Chapter 3
“……?!”
In front of the startled Ashmia stood a tall, handsome young man with neatly arranged black hair and eyes as red as blood.
“What’s this? You’re walking around like this? Guess you’re in better shape than I thought.”
At the rude tone and voice, Ashmia’s memories responded reflexively. It was a word she’d rather die than speak, even more so than “Father.”
“…Brother Damian.”
Damian barged into the hospital room without warning.
Ashmia was momentarily confused and didn’t know what to do. The discomfort toward Damian lingering in Ashmia’s memories was the reason.
‘I figured as much.’
So, they weren’t on good sibling terms after all.
Ashmia tried to calm herself and spoke.
“Yes, I wasn’t badly hurt. But didn’t you just visit earlier?”
Damian barely listened to her words. After staring at her for a moment, he dropped into the sofa and said in a tone full of annoyance,
“I had work, so I said I’d come by later. Anyway, got anything to eat? What kind of VIP room is this—there’s nothing here. Call those guys outside.”
Since the door was still open, the man standing guard in the hallway heard him and entered the room.
“Go fry a chicken or something. Within thirty minutes.”
“Th-Thirty minutes, sir?!”
At the man’s stammering question, Damian narrowed his eyes.
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
“S-Sorry, sir!”
The man dashed out of the room, and Damian loosened a few buttons on his shirt before putting his feet up on the coffee table.
“Hey.”
Ashmia took a deep breath to force out the word she absolutely didn’t want to say.
“Brother.”
“What?”
“What are you doing right now?”
Damian scowled and glared at her.
“Thought you were fine, but did that explosion mess with your ears? Didn’t you hear what I just told that guy?”
“I heard. Then why didn’t you just eat at home instead of coming all the way here?”
Damian’s eyes narrowed, as if to say, Well, well, look at you.
But then his gaze fell on the sedatives on the bedside table, and he seemed to understand something.
“You high on meds or something? You’re actually talking back to me. That’s new.”
Damian smirked, amused.
“They say near-death experiences change people. Guess that’s true for you.”
Ashmia was speechless.
Is this how a brother acts when visiting his sister who almost died?
But beyond Damian’s trashy personality, it was hard for Ashmia to stay calm knowing the person who had ordered Nikita to shoot Michael was right in front of her.
If she just took the gun from the guard outside and pulled the trigger, wouldn’t it erase countless tragedies caused by this bastard?
That thought flashed through her mind when suddenly, the sound of someone running down the hallway broke in.
“Master Damian! You’re here!”
Whether she had heard from someone or overheard the shouting, Vanessa came rushing in, and thanks to her, Ashmia was able to shake off that dangerous thought.
“You are… Vanessa Wheeler, right?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Come here.”
At Damian’s call, Vanessa stepped closer.
Wham—!
“Ugh?!”
Damian suddenly kicked Vanessa in the stomach. The sudden violence shocked not only Vanessa, who took the hit, but Ashmia as well.
“Brother?!”
Though she had no idea why she was being attacked, Vanessa endured the pain and immediately stood at attention.
“Who’s the person you’re supposed to protect with your life?”
“Miss Ashmia Kalashniel, sir!”
“That’s right. And yet—”
Wham—!
“Ghh!”
“You knew that, so what were you doing while she ended up like this? Come here again.”
Wham—!
“Kh!”
“Shut your mouth. Don’t let a sound escape.”
Damian stood, shrugged off his jacket, and unbuttoned his cuffs.
“Your ability was hardening, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Why don’t you use it while I’m hitting you?”
“No, sir!”
“So you do know what you did wrong. Bite down on your teeth.”
As Vanessa swallowed hard, bracing herself, Damian swung his hand—
Slap—!
“……?!”
Ashmia suddenly stepped between them, blocking Damian’s palm with her raised arms.
But his strength was so great that Ashmia stumbled, and Vanessa quickly reached out to steady her.
“What are you doing?! That’s dangerous!”
“What about you, Brother?! What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”
Damian, shocked, shouted back, and Ashmia, her cheek reddened from the blow, yelled too.
“Vanessa risked her life to protect me! Instead of praising her, what the hell are you doing?!”
“You, you…!”
Damian’s hand trembled as he pointed at Ashmia.
“You’ve gone insane, huh? Yelling at me in front of a subordinate?!”
“Vanessa is my bodyguard! If anyone’s going to punish her, it’ll be me!”
“You little…!”
Damian raised his hand again, but when he met Ashmia’s unwavering golden eyes, he cursed and dropped it.
“What a waste of time. Damn annoying.”
Grabbing his jacket, Damian shoved past Ashmia and roughly bumped Vanessa’s shoulder as he left the room.
“M-Miss! Are you okay?!”
As soon as Damian was gone, Vanessa, on the verge of tears, looked at Ashmia’s swollen, red cheek in panic.
“I’m fine. Just a little cold compress will do.”
“Why did you step in for me?! I could’ve just taken the hit!”
“There was no reason for you to take it in the first place.”
“Miss…”
Vanessa’s eyes welled up as she hurried to bring a towel soaked in cold water.
Feeling its coolness on her cheek, Ashmia sat on the sofa and quietly praised herself for not killing Damian on the spot.
“Fried chicken’s here!”
Just as she soaked the towel again, the man from earlier burst in, carrying fried chicken wrapped in paper.
The savory smell instantly made her forget the pain and her mouth water.
“Got cola too?”
“Yes, right here!”
“Perfect. You pass!”
Ashmia smiled at the bewildered Vanessa.
“How about we have a late-night snack?”
It had been such a rough day, after all.
She hadn’t even eaten.
So, this much reward was deserved.
Spreading the paper on the table, Ashmia grabbed a delicious-looking drumstick and tore into it.
At that moment, Ashmia felt truly happy to be alive.
* * *
One day, Ashmia’s mother, Maverick Kalashniel, introduced a young woman to her.
“Ah, hello, Miss! I’m Vanessa Wheeler!”
Maverick gently coaxed Ashmia, who was clinging behind her.
“Mia, say hello. From today, this big sister will be your bodyguard.”
“…What’s a bodyguard?”
“Someone who protects you.”
Maverick smiled and continued,
“Even when Mom and Dad aren’t around, she’ll always be there for you. So come on, be polite.”
Though still hesitant, Ashmia shook the hand Vanessa cautiously extended.
“…Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too! I’ll protect you with my life, always!!”
“That’s the right attitude, but don’t overdo it on the first day.”
“S-Sorry!”
Ashmia chuckled softly at Vanessa’s nervous response to Maverick’s joke.
Even after Maverick’s death, Vanessa kept her promise. She stayed by Ashmia’s side, never leaving her, encouraging her to go on living, comforting her, supporting her emotionally as well as physically.
For nearly ten years, Ashmia’s memories were deeply grateful to Vanessa for protecting her.
But for Michael Roze, Vanessa Wheeler’s image was completely different. In his memory, she was a mad dog everyone acknowledged as such.
After the “Truck Bomb Incident,” Vanessa lost an eye and an arm, yet still fought at the frontlines of the ensuing mafia war.
Her reckless charges, using her hardening ability, terrified enemies—because they were practically suicidal.
Few knew it was Vanessa punishing herself for failing to protect Ashmia.
During the final stages of the war, Vanessa charged alone, taking thousands of bullets while killing hundreds, before shattering like glass and ending her life.
* * *
“At the Black Lion’s mansion?”
While preparing for discharge in clothes Vanessa had brought, Ashmia tilted her head.
“Yes. They said your safety is the top priority, so how about staying with Don Kalashniel for the time being?”
“Who suggested that?”
“Well… Master Damian did.”
“…Brother?”
Ashmia froze, fingers on a button.
‘That’s unexpected.’
But recalling last night, she immediately suspected Damian had some ulterior motive.
“Anyway, Don Kalashniel refused.”
“He did? Of course.”
“Of course? Why’s that obvious?”
“Because we can’t show weakness to the people who tried to kill me.”
“Well, that’s true, but still…”
Ashmia understood Vanessa’s hesitation. No matter how important pride was, nothing should matter more than a daughter’s safety.
