Alex closed his eyes as Elio came straight at him. As he was anticipating a loud punch strong enough to break his bones and destroy his organs, he received nothing. He opened his eyes and looked at Elio who was still looking at him with a death glare. Elio aggressively patted Alex’s back. “I still cannot believe you are such a coward.” He said. “Mostly, such an irresponsible… Friend.” Elio said while looking away. Alex was confused. But he was more confused by the fact that Elio called him his friend. It was obvious that Alex was like a puppy who would never leave Elio’s side and he considered Elio as a friend but Elio never said it out loud. Elio never called anyone his friend. “F-Friend?” Alex laughed nervously. ‘Is he drunk or something? How could Elio the Great call me his friend?’ Alex thought. “You were supposed to catch up on me,” Elio said. “If I did, would you have kept me alive? Huh? You were fuming with anger.” Alex said but then stopped. “Wait, wait. So you do know th
The island's people are much more talented than anyone can think of. They are somehow born with talent. Not only do their handcrafts look like remarkable masterpieces but anything they do makes it look like they excel on it. So is the same condition with the girls of this island. They were putting Henna on Ayah’s hands. Quite carefully though, as the elders have warned them that they must not make any mistakes as she is the Queen. But the girls are so friendly and frank that Ayah did not feel discomfort of any sort. “My oh my, Your Majesty. Your hands are so soft. As if they are made of clouds.” One of the girls complimented. Ayah smiled and thanked her. “You all apply the henna so beautifully.” Ayah complimented them that sent the girls to the high heavens. They became more focused on beautifying her hands. One of the girls was hesitating on asking Ayah a question. She has seen their king, Elio Ford and she had also seen his charm as well. Though respect was absolutely mandato
Ayah was breathing heavily. Her body was heated up due to his touch. All those words she told the girls were flashing back to her mind. It was as if his touch was the only thing on her mind. She was a Muslim. Would she let a man whom she did not consider as her husband to touch her? She contemplated. Though she did not consider him t be her husband. He still was her husband. Elio Ford had forced her but she consented, somehow. She had signed the documents. She did not love him. Not one bit. She wanted to look away. She wanted to run away from this room. She wanted to escape his grip but he was not touching her. His eyes, those eyes had held her in place. Would she let him continue? A murderer? Just then suddenly, the sound of Haru resonated in her mind. That innocent child. The child that he killed. How could she ever feel desire for the man who murdered that innocent baby? She felt burning hate in her chest once again. Just the hate that she felt when he had kidnapped her, when he
The scream resonated through the entire hall. The music was stopped. The dancing stopped. Neko recognized the sound of Mia’s voice. “Mia?” He worriedly got up to search for her. Alex left the couch and followed Neko. Elio had heard the sound as well so he came down. “What happened?” He asked reaching the guards. “A girl screamed in the hallway.” One of them said. “Go check,” Elio instructed. They both left to investigate. He came out of the bedroom. A thought hit him. What if it was Ayah? His heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened. He ran through the hallway. His eyes worriedly searched for Ayah everywhere. He found a balcony. “Ayah?” He shouted. The balcony was empty. He came out and ran everywhere else until he reached the commotion. Upon his arrival, everyone bowed and moved away to reveal a body in a pool of blood. It was a male guard who was probably stabbed. His chest was gushing blood. Elio told the guards to move the body. Alex reached the scene. “Dude, what happened?”
“Elio,” Alex called him trying to grab his attention but his anxiety levels were rising which was making him panic and unable to focus. Lastly, Alex grabbed his shoulders and looked into his eyes. “Look at me.” He said. “Whom did you bring on this island with you?” Elio was somewhat baffled by the question but took a moment to think. The ones he had taken with him on this trip were Neko and Mia. “It was her friends. Her two other friends.”“Was there anyone else?” Alex wanted him to come up with the solution by himself so there would be no other unnecessary misunderstandings again. Elio pondered. Other than these two… Did they do something to her? Now that he thinks about it. He has not seen these two in a while. What are they even doing? Did they help Ayah escape? Did she go by herself? Did she run away? Alex sensed it“Elio,” Alex called him to grab his attention. Desperation laced his voice.Elio removed his hands from his shoulders. “I think they did something to her.” He said.
Rain poured and the thunder growled. The sky was aggressive in a different manner. The rain was flowing all over the land and grasping the dryness all at once. Ayah's eyes were going to close. Her last words before the darkness engulfed her were his name. He was so close yet so far. She wanted him to come and hold her like he used to. The world seemed too cruel for her soul. Too harsh. The only protection she ever felt was the roof over her head until he came into her life like a storm and removed all sorts of normal events occurring into her miserable life. Though he had hurt her and killed her in many ways, he had been the only one who protected her and hugged her. The only one who knew she was hurt, the only one who could sense her pain was Elio. Now that his figure was searching for her, she wanted to speak. She wanted to scream but it was as if her voice had been snatched. Something was grasping her throat tightly.Silent tears rushed on her pale cheeks. But she did not suff
Mia and Neko swiftly entered the room. Though Mia had warned Neko not to make a single noise while entering the room so they would not disturb Ayah in any way, the door seemed to defy Neko and made a creaking noise. Neko made an apologetic expression but unforgiving Mia decided to– as quietly as she could– slap his bald forehead which made a sound. Both of them reacted silently to the loud noise. Just as they thought they messed up, the soft laughter of Ayah resonated from the bed. Both of them could not see her because the massive bed was covered with white curtains. "Guys, just come in. It's fine." Ayah's voice was groggy and tired but she somehow managed to sound as she always did. Both of them rushed to her side and slid the curtains so they could see her. She smiled while looking at her two friends. Ayah did not have the slightest idea that they were here until the doctors confirmed it. "My gosh, Ayah, we were so scared," Mia said while sitting beside her and giving her frie
She has been embracing him in his arms. Her legs wrapped around his waist and her hands wrapped around his neck. His body was warmer and quite bigger than hers and that was what made her comfortable. The thunders were not stopping and the drizzling sound of the rain coming from the floor-to-ceiling window had washed away her fears. Ayah did not want to leave Elio at the moment. All her prior thoughts washed away from her mind. She merely hugged away all her contemplations. Elio was frozen in his spot. His body was warm but his nerves turned cold. His blood was running higher and hotter. His mind was silent as if an eerie sound was resonating in the walls of his brain. Her warmth against him had made him feel things. Things he could not describe. It was a feeling of ecstasy. Or perhaps much beyond than that. He felt calm yet there was a storm brewing inside him. His demons fell shut just as his eyes did when she relaxed over him. The lullaby once again started singing in his ears.
Chapter Seventy-Eight She wanted to run away. Anyhow. Ayah wanted to leave this world just the way she came here. Ever since she set foot onto the earth all she felt was pain, hopelessness, oppression, and numbness. At first, it was her family, then her classmates, and now her husband. She felt suffocated. Ayah’s dream was to be able to go and lay in a garden without a worry of the world but her sufferings chased her to this point. True happiness was foreign to her. Ayah sighed and removed the duvet off of her. Elio left after feeding her a plate of brown rice and chicken. She hated the fact that she was afraid of him so much now. She was always afraid of him but the change in his demeanour made her shiver. It was almost like black clouds were shadowing over him. She was helpless against him. Ayah took a deep breath. She wanted to live. He did not break her so much so that she would wish death. No. Instead, after years she did the right thing. She needed spiritual healing. So she
Chapter Seventy-Seven“Would you like something to eat?” Mrs. Rose asked Ayah, who was looking outside of the window with no expression on her face. Her face was getting paler day by day. This could not be ignored by Alice who was feeling heartbroken looking at that girl. Alice sat beside Ayah and stroked her dark hair with her hands gently. She did not know how to comfort the girl who heard the loss of her mother after years or a girl who was raped by her husband. Ayah’s painful screams were heard by every soul in the mansion churning their hearts. Elio’s ruthlessness could not be controlled by anyone. “Did she eat something?” Alice asked Mrs. Rose was standing at the door of the bedroom with a stoned expression on her face. Her lips were turning blue and her old wrinkles were more visible on her face now. Mrs. Rose shook her head. She felt an unbearable pain in her chest. Her plans failed. The plans that she created to separate Ayah from Elio failed miserably. This was something
Chapter Seventy-SixThe soldiers of Japan were a different breed. They were trained in the most inhumane way possible. So the people dreaded for their families to be a part of the military. But Grey’s father was a different breed. He was the general of the military and he knew the ways that could bend someone to perfection. He was trained so he trained. His disappointment of having a daughter was so immense that he mixed that feeling with his aggressiveness of the training of his daughter. Though his generations were known to be the protectors of the fords for centuries, he was different. Elio’s grandfather did not wish him to be a protector; rather he was sent to the military. So he felt like the first failure of the generation. He mixed those emotions to create Grey. The Girl from the Ashes. She had the blood of her father inside her. The consequence of being in a relationship with her was death. Her training started at the age of four. Inhumane and ruthless. So Grey grew a way
Chapter Seventy-FiveThe sun was hiding behind the clouds as the misty wind blew around the gardens. The water droplets on the flowers fell on the ground but no sound was heard. Nobody heard anything now because the storm last night was too loud. Everybody heard but no one said anything against it. It was a chaotic silence. Ayah was looking at the ceiling of the bedroom. Her breathing was even and calm, unlike last night. Her tears on the side of her face dried up. She felt like her whole body was numb. She looked beside her. Her husband who was sleeping peacefully on his back did not budge when she tried to get up. Ayah wiped her tears and tried to get up from the bed. She felt a tug on her waist. Before she could look back, Elio pulled her on the bed. She gasped. He hovered on top of her and buried his face inside her neck. She felt disgusted. But she did not have any strength inside her to push him off or resist him. He left small peppery kisses on her nape and neck then smiled.
Chapter Seventy-FourElio and Ayah both of them were looking at each other with the same level of resentment as the other. Both of their eyes reflected danger. Ever since they crossed paths with each other this was the first time that both of them were in the same level of emotion, resentment, and hatred. Their potential to be dangerous was just equal. The love between them faded away as soon as it happened. Those peaceful moments filled with sweetness and serenity that put out the fire inside his heart were crushed like pieces of glass. It was as if the bottle of poison woke the monsters inside him. Ayah was standing still and steel. Her eyes could not believe that once again she had been hit by a man who had been lying to her and abusing her existence. The first one was her father now it is her husband who stood there with equal vengeance in his eyes. Both of them wanted answers for each other but none of them started first. Mrs. Rose took in the tension between them. She gulped.
Two souls amidst the chaotic lies around them not being able to grasp the reality. They not being able to differentiate between foes or friends. Her heart was tangled in his clasp of redeemer vision whilst his mind could not digest the fact that she could ever hold venom in her chest. The darkness was wiping out but the radiation of light disappeared into eternity. Ayah and Elio can never go back now. The truth has been unveiled but none of them realized that it was not them but the ones who wanted to sever the bond between them. Their worldly life confused them to such an extent that nothing could match the pieces. Elio gripped the poison in his hand tightly, so tight as if his life depended on it. Mia and Neko watched him storm out of the apartment. Elio’s eyes were bright red and swollen but there were no signs of tears. Inei watched him go from behind and her nasty smirk sparked suspicions in Mia’s mind. Mia walked towards her and gripped her arm. “What the heck are you trying
Chapter Seventy-Two“Take a deep breath,” Mrs. Rose instructed Ayah, who was on the verge of hyperventilating. She closed her eyes to relax and calm herself down but was unable due to the sudden brush of betrayal in front of her eyes. What did she just witness? Her husband, Elio was being touched by another woman while he was closing his eyes enjoying the pleasure. What kind of a scene was it? She felt her heart ripped apart. Was it justifying? Did she not intend to kill her husband a few days ago? Did she not think of it? Then why is her heart ripping into pieces? She gripped her chest as tears streamed down her eyes. She could not breathe properly. Is this who he was all along? A cheater? All he said was a lie all along? Was he playing her all this time? "Calm down, darling." Mrs. Rose patted her back. Right when Elio was out of the door of his bedroom, Ayah came down the stairs and the only person who dragged her into the maid's quarters was Mrs. Rose. She locked the door and
Chapter Seventy-One“What in the world are you doing here?” Elio snaps at Inei who stands in front of his car with a smile that does not offer anything good. She puts her hair behind her shoulders. "Well, I am just celebrating my return as you won't." She said and opened the car door. She placed herself on the seat beside him which fueled Elio's anger to doom. "I don't want to deal with you now. Get out!" He growled but her unbothered expression told him enough. She is not an easy girl so he does what is best with her. Her stubborn attitude was put up by her father but he doubted it was the case for him. He closed his eyes tightly out of frustration. "I said, get out. NOW." His voice boomed in the garage. But she did not move a muscle and instead tilted her head and smiled at him again. "Take me where you are going." She said in a sing-song voice. Elio was surprised by her audacity. No one had the guts to mess with him, especially in such a situation where he was going to Ayah in
Chapter SeventyCarlo stood in front of Elio for further instructions as he looked at his Young Master in a bad state of mind. Elio was sweating profusely even though the weather was chilly due to the rain shower. He looked like a mess though a charming one. Elio was effortlessly beautiful. He didn't even try to look half as gorgeous as he was. God had forged him especially perhaps because his face was unmatchable. Elio did not look like anyone else; it was as if he inherited half of the beauty of mankind. Even in a state managed to look breathtaking. Carlo gazed at Elio with his mouth half-open. Men could not help but admire him. He had the magnificence, the money, the brain, and quite everything any man could dream of. “Should I prepare some cold bath for you?” Carlo asked. Elio gulped, his head was thrown back on the chair and his eyes were closed. The black shirt he wore was stuck to his body like a second skin and his visible forearms looked hotter as his veins popped out. St