MARGO POVMy house was teaming with cops when I arrived and without them noticing me, I put the car back in reverse and started making my way to the hospital. My flight was in an hour so I knew I could get some things done and it was already dark. If I hadn't driven aimlessly for hours I might have beat the cops but I'd just been so angry, I needed to let off some steam. Well jokes on me. The only color I saw was red and it got darker the longer I drove but I made sure to reign my anger in. If I got pulled over, then I would definitely be facing charges, but it definitely won't be for murder.I couldn't believe that Miguel ratted me out, that bastard, well jokes on him because the only evidence they would be finding was all going to point in his direction, but it was too bad I wasn't feeling too merciful. He didn't deserve jail. He deserved to die.Once I reached the hospital, I parked, took my bag, and made sure all I needed was in it, and then walked into the hospital.One of the n
EARLIER.RAPHAEL BATISTA POV. SHOOTING RANGE. The semi-automatic pistol I held should have taken my mind off of Scarlet, but even as I loaded the magazine into the magazine well, pulled back the slide, and took aim at the target in front of me, she was all that consumed my thoughts, so I wasn't surprised when I missed the target completely. Her breathy plea where on repeat In my head, and damn it I'd wanted to do more than touch her, but I couldn't, not when I prayed with every fiber of my being that she was Eve, not when I saw Eve every time I looked at her... It wouldn't be fair if she was Scarlet. It wouldn't be fair to her at all... Fuck. It was all so confusing in my head.I fired more rounds in succession, her face flashing in my head even as the loud sound of deafening gunshots rang through the air. I growled in frustration and grumbled to myself as I lowered the pistol. "I've never seen you miss before" a voice broke through the ringing in my ears and I groan
SCARLET POV "We were just touring the province and got a little lost, so we parked and walked up to the house to ask for directions.... No one answered the door when we rang it".The man nodded, noting down what I was saying. My guard stood behind me like a statue while the phone in my hand where the last message I'd received from Pierce burned into my skin.It won't be long now, Scarlet. I am coming to get you.Pushing the message from my mind, I focused my attention on the man I was talking to and tried to remember where I stopped. "We were going to leave of course, but you see I have a very sensitive nose so I knew something wasn't quite right with the smell in the air, So I asked my guard to kick down the door... We went inside to investigate and that was when we found the body. We didn't touch anything once we found it, and then I called the cops immediately"The man made a show of nodding along to my words and once he noticed that I was done with my recount, he slammed the boo
SCARLET POVEverything felt wrong. The bed I was lying on, the scent all around me, and the splitting pain in my head. I also couldn't open my eyes no matter how hard I tried and my memory was all fuzzy.Where the hell am I? Was this some sort of abyss that people went to at the point of death? Everything hurt so much and I couldn't move any part of my body. There were also voices ringing in my head and the sound of cars crashing, and burning fumes was like a loop playing over and over again.I wanted it to end, whatever the horrible feeling was. Anything else would be better."Is she dead?" Someone asked. The voice sounded familiar... Way too familiar but there was just no way it was her. "She's just unconscious at the moment. The bastard I sent to cause the accident almost killed her... Those fucking sleazeballs. It's like they can never do anything right..." He cursed, his voice so loud it made me wince but they didn't notice since they continued with their conversation, and the
"What the hell is this Antonov... Where the hell is my daughter? Why isn't she in the hospital? I have looked everywhere and they keep telling me that my child isn't here" Elde yelled, and Antonov stepped back, his gaze fixed on the floor. "You are keeping something from aren't you" she asked, her heart palpitating as she prepared herself for the worst. "We got the footage from the surveillance camera at the site of the accident" he got out and then paused, his hands forming into fists at his side. "It looks like she was taken away...""Taken... Taken away" she stuttered. "By who? Who took my child Antonov""They wore masks and because of the commotion of the accident they were able to slip away without anyone taking notice" Elde stared at him without moving or even blinking as she struggled to make sense of what he'd just told her, and when she read between the lines of what he was really trying to say, she stumbled back and Antonov reached to grab her but she slapped his hand away
RAPHAEL BATISTA POV"What was that woman going on about" I asked, especially since the name Scarlet kept ringing in my head as if it held a deeper meaning and I wondered if I truly knew her like the woman claimed I did. Kristine took my hand and held my gaze. "You really don't need to think about that woman at all Raphael, she's just hysterical because her daughter is missing, but you really had nothing to do with her at all... All you did was give her a ride, so what if you both got into an accident, she had no right to accuse you of being responsible especially since you were also a victim" she said and I nodded, not really having the mental capacity to think too much since my head hurt a lot.I could remember almost everything but some recent details that occurred were blurry in my head and something in my chest made me feel that all those details were of the utmost importance, but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't remember."I am not your boyfriend though" I clarified, m
MIGUEL POVScarlet abandoned me. Margo tried to kill me, and now after everything I was going to be the one facing the law for Margo's criminal charges. My lower body was badly damaged but that didn't stop them from cuffing me to my bedside as if they thought I could escape from the hospital. They should not have bothered. After being in horrible pain for a whole week I was sure I would not be walking for a while without some sort of assistance and that was if I could walk at all. But I guess I should be grateful to still be alive. Margo had stabbed me multiple times but most of them had been on my thighs and others were on the bed I'd been on when she attacked... She'd really set out to kill me and then run away to escape the law after all her bitching about how she couldn't live without me, fucking liar! I wanted to scream but all I did was just sit quietly while Delia cleaned my wounds.At least she'd come back, even after the way she'd left the last time we'd met and her promis
MARGO POVI had to get out of here or I was going to lose my mind. It wasn't good for my mental health to be in such a confined space with someone that I wanted to kill every time I saw her.Scarlet Antonio Rivera had come into my life like a tsunami, and I was still being swept up in her death-hurtling pull. I was literally being kept as a prisoner pending when she got better to determine my fate, and with her intolerable suffering attitude, I knew she was going to destroy me once she regained her memory. If she didn't, then Pierce would, and then it would be all over for me and I still didn't know what I had done to her for her to hate me so much."But I did this all for him... Who do you think he's going to choose between the two of us... I have everything while you're a nobody... If I were to offer him all my wealth, do you really think he would choose to stay with you"She had said it was because of Miguel she'd ruined our lives, but I knew it was all a lie. There was something
SCARLET POV.Today was the happiest day of my life and as the light from the chandelier cast a lovely glow on me as I walked down the aisle, I couldn't help but smile, and smile some more.Raphael was waiting for me and the look in his eyes was enough to make me swoon.I couldn't tear my eyes off him and the closer I got, the more brighter he radiated his love for me. I was going to be happy this time. So much happier.My gaze caught my mom's and Antonov and they grinned back at me.I got to Raphael and he took my hand and guided me to my stand with a smile that lit up his eyes."You take my breath away little bird" he whispered and I blushed, holding his gaze even as my face burned."So do you, and I love you so much. Always" I said and the officiator cleared his throat and both of our gazes snapped to his.Gods, I'd almost been close to kissing him since it had been as if we were the only two people in the room.I chuckled as he did, then turned to face the officiator.The wedding c
RAPHAEL BATISTA POV"I want her found. I don't care how you do it but you need to do it before she hurts anyone" I said clenching the content that I had gotten out of the brown envelope just a few weeks ago. It had been meant for Scarlet. Thank God I had gone to meet Bianca myself that day. Scarlet was just starting to get better and not be dependent on her pills but I was sure if she found out about this, it would be down that rabbit hole once more. She would worry and live in a state of constant fear and I could not allow her to go through such suffering again, not after everything she'd been through. But the strain was starting to get to me. Margo was still at large despite all efforts to find her and with our wedding plans already underway I couldn't help but be worried. Where was Margo right now and what was she scheming?"We have eyes everywhere, but we haven't seen anyone remotely resembling Margo, we'll intensify our effort, so be rest assured. She won't be able to get past
SCARLET POV"You've been smiling a lot these days, but you still haven't introduced Raphael to me, why? Do you think he's so good-looking, I'll try to keep him for myself the first chance I get," Elde said and I gaped at her."Mom! Oh my goodness, I can't believe you just said that"She chuckled, stood up from where she was sitting, and came to stand in front of me. "I admit I was a bit skeptical about Raphael at first" she got out. "I still am, but since he's succeeded in making you so happy, I want you to bring him home... You just set a date and I'll fix the wedding... How about that"I grinned, then hugged her. "I must have given you a lot of tough times for you to be planning to marry me off so quickly, huh"She patted my back. "Oh you did, you almost turned me into a murderer at a point too, you little brat" she laughed, then let go of me and helped me tuck my hair behind my ears."I am just so glad that you are finally ok, Scarlet. I want you to be happy like this for a very lo
RAPHAEL BATISTA POVScarlet let out a harsh sob and then pressed her forehead against my chest, so I kissed her on the back of the neck in an effort to soothe her. “Talk to me, baby, tell me what you need me to do” I urged. Scarlet relaxed as if the endearment was a balm to her soul, then she went quiet for several beats before she met my gaze. “I ache,” she said softly. “I burn and I can’t… I can’t make it go away on my own. I've tried...” she trailed off, the color on her cheeks darkening. It took me a few painfully long seconds to understand what she was trying to tell me. She couldn’t make herself come. “Oh God, Scarlet, I’m so sorry,” I said as I lifted her head up and pressed kisses along her temple, then her cheeks, and finally her mouth. “I’ll take care of you,” I said as I began ramping the kisses back up.“Raphael” she called, her voice hitching. "I... I..." “What?” I urged gently when I saw a bit of fear still lurking in her eyes. “I don’t think I can… go all the way
RAPHAEL BATISTA POV"Is she going to be alright?" I asked the doctor as I stared down at Scarlet. She was asleep and her breathing was even but that didn't stop me from worrying."She will be fine. She has been under a lot of stress which was why she collapsed... But please try to monitor her drug prescription. I am afraid she is taking them more than is necessary and if she continues to do that, it would not bode well for her in the long run" the doctor warned, his voice severe and I nodded."I'll do that doctor, I'll make sure she takes only what is prescribed"He nodded and then picked up his bag. "Just let her rest and I'll be here to check on her progress tomorrow morning," he said, gave a curt nod, and walked out of the room.I sat beside Scarlet and just stared at her, pain and elation warring in my heart. I'd always felt that she was Eve but to have it confirmed that I was indeed right, shook me to my core.I took her hand in mine, then placed it on my cheek, my heart breaking
SCARLET POVI liked the weight that was pressing me down into the warm mattress. It was hot and just the right amount of heavy. I groaned, moving closer to it. Was my pillow always this warm, or did Mother get me a new pet? I asked myself as my hand reached to clutch at whatever it was but my hand didn’t come in contact with short fur or a pillow.No, what was beneath my fingers was short but it was also super soft, silky even. And just a few inches down there wasn’t any hair, just hot skin.Raphael has hot skin. I jumped off the bed, my eyes flying open as I struggled to make sense of what the hell was going on.Raphael maintained eye contact as he slowly got up from the bed too, his gaze trained on mine as if I were some wild animal and just a look away from me would send me running off.He looked as if he'd been awake for a while so why was he just lying by my side?I couldn't remember what had happened the night before. I just remembered having a drink and Pierce forcing a kiss on
MARGO POV.Everything hurt, especially my face. It burned so hot that I wished I hadn't woken up at all.I've been drifting in and out of consciousness after the van I'd been in exploded... I didn't even understand how I'd been able to survive, but I guess it was because the force of the explosion had pushed me out of the van as it crashed to the ground.Miguel hadn't made it... I knew it because his face had been the last thing I'd seen before I was flying through the hot air.We'd been in the van and he hadn't even spoken a word to me. He'd stared at me as if I was the vilest person he'd ever met as if I had ruined his life as if I was the one to blame for everything and not Eve.Her name made me groan and all of a sudden, someone was hovering over me, and then a wet cloth touched my head.I tried to open my eyes and only managed to get my left eye slightly open while the other felt as if it was permanently shut.The eye I was seeing with was still blurry though and I had to blink t
SCARLET POVI couldn't hear the words that Santos was saying not when Raphael was just a few feet away from me, talking to some men and smiling when they said something funny. When last had I seen a smile like that? It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that just a touch of his hand had had my walls and resolve crumbling like ashes. It had been so hard to wrench my hand away from him when all I'd wanted to do was to lean in and press my lips against his. He'd stared at me with such fierce passion or was it my wishful thinking... Was I just projecting what I felt onto him?I flinched when I saw Kristine walk toward him, wrapped her arm around his waist, and animatedly joined in on their conversation. I couldn't help but clench the document in my hand harder while murderous thoughts ran through my head. Raphael was mine... He fucking said he was going to protect me. "Miss Scarlet" Santos called and I flinched, then forced myself to focus on him when it turned out that he'd been trying to ge
RAPHAEL BATISTAScarlet Antonio Rivera was standing in the elevator and her eyes were wide open in surprise as she saw me. She was clutching at her hair and sweat dripped down her hairline as if she'd been struggling with something in the enclosed space. I stared at her, totally speechless as I took in the most beautiful pair of green eyes I'd ever seen and when I looked closer, it felt as if I'd always stared into those eyes for as long as I could remember. Scarlet lowered her gaze and dropped her hand from her hair, but I noticed the strands that were clutched in her deathlike grip and it had me wondering why she'd been tugging so hard at her hair. I stepped into the elevator with her and once the door closed, sealing the both of us in, I had to resist the urge to grab and tilt her chin so that she could look at me just as she'd done before. I couldn't believe she was here since no matter how many appointments I had with her assistant, I had never met her in person.I turned to