MARGO POVI screamed and dodged at the last seconds, then without waiting to see what he would do, I ran, bounding up the staircase without looking to check if he was coming after me.The door to our room loomed ahead of me and once I grabbed the handle, I yanked it open, rushed into the room, and made to slam it shut but Miguel just kicked it in and then we were standing face to face."You cheated on me" he stated incredulously, his chest heaving and his eyes manic. "And you had the nerve to go all psycho about Delia..."It was infuriating. I was having the worst day ever. How could this have happened... The ugly stare of the people at the restaurant last night popped into my head and my skin crawled... Now that the news of my cheating was public, I'd definitely get more stares, and it would probably be worse than last night. Why did the humiliation I felt at the hand of Scarlet choose this very moment to creep into my head? God, everything was going to shit. "Are you just going to
RAPHAEL BATISTA POVI'd kissed her and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Every time I shut my eyes, I could remember every minute detail despite being drunk, her soft lip, her heady taste, and the way her hands on my skin had felt like shock waves bringing me back to life.It had been so mind-blowing that at first, I thought it was because I had been high off the alcohol and hence all the feelings had been enhanced but even now, just thinking and reminiscing about the kiss had me adjusting myself in my pants.I jerked into a sitting position and cursed. Why her of all people and I'd even confessed to her that Eve was my first love... I just hated the way she looked at me as if I was a monster and I'd also wanted someone to believe me. They'd all judged me without giving me a chance to defend myself and I'd borne the burnt of their hate without a care... I was used to the hate anyway, but I didn't want Scarlet to hate me. I wanted her to stop looking at me with such disgust on her fa
SCARLET POV "I just want to let you all know that I am really glad that this impromptu meeting had gone a lot better than I hoped it would," I said meeting each of their gazes. "And with that said, I hope with the recent development you all will give me your support, and agree with my decision to safeguard the interest of the company"The men and woman who sat around the table nodded their heads in agreement and I grinned."I am glad that you're all in agreement. This is our company and I'll make sure it is in no way affected at all by the scandal surrounding Miguel and Margo" I promised. "Go ahead and sign the agreements""And what about Margo and Miguel... Don't they have a say in your decision... I just feel like it is wrong to do this behind their backs""Gwen is right" Joshua one of the board members who had always been on Margo's side spoke up. "They are both major shareholders, so how can we just sign to vote them out without giving them a chance to defend themselves"The othe
MARGO POVRaphael had almost killed Miguel. It had been a wake-up call and maybe now Miguel would finally see that I was the only one who could truly protect him.Scarlet, that bitch, she had just stood there with a crazed look in her eyes as if she waiting for Raphael to deliver the final blow that would take him out... The desire to see more blood had been clear as day on her face and I had thought I was the crazy one.There was something about her and the way she'd targeted me and Miguel... Was she playing a game... Was this some sort of power trip she went on when she got bored? No matter how I looked at it, I just didn't get why she'd come after my family.It didn't matter now. She'd started this game and I was going to finish it... She thought she was all that and that I'd lost everything, but when she was no longer breathing then we'd know who the winner truly was, because I was going to kill her, after torturing her that is. I grinned at the thought and the vivid imagination
SCARLET POV."What's wrong, Margo... You don't look too good" I asked as she looked around, a spooked-out look on her face that only intensified the more she took in the environment.Slowly getting to her feet, she adjusted her dress and turned her expression to neutral but I could tell by her trembling hands that she had been pretty rattled. Good for her, maybe I should have upped the dosage. Well, It had all been a probability because she could have taken the drink but not drank it, or refused to take the drink at all. But she hadn't confessed to murdering Eve. Even in her drugged state, she refused to acknowledge what she had done... Was it because murdering someone didn't count as a crime in her books or she truly believed that she had not pushed me off the hill? "What do you want now? Haven't you done enough damage... You are really something else, Scarlet, you have the nerve to show your face to me despite cutting me off from the company without a heads-up" She got out in a ca
RAPHAEL BATISTA POVShe was staring at me, her eyes blown so wide I could see the swirls of green morphing together to form a symphony of spell-binding patterns. They had always been beautiful and calming, so why did I feel so much rage even as I gazed at her? I clenched my fist, her words replaying over and over in my head... "I really do want you but if I am going to have you, I want you all to myself. I do not share"And that was after she'd leaned in to kiss him. She'd pressed her lips underneath his ear, she'd smiled at him, and she'd promised to protect him... Just the thought had my vision going hazy with rage. I wanted to rip my skin off my bones If only It Would get rid of how raw I felt..."What the hell did you just call me" she asked, drawing my attention to her lips, the ones that she had used to touch Miguel. God damn it, her lips were mine... I should have just killed the bastard. I could still taste the feeling of euphoria as I punched him over and over again... He
Delia stepped into Miguel's room and then held her breath when the sound of the door made him stir a bit in his sleep. Once she saw that he hadn't awoken, she sat down beside him, then slowly ran her hand through the top of his hair which had grown a bit longer from the last time she'd seen him."Maybe now that you're going to lose everything, you'll finally choose to be with me." She said, staring at his sleeping form tenderly. "We were so happy together before Margo came into our lives weren't we..." She mumbled then pulled her hand away from him as if she'd been stung.A shiver racked through her frame so she wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes never losing their focus- Miguel. "I know you told me to stay and wait for you, but I don't think I can do that anymore Miguel. I refuse to keep quiet and watch you suffer like this because of that woman, so I have decided... I am going to kill Margo. This past few days have been dreadful Miguel, I could barely close my eyes at night
SCARLET POVI shouldn't have called him a rapist when I had a lot of reason to believe that Raphael was not guilty of raping me in the past, especially after I had listened to Bianca's recollection of what she had witnessed that night. I could also remember that, that morning he had been just as surprised to see me when he'd gotten up...They said drunk people always spoke the truth, and he'd literally blamed himself for failing to protect me... So I was going to forgive him and cut him out of my revenge plan, but he needed to stop hovering over me and messing with my head... If he continued to dig, he was going to find out kinds of stuff about me... Maybe he already has judging from everything he'd dumped on me the day before.If I didn't put a stop to his obsession, he was going to ruin all of the plans that were already in motion. He already knew so much as it was.He was going to get in the way... It was already bad that every time he came near me my brain refused to do whatever I
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