Raised in Dust, Crowned in Gold Novel – Chapter 1 The First Meeting On a dark, rainy night, a black Cullinan crawled through the downpour along a muddy mountain road with barely any visibility. Suddenly, a loud thud rang out. The SUV lurched violently to one side, nearly spinning out of control. The impact jolted the man resting in the back seat awake. Kaiden Ward slowly opened his eyes. Dressed in a tailored suit, he had been sitting with his eyes closed, taking a brief rest. Even in the dim light, his strikingly handsome features were impossible to miss. His deep-set eyes carried a quiet intensity, and every movement radiated elegance and refinement. A slight frown creased his brow as he looked out the window. His lips pressed into a thin line. “Get out and check.” “Yes, Mr. Ward.” Still visibly shaken, the driver hurried out of the vehicle. Opening a black umbrella, he quickly moved to the rear door and opened it respectfully. Kaiden stepped out onto the muddy ground and surveyed the area with a frown.
The SUV was tilted at an angle. Its right wheel was completely buried in the mud, and a large pit sat beneath the front tire. Apparently, the jolt had come from the wheel dropping straight into it. The car hadn’t hit anyone. The driver patted his chest and let out a long breath of relief. Just as he turned to get back into the car, a scream suddenly escaped his throat. “What are you screaming for?” A young woman’s cold voice cut through the rain. The driver’s scream died instantly. Shivering, he quickly stepped in front of Kaiden and cautiously looked toward the source of the voice. Under the faint glow of the headlights, he saw a girl standing behind him. She wore a black raincoat and a yellow construction helmet. The oversized raincoat hung loosely from her thin frame. The helmet looked old, with several small cracks around the rim. She was slender with smooth skin. Mud covered most of her small face, and rainwater trickled down from her soaked hair, washing thin streaks through the dirt. Yet she seemed completely unaware of it. Her expression remained blank.
The driver’s gaze slowly traveled downward. The moment he saw her hands, his eyes widened. Her slender fingers were stained with blood. Mud and blood appeared to be mixed together. The shovel she carried was also caked in mud, and the liquid dripping from it through the rain carried an unsettling reddish tint. A flood of terrifying possibilities exploded in the driver’s mind. It was a stormy night on a deserted mountain road littered with construction debris, and a strange girl stood before him with a bloody shovel in her hand. No matter how he looked at it, she didn’t seem like a normal person. “Who are you?” the driver asked, swallowing hard. “What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?” Audrey Klein frowned slightly. Raising the shovel in her hand, she answered calmly, “Burying a body.” The driver’s heart nearly stopped. A chill ran through his entire body. He couldn’t help wondering whether this strange girl was some kind of psychopath. A rainy night was the perfect time to dispose of a body and wash away the evidence. The more he thought about it, the more terrified he became.
Nervously, he looked toward Kaiden. Unlike the driver, Kaiden remained perfectly calm. Nothing seemed capable of shaking him. He simply studied Audrey quietly. She looked small and frail. Her delicate face was slightly pale, and her eyes were unbelievably calm. There was an almost unsettling serenity about her. No matter how he looked at her, she seemed completely disconnected from the phrase “burying a body.” “Burying a body?” Kaiden lifted one eyebrow slightly and repeated her words with mild surprise. His voice was low and pleasant. Audrey frowned impatiently. “Is that a problem?” She held the shovel as though everything she had just said was perfectly normal. Today had been Audrey’s last day working at the construction site. Bricks and chunks of concrete often fell from above, killing stray animals that wandered into the area. After work, she would collect their bodies and bury them. She had only finished half the pit before the rain started pouring down. Since she wouldn’t be returning tomorrow, she decided to bury the animals tonight despite the storm.
Then, while walking down the mountain afterward, she came across an SUV stuck in the mud. A cold glint flashed briefly through Kaiden’s eyes before disappearing just as quickly. His gaze settled on Audrey. With the faintest smile, he murmured, “Looks like another one showed up.” Back in Salport City, countless women had tried every trick imaginable to get close to him. Some deliberately threw themselves in front of his car. Some staged chance encounters. Some sent expensive gifts. One had even dressed up as a witch and waited outside his company. As far as Kaiden was concerned, Audrey was simply another woman trying to get his attention. She had probably followed him all the way to Hilverlem City and was now pretending to bury a body on a mountain road. Audrey frowned at him. She had no idea what he was talking about. Ignoring his comment completely, she continued, “Your car isn’t going anywhere.” To the driver, however, those words sounded like a death threat. His imagination immediately ran wild. ‘She knows we’re trapped. Is she planning to kill us here? I’m only a driver and assistant.
If I die, that’s one thing. But Mr. Ward is a major figure. He can’t possibly die in a place like this.’ Unfortunately, the SUV was stuck fast. Even running away wasn’t an option. When neither man responded, Audrey looked at them suspiciously. They didn’t look stupid. Yet for some reason, both seemed completely frozen. She didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she looked directly at Kaiden. “Are you headed to Hilverlem City?” Kaiden rubbed his fingertips together. Tilting his head slightly, he looked at her. A gentle smile rested on his handsome face. “Yes.” “Good. That makes things easier.” Audrey let out a long breath. Glancing at the SUV buried in the mud, she said, “I’ll get your car out, and you’ll give me a ride to Hilverlem City.” Her tone left no room for negotiation. Kaiden raised an eyebrow. A hint of curiosity appeared in his eyes. He hadn’t expected her destination to be Hilverlem City rather than Salport City. At this point, he almost wondered whether she genuinely didn’t know who he was. For the first time, he even considered the possibility that she had actually been burying a body instead of staging a scene. When he didn’t answer, Audrey frowned again. “This road is prone to mudslides. The forecast says the rain will continue for at least another ten hours. Your vehicle is only going to sink deeper. “Even if you’re lucky enough to avoid a mudslide, you still won’t be able to leave after the rain stops.
Rescue crews won’t be able to reach you.” Her voice remained calm and matter-of-fact. She would help them get out. They would take her to Hilverlem City. It was a deal that benefited both sides. Kaiden looked at her curiously. “What are you going to Hilverlem City for?” “To go home.” Audrey’s expression remained calm. Her family had called earlier that day and ordered her to be in Hilverlem City by tomorrow. She knew perfectly well that being summoned home probably meant trouble. Still, she intended to go back and see for herself. Kaiden lifted an eyebrow and smiled faintly. “Alright. But are you sure you can get the car out by yourself?” A small smile tugged at Audrey’s lips. She set the shovel aside, wiped her muddy hands on her clothes, and walked around to the other side of the SUV. Then she reached out and grabbed the frame. Both Kaiden and the driver stared at her in confusion. They didn’t believe she was trying to lift the vehicle herself. Then, right before their eyes, Audrey planted her feet and exerted all her strength. The entire SUV rose straight out of the mud pit. The driver and Kaiden were both left speechless. Audrey dusted off her hands. Covered in mud and rainwater, she picked up her shovel, opened the rear door, and climbed into the back seat without hesitation. Looking at the two men still standing outside, she frowned. “Aren’t we leaving?” After a brief pause, she pulled out a piece of paper and glanced at it. “I’m going to Number Three at Elarune Villas in Hilverlem City.” She tucked the paper away, leaned against the door, and closed her eyes.