CHAPTER 42

"You're not fully healed yet, Hexia. Focus on recovering first," Helios said, and surprisingly, the tone of his voice is soft.

I scanned the entire room. Almost everything was black, except for the white bed I was sitting on and the two white bedside tables. A large flat-screen TV was front of the end of the bed, while the curtains were drawn to the side, revealing a large, round moon through the closed glass sliding door. Beyond it, there was a spacious balcony, though I couldn't quite describe its size. It had three chairs neatly arranged and a small round table.

That was when I noticed how cold the room was, thanks to the chilly air blowing from the split-type air conditioner. When my gaze returned to Helios, I saw him looking at me, his eyes soft and calm as they met mine.

"How did I get here?" I asked quietly. "Where's Oceanus? Where am I?"

"You're in my room, Hexia. Oceanus is in the guestroom, resting. I brought you here after I found you both in my grandfather's torture chamber."

My brows furrowed. "Perses is your grandfather? " I asked slowly.

He nodded quickly. "Yes."

Amadeus Alejandro Zevallos... So Perses was his grandfather. My frown deepened as the thought sank in. I wanted to confirm Perses' true name, but I had no idea how. Only Atlas probably knew that for sure.

My heart pounded faster as I processed what he said. When I glanced back at him, he was no longer looking at me. He was now facing the closed black door, his elbows propped on his knees, his face buried in his hands.

A faint laugh escaped me. He didn't seem aggressive right now. I was in their territory—this was the perfect chance for him to carry out his plan to kill me. Wasn't that what they all wanted?

"It's funny to think I'm here, in your territory, but why didn't you just finish me off in Perses' torture chamber, Helios? No matter what you do, I'm not going to tell you what you're looking for, so I know you'll kill me. Why didn't you do it when you saw me lying helpless on the floor? That was your perfect opportunity," I said with a bitter laugh, my hand moving unconsciously to touch my back.

I could feel the wound there and was certain it would leave a scar. My chest tightened as I thought about how difficult it would be to remove. It would take several sessions before the skin would smooth out again. Tears welled up in my eyes, warm and unstoppable, spilling down my cheeks.

"I can't," Helios said softly, his voice strained, which made me look at him. His fists clenched tightly as he looked back at me, his ash-gray eyes filled with pain, as though he was more hurt by the thought than I was. "I can't do it... I can't kill you, Hexia."

I swallowed hard, gripping the black comforter, covering my bare breast tightly. His words, laced with anguish, echoed in my ears. He couldn't kill me. But why? Why couldn't he bring himself to do it—

"You've been murmuring the name Rafael over and over for 7 days, you've been unconscious here in my room," he suddenly said, cutting through my thoughts.

I couldn't move from where I sat as he came closer. My heartbeat quickened at his words, and I lowered my gaze, fiddling with my fingers like a child. My hands rested on my lap, trembling slightly.

"He's my best friend..." I muttered quietly, just loud enough for him to hear. "His name was Rafael Zevallos... but he's gone now. He died five years ago. I just heard the news that their car crashed on the way to their destination. But wait, why am I even telling you this—"

My eyes widened in shock when he suddenly captured my lips with a warm, fervent kiss. His strong arms instinctively wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to his body. One of his hands slowly traveled to the back of my neck, deepening the kiss as our lips moved in perfect rhythm.

It felt like my hands moved on their own as they found a way in his muscular arms. My strength seemed to drain away with each passing second, as if he was pulling every bit of energy I had through that kiss. I thought it would last longer, but he was the one who pulled away first.

"I can't hold back any longer," he whispered softly, cupping my cheeks between his large hands. His expression now was so different—vulnerable, almost pitiful. Why did he look so broken?

"W-what are you talking about?" I stammered, still holding onto his arms as if for support.

"For 5 years, I've held back. For 5 years, I've watched you from afar. And for 5 years, I've forced myself to stay away, to stop myself from coming close and kissing you every time I saw you. If only you knew how hard it was for me to endure all of that," he said, his voice trembling with desperation.

I stared up at him, my brow furrowing in confusion. What was he saying? I couldn't understand his words—what did he mean?

"I d-don't understand, Helios," I said shakily, my voice betraying the nervous pounding in my chest. It wasn't fear. It was something else entirely, something I couldn't name.

"And when I heard the news that you were among those who died in the explosion at our real estate company, my world fell apart. I finally knew how you must've felt when you thought Rafael was gone. It was unbearable... I thought you were dead."

The more he spoke, the faster my heart raced, as if it were in a competition to see how quickly it could beat. My breathing grew shallow as I struggled to process everything he was saying. His words, his emotions, everything overwhelmed me, crashing down on me like a wave I couldn't escape.

I felt even more confused by his story, and a strange, unexplainable tension settled in my chest. Instead of fear, it felt as though something deep inside me urged me to ask him more, to uncover the truth.

I felt the gentle stroke of his thumb against my cheek as his ash-gray eyes gazed into mine. The darkness within his eyes seemed deeper now, almost swallowing me whole. The longer I stared into them, the more I felt as if I were beginning to understand everything that he was trying to tell me.

There was something familiar in the way he looked at me. It was the same as in the dream I had before waking up in Perses' torture chamber. Rafael, my closest friend, had been looking at me the same way then—except Helios' gaze now carried an added weight, a longing that cut deeper than anything Rafael's eyes had ever held.

As Helios leaned in and placed a feather-light kiss on my lips, a single tear escaped from his eyes and slid down his face, leaving a trail of heat on my skin where it touched me. Our foreheads rested together, and before our eyes met again, he whispered words that sent shockwaves through me.

"I thought I'd never see you again, Sarah," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "The night I saw you, I knew it was you. I knew you were alive because I wasn't imagining things. I knew it was you, Sarah."

"W-what are you saying?" I stammered, my tears flowing freely now, uncontainable despite my efforts to hold them back. "I'm Valentina, Helios. I'm not Sarah. You're losing your mind—"

"Please, stop pretending that you're not Sarah, Hexia," he interrupted, his tone urgent. His face was so close to mine that our lips nearly touched. "I know you. I know you're Sarah. You keep denying it, but the truth is, you are her."

I squeezed my eyes shut, shaking my head repeatedly in denial as tears continued streaming down my face. Over and over, he insisted that I was Sarah and that he knew the truth no matter how much I denied it.

"Don't you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" he asked, his voice soft yet firm. I turned my head away, unable to meet his eyes, feeling as though I'd shatter if I did. Yet he gently tilted my face back toward him, refusing to let me hide.

"Don't you get it yet?" he asked again, his desperation growing evident.

I lowered my gaze, and he bent down so that his eyes were level with mine. He was relentless, determined to make me face him.

"No... no..." I whispered weakly, my vision blurred with tears. I wiped at them furiously, but they kept coming. "He's dead... Rafael has been dead for 5 years."

I looked at him sharply, shaking my head repeatedly as I spoke, as if trying to will away his words. I pushed against his chest in an attempt to create distance between us, but he only moved closer again, catching my hand in his.

I felt the soothing stroke of his thumb against the back of my hand, a gesture that should have calmed me but instead made my heart ache even more.

"If you think this is some kind of joke, this isn't a good joke, Helios!" I yelled at him. "Just because you have the same last name as Rafael doesn't mean I'll believe you're him! For all I know, he could be your brother... or your cousin! Your family is so high-profile that I don't even know what was going on in your family back when Rafael and I were still together!"

His expression softened, and I could see panic flickering in his eyes. He reached out, holding both my hands as if trying to calm me down.

"There's a reason I never told you the truth back then, Hexia," he said softly. "Because of this... because of the organization my family is involved in, I couldn't tell you, and I didn't want to because there was a big chance you'd get caught up in it. You could get hurt—"

"Stop it! Stop forcing me to believe you're Rafael!" I cut him off. "He's been at peace for five years, and now you're dragging him back into this! I didn't know you were capable of making up stories like this!"

I tried to get up from the soft bed, still clutching the comforter wrapped around my bare breast, but my legs nearly gave out beneath me. I wobbled, feeling weak—probably from being bedridden for so long.

"It's me, Sarah! Why won't you believe me? I know you! I knew your real name before you became Valentina Imara Meadows!" He reached for my waist to steady me, attempting to guide me back to the bed, but I resisted, standing my ground before him.

"Please, baby, listen to me," he pleaded. "I'll give you all the proof you need to believe I'm Rafael. I know one of your dreams back then was to get plastic surgery. You mentioned it to me so many times when we were together."

I froze at his words, my mind reeling. Slowly, I sank back onto the bed, tears still streaming down my face as I looked at him in shock.

"And you did it," he continued. "You made your dream come true, Sarah, and I'm so proud of you. The leather bracelet you gave me on Valentine's Day? I still have it. And that plan we had to get matching red string ring tattoos on our pinkies after graduation? It didn't happen because we made them believe I was dead, but I still went through with it. I got the tattoo for us. I hope that what I've told you is enough to convince you that Amadeus Alejandro Zevallos and Rafael Zevallos are one and the same."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. My heart raced as I processed his words. Then he raised his right hand, showing me his silver ring. Slowly, he removed it, revealing the red string ring tattoo beneath.

Tears spilled uncontrollably down my cheeks. Without thinking, I reached out and traced the tattoo on his pinky with trembling fingers.

"H-how..." I choked out through my sobs.

In response, I held up my own trembling hand, showing him the gold ring on my pinky. Under it lay the same red string ring tattoo. I couldn't stop myself from crying, my shoulders shaking as my silent tears turned into full-blown sobs.

He took my hand, his gaze soft and full of emotion. I watched as he pressed gentle kisses onto the tattoo on my pinky, and once again, hot tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked at him.

I can no longer deny that he is Rafael because the red string ring tattoo he showed me is proof enough. Only the two of us knew about it—no one else.

"I-I thought you were dead," I stammered through my tears. "I thought I'd never see you again. How did you become Amadeus?" I asked, my voice trembling. "Did you change your face, too? Why did you make it seem like you were dead? If only you knew how much it hurt me to find out you were gone. It hurt so much—"

"Shh. I'm sorry," he interrupted gently, his voice soft. "It's a long story. I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I had no idea Perses planned to abduct you. If I had known sooner, I would have saved you right away. He sent me to Iraq to oversee a shipment of weapons and bombs. After that, I came back here, and I was shocked when I found out from his men here at the mansion that they'd captured you and you were in the torture chamber," he explained, his voice laced with regret.

I wasn't used to seeing him like this. Everything felt so unfamiliar, so overwhelming. Rafael and Amadeus were one and the same—my best friend wasn't dead. He was alive, standing right in front of me, though his appearance had drastically changed.

Rafael before had a completely different face. His body, too, had transformed. Where he was once lean and muscular, now he is broader and more imposing. Something unexplainable flared in my chest at the thought—a warmth I couldn't ignore.

Without realizing it, my hand moved on its own, reaching up to brush against his arm. I saw his gaze drop to where my hand touched his strong, toned bicep. He caught my hand and kissed it, never breaking eye contact with me.

"I miss you..." I whispered, my voice barely audible. Tears welled in my eyes again. "For the past five years, I thought you were gone. I missed you so much, Raf. For five long years, I lived believing the lie that you were dead, but now, knowing the truth—that you're alive—it's overwhelming. I have so many regrets from the day I found out you were gone... that you were dead," I confessed, my voice breaking as more tears spilled.

He gently wiped my tears with his thumb, his ash-grey eyes meeting mine. I could see the redness in his own eyes, as if he, too, was on the verge of tears.

"If I had known you'd be gone the next day, I would have told you under the tree after you kissed me, when you walked me home, how much I love you. I regret it so much... but now, knowing you're not dead, knowing you're alive and here in front of me, you already know how I feel about you, Raf. I l-love you—not as a friend," I admitted, hiccuping through my sobs.

He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me deeply, then rested his forehead against mine, only to kiss me again.

"I miss you too, Sarah," he said softly, his voice raw with emotion. "And God knows how much I love you too. I was just too much of a coward back then to admit it, and I'm so sorry for that."

I shook my head. "Please don't call me by that name anymore, Raf. Sarah is long gone. You can call me Hexia or Valentina. I don't want to look back at my past."

He froze at my words but eventually nodded slowly, respecting my wishes.

"Okay, if that's what you want, Hexia, then you can call me Helios or Amadeus. It's up to you."

I gave him a small smile and tugged at his hand to bring him closer to me. He seemed to understand what I meant when I looped my arm around his neck, pulling his face near mine, and our warm lips met in a deep kiss.

The aggression in our earlier kiss had faded. This one was slow and deliberate, as if savoring every moment our lips touched. I matched his movements, responding to every press of his lips until the gentle kisses intensified, turning passionate as though we were desperate for air.

I pulled him down with me onto his soft bed, and he ended up on top of me.

"I promised myself I'd protect you, Hexia," he murmured, his voice rough yet tender. He bent down, planting a soft kiss on my lips before continuing. "I killed them. I killed the people who hurt you in that torture chamber. I killed them for you. No one will ever hurt you again because I'm here now. I know you won't be happy about me taking lives, but I knew it was the only way to make them pay for what they did to you. I promise, anyone who hurts you—I will kill them."

I smiled at him. "That's okay. I'm not Sarah anymore if that's what you're thinking. Thank you so much. Thank you for protecting me. I love you."

His lips curled into a soft smile before he kissed me again. "I love you too."

I closed my eyes instinctively as he leaned down to kiss me once more. I welcomed the warmth and intensity of his kiss, unable to suppress a moan when he gently bit my lower lip and deepened the kiss. His tongue danced with mine, leaving me tingling as goosebumps spread across my skin.

But then he pulled back, leaving me furrowing my brows in frustration. I reached for his hand, tugging him closer again. My body was already ablaze from what we were doing, and now he was stopping?

"Why? I want you, please," I pleaded softly.

"You're a married woman, Hexia," he said, his voice laced with pain. "You're married to Atlas."

I froze at his words, letting out a deep sigh. I reached up to caress his arm, my touch trailing down to his hand, which I clasped gently. I smiled at him lovingly.

"I'm single, Helios. I'm not married to Atlas," I said softly. "Maybe you need me to remind you that you were the one who started the rumor that I was Atlas' wife when you posted our picture on our website that you took while Atlas was holding my waist in the cabin's hallway."

He couldn't answer me, looking like a child caught by his parents for doing something wrong. He was stunned by my reply. He let out a breath and tightened his grip on my hand, which was now intertwined with his.

I thought about the day I saw Atlas' real name. They looked almost identical to Rafael. I couldn't help but laugh when I thought that he was jealous of his own father because of what he was doing.

"I thought you were really his wife. I'm fucking jealous, Hexia," he replied firmly. "I thought I was too late. I thought I could never be with you again because you're already married."

I couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, I'm yours."

He quickly kissed my lips and moved down to my breast, which was now exposed in front of him because he had pulled down the comforter that was covering it. I bit my lower lip when I felt his lips on my right nipple. His mouth was hot, and he played with it using his wet, hot tongue.

"You're mine and not his." His voice was serious when he said that. I couldn't help but moan when I felt one of his hands fondling my left breast. His hands moved lightly on my breast.

"You're mine, Hexia. Remember that and don't forget it. No one else owns you but me, Do you understand?"

I bit my lip as I looked at him. Our eyes were both hazy when they met. I could clearly see how he ran his tongue over my nipple while not taking his eyes off me. With every stroke on the top of my breast, it sent a strange tingle through my body, especially in the area between my legs, which was now getting wet.

"I'm asking you, Hexia. You're mine, right?"

I nodded. "Y-yes."

A smirk played on his lips as he slowly lowered his head, pausing between my thighs. I watched as he effortlessly slipped off the oversized shorts I was wearing—I believe they were his. Since I wasn't wearing any underwear, he had a clearer view of my now-soaked pussy.

I couldn't hide my feelings for him. The evidence was clear as daylight. And it was equally clear that I wasn't the only one eager for this tonight when I saw him kneel on the bed, right between my legs. His cock was clearly visible through his boxer shorts—large and hard. I swallowed hard, unable to look away. Never in my life had I seen anything like it. I felt a strange pang of sympathy for him, it almost looked painful.

"Take yours off too," I softly commanded him.

"Sure," he replied with a smile.

He quickly removed his boxer shorts, followed by his white t-shirt, right in front of me. His cock was fully exposed. It was large and... thick, already glistening with pre-cum. He hadn't even bothered to clean it up. I swallowed hard, unable to look away. Never in my life had I seen anything like it.

"Eyes up here, baby. Don't worry, it's all yours," he cooed, slightly stroking his erection in front of me.

I felt my cheeks flush at his words. When he pulled my legs closer to him, I couldn't react immediately. I let out a small yelp in surprise, but he just laughed.

"Come here, baby. Let me eat you," he said seductively, making my cheeks burn. "After tonight, you'll never run away from me again, okay? Let me remind you, you're not Cinderella."

"What, Cinderell—Helios!"

I instinctively reached up and touched his head as he leaned down and began to lick my wet area. I could feel his tongue everywhere, especially on my clit, which was already incredibly sensitive from what I had been doing. Heavy breaths escaped my lips as I felt his finger slowly slip inside me. I bit my lip and couldn't help but moan as he began to thrust faster.

"Helios," I whispered his name.

I closed my eyes tightly and savored every lick of his hot tongue. I couldn't control myself as I began to grind my hips to meet his thrusts. My body was on fire, and it felt like I was about to explode. Helios gave me an otherworldly sensation, as if he were worshiping my body. Our eyes met as his mouth continued to pleasure me, and I felt a strange sense of connection.

I squeezed my eyes shut as his movements became even faster. With each thrust, I couldn't contain my moans. I dug my fingers into his hair and pulled him closer until I reached my climax. My thighs trembled as I came down from my high.

Helios rose from the bed, his lips glistening with moisture. A small smile played on his lips. He leaned in closer until I could feel his hardness at my entrance.

"I don't think I can be gentle with you, Hexia. I'm sorry in advance," he murmured. "But the pain will fade soon, I promise."

I nodded slowly. "It's okay. I can handle the pain."

I took his arm and gave him a nod, signaling him to continue. He leaned down and kissed me passionately. He gently bit my lower lip and closed his eyes tightly as he pushed himself into me. I felt a sharp pain, but it quickly subsided. We were both panting, our eyes locked on each other.

Now that our bodies were joined, I felt a strange sense of joy. Tears welled up in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. Since Helios was on top of me, I could see the worry etched on his face. He leaned down and kissed me again.

"I'm sorry. The pain will go away soon. Calm down," he tried to soothe me.

I wasn't crying because of the pain, it was my first time, after all. I was crying because I felt so happy and so fulfilled giving myself to him. I couldn't imagine giving it to anyone else but him. To Rafael. And now it was happening, and I was overwhelmed with joy, to the point that I cried from happiness.

I wrapped my arms around him as he moved inside me. The pain had faded, replaced by a tingling sensation and a deep sense of pleasure with each of his thrusts. I ran my hands over his broad back, my body arching with each deep thrust. It felt like he was hitting a spot inside me that drove me wild, making me moan uncontrollably.

The sensation was heightened when he began to leave light kisses on my neck. There was a particular spot that made me weak whenever he kissed it. His gentle bites and licks sent shivers down my spine, and my body tingled with anticipation.

"Faster, please," I begged, my voice barely a whisper. My words sounded seductive to my own ears.

"Fuck, Hexia. You're so good."

He eagerly obeyed my command, his thrusts growing deeper and faster. I couldn't contain my cry of ecstasy as I met each of his strokes. The sound of his own moans was a symphony to my ears, a testament to the pleasure I was giving him.

I tightened my grip around him, letting out a soft moan as he bit my neck one last time before he released deep within, and I can't help but moan when I feel the warmth he released inside of me. We were both panting, our gazes locked.

I ran my fingers through his damp hair, his sweat-slicked skin gleaming in the soft light. Far from being repelled, I found him even more alluring.

"I love you, Hexia. I love you so much," he whispered huskily.

I smiled and pushed myself up, capturing his lips in a kiss. I quickly reversed our positions, straddling him. Our kiss deepened as I murmured against his lips.

"I love you too, but I want more."

SHANGPU