are you Amelia stone?

How could this be? How could a boy who had always appeared in my dream materialize into a man? On top of that, he was out to harass my father.

I blinked, forcing myself to deal with the situation at hand. This wasn’t the time to dwell on my fantasy. My father was in trouble and I had to save him. I pointed my weapon in his direction.

“You, too. Get out of my house.” I warned him, my voice raising an extra notch to show I meant business. But it didn’t go as well as planned.

Within seconds, he outmaneuvered me and had my hands pinned behind my back, with my weapon lying pathetically on the floor.

“Are you Amelia Stone?” he growled out his question again, his warm breath fanning the outer shield of my ear.

That voice did something to my body and I didn’t like it one bit. Every single fiber within me came alive and I became aware of his existence. His rock-hard body pressed against mine and his masculine scent invaded my senses. My heart was beating so loud, I didn’t know whether it was from fright or from him being so close to me. I tried to breathe, to think rationally of a way out of this predicament, but it was so hard. Only when I heard my father’s pleading voice did I spring into action.

“Lorenzo. Leave my daughter alone. She has nothing to do with this.”

I surprised him with a kick to his shin. I only needed one second for him to get distracted and I could make my escape, but my action came too late.

He already had me twisting around to face him before I could even pull my stunt. Now I was forced to endure those hateful eyes glaring at me.

That was until I saw his eye colors. Left side blue, right side green.

Heterochromia eyes. This man named Lorenzo had heterochromia eyes, just like the boy in my dreams.

There was something mysterious about him and I found myself being drawn to him like a moth to a flame. I couldn’t blink away when he continued to glare at me, his gaze so intense it felt like my skin was burning alive.

“Answer me this instant. Are you Amelia Stone?” he demanded, his voice firm.

I was piqued. Why did he want to know my name so much? And when I didn’t respond, he squeezed my arm until I winced.

“So what if I am. What do you want with me?” I shouted back, struggling to get out of his hold. But he wouldn’t let go, his hands only forcing me to stay put. And his eyes were on me again.

“Your old man owes our boss four million dollars,” someone said in the background.

“Now it’s time your old man pays back. We’re just here to collect the debt,” another one said.

But I couldn’t focus on what they were saying, just as I couldn’t focus on anything else apart from Lorenzo’s heterochromia eyes. He in turn also mimicked my action. He gazed at me as if he wanted to consume me, those eyes filled with a dangerous hunger I couldn’t identify. But in a split second it disappeared, replaced with nothing but a stony sight, devoid of emotion.

“Amelia Stone,” he started, “I give you two choices. Each choice will lead to a consequence.” I felt a sudden chill on me, and I watched in horror as my worst nightmare played out in real time. Gun poised at my father’s temple, he asked me point blank, “Choose between his life or yours.”

And that was when I completely lost the plot. I cried out, pushing him out of my way, and I went to my father, blocking Lorenzo from brandishing the gun in front of his face.

“No. Don’t kill him. Please don’t kill him. Take me instead. Please don’t kill my father,” I begged Lorenzo, sliding down to my knees.

Lorenzo cocked his head to the side, assessing me for three full seconds, then he crouched down to my level and moved the gun to rest at my temple.

A twisted sardonic smile appeared on his face.

“Good choice,” he said, baring all white teeth, like a predator satisfied at trapping his prey. In his eyes, I was his prey.

The air whooshed out of me as soon as the cold, hard barrel came in contact with my skin. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to pull the trigger. I could hear Papa shouting at his men to let me go, but I blocked him out, focusing instead on controlling the violent tremors which threatened to overtake me.

Whoever Lorenzo was, he took pride in seeing me suffer. But I would not let him see me in this state. I refused to grant him that privilege. So I waited and waited for that very moment when my world would end. Except what came next was not the click of the gun as I had anticipated, but his deep voice growling next to my ear.

“Do you think you deserve to die, Amelia? Do you think by choosing death, you could save your father?”

Did I deserve to die? Did I really think my death could solve everything?

Yes. At that moment, I really did think that. If I could atone for all of my wrongdoings in the past, I would happily trade my life for theirs. Jenny and Papa, they were good people. They were not like me, who had a tainted heart. They deserved to lead a fruitful life. Especially Jenny. She had gone through so much as a child and I was there to witness every single misery she went through. She may not remember it, but I did, and never in my life would I want her to go through that trauma again.

Yes. I chose death. Maybe then I could reunite with Mama, up in the stars. I’d tell her I was sorry that I ruined everything, even when she had given me a second chance at life. I’d tell her I had done my best to look after Papa and Jenny, and hopefully she would forgive me for ending her life that one summer all those years ago.

I was satisfied. I had made my decision. And I waited for my final moment, but that moment never came. Instead, I felt a large hand wrapping around my arm and jerking me up to my feet.

“Get up. Now!”

I opened my eyes and felt my body being propelled forward by none other than Lorenzo. He forced me to take each step, dragging me away from the only world I had ever known and the only people I had ever loved and cared for: Papa, Jenny, and my friend, Gian.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked, fear etched in my voice. But my question fell on deaf ears. Lorenzo kept walking, each step only increasing the distance between Papa and me.

“No. Don’t take my daughter. Please. I give you my life. Just don’t take her.”

Papa’s voice revived my instinct to survive. I searched for him and there he was, at the corner of the room, sobbing.

The sight of Papa at that moment reminded me of a certain memory I tried to bury all those years ago. It triggered something inside me, and that tough façade I erected moments ago broke down. I cried, tears streaming down my face.

“Please. Can I say goodbye to my father?” I turned to Lorenzo and pleaded with him. “I’ll do anything you say. Just… Please let me say goodbye to my father.”