Poison Rose of Avalon

The two sleek cars sliced through city traffic, each racing towards the same destination—Triad Hospital. One carried the Chairman of Glacier Enterprises, and the other carried Evelyn Magnum.

When Liora woke, the world around her felt disorienting, a mix of sterile care and muted luxury. A striking woman sat quietly in the chair beside her, her gaze steady and enigmatic.

Liora tried to sit up, but a sharp sting in her scalp stopped her. She winced, the memory of rough hands yanking her hair flashing back uninvited. Her lips ached, cracked and swollen, making her words come out as a whisper.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital," the woman replied smoothly.

"Hospital?" Liora's brows furrowed as she looked around. This feels more like a hotel room, she thought.

The room resembled a posh hotel suite more than a medical facility. Its large window overlooked a serene garden, soft white curtains framing the view. Blue and white flowers adorned the room, their scent faint but comforting. A leather couch, paired with a coffee table, sat in the corner, completing the understated elegance.

"I'm Evelyn. My son brought you here."

Liora's breath hitched as the memory of Nova carrying her flashed vividly in her mind. Despite her protests, his grip had been firm yet oddly reassuring.

Taking a moment to compose herself, she forced a weak smile. "I'm very grateful to him, Evelyn," she said earnestly, though her voice trembled.

Before Evelyn could respond, a male nurse entered. His approach was professional, but as he reached for her injured leg, Liora recoiled instinctively, her body trembling. Her eyes widened, fear radiating from her like a shield.

Evelyn intervened with a composed yet commanding smile. "Would you kindly send in a female nurse instead?"

The nurse nodded, leaving without objection.

Evelyn turned her focus back to Liora. Her gaze softened but held an intensity that was hard to ignore. "I know you're hurting, both physically and emotionally. What you've endured is…" She paused, choosing her words carefully. "...unspeakable."

Liora's tears welled up; the thought of a male being near her made her feel like she was out of breath.

"How could you let those idiots treat you like this?" Evelyn's voice wasn't unkind, but the bluntness in her tone cut through Liora's haze of pain, dragging her out of her thoughts.

Liora froze, blinking through the fog of confusion. ′Let them?′ The words reeled in her mind, twisting into something accusatory. Did Evelyn mean this was her fault? Was she supposed to answer that? Was it her fault? Is the whole situation her fault? The thought stung, unravelling her fragile composure. Tears spilled freely, each drop burning her cheeks like acid.

Her voice trembled as she forced out a response between sobs. "You're right... It..it probably is my fault."

Evelyn's brows shot up in surprise, her stern expression softening for a fraction of a second. "No, no—stop right there," she interjected, her tone firm but not harsh. She hadn't expected the girl to take her words so wholly the opposite way.

"None of this is your fault, Liora," Evelyn corrected, her sharp gaze narrowing slightly. "What I meant was that you should have fought back—landed a solid punch on each of those idiots." Straightening her posture, she crossed her arms with an air of authority. "Tell me, do you know the first rule of being a woman?"

Liora blinked at her, bewildered, the tears momentarily forgotten. "The first rule?" she echoed, her voice cracking with hesitation.

Evelyn sighed, her lips pressing into a thin line before her expression softened into something more resolute. "This is something your mother should've taught you," Evelyn sighed.

Liora's entire focus was on Evelyn. Her eyes were wide with anticipation, eager to grasp the knowledge she felt she should have already possessed from her mother.

"But since she didn't, take this as your lesson." Evelyn placed a small canister of pepper spray in Liora's trembling hand. "Always carry this."

Liora stared at it, her fingers tightening around the canister.

"And the second rule.." Evelyn's gaze hardened. "Every woman must learn self-defence. A woman must be prepared for anything."

'Self-defence' She repeated the word in her mind. Evelyn's words ignited something within Liora.

'She is right,' Evelyn's words settled into her chest like a spark-catching fire. 'She's right, I should learn self-defence.'

And then, unbidden, Nova's face crept into her thoughts.

'I will show Nova how strong I am. I will show him I can be good at protecting myself. Maybe I will challenge him to spar with me someday...' The idea brought a flicker of determination to her eyes. She didn't fully understand why the thought of proving herself to Nova mattered so much, but it did.

"Thank you, Evelyn! I will remember your valuable teachings."

Evelyn nodded, satisfaction flickering across her face. Before she could say more, a knock on the door interrupted them.

Before Evelyn could speak further, a sharp knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Robert stepped in, followed by the Chairman. Evelyn rose swiftly, her expression hardening into a formal, severe mask.

The Chairman's pace slowed as his eyes locked on Evelyn, his surprise barely concealed. Still, he maintained his characteristic air of indifference, approaching her with measured steps.

"Mrs. Magnum," he greeted, extending his hand, "a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise, Mr. Chairman," Evelyn replied, her smile thin and professional as she shook his hand.

The Chairman's gaze shifted briefly to Liora, his jaw tightening imperceptibly. Yet, he betrayed no outward emotion.

"Thank you for taking care of Liora. I truly appreciate it," he said, his tone polite but strained.

Evelyn arched an eyebrow, scepticism flashing in her eyes and breaking through her otherwise serene façade. "I thought the child's mother would be here."

"She's on a business trip," he replied curtly, his words devoid of warmth.

"Ah, I see," Evelyn remarked, her tone carrying a note of doubt that didn't escape the Chairman's notice.

Turning to Robert, the Chairman issued a swift command. "Make arrangements to take Liora home."

Liora sat frozen on the bed, her bruised and battered body seemingly heavier under his gaze. It was strange. The Chairman had never spoken to her before, even when they were in the same space. And today, not only had he come to see her, but he also addressed her directly.

The Chairman pulled a sleek iPhone from his suit pocket and extended his arm, offering it to Liora.

"This is your new phone, with the same number." He straightened his posture. "It's from Caspian."

Liora's fingers refused to close around the device. Her body remained stiff, paralyzed by the weight of this uncharacteristic gesture. Sensing her hesitation, the Chairman set the phone on the bed beside her without another word.

"Mrs. Magnum, may I have a word outside?" he asked, turning back to Evelyn.

Evelyn hesitated briefly, her eyes flickering toward Liora, who looked dazed and confused. With a nod, she followed him out into the hallway.

Once alone, the Chairman's tone shifted to one of quiet authority.

"I appreciate what you, your son, and your nephews have done for Liora. That said, I must ask you to release those four young men."

Evelyn's gaze hardened, her expression unreadable. "And what if I refuse?" she asked, testing his resolve.

The Chairman met her stare unflinchingly. "Let's not overstep boundaries, Mrs. Magnum. We do not want to repeat the history," he warned, his words laced with an unspoken threat. "I believe you might have heard the stories."

Understanding the limits of this confrontation, Evelyn offered a polite but icy smile. Although she possessed the capability to address the Chairman's threat, she deemed it unnecessary to engage. Liora was no longer her concern at this moment, given her association with George Glacier.

"Very well, Mr. Chairman. Let's ensure that." She turned on her heel and left, her departure as dignified as her arrival.

Back in the cosy confines of her room, Liora's phone suddenly sprang to life, the screen lighting up with an incoming call from Caspian. Her hand quivered slightly as she hovered over the phone, longing to connect with him. However, in a moment of decision, she pressed the button for speaker mode, allowing his voice to fill the space around her instead.

Neither of them spoke, yet their silence was filled with unspoken words.

'Why aren't you here?' Liora's heart screamed through the quiet.

"I'm sorry," Caspian said quite calmly. It seemed he understood Liora's unspoken question, the one that lingered in her mind but never escaped her lips. "If I could be there, I truly would."

The connection carried Liora's stifled sobs, each sound striking Caspian like a blow.

"Two years," he finally whispered. "Give me two more years, Ora."

Her heart ached at the thought of enduring his absence for so long, but she understood. Through her tears, she nodded as if he could see her. "hmm," she hummed. "I give you two years then."

********

The incident remained a closely guarded secret, locked away like a shadow no one dared to address.

The chairman very well knew Liora wouldn't speak of it to her mother or Dane, and the mansion's servants, bound by fear and discretion, wouldn't breathe a word about her injuries.

In an effort to stabilize Caspian's fraying patience, the chairman arranged for Liora to stay in the fairytale room, a dream-like haven—while Amara was away on business.

This would allow her to spend more time with Caspian over calls, creating an illusion of closeness to prevent any future outbursts like the violent one Caspian had unleashed at his beach house during her ill-fated camping trip.

The aftermath of the incident left deep scars onLiora'smind and heart, wounds that went far beyond visible. Without any therapy sessions following the event, she developed severe PTSD. The once vibrant girl who eagerly posed for photos now shied away from cameras completely. She flinched at the touch of men, unable to bear it—except for Dane, who had always been her steadfast protector.

Sleep became elusive, her nights restless even when Caspian's soothing voice accompanied her on voice calls. Though she longed to see him, she couldn't bring herself to initiate a video call.

But something within her changed, hardened. Fear didn't wholly consume her; instead, it forged a steely resolve.

The purpose of finding Sven Valentine, which had once consumed her, evolved into a deeper turning into a fiery mission: uncovering the truth behind her father's death and finding all the people who were involved.

Liora took a bold step forward. She joined Kali, choosing the discipline of stick fighting—not only for self-defence but for mastering techniques of striking, blocking, and disarming.

She specifically searched for female instructors who were strong.

Meanwhile, the perpetrators of her suffering—Ronnie, Andreas, Kevin, and Hanuel vanished into obscurity. Fleeing the country to escape Caspian's wrath, they adopted new identities.

Unlike others, the Hanuel family held influence and power deeply entrenched in Korean society. He was untouchable in Korea.

Years passed, and the trio completed their secondary education and left the school. Liora and Donovan never crossed their paths again, as if they had never known each other. What happened?