“Lianne, look at me! Please, look at me!”
Ruen adjusted his hold, anchoring an arm around her head so that her face would lift up.
Lianne’s vision was blurred but she could clearly see the pained expression on his face. She had never seen this kind of expression from him before. Never. It was breaking her heart.
“Please don’t look at me like that, ” she mockingly requested, sounding slightly raspy. “You don’t fit that kind of expression at all.” She gave him an apologetic smile and then coughed up blood.
“No, don’t speak anymore. Rest! The doctor will be here soon.” He placed constant pressure on the wound on her back with his free hand. This, he did so despite having a deep laceration on his left forearm too.
“Ruen...” she uttered in a weak voice. She winced abruptly when she felt the stabb
“They both disappeared just like that.”Lady Faye uttered to herself while sitting on a cushioned seat near the fireplace of the study room. Her hands were clasping on her lap, her back was pressed against the backrest, and her head was bent low, staring at the blue flames on the hearth.Lord Jared was standing near the window sill, his eyes fixed on the sunrise beyond the stretch of the north field. “I can’t believe it. To think that the stone really does hold power. No wonder the late King did great lengths to acquire it, ” he stated.“No wonder he forbade the princess to go outside the mansion, ” Lady Faye countered. “The blood coursing through her veins is actually the key.”“Tsk... the key to his insanity that is, ” Jared icily commented, then a moment of silence enveloped the room once again.“General C
“I’m going to the library Jen, why don’t you come with me?” Lianne asked her best friend as she twirled the phone wire gently with her finger. She was leaning against the edge of the peninsula in her kitchen, wearing only a skimpy short and a tank top.“Nah, I don’t think so. You know very well I’m not into reading books, Lianne. But if you can spot me some cute guy in the library, then I might consider going with you next time,” Jen replied, humor coloring her tone.Lianne sighed and rolled her eyes.“Well, suit yourself. I am going to go now. I’ve got to return some books I borrowed there and maybe check out another, but don’t worry I might spot a cute guy for you.”She softly chuckled when she cut the call after hearing her friend shout a ‘Yes!’She ran upstairs into her bedroom a
Darkness crept in every corner as the midnight air surrounded Lianne’s bedroom. The silence was deafening, but it was suddenly broken by her frightening shout.“Nooo!”She sat on the bed, panting, beads of sweat ran all the way down her temple to her neck, and her eyes stared widely at the window.For almost a year now, she had finally dreamt it again.A man standing on top of a cliff as if waiting. His face covered by the shadow. The ocean waves were furiously splashing the cliff, but he was unaffected by the sight. His hair and coat were wet with the rain.Lianne was there, standing some distance behind him, but she was transparent. She didn’t have a solid body.When he turned to his back, it looked like he was looking at her, his eyes aglow, but it was dishearteningly sad. Then, his lips moved to shape a name - her name.&nbs
For all these years, I have been waiting for her. Now, that I have finally found her, I’m not sure if I should act promptly. Oh, how I wanted to touch her! She is just within my grasp. Right there. Just right there. This distance is killing me. Truly. But, will she remember me when I show myself to her?~Ruen, from his journal ‘Finding Her’***“Hey, Jen, have you ever been stalked before?” Lianne asked while sitting comfortably beside her best friend who was eyeing a football player just two seats apart from them.“Huh? I’m sorry. Wha- What did you just say again?” Jen replied apparently enjoying herself staring at the hot jock.“Nah! Forget it!” Lianne answered clearly annoyed.“Oh! Com’n Lianne, I’m sorry. I’m just keeping myself entertained.
It took her time to be comfortable in the room. Even though she was exhausted from the trip, she wasn’t able to rest. Lying in the queen-sized bed, she felt as if she was going crazy with the dead silence. Even the wall clock in the room wasn’t even making a sound.In comparison with this room, the room in her apartment would probably be labeled a ‘commoner’ room certainly. The recurring color theme was white and gold. The curtains were damask and the shade of a lighter blue and with trimmings of silver. There were beautiful porcelain wares in a shelf located on the left side of her bed, next to a vanity mirror that was probably worth a million bucks.In line with it, there was a huge two-door walk-in closet and an elegant bathroom. To her right, she could see another Victorian-style single sofa chair with a cushioned footrest and across it, the French door that she had intentionally left ajar. The room was dim, with
They all went down below the curved narrow stairs leading to the basement. It was lighted with electric, white fluorescent lights now, but during the past times, that part of the mansion only glows when there were torches burning.The staffs call it ‘basement’ but it was more than that. It actually was a dungeon, servicing the worst of rule breakers and slaves during its time.Side by side sticking like a panda, the gang meticulously observed the area. Three years ago, it was publicly open for all who wanted to have a taste of fear inside the Since Mansion, but now, it was closed in order to preserve its history and all the antique possessions relocated in there.Lianne, even though being strong-willed as she was, couldn’t handle the sight of the dungeon. It was not for ladies like them to see.There was a gloomy, heart-wrenching aura they couldn’t describe; maybe because of t
POV: Lianne DievinIt was the third day of our stay here at the Since Resort. Jen woke me up from her ever special alarm tone in my cellphone, saying that she will be with her newfound boyfriend, Roland, the entire day.Alona and Rachel had already informed us last night that they would go horseback riding today. So now, that leaves me on my own. The advantage of it now was that I can choose whatever activities I wanted to do this day. And speaking of activities, I decided to play Sherlock Homes.I went down to the customer information section and showed the male attendant the old rusted key I found at my doorstep. I was wondering if this was a duplicate of Madame Brenda’s key to the storage room.He did take a careful inspection of it and then informed me that it wasn’t the key to the storage room. It was actually a key to another room. He told me that it was
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: 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