While the public praised him for rescuing his niece from a dismal future, the man, under the influence of his wife, engaged in a conspiracy to appropriate his granddaughter's inheritance. The substantial worth of the properties and the insurance funds left behind by her parents would undoubtedly guarantee Erica a life of comfort in the future. Yet, unfortunately, she had to suffer from all kinds of poverty. Since returning to live under the same roof with her uncle's family, Erica has suffered a lot; she has always been treated unfairly. Erica's clothes and utensils are all old Kora's—the stepdaughter of her uncle's wife. Aside from being sent to school, Erica is given nothing more. When she entered high school, she also had to fend for herself with living expenses by working part-time. Despite such a difficult life, Erica always thinks optimistically and lives positively. But there is one thing that Erica absolutely hates, which is that she must be grateful to her uncle's family for adopting her. That was what the wife always mocked, crammed into Erica's head.

Erica's life became much brighter when she met Max Murphy. She thought that love would bring her happiness. Erica always harbored the hope that Max would aid her in fleeing from her uncle's family. However, ironically, her cunning and wicked step-cousin seduced and manipulated him. All of Erica's hopes were truly dashed this afternoon. Without any hesitation, Max abandoned Erica.

…

Erica wandered for a long time without showing any signs of stopping. She tripped and fell, causing her to panic and struggle to get back up. As she lay on her stomach on the street, she suddenly realized that she was in an unfamiliar place. It was deserted, as if she had just come out of a crowded area. Ahead of her was a forest with lush trees, which looked especially eerie at night.

As Erica looked around, she couldn't help but feel a sense of fear and unease. Feeling tired after a long trip. Without thinking much, she decided to rest for a while. Erica sat down with her arms wrapped around her knees and her head bowed. With tears in her eyes, Erica silently mourned her tragic fate.

A few minutes later, feeling better, Erica finally stood up and dragged her feet to continue. Once again, Erica took notice of her surroundings, but she couldn't determine the direction. It had been nighttime for a long time, so darkness continued to surround her. Erica decided to return to the old street, hoping to find the right way back to the city center.

On the way, from a distance, a group of reckless young men who like to wander at night were heading in Erica's direction. In the hazy darkness, a pair of cunning eyes still shone brightly as they spotted Erica's small figure.

"Hey, everyone, there's a girl up ahead." A low, excited voice called for the attention of those walking beside him.

The other four guys look in the direction of your finger.

"According to the navigation system, the target is somewhere around here." The other guy said

"Then she's the right person we're looking for." Another guy said, "I don't know what her face or body look like."

They saw Erica walking towards them. Erica looked very worried and scared at the same time.

"Let's do our duty now."

The group quickly walked toward Erica.

"Hey girl, are you a new angel descended from heaven or a devil running wild?" The mocking, teasing voice sounded really annoying.

Erica jumped and looked up, catching sight of five men staring at her intently.

"Oh, so pretty." One of them exclaimed sarcastically, "It's true that an angel has just descended, you guys."

Under the dim moonlight, Erica's beautiful appearance was not overshadowed. Erica realizes that these men have bad intentions toward her. Being raped was a horror that Erica didn't want to go through. Her life was already miserable enough. If she had to die tonight, she hoped for a swift end rather than enduring torture until her last breath. Will God answer Erica's prayers?

"Why are you here at night? Are you lost? Do you need us to help you find your way home?" One of the men pretended to be kind and offered to help Erica.

Erica nervously swallowed. She had learned in school how to deal with situations of harassment like this. Usually, she would yell for help, but unfortunately, the area was deserted. The only thing on Erica's mind right now was to run as fast as she could.

"Thank you for your kindness, but please let me go." Erica pleaded. She attempted to move past the group but failed as the five men quickly spread out, encircling her.

"What do you want?" Erica remained calm, trying a different approach. "I don't have any money."

"We're not robbers," one of the men replied.

"Then let me go," Erica negotiated. "I have nothing to give you."

"That's not true. You're very beautiful, and you've captivated us." One of the men stepped forward, quickly reaching out to stroke Erica's cheek. I'll be your girlfriend."

The seductive voice was truly terrifying. The stroking hand quickly turned into a groping hand as the man reached down to Erica's chest. Reflexively sensing the imminent danger, Erica grabbed the man's hand and immediately bit down on it, causing him to scream in pain.

"Do you want to die, you wretched creature?"

Her instincts told her to take decisive action, so Erica pushed the man to the ground and then daringly turned and ran away.

Seeing Erica run away, the guy sitting on the ground screamed in anger.

"Get her! Don't let her escape!"