Sprawling on the carpeted floor, Lianne’s eyes rested intently at the king-size bed as surge of memories flooded inside her. She saw herself in the same bed with the mysterious man, passionately making love. It did stun her greatly, but the memory brought her briefly to tears at the same time. It ached her heart and as the flashbacks continued; she saw the mysterious man caressing her neck passionately and her, in the dream, moaned and submitted herself to him.
Ruen…
All of a sudden, the name echoed in her mind.
‘Ruen…’ And then she saw herself utter his name in the flashback.
At first, Lianne was confused, but a sudden realization hit her.
‘RUEN!’ Her mind shouted, this time with renewed determination. It was as if she was a baby, learning her first words.
Before she could lift herself up, the unknown man
POV: Lianne Dievin“No...” A choked cry burst out from my lips as I covered my mouth with my hands. I looked at my mysterious man, Ruen, with thorough concern enough to create beads of sweat on my temples. My breathing doubled. I was hyperventilating, as if no oxygen was filling my alveoli. I could feel my pulse bounding like crazy too, so tangible under my skin.I glanced at the finger inserted on the trigger and I immediately shook my head.‘Please don’t move. Please don’t move!’ my mind chanted.I longed to see this man since I saw him in the library. There were so many questions I wanted to ask; answers I wanted to hear from his mouth. I certainly don’t want him to die so soon.However, surprisingly, this new man who called himself Cain somehow knows something too. As to how and why, that&r
POV: Lianne DievinWe went back to the mansion after we made a short stop at the police office. I did have a hard time with the police’s interrogations but luckily I managed a good alibi. I just can’t disclose them all of what happened! If I did, I’m pretty sure they would think me crazy or some daydreaming woman. I didn’t press any charges also, just so I could keep myself from any more pressure with these uniformed men. One gun-wielding man was enough for me.Luckily, Alona and Rachel’s family connections with the resort owner made us stay for four more days. Now, I could at least make up with my friends after stealing their vacation time inside the hospital.And surely enough, Jen immediately left me to date with her boyfriend. It was after lunch when Alona suggested we visit the resort’s famous cave and hot spring at the foot of the moun
POV: Lianne DievinThe cave was definitely not what I expected. It was actually even more. It was located at the foot of a mountain bordering the resort and another small town on the other side. The facade was neatly maintained by the staff of the resort and a makeshift sturdy stair made of wood provided an entrance to the cave.The inside was beautiful and huge. We were awestruck. It had a floor-to-ceiling length of about five storeys high, and the center cave expanse could be compared to a football field. One could immediately see a wide body of water and a natural waterfall connected to it, providing the cave another striking scenery.There were stalactites and stalagmites everywhere, but unusually, it had a weird color of crystallized green. There was a small opening right above our heads that invited the afternoon sunlight in, reflecting the walls and flooring thereby giv
“Cain!”Lianne stood up quickly as soon as she recognized him. The necklace in her hand dangled wildly in response — a reaction that was comparable to her heartbeat, drumming wildly against her rib cage.“Ahh...you saying my name is music to my ears, Lianne, ” he commented, pleased, but exuding aura that wasn’t like earlier when he was in front of her friends.“I suppose you don’t know how to knock?” Lianne glared at him, her sarcastic tone clear.“This door is already open Lianne, and also, I’m not used to knocking. All doors are opened for me, ” he said with greater sarcasm.‘I know what I ask and I mean the door in the living room!’ that thought crossed her mind. Lianne wanted to ask him this, but chose a different question instead.“Why were you able to come inside a
Darkness surrounded me first before a soft glow of green light appeared before me.“You look absolutely ethereal tonight, but you always have been and every day for that matter.”I then heard a man’s voice say.As if I was in a movie, suddenly my green surroundings shrunk into one ball of white light and everything came bursting out into view.The music of the orchestra was the first thing that caught me, then I saw a massive hall with huge pillars standing mightily on each corner. The marble floor was finely polished, the ceilings were so high with exquisite chandeliers hanging, and there were silk decorative curtains on every balcony door.I was in awe.I looked to my left and saw Cain offering his hand. He was smiling quite dashingly on me. I accepted it and I smiled back.Weird.I don’t rem
POV: LianneMeet me where the moon and the waters kiss.Ruen’s message was vague. It didn’t say exactly what time and where we should meet, but since it was already night time and that the note mentioned ‘water’, I opted to go to the only body of water the camp had: the lake. Now I’m walking along the shoreline trying to find him and hoping I was right with my hunch.With the pristine lake and the reflection of the moon on its surface, this could be possibly the one he was talking about.Nobody was around, I presume, because of the camp show and that proved to be an advantage. It provided me an easier way to find him.And yes, just over the distance, I noticed a man standing near the shore. The water almost touched his boots, but I think he was too engrossed with staring at the lake that he didn’t no
Since Mansion (Days Earlier)“Have you found her?” Mr. Gillard Rafael asked, directing his question to Ruen who was standing against the balustrade of a VIP room of the Since Mansion. Ruen’s eyes were fixed on a scenery in front of them: a beautiful sunset, similar to what he was accustomed to way, way back in the past.A female servant of the mansion had just left the balcony after preparing two cups of tea: one for Mr. Rafael who was sitting near the coffee table and one for Ruen. The former was wearing once again his most favorite hat, a white and black checkered fedora hat, coupled with a formal suit the shade of dark blue. He sipped the contents of his cup as he waited for the latter’s response.“Yes, I found her finally, ” Ruen answered right after he heaved a sigh. God knows how many years he had been searching for her. He never gave
POV: LianneI didn’t have enough sleep at all the whole night taking care of my unexpected patient. Apparently, Ruen had a fever as high as 39 degrees Celsius because of his gunshot wound. To make things complicated, he was also in pain and he didn’t even take any pain medications to help him endure it.What was he even thinking anyway?! Kill himself to death?!I thought him courageous and strong though, that he went through this much to bear the pain while he met with me twice today and drove us to his house. I didn’t even notice his ailment until we arrived here and him suddenly falling, but even so…even so it’s just too twisted.Why didn’t he tell me that he was suffering? I could have helped him sooner.My arms and back ached a little. I had to position him on the large sectional sofa so that he
POV: LianneOne week admission in the hospital was considered a short stay for a man who sustained a gunshot wound in the left upper chest. The cardiologist doctor of Since Hospital said that it was a miracle for Ruen to have a near-miss...only just a couple of millimeters away from his heart. It was a miracle truly. One that I was thankful for.I was leaning against the railing in the open balcony of Ruen’s rest house. The evening was cold, but I took it upon myself to gaze at the beautiful sea of stars in the blanket of darkness. I really missed this place, and I am happy to be back here again.I was wearing a peach-pink evening gown with crystal beads on the strap shoulder, neck, and waistline formed into a bouquet of flowers. He bought the gown for me from a well-known designer. The fabric used was a soft chiffon and it had a one-meter trail, enough for me to manage in the Since Mans
POV: RuenThis was exactly the best time to kill this man. My fingers had been itching to do it since I was on the plane.He produced a lopsided grin and pulled Lianne even closer to his side.“A gun too huh? No sword?” he jibed. “Put it down now.”I clenched my teeth, my body trembling not of fear but with the need to pummel this man’s face to death.“I will not until you let her go.”“Oh, so you’re making bargains now?” he replied with his nose cringing. “As if you have the upperhand. Do you really think I would give up on this game of fate? It has already been decided. I will win this and you...will DIE!”As expected of a dirty cheater like him, Cain fired a shot.My quick reflexes kicked in an
POV: LianneIf anything. If anything at all. I wanted for that wish to be granted.That was the last thing I remembered before I snapped back into reality. Cain was still staring at me and my guess was, he doesn’t even know that I just came from a trance.I didn’t feel the pain in my left lower torso anymore. Only the pain in my heart. It lingered onto me like a bee ready to pollinate a rose. I am no rose though, but I had thorns. And right now, my thorns were all directed to Cain.Sudden anger flooded through me. Now that I remembered that vital information about my death, I didn’t have any reservations about my feelings towards Cain anymore. Screw that brotherly love for him. He needed to feel my wrath.I shifted my eyes to look at the monitor screen of the dungeon. Ruen looked fatigued. I’m sure if I were in
My feet automatically stepped in to investigate the room further.It was mainly dark. The only light fixture I could see in the ceiling was unlit. It was a decent-looking room with an acceptable size. I first thought it was a recording room, but it was actually a monitoring room, with all the weird-looking gadgets, sound and equalizer systems, and a handful of tiny buttons laid in a slanting table a couple of feet away from where I stood, dumbstruck.The room was a spectacle to behold, especially with the 12-inch flat monitor screens stacked way up into the ceiling. I deduced they were video surveillance monitors.One... two... three... four... wow... there were actually sixteen monitors all in all. Each one showing different areas of the mansion. One showing the pool area. Another showing the front portico. The others showing the dining and the kitchen areas, the outside garden, hallways, and more hallways including the
There was an uncontrollable, overwhelming urge to rip Cain’s flesh when Mr. Rafael’s spies confirmed that Lianne was taken to the Soulisse Mansion. Ruen was sitting on a couch beside a rectangular viewing window of the private plane, holding the phone tightly until a small break of the touch screen’s side appeared — a poor substitute to accept his arising anger.The plane had been en route to Since for nearly twenty minutes since lift-off from the Fortville City Airport. Another twenty of it later, it would reach its destination.“Yes, I need them to be ready in an hour. I’ll be there soon, ” Ruen commanded in a firm tone. He was talking to the leader of the special protection team of Mr. Rafael, Holt Montgomery, who was at the receiver’s end. He was thirty-six years old, eight years older than Ruen, but the man had great respect for him.It had been years since Ruen had se
POV: LianneI woke up wheezing, fighting to replenish the air in my lungs. I felt my chest heavy like it was being stepped on by an elephant weighing a hundred times heavier than me.‘Take a deep breath, ’ I commanded myself.I sat upright and scanned the room once again only to find that, yes, I was still in a bedroom inside Cain’s mansion.‘What was the mansion’s name again? Ah yes, Soulisse Mansion.’It wasn’t surprising that like Regaleria, this mansion had stood the test of time. It was good to know that a part of my past still lived in the present day however negative or positive the memories I had with them.The food the butler had prepared was still readily available on the table, but he was nowhere in sight. Maybe he left when he saw me or thought he saw me sleepin
Soulisse Mansion (Past)POV: Lianne"But the beauty of this place cannot compare to you, Lianne," I heard Lord Cain say to my surprise. He was wearing the Regaleria’s general uniform while I, just a simple peasant dress.I found us standing inside a garden pergola surrounded by heavy shrubbery of different flowers here and there: hydrangeas, pink and white mountain laurels, yellow forsythias, and bushes of long-stemmed roses all blooming beautifully.It was indeed a magnificent sight, especially when traces of snow could still be seen on the soil and on some leaves. There was the sunset too, as what I could assume, that made the garden look even more breathtaking. It was hands down a perfect place for romance.Cain closed the space between us and regarded me with warm eyes.‘Too c
POV: LianneCain was kissing me lavishly from head to toe. Touching my body like he was soaping me thoroughly. I couldn’t open my eyes but I knew that it was him when he sluggishly uttered my name.“Lianne... be mine.”Yes. I did shake my head to disagree, but he only proceeded to explore more, kissing my body, licking every curve that I had. I felt him knead my breasts that were devoid of a brassiere and I felt his tongue swirling inside my mouth when he forcibly opened it.I gasped at the sensation.I wasn’t supposed to feel good about it, but how could I be insensitive to his touch when he was sending waves of pleasure all over me?Like Ruen, Cain’s touch was burning me, coaxing me to submit, making me weak. With our first encounter in the king’s room days ago, I should be pan
POV: Lianne“Li? What’s the matter? You look sullen, ” Jen asked me directly as soon as I returned. They were all staring at me, confusion clear on their faces, and I had a feeling they knew something wasn’t right.I needed to lie to them again. If there was such a thing as a white lie, then this was definitely it. Before that platinum-haired man drags me out of this airport leaving my friends stunned and afraid of my welfare, I had to do this now.“I uh...I’m so sorry guys. I really need to stay here. There’s some emergency I need to go to, ” I said with heaviness in my heart. Jen stood up and took both of my hands, looking at me with understanding.“Go ahead Li. Don’t hesitate to leave us. I knew already this would come. We were actually waiting for you to say it.”&ls