SarahI reach for the door for a means of escape. “It's no use Maria," he says with a smirk as he zooms off.“i'm not too familiar with this environment.” His eyes scans the road as one having troubles navigating towards our destination. He glances at the rearview mirror and our gaze meet,“Maria... How could you survive all these years without me?” He must be enjoying the moment, seeking for ways to taunt me. “We're done Shawn and you know that. ”He takes a sharp turn. Surprisingly heading towards my apartment. It dawns on me. How long he's been monitoring us is what I don't know. “Don't be like that Maria. I never for once let you out of my sight. How's my son?"His words hit my ears as he mentions about Carlos. I feel dumb for a moment.“What son?” I stutter, searching around for any weapon to set myself lose from the beast driving the taxi.“it's useless. Stop the pretense and give us a chance Maria. I'm the only one who can protect you.”“i don't need your protection, Shawn
Maria's POVHer phone drops off from her hand as she stumbles on the large rusty iron gate, tripping on her ripped wedding dress. She squats to pick it up, pulling her way into the old mansion covered in darkness.Something is out there. Some group of people have been trailing her. She doesn't feel safe. She never felt safe. The mysterious death of her father earlier in the day only threatens the last hope of survival.There is nowhere else to run to.Her phone beeps. She scans the area around her before receiving the call, running into the building and slamming the door shut. Who would have thought that a place she most detest could be her only safe haven?The memories the building holds feels like it's nothing, compared to what's coming. “I'm on my way, Maria. Do not leave the mansion. I'll be there to protect you,” the thick voice assures at the other end of the phone.“No…No…you can't come anywhere close. They'll kill you too,” she sobs, falling on her knees. She's desperately
Maria's POVThe air is hot. It feels like she's in a steam bath. The smell of her sweat is so concentrated. But there's another lingering scent. One she's familiar with. A secluded room in her father's house she stumbled on some times back has the same horrific smell. A day that revealed her father's true identity.She manages to open her eyes. Just then, she realizes her plight.With a throbbing head, she attempts to free herself from the chains clasped around her wrist, fixed above her head."Let me go!" She screams, terror engulfing her.A man stands up from a chair in front of a fireplace, approaching her, wearing a smirk.“I made that mistake once, princess,” he replies with a poisonous voice.He takes off his hat, puffing smoke from his pipe to her face.“Perfect timing. You've been asleep for way too long. The priest is just by the door,” he adds, raising her face close to his.For the first time, she sees his form clearly. The chiseled jawline, a dangerous stare and a smile
Marco's POVThe fitting black suits. The well-knot tie and a brief case. The signature outfit of the Snakes gang. It's difficult to tell the leader just by face evaluation. Marco walks into the pristine mansion with his newly-acquired brief case. He didn't bother to check it's content.There's a meeting. An urgent meeting. His father has never summoned him to any of his meetings.Being his first time, he should be nervous, but he's not.“Hurry, brother. The rest are around,” Andrey says, running up the flight of stairs ahead of him.“Ahh…there they are,” an old man interjects as Marco opens the double door.A large feast unfolds before him. Today isn't his birthday. He has no idea what the party is about.Yet, he seems to be at the center of it all.The old man gives him a warm hug and offers a seat beside him, “Welcome son,” he says.Marco manages a smile. He isn't so comfortable with his father's kind. The pistols in their pockets only makes it more uncomfortable.Such meetings
Marco's POVMarco has been bedridden for two weeks after the accident. His head is severely damaged as a bandage is wrapped around his whole head, depriving him of the gift of sight.He wakes up every morning to a maddening headache and a darkness that even the brightest days couldn't dissolve.He dreads the news of having to be permanently blind. Although, the doctor assures it was temporary, Marco doesn't believe them. Any of them, except a nurse that seems to catch his fancy. Sarah, she calls herself.It could be because she was the only English-speaking nurse, but there is certainly something about her aura.All attempts by the hospital to reach out to his family or trace his origin yielded nothing as Marco refused to spill anything about himself–a Mafia code that has been ingrained in him."How's my favorite patient?" he hears Sarah greet. It must be morning outside since his current predicament denies him of the time of the day.Marco doesn't move from where he lays. He's bec
Sarah's POVShe climbs down from the table, pulling up her wet panties that slipped from her waist during their short-lived passion.She must be out of her mind for making the first move on a stranger. She couldn't help it. Right from the very day he was admitted to the hospital, the prominent scar he sustained only pronounced his mysterious beauty.It would have been wrong of her to defile work ethics and gone for him right on the stretcher.But luck has made their path cross and he's right here in her apartment."Are you expecting anyone?" Marco asks, as she dresses herself up, her eyes fixed on the doorway wondering who it could be while still wishing they hadn't ended their passionate moment.Marco instantly walks toward the door."Could be the neighbors," she replies, still catching her breath.“It's almost midnight.,” Marco replies as he tries to answer the door.“I'll get that,” Sarah rushes to the door before him, pulling him back slightly."I've been calling. What happened t
Marco's POVIt's already enough that Andrey is back for him. He can't get enough of his father but Sarah shouldn't be any part of it. It could be a ploy to get his attention. To threaten him back into the grasp of his ruthless father. But they definitely shouldn't have gone for Sarah. She's innocent.As Sarah doesn't respond over the phone, Marco is left with no choice but to go find her. With a hint of background music he heard over the phone before the gunshots, he can tell that she was in a bar.He only hopes that he gets there on time.The realization troubles his mind. He can't suffer this pain all over again. It happened once in the past. Once enough to shatter him to become the man he is--unknown to anyone. Once enough to make him a man that even his late mother feared.He has to find Sarah and save her. Thereafter, whatever thing he thinks he feels for her has to die. To protect her, most especially from him. Never fall in love–that was the first Mafia code his father made sur
Sarah’s POV“I’m done taking orders from you, Betty and you have to keep your voice down. You’re in a hospital for God sake,” Sarah whispers with clenched teeth. If there was a better choice Betty would cease to be part of her life.“The same hospital I brought you to? Are you forgetting so soon how I saved you from Luca?” Betty demands, tightening her fist on Sarah’s wrist. “And then what? Is that why you think I owe you? I’m beginning to think I would thrive better with Luca than having you around. Truth be told, I don't see who's the better devil between you two. At least I wouldn’t go about risking my life. I almost died last week.” Sarah shudders, as the memory of the gunshots and dead bodies came flooding and how she had to pretend she didn't know what happened when Marco came to her rescue.“Almost. But you didn't…” Betty remarks but is immediately countered by Sarah’s reply, “Did you even care to ask how I managed to survive? Don’t even mention anything about sending your go