chapter 23

**Flashback**The sterile, dimly lit room hummed with the soft beeping of the ECG machine. Scar Boss sat with his hand pressed against his forehead, a deep sigh escaping him. His eyes remained closed, as if blocking out the reality in front of him. On the bed, far from him, lay his little sister Elisa, her body wrapped in bandages, her life hanging by a thread.Every time he looked at her, the weight of what had happened pressed down on him harder. She had been everything to him—his only family left. And now, in this hospital room, she lay unconscious, her future uncertain. He had failed her. The rage he had been holding in was consuming him from the inside, yet he couldn't afford to let it show. Not now. Not while he had a plan.The door to the room creaked open, pulling him from his thoughts. His assistant stepped in, holding a report in his hand, eyes downcast. "Boss, I’ve investigated the accident. On the night of the crash, Miss Elisa was on her way to a picnic with her boyfriend. They drove separate cars—likely due to some conflict between them. On their way back, both of them went over the cliff. We can’t definitively say if it was an accident or intentional, but there’s a high possibility that Dilip, her boyfriend, chased her after a rejection. It’s likely he pushed her off the cliff before falling himself."Scar Boss remained still, barely moving, his gaze fixed on Elisa's unconscious form. "Where is he?" His voice was low, the icy tone of a man accustomed to giving orders.The assistant flinched slightly, his voice barely above a whisper. " in the general ICU, Sir."Without a word, Scar Boss stood. His thoughts were clear—he would find Dilip. This was his plan, his mission, to settle the debt, and it wasn’t something that could be postponed. Not even for a moment.He moved through the hospital in silence, his footsteps purposeful as he made his way to the ICU. He stopped outside the glass doors, his eyes scanning the four beds inside. As he stood there, he overheard two nurses discussing a patient, and the words they spoke sent a ripple of cold fury through him."Did you inject Patient 201, Dilip?""No, the medicine’s not here yet. Poor guy... I don’t think he’ll ever wake up. He was so handsome, you know? What a shame.""His sister is so devoted to him, though. I saw her earlier, insisting that she would do whatever it took to save him. She’s even planning to get help from Dr. Luke—no one’s ever seen him, but he’s supposed to be the best."Scar Boss stood frozen, his mind racing. His thoughts turned dark. This was the man who had been with his sister, the man who had caused her pain. And now, the one responsible for her condition would never wake up.But what stung even more was the realization that Elisa would never give up hope, no matter how hopeless it seemed.The assistant’s voice crackled in his ear. "Boss, what should I do about Miss Elisa?""Take care of her," Scar Boss ordered, his tone sharp. "But I need to handle something first."He ended the call abruptly, turning on his heel to leave the ICU. But something stopped him—a voice. He heard it faintly, the soft sound of a woman’s plea.Turning toward the source, he saw her standing at the medicine counter. She was unremarkable in a sense—just another woman in a hospital. But there was something about her. Her honey-colored skin glowed under the fluorescent lights. Her raven-black hair framed her face, and despite her simplicity—wearing a vintage T-shirt and baggy jeans—there was an undeniable purity in her. She didn’t care about appearances, but to Scar Boss, she was stunning in a way no carefully groomed woman could be.And those eyes—there was something in them that reminded him of his mother, something so familiar and so lost. The soft spark in her gaze sent a pang through his chest."Please, can I get these medicines? It's urgent." she pleaded, her voice soft but firm. Her hands trembled as she held out the prescription.Scar Boss couldn’t take it anymore. He stepped forward, his presence commanding as he slid his card across the counter without a second thought.The nurse gave him a disapproving look but didn’t challenge him. The woman looked up in surprise, then down at the card. After a brief hesitation, she accepted it, her hand shaking as she swiped the card. The moment it was approved, she turned to him."Thank you... thank you so much." she said, her voice trembling with gratitude. Scar Boss could hear the relief in her words, the weight lifting from her shoulders.But as she handed the card back, Scar Boss found himself asking something he hadn’t planned to. "Amaira... is Dilip your brother?"Her face faltered for just a moment, then she nodded. "Yes. My brother... He’s in a coma now. Thank you again for the help. I’ll find a way to pay you back."Scar Boss didn’t know what possessed him, but the words came out without thought. "Marry me."Amaira’s eyes widened in shock. "M-Marry?" she stammered, taking a step back. "You’re joking, right?"Scar Boss’s gaze hardened, his voice icy. "No, I’m not joking. I’ll cover your brother’s medical bills, his expenses. In return, you marry me.""I... I can’t." She whispered, her voice trembling. "I don’t even know you.""This isn’t a request," he growled, his hand tightening around hers. "It’s an order."Without another word, Scar Boss pulled her towards him, his grip firm and unyielding. Amaira struggled briefly, but she was no match for him."You will marry me, Amaira." he said, his voice low and unrelenting. " I’ll take care of everything. Your brother’s life will be my payment."