Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

The elderly couple's faces paled as they exchanged nervous glances.

"Of course she's our daughter," the old man said, trying to maintain his composure despite his obvious unease.

They wouldn't admit the truth, but Faris had anticipated this.

With a slight smile, he said, "Yulia has knife scars on her back and bullet wounds on her leg. Didn't you ever question her identity? Weren't you afraid of getting involved in something dangerous?"

The mention of these injuries-details they knew were true-genuinely frightened the elderly couple.

The old woman asked Faris to wait while she pulled her husband into another room for a private discussion.

After about twenty minutes, a young man entered.

"Mom, Dad, what's going on? I was about to head out to sea when you urgently called me back," he said.

The old woman emerged from the room and pulled the young man inside as well.

Faris calmly picked a grape and ate it, waiting patiently.

Shortly after, the family emerged from the room. The young man seemed the most composed.

"What are you to her?" he asked Faris directly.

Faris stood up, straightened his clothes, and looked him in the eye. "I'm her husband."

Upon hearing this, the family exchanged worried glances before deflating completely. They sat down and finally shared the story.

The young man explained that he and his father had discovered a severely injured young woman on the beach while fishing. Finding she was still breathing, they brought her aboard their boat.

When she regained consciousness, she had no memory of her past.

The old man revealed they once had a daughter named Yulia who had died in childhood. They had treated this woman as their lost daughter, and had never imistearterler."

After hearing their story, Faris placed a prepared envelope of money on the coffee table. "I thought she was dead. I'm grateful you saved her. Please accept this as a token of my appreciation."

The old woman sighed. "This girl, just like our Yulia, has been such a good child. We've grown close during our time together."

Sensing their concern, Faris reassured them, "Don't worry, I'm not here to take her from you. I only wanted to know the full story. You've become her second family, and I know she loves you. Since she became your daughter, she'll always be yours."

The family relaxed visibly at his words.

Before leaving, Faris asked them not to tell Yulia about his visit.

After leaving, he drove to the riverbank and sat in his car for a long time, touching the place where his finger had been amputated as memories flooded back.

"Gideon, I'd cut off my hand to save Faris's little finger," Dakota had once said.

He remembered her voice, the moment she pushed Gideon off the cliff, the acrid

smoke after the explosion, his despair as he knelt at the cliff edge staring at the churning sea below, and the bone-chilling cold when he dove into the water searching for her.

Everything became crystal clear in his mind.

When he crawled from the freezing water and sat hopelessly on the rocks gazing at the sea, he had only one thought: if Dakota could somehow survive and stand before him again, he would make amends for everything he owed her.

He recalled when he and Rhyns had watched Dakota fight in an underground boxing ring, defeating opponent after opponent.

The manager had brought her to Rhyns afterward. Despite her bruised face and difficult walk, her eyes remained calm as a still lake.

Rhyns had asked why she fought so desperately.

Spitting blood, she had calmly replied, "For money."

Rhyns had always appreciated those who valued money over their own lives. He offered her substantial pay and asked if she was interested.

Without hesitation, Dakota replied, "I'll do anything except kill or sell my body."

Later, Rhyns asked why she wanted money so badly. She explained that the rich had once stepped all over her, and she never wanted to be stepped on again.

Her determination made Rhyns trust her, but Faris doubted money was her true motivation. He'd never sensed greed in her.

After observing her for some time, he noticed her exceptional combat skills, quick reflexes, and unusual composure under pressure. Despite her ruthlessness in fights, she maintained a sense of justice. He suspected she had ulterior motives for approaching Rhyns.

Life wasn't easy for a woman surrounded by men, many of whom had less than honorable intentions but feared her fighting abilities. Faris had intervened several times to protect her, as the other men respected him.

However, Rhyns never fully trusted anyone. Perhaps suspecting something, he suggested pairing Faris with Dakota.

Faris understood Rhyns's calculation: to expose any weaknesses between them and to make them each other's vulnerability. Dakota hadn't refused the arrangement, and Faris had gone along with it. Though neither fully understood the other, they shared an inexplicable trust, recognizing the arrangement would provide mutual protection.

Once Dakota became known as Faris's woman, no man dared approach her with dishonorable intentions.

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By day, Faris showed her affection in public; by night, they shared a bed.

To others, they appeared to be a loving couple, but their relationship was strictly platonic.

On their first night together, he had told her. "This marriage may not be what you wanted. Don't worry, I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. You know if Rhyns doesn't believe us, neither of us will have an easy time."

Throughout their marriage, Faris remained emotionally reserved, never letting himself forget the arrangement's purpose. But even the most rational woman could develop feelings over time, and Dakota had fallen in love with him during their time together.

"Lonehawk" was his codename when communicating with the police. Though they had exchanged considerable information, their contacts remained highly confidential, with neither side knowing the other's identity.

Faris had long suspected Dakota's true identity, while she only confirmed he was Lonehawk during Rhyns's arrest.

He believed Dakota must have had her suspicions about him too, but by not questioning or exposing each other, they had protected one another.

He didn't feel nothing for her, but his feelings were more familial than romantic.noveldrama

After Rhyns's capture, he and Dakota divorced, finally allowing him to openly love and care for Emily.

Love was never simple.

He wasn't blind to Dakota's feelings, but unable to reciprocate, he had pretended not to notice.

Only when Dakota jumped off the cliff did he truly understand the powerlessness of wanting to respond but having no way to do so.

If given another chance, he wouldn't want to hurt a woman who loved him enough to die for him.

Perhaps God had sensed his genuine remorse and granted him another opportunity. After smoking an entire pack of cigarettes by the river, Faris drove back to the club. Rafael informed him that someone had been waiting for him for a long time. The visitor was Emily's father, Mason Glover,, who said he wanted to get to know his daughter's boyfriend better. Faris immediately invited him and his associates to experience the club.

Mason accepted without hesitation and brought several of his trusted friends.

That afternoon, Faris treated them to lunch at the club's restaurant before showing them around.

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The club offered numerous entertainment options, and he encouraged them to enjoy themselves.

Such high-end clubs were beyond most people's means, and Mason's status rose in his friends' eyes thanks to this lavish treatment.

Later, while his associates went to the card room, Faris accompanied Mason to the

sauna.

Mason admired the luxurious facilities, smiling with satisfaction.

"You've achieved so much at such a young age. Impressive," he remarked.

Faris responded modestly, "I've always had clear goals, so I've worked consistently. I'm

not afraid of hardship or failure. Success isn't accidental."

Mason gave him a thumbs up. "What's your goal?"

"Money," Faris answered straightforwardly.

Mason nodded approvingly. "I like ambitious men. Emily has good taste."

The mention of Emily prompted Mason to share stories about her childhood, making

for pleasant conversation.

Finally, ensuring no one was nearby, Mason lowered his voice. "I have a lucrative

business opportunity. Would you be interested?"

Faris smiled subtly. "I'm interested in any profitable venture."

Mason slapped his thigh enthusiastically. "Good! That's the spirit! I refuse to believe my luck will always be bad. My time to rise will come."

"Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Glover," Faris responded with respectful deference.

Later, Faris called Emily to join them. She was surprised to find her father at the club, already seemingly familiar with Faris. Men's relationships certainly developed more directly than women's.

That evening, Faris hosted another dinner at the restaurant. Cautious as ever, Mason didn't reveal Emily and Faris's relationship to his associates, introducing them merely as good friends.

During dinner, Faris attended to Emily attentively, serving her food and deflecting drinks offered to her-the perfect boyfriend. Emily was clearly touched by his consideration, and Mason watched with obvious approval.

As the alcohol flowed, Mason became more talkative, recounting his past glory days while his associates offered constant praise, boosting his ego considerably.

In that moment, he seemed to view his prison time not as a disgrace but merely as a temporary setback in his journey.

Later, patting Faris's shoulder, Mason said, "In a few days, I'll have an opportunity to introduce you to someone. To make serious money, you need the right connections." Faris refilled Mason's glass and smiled. "I look forward to it."