Prologue
The night sky was restless. Dark clouds swallowed the moon, casting shadows over the silent city. In a dimly lit hospital room, a girl sat beside her mother's bed, her fingers trembling as she held onto the woman's frail hand.
"You were always meant for something greater," her mother whispered, her voice barely audible. "Promise me… you'll chase your dreams."
Tears welled in her eyes as she nodded. "I promise, Mom."
The heart monitor beeped slower. Then, silence.
And in that moment, the girl knew—her life would never be the same.
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Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End
Ella Hwang had always been an ordinary girl with extraordinary dreams. At sixteen, she had two things on her mind: becoming a doctor and making her late mother proud. But fate had a cruel sense of humor.
Her father, a once-loving man, had drowned his grief in alcohol, leaving Ella to fend for herself. The only light in her life was her best friend, Jisoo, who constantly reminded her to keep moving forward.
"You need to stop being so serious all the time," Jisoo teased, nudging her. "Live a little."
Ella sighed, staring at the textbook in front of her. "I can't afford to. If I don't study, I won't make it to med school. And if I don't make it, what's the point of everything?"
Jisoo rolled her eyes. "You'll make it. But what if fate has a different plan for you?"
Ella scoffed. "Fate doesn't control me. I control my future."
If only she knew how wrong she was.
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Chapter 2: The Stranger in the Rain
It was a cold evening when Ella's life took an unexpected turn. She was walking home from the library when she saw him—a tall figure standing under a flickering streetlight, drenched in rain.
Something about him felt… familiar.
As she walked past, he suddenly spoke.
"You shouldn't be out alone at this hour."
Ella turned, her heart racing. His voice was deep, laced with an accent she couldn't place.
"I can take care of myself," she replied cautiously.
He chuckled. "I know. But that doesn't mean you have to."
She frowned. "Do I know you?"
For a moment, he hesitated. Then, with a sad smile, he said, "Not yet."
And just like that, he disappeared into the night.
Ella didn't know it then, but that stranger would change everything.