Chapter - 2 SUBSTITUE BRIDE

(Freya's POV)

I looked at the earth that was now in front of my eyes. Soon I will land there and look for the person who killed my parents. I will avenge them.

Soon.

[Warning]

[System Error]

BEP!

BEP!

BEP!

I widened my eyes in surprise as I saw the system controller showing the system in an error state. The panel buttons suddenly stopped working and I couldn't control it.

"Damn it!" I cursed loudly as the warning alarm continued to sound with a flashing bright red color. I couldn't fiddle with the monitor screen as the error text kept appearing.

"Please don't do this with me! This is not what I want!!!" I shouted angrily. I hit the monitor screen, hoping it would work again. And I could restore the panel system that wasn't working. But there was no result.

I gripped the control panel tightly as the plane hurtled down at lightning speed to the ground. This wasn't funny at all. I had come to take revenge on the humans who had killed my mother, not end up dead in a plane crash like this.

"Shit!"

I quickly unfastened my seatbelt. I quickly grabbed the parachute that was near the exit door. I pushed open the metal door with all the strength I had left. Luckily, I got out just before the plane exploded.

"Akh!" I screeched in pain as my body fell to the ground. My body was now covered in wounds and wet sand that soiled my face as well as my clothes.

I gasped in shock when I saw my plane on fire. It was in pieces and there was nothing left. I gasped as I tried to stand up and let go of the parachute that was still attached to my body. Quickly throwing it to the ground.

"Ahh," I winced in pain as I tried to walk. Damn. I sprained my leg when I fell earlier. I didn't even have time to save my belongings that were inside the airplane. Now, I don't know how to contact seniors either.

I looked around to make sure no one had seen the incident. Luckily it was a place with empty plains without a single house there.

But, I had to get out of there quickly and do something about all the wounds on my body. With limping steps, I walked along the side of the road. While trying to think of a way out that I should do in this condition.

I let out a long breath. Feeling so tired, sick, and angry. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and looked back at the deserted street.

"Damn. Does this road have no end," I cursed in annoyance.

But right after that, I saw a car drive at high speed. It seemed out of control. My eyes widened in surprise, my heart pounding furiously as the car sped towards me. I suddenly forgot how to breathe.

With my lame leg, there was no way I could dodge when the car was already a few meters away from me.

CIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTT......

"AKH!"

I fell to the ground as the car slammed sideways into a large rock near me. I widened my eyes as thick smoke poured out of the engine. I looked closely at the car and confirmed the condition of the person driving it.

I reflexively dragged my body backward when I saw the car door being opened. Then a man got out with a tall, well-built, and... handsome. He looked fine without a single injury.

When our eyes met, he immediately ran to me with a worried look.

"Shit! Are you okay?" he asked fearfully.

I could only stay silent as his hands touched every wound on my body carefully. As if one rough touch from him could crush my body.

"Damn it. You're hurt. Are you okay?"

I blinked, gawking, still unable to organize my brain properly. All I did was continue to stare at him relentlessly. Noting every look of fear, worry, and guilt on his face.

Are humans really that expressive in showing their feelings?

"Miss?" he blinked in fear when I did not respond. "Please say something. You scared me to death."

"I'm fine," I replied. Without showing any expression of pain or fear. And it seemed like he was surprised at my casual reaction.

"There are many wounds on your body. It's not okay."

This wasn't even close to my inner wounds from losing my parents.

I tried to stand up, and I was surprised when he swiftly helped me up.

"It's okay," I said.

"I'm taking you to the hospital."

"What?" I turned to him, looking at him with confusion.

"The hospital. You need treatment."

"No." I quickly dismissed his hand and was about to leave, but my leg was acting up again. "Akh!" I squealed at the pain in my leg.

Damn.

"It can't be helped. Let me take you to the hospital," he insisted. He looked at me with a worried look.

"Noー ouh! What are you doing?" I squealed in surprise as he suddenly picked me up quickly.

"You need treatment. And please, don't refuse it," he said.

"Put me down."

"No."

"Hey!"

I continued to rebel as he led me into the car. Didn't let up on my refusal at all.

In no time, I was in a building. Maybe this is what they call a hospital. I didn't like it. Everything there was identical to the color white. Lots of people. Made me sick.

"Wait here. The nurse will come to help tend to your wounds," he said as he looked at me, "gosh, your clothes are dirty too." He patted my clothes lightly, trying to remove the sand from them.

I glared in surprise. And I quickly pushed myself away.

"Oh, sorry. Did that make you uncomfortable? I'm sorry."

I stared at him intensely. All the gestures and facial expressions he showed me made me uncomfortable.

"Can you contact your family? I will take responsibility for what happened."

I froze. Family? Does he mean human family? I don't have one on earth. So what should I say to him? 

"Miss? Do you have a family? Can you contact them?" he asked again, further confusing me because I didn't know what to say. If I said any words, then I would be caught and my mission would fail.

"That won't be necessary." I was snapped from my thoughts when I heard a strong masculine voice.

I immediately turned around with widened eyes as a man came in a white robe with a name tag that read general practitioner. I looked at him with a furrowed brow.

He smiled kindly. "I'm the general practitioner at this hospital. And I'll be taking care of her."

"Are you her family?"

"No, but I know her. She is Miss Freya from the Quinn family."

Freya? The Quinn family?

I looked at him intently. And he smiled meaningfully at me. At that moment, I realized that perhaps he was sent by a senior to help me.

So, while on earth, I would live under Freya's identity?

"But don't she still have to contact her family?" he asked.

"No," I replied quickly. "There's no need to stir things up."

"But...."

"Just do as she says. After all, there's a bit of a problem with her family. Please understand that," he said as he whispered to him.

I just watched the doctor who was helping me carefully. Trying to understand the situation.

"Alright. I will formally apologize for what happened to you. It was my fault for not being able to drive the car properly," he said, looking at me with a look that was difficult for me to understand.

I just nodded my head in response, and he smiled.

He really made me comfortable. His touch, his demeanor, even the way he spoke and smiled at me. I hated that it made me feel something strange that I had never felt before.

***

(ONE YEAR LATER)

I let out a long sigh as I again did not find enough information to find my parents' killer. It's been one year since I've been living under the identity of Freya. I am being the illegitimate child of the Quinn family.

I grabbed my hair in frustration. How much longer do I have to do this search? I bite my lower lip with an uneasy feeling.

Then, suddenly my cell phone rang. I cringed when I saw my grandma's name on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Are you home?"

"Yes, as usual."

"I'll be there soon. So, don't go anywhere and wait in the living room."

Then the phone line ended. I let out a long sigh and threw my phone away in annoyance.

Let alone the trouble that old granny was going to inflict on me. Just being an illegitimate child of the Quinn family made me feel tired and fed up. Seniors should have given me a better identity than this. But I had to accept it to make it easier for me to live in the human world and mingle with them without my identity being known.

I went down to the main floor when I saw my grandmother's car pull into the yard. With the neat clothes I was wearing and a polite demeanor, I greeted her presence in the living room.

"How are you? Are you okay?" I asked.

"Fine. But that's not the point of me coming here," she said matter-of-factly.

I sighed and sat quietly as she sat with her cane in her hand.

"Marry Ash Knight."

"Wh-what? Marry?" I widened my eyes in surprise. Staring at her in disbelief. 

She nodded. "Marry Ash to replace your sister."

"Wait. Why me?"

"You think I would have told you to marry him if your sister hadn't rejected him?" Her tone was slightly raised. Seemingly angry with my attitude. I felt that she changed just in a flick of seconds. Though, I live with humans, their feelings and emotions are still strange to me. 

I fell silent. Didn't know what to say. Then, she threw something on the table.

"You can see his profile there," she said, pointing to a document that contained information on the man I was going to marry.

I stared at the document with a doubtful look. Then I picked it up, reading the profile of one Ash Knight. I was surprised to know that he owned a technology business in the science field. And the same man I met one year ago. His touch still sends shivers down my spine. I have never felt that touch and sensation before. 

"He has agreed to marry you. So...."As her words were dropped, I felt sense of strange feelings but I don't know how to put it. 

I pushed aside my thoughts without giving any thought. I can't miss the opportunity to work with the company and learn more about these technology departments company. Rejecting her offer means offending her, I can't spoil my human image given by seniors. I have to do as she asked me to do. 

"Alright," I replied in response to Grandma's words. "I will marry him."

Perhaps, this would be the way for me to find the truth about my parents' deaths. I have come to earth to know the truth of my parent's death and complete my mission. This marriage is nothing but a source to accomplish my mission.