Ruins To Radiance

Ella's mind stirred before her body did.

There was a dull, rhythmic beeping somewhere nearby, steady and unchanging. The scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, sharp and unmistakable.

Her fingers twitched against something soft. Sheets? Bed?

Her eyelids felt like bricks, but she forced them open—slowly.

White ceiling. White walls. A dim light humming quietly above her.

Where…?

Her body ached, a deep, dragging exhaustion settling in her bones. It was only when she tried to move that she realized—she wasn't on the street anymore.

Ella sucked in a breath. Memory flooded back in sharp flashes.

Rain.

Cold.

A deep voice. Firm arms lifting her.

That's right. Someone had picked her up. Some arrogant, rude, umbrella-wielding stranger.

Her brows furrowed as she turned her head to survey the room. It was… unfamiliar. The soft beep-beep-beep of a heart monitor confirmed what she already suspected.

A hospital.

Her lips parted, her throat dry. She hated hospitals.

Just as she was about to push herself up, a shadow moved in her peripheral vision.

She turned her head—and froze.

This wasn't the same man.

The person standing by the door was younger. His features were smoother, less chiseled, more… approachable. He had a pleasant, almost nervous smile, as if he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or terrified that she was awake.

Well, that made two of them.

His dark suit looked expensive, but it wasn't worn with the same effortless authority as the man from before. No sharp gaze, no intimidating presence—just a polite, slightly awkward-looking stranger staring at her.

Ella squinted at him.

Then, just to be sure, she squinted harder.

"…You're not him," she muttered.

The man blinked. "Sorry?"

"The rude stranger," she said, pushing herself up on her elbows. "You're not him."

His polite smile faltered. "I… suppose not?"

Ella stared at him.

He stared back.

Then, because her filter was long gone, she exhaled and muttered, "Damn. Thought maybe he got reincarnated into a nicer face."

The man choked. "I—what?"

Ella waved him off. "Never mind."

She winced as her body protested the movement. The sharp tug in her abdomen reminded her just how badly she had pushed herself the night before.

The man quickly stepped forward. "Careful. You're still weak."

"No kidding," she muttered.

She took a moment to assess him again. His suit was neatly pressed, his hair was styled a little too perfectly, and the way he clasped his hands together screamed assistant energy.

Ella narrowed her eyes. "Okay, so if you're not the rude one, who are you?"

The man cleared his throat. "My name is Julian Yan."

She waited.

He hesitated before adding, "Assistant to Mr. Liang Yichen."

Ella's expression flattened.

Yichen.

So the stranger had a name that weirdly rings a bell.

Not that it made him any less rude.

She sighed. "Right. Of course, he has an assistant."

Julian smiled, looking relieved that she wasn't throwing anything at him. Yet.

"I understand you must be confused," he said. "But Mr. Yichen asked me to watch over you until he arrives. You were in poor condition when he found you."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Oh, he found me? That's rich. More like kidnapped me off the street."

Julian coughed, clearly fighting back a very professional response.

"Well," he said carefully, "I assure you, he only meant to help."

Ella gave him a long look.

"And what's his deal, exactly? Does he make a habit of scooping up half-dead women off the pavement?"

Julian hesitated, then said, "Only when he's in a good mood."

She stared.

Then, much to his visible horror, she burst out laughing.

Julian had been polite at first. Professional.

But it didn't take Ella long to realize he wasn't actually that stiff.

At least, not when you got him talking.

The moment Julian noticed she wasn't looking for a serious, suit-and-tie conversation, he relaxed. His shoulders lost that perfect assistant posture, and his responses shifted from rehearsed to natural.

And that was all the invitation Ella needed.

Because curiosity was her worst habit.

She was the kind of student who asked just one more question at the end of a lecture, earning glares from classmates desperate to escape.

She was the kind of person who read the fine print even when she didn't have to, just because what if it was interesting?

So now, trapped in a hospital bed with a strangely fun assistant, there was no stopping her.

"Okay, so tell me," she started, shifting in bed. "Julian Yan. Who are you, really? How did you end up working for the great and terrifying Liang Yichen?"

Julian chuckled. "I sent in a resume. He hired me."

Ella narrowed her eyes. "Lame answer. Try again."

Julian grinned, and for the first time, he didn't look like an assistant. He looked like a regular guy, amused by an overly nosy patient.

"Alright," he said. "I graduated business school, top of my class, thought I'd get a normal corporate job. Next thing I know, I'm working for a man who may or may not have the ability to kill people just by glaring at them."

Ella snorted. "Okay, that's better."

"Happy now?"

"Not even close."

She fired off more questions—where he was from, whether he ever had a horrible boss before Yichen, if he had a secret dream of running away and opening a bakery instead.

Julian played along, answering each question with either surprising honesty or ridiculous sarcasm.

Ella had too much fun.

And then—

"How old are you, anyway?"

Julian hesitated, then shrugged. "24."

Ella blinked. "Wait. What?"

He raised a brow. "What?"

She gasped, dramatically clutching her chest. "You're 24? I'm 29!"

Julian tilted his head. "And?"

"And?" she echoed, shaking her head. "That means I'm officially your big sister. No arguments."

Julian's face froze.

Then, slowly, he burst out laughing.

"Big sister?" he repeated. "You're claiming sibling rights now?"

"Obviously!" Ella said, grinning. "I mean, look at us. We're practically family at this point. Just a five-year gap, and suddenly I have a little brother."

Julian gave her a flat look. "I'm pretty sure that's not how it works."

"Shhh," Ella said, waving a hand. "Just accept it."

Julian chuckled, shaking his head. "You're unbelievable."

Ella smirked. "And yet, you're still here, talking to me."

Julian rolled his eyes but didn't deny it.

And just like that—the professional assistant act was gone. Rare instance.

But then—a presence.

It was like the temperature in the room dropped.

Both Ella and Julian instinctively turned their heads, and there he was- Liang Yichen.

Standing by the door, arms crossed, his ever-present stern and unreadable expression locked onto them.

Ella narrowed her eyes slightly. "Scary expression 3 O'clock," she muttered under her breath.

Julian barely contained a laugh, but then reality struck—his boss was in the room.

In an instant, his back straightened, and his face snapped into polite professionalism.

"Mr. Liang," Julian greeted with a respectful nod.

Yichen said nothing.

Julian took that as his cue to leave. "I'll be outside if you need me, Miss Ella," he said, then hurried out.

And just like that, the lighthearted atmosphere vanished.

Yichen remained standing, arms still crossed, gaze still sharp. It was as if he were looking for reasons to be annoyed with her.

Ella sighed.

Of course, she had been thrown back into reality.

"Are you feeling okay now?" Yichen finally asked, his tone neutral.

Ella hesitated.

The moment Julian had distracted her with conversation, she had forgotten. The betrayal, the hurt, the pain.

Now, with Yichen standing there, the memories came creeping back.

She sighed again, running a hand over her stomach. It wasn't much, but at three months along, the bump was almost noticeable.

It wasn't really a secret.

"Before you ask, I was betrayed by my husband," she said vaguely. "He threw me out despite my pregnancy."

Yichen's brows furrowed slightly. "If you're pregnant with his child, why would he do such a thing? That doesn't make sense."

Ella's fingers clenched the hospital blanket.

Her voice softened, quieter, heavier.

"Because... the child isn't his."

Silence.

Yichen didn't need more details. He was sharp enough to put the pieces together.

His expression barely changed, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes.

Pity? No. Something else.

But he didn't ask further.

"I'll handle the hospital bills," he said instead, like it was nothing. "The doctor says you need rest, but once you're cleared, you can be discharged."

Ella hated that she had no choice but to accept.

She was a woman of pride, but she didn't even have a penny.

"Thank you," she murmured, looking down.

Yichen simply nodded. "If you need, I'll have Julian take you to your family when you're ready. Or... don't you have any family?"

Ella hesitated again.

"I do," she admitted. "But they're abroad. In the U.S. I... I can't contact them right now."

Another silence.

Ella frowned slightly.

Why?

Why did this rude stranger, who had picked her up without her consent, now feel like the most comfortable person she could talk to?

Why did she feel like she knew him?

"Then come live with me."