CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE;

One must run, 

hide and stifle his gasps

 in order to save his life.

***

"Agnes," her mother, Emilia, muttered uttered as soon as they entered the house. She stood up and went directly to her side and immediately checked if she was hurt. She held her pale small face in her rough hand. It was cold. Agnes was cold but she wasn't hurt. She heaved a small sigh and looked at her worriedly. "Where did you run off to? I told you to wait for me inside your room, didn't I?"

Agnes didn't answer her mother and stared directly at her pale green eyes. Her eyes are a carbon copy of her mom's. Everyone in the town admires their silvery green pigment and she felt rather proud about it. She got her small apple face from her mother also and her scarlet hair from her father. She is one of the beauties in their schools. Although they are not rich, they believed that their beauty can compare to those on the top.

That's what she used to think until he came.

 The man was clad in black and a mysterious and chilling aura was seeping from him but she only dismissed it as one of his charms. His face is not something you can always see in magazines and TVs.

He was like a gem. A hidden gem.

Her father went down from the second floor. His face was black and he was clearly fuming with anger. His body was tense and his eyes are sharp as an owl's, ready to find its prey.

Then, he saw her daughter and wife near the door. He paused a little before stomping down in a furious manner.

The pair heard the angry steps and can't help but look over only to see Jack, Agnes' father, walking furiously towards them.

Emilia unconsciously stepped in front of Agnes in an attempt to protect her from her angry husband. Her husband noticed this and stopped midway in his approach.

"Agness, you—!!!" Jack furiously stated, pointing a finger in her direction. His face was scarlet because of anger and his eyes are bulging to the point that they seem to escape from their sockets anytime soon. "Who told you to run away—huh?! How dare you go out and displease your husband!"

Agnes stared at her father in shock.

 Displease her husband? No way! They offended her first! She didn't even know that she'll be a bride at the age of 19, just one year after she stepped on the legal age!

Agnes can't help it anymore and opened her mouth to speak.

"Husband?! Displease him?" She said disbelievingly. "Father, how can you say that?! To me? To your own daughter? I should be the one who's offended by all of this! How can you arrange my marriage behind my back? Father—I am only 19 for god's sake!"

She was pathetically panting after her rant. She hasn't done this for a long time and it was refreshing to say your own feelings are unrestrained. For years she had endured shutting up herself because she doesn't want any conflict, but to this day, there's no way she'll stand idle and wait for her marriage to be decided without her knowing.

She hasn't raised her voice for the past few years and, sure enough, it left her father speechless. Even her mother looked over her shoulder, shocked. Agnes gained confidence from their reaction. She stood straight and even dared to look at them directly in their eyes.

"Father, Mother, forgive me. I do not wish to marry that—whoever that guy is. Besides, I have a guy I like!"

Yes, she found someone she likes. They only met earlier, but she had undoubtedly fallen in love! Yes, she believed that it was love at first sight!

Her father's eyes bulged beyond belief. His cheeks bloated and his face redden once again in anger. Emila turned to face her and her mouth opened, trying to tell her something but cannot create sentences that are coherent enough to understand, she closed it again and covered it with her hands.

 They were being dramatic. Agnes thought inside her mind. It was already the 20th century, yet they still do this old, unfashionable thing called arranged marriage?

Besides, they are poor for god's sake! Her father is a gambler, and they can’t even afford a heater because their money always falls on gambling games! Who will dare to marry someone like her? Of course, someone with the same status as her and might not even handsome as him!

Good god! She'd rather seduce that hottie than the guy she's supposed to marry.

"You- you-! Agnes-!" Her father can't take it anymore and he advances to slap her but Emilia was there to stop her furious husband.

"Dear," she called out, hugging him on his waist. "Do quell your anger. Don't hit our daughter!"

"Excuse me," a low baritone voice rang from behind, at the entrance of their small, shabby house. It was brief yet there was a whistling sound, a sound of brief laughter.

The three paused. Agnes recognize the voice and she blushed.

Right, he was here. He probably heard everything! Goodness! Her image!

Agnes jolted to the side, trying to hide from the entrance of the door. Her parents obviously relaxed and they stared at the entrance, expecting him to show himself.

He didn't disappoint them, he stepped inside their house with a small warm smile.

"I'm sorry to disturb your, warm conversation," he started. Agnes flinched after hearing the word warm. Where did he even get that word from? Where was the warm part there? More likely, it was a heated conversation! "But,"

He smiled at Agnes' parents. "ma'am, sir, I brought back your daughter as promised."

"Thank you, Mr. Brown," Emilia stated, her voice getting softer. "I'm sorry to bother you with this."

Leon, who is apparently surnamed Brown, smiles warmly at her mother. "No worries. It's not a bother at all."

"I'm really sorry about it Mr. Brown!" It was her father who talked this time. His face was void of anger like it didn't exist before, instead, his face was covered in frustration. "My daughter displeased you. I hope you forgive her, she's still a child after all."

Leon laughed lowly. It was so low and matured, that it gave the illusion of allure. Agnes'ears tingled when the seductive low laugh entered her ears.

"Of course, Mr. Wright. I understand."

During their whole exchange, Agnes remained motionless but her eyes were bulging and her mouth are gaping. She was shocked. Shocked beyond belief. She can't even begin to explain her emotions.

Do they know him? And he also knew her parents? Is this fate? Did fate bring them together?!

She turned giddy by the mere thought.

Her excitement was building up and she can barely contain it. She closed her mouth and opened it again shakily. "Mother? Father?"

Both Emilia and Jack look over. Even Leon's attention diverted to her. She almost shrinks in their gaze.

"You know him? No, wait—-you know each other?"

Jack frowned, not knowing what in the world is his daughter thinking. "Yes. We told you earlier that you are meeting your husband."

He moved to stand beside Leon and unceremoniously put his hand on his shoulder. It was a funny scene since Leon was a head taller than her father but she was not in the mood to laugh.

"Leon, that is Agnes. Agnes, this is Leon, your fiance."

"... What?"

***

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three ear-shattering sounds filled the cold air. The bullets created a small whooshing sound as they swiftly sliced the air before plopping after they hit a tree.

The gunshots were left unheard to other people since the place was far away from the others, but the figure that was dashing fastly into the woods flinched and it glanced behind it, trying to see if the shooter was near.

He wasn't. No one was going after the running figure.

Before the figure can sigh in relief, its feet caught a root that was peeking slightly at the ground. It loosed its balance, then stumbled unto the ground.

There was a slope.

The figure rolled on the ground painfully. It rolled and was forced to raise its hands up to protect the head. It only stopped when the figure painfully crashed into the tree.

The tree was badly shaken. Some of its leaves fell. Because it shook, the moon that was barely lighting the whole forest peeked its light inside.

The light reached the face of the figure that was now lying painfully on the ground.

It was Agnes. 

Her face was scrunching in pain. She groaned and slowly, she pushed herself off the ground.

Before she strengthen her back, there was a sheering pain on her back that almost made her cry when she heard a rustling sound from the distance.

She held her breath almost immediately and her body tensed. She surveyed the surroundings, trying to make out where and what was that sound.

She expected that someone will suddenly appear out of nowhere, but she waited and waited. No one did. The forest was so still and silent.

Agnes sucked in a large amount of air in relief.

 She supported herself using the tree to stand. Although no one was there, she can't bear to sit still. He might be coming anytime soon.

Slowly, she stood up, supporting her whole weight by leaning on the tree. The pain was still there, but she have to move, fast!

She stifled her cry, wanting to be as silent as possible to not arouse the attention of her chaser.

She slowly turned and walk behind the tree.

It was cold, the winter was already up but nights are still cold. The wind was whistling in her ears like devils taunting her, luring, seducing.

Agnes bit her lip in an attempt to keep herself sane. She was scared. Frightened. She wants to cry and shout for help but she was not given the abilities so.

She can only cry in her mind and ask; why the hell it was happening to her? She remembered living a carefree and easy-going life, but that memory seems distant anymore. It was only months!

As she was lamenting about her life that was overturned by an unknown factor, she caught a glimpse of him. She froze and her body tensed then shudder. A cry of surprise almost escaped from her mouth as her heart beats faster than it did a while ago and her body turned icy cold in fear.

He was there, standing not far away from her. Half of his body was obscure because of the lack of lighting. But his face and what he was holding in his hand were oddly lighted.

There was a cold, chilling thing that was pointed at her. Agnes almost cried in fear as she backed away. 

It was Leon, and he was holding a gun that was pointed at her. 

He smiled, but the smile brought nothing but fear to her heart. The warmth that was original there was gone, it was nothing but an amused and sinister smile. Then, he opened his mouth, a cold, low, and alluring as a devil's voice came out of it.

"Found you."

—