Note: the song above is the one Chase will say below. Just for your information.

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"A child weaned on poison considers harm a comfort."

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One Week Later...

Lilly's POV

The music was blasting in my ears, and I couldn't help but dance around the living room. With a feather duster in one hand, I glided gracefully across the floor. My favorite song filled the room, and I hummed along, a beaming smile on my face. It was just me, the music, and a mission to conquer the dust. I felt like I was dancing through life, twirling with the rhythm of the beat.

Lately, things have taken a turn for the better. The shattered pieces of my life were slowly falling back into their rightful places.

At work, I was thriving, my focus and motivation unwavering as I excelled in every task assigned to me. With Nathan's capture, I could breathe easily, knowing he wouldn't reappear to torment me with his cryptic messages. Christian had stayed away since Nathan's capture, and Emma had fully recovered, her health a comforting source of relief. Chase's flight schedule was more flexible lately, and we were spending almost every day together.

However, one aspect continued to tug at my heart, leaving me with a lingering ache—my dad's distant attitude. But I refused to give up. Tomorrow, I had resolved to open up and talk to him. I would explain everything, and I was ready to do whatever it took to mend what I had broken. He was my father, and I was still his little bug. I was determined not to let anything else tarnish or destroy that pure relationship.

As the song reached its crescendo, I resumed my dance and spun around, but to my surprise, my eyes locked with Chase's, arms crossed and leaning against the doorframe, admiringly watching me do my silly dance all around the house. I gasped, and my feet halted to a sudden pause. I pressed my palm over my chest, "Stop sneaking up on me like this!" I shot out, trying to recover from my mini heart attack.

A soft, affectionate chuckle vibrated from him before he straightened himself, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he moved closer, and wrapped his strong arms around me from behind, "I knocked but I think you were too busy in your own little world."

I leaned into his embrace and tried to calm down my erratic heartbeats. The duster slipped from my hand, forgotten, as we spontaneously swayed together to the music. The melody continued to fill the room, and Chase held me from behind. My head nestled against his chest, and I could feel the steady beat of his heart matching the rhythm of the song.

It was a moment of perfect synchrony, a dance of happiness and pure contentment.

Our bodies moved in flawless harmony. With my eyes closed, I surrendered to the moment. Unable to resist, I joined in with the lyrics, singing along with my untalented, less-than-melodic voice, which earned me a chuckle from Chase, "Baby, why didn't you tell me you had such a distinctive voice?" He teased.

Using my position to my advantage, I playfully elbowed him in the stomach, "Shut up," I mumbled, pouting, and he laughed lowly before planting a tender kiss on my temple. My heart soared with a bittersweet wistfulness. When I was with him, it felt as if the entire world had vanished, leaving just the two of us in an affectionate and tender embrace.

"I heard you are the one with the nice voice," I commented, "Will you ever sing for me?"

I felt his soft lips leave a gentle kiss right below my ear before he whispered, "What do you want me to sing?"

My heart knocked it up a notch and my eyes shot open, widening slightly in excitement; Was he going to finally do it? I would fall on my knees if he did so. Seriously.

"Anything," I whispered back, his strong arms around my waist anchoring me to him, his hands resting over my stomach and I rested my own over his. 

A minute or two of silence consumed the atmosphere, maybe contemplating on what to make me hear or waiting for the loud music blasting from the speaker to calm down. The second the song from my speakers ended, I heard the low rhythmic humming from him before he started, playing with my very poor weak heart in his soft delicate hands.

"I still look at you with eyes that want you," His voice was low, only reserved for me to hear, his voice was like a velvet caress to my soul, it held the ethereal grace of an angel, it wasn't real, "When you move, you make my oceans move too."

I paused in my swaying and I slowly turned around in his embrace, my eyes flickering up to his face as I savored this moment, "If I hear my name, I will run your way," He added, each lyric he uttered akin to a gentle kiss from the heavens. A very small smile caressed his lips, and he looked back at me like he meant and believed every word, "Can we say that we love each other. Can we play like there ain't no other."

His vocal tones were a soothing, melodic river, flowing with the purity of a mountain spring, touching the deepest chambers of my heart and I quivered at the raw beauty of it.

He rested his palm over my cheek, cupping one side of my face, his thumb tenderly brushing the top of my cheek, "It's my desire that you feed," The timbre of his voice was a seraphic melody, resonating with a power that transcended the mere physical realm, "You know just what I need."

"You got power, power,
You got power over me."

It was an enchanting, heartfelt promise. His voice made my soul quiver and my heart ache with its sheer beauty. As he sang the words, an extra layer of emotion tangled with his angelic voice, the same feelings reflecting into every corner of his beautiful face. God, it was exquisitely heartwrenching.

"I was lost until I found me in you
I saw a side of me that I was scared to,
But now I hear my name and I'm running your way."

I was left breathless, trapped in this moment forever, locked into it, never wanting to break free. This man, he wasn't real. I had probably conjured him up in my imagination and I am still there, in my dreams, locked far away from the cruel world.

"All I feel as I get closer to you,
Is the desire to move like you do,
So now I hear my name and I'm running your way,

I am ready now."

It's a heartwrenching symphony, in every breath he draws, much similar to the melody he brings out of the piano keys, the rawness in him proved to me that there were layers of hurt and pain tucked below the surface, ones he lets out only through this.

The song of love and yearning continued to slip past his soft lips, transcending earthly laws. His voice, a soulful sonnet, an elegy of grace, and after every dulcet whisper, a tear fell from my eyes and below my cheeks.

Lines etched Chase's forehead at my tears, his voice dying slowly as he brushed a couple of them away. He can't be real; my heart whispered and quivered again. I brought my hand to his face, it rested on the side of it, beside his temple, gently caressing and brushing the soft tousled strands of his hair away. His eyes were the softest but also hardest shade of blue, and within those cerulean depths, I got lost at sea again, caught in a whirlpool of desire, wild and free.

I moved to my tiptoes, out of words to describe the intensity of what I felt so I just kissed him. I pressed my lips into his own, tasting everything tender and sweet, everything good and pure.  Everything right. Chase wove his hand into my hair, cradling the back of my head as he sank further into me, tasting and savoring me whole. His other arm rounded itself on my waist, his palm pressing into my lower back, pulling my flesh into his, molding us into one.

When we broke apart the tight lock of our lips, a small satisfied smile touched my mouth, my hands still on his face and in his hair, messing it the more. I lowered my hand, my palm resting over his chest and I felt the wild pumping of his heart, almost ready to rip through his ribcage and jump into my grasp.

He rested his own hand over my own, his fingers wrapping around mine and he said, addressing his wild heartbeats, "Do you feel the immense power you've got on me."

I nodded my head. My heart was dancing to a similar tone, drunk under this beautiful man's spell.

I brushed my fingers softly over his chest, I wanted to take his heart and lock it far away, guard it from every bad thing in this world and from me. I wanted to protect his heart from any harm, from any pain.

I tried to shake the bad feelings away and focused on the magical moments he made me live every day. I smiled as I looked up at him, sobering up slightly and my eyes flickered around us, "I should clean the house," I mumbled, "Conner and Sally will arrive in a bit for the game."

"When will they get here?" Chase asked.

"In an hour, I guess," I said and Chase nodded, "Lilly, we have so much time," He remarked, the tease curling his mouth made me grin, "We can do so many things in an hour."

My eyebrow raised, "Like what?"

His palm flattened below my thigh, "Why don't you wrap those beautiful legs around me, let me take you to your room and I will show you exactly what," He said and I chuckled. His wishes were my command and I surrendered to his orders.

I played with the collar of his shirt, "Is this what you usually do, Mr. Ryder?" I asked with a tease, "Sing for a girl and then throw her into your bed."

He leaned closer and pecked my lips before he shut the door behind us, "That's reserved for only one girl," He said, grinning against my lips, "Just for you."

Oh man, I was so in love and to be honest, I didn't care for all the consequences this time.

Maybe I shouldn't challenge fate like this, but I mean, after everything we've been through; what is the worst that could happen?

*****************

Chase's POV

I busied myself arranging the snacks and beers on the table, and getting everything ready for the game before Conner and Sally arrived. That's when Lilly emerged from her room, a phone wedged between her ear and shoulder as she used her free hands to adjust and fix her half-ponytail.

I sucked in a deep breath as I watched her look like the flawless breathtaking thing she is. She was dressed in a yellow and white striped short-sleeved shirt, which she had knotted in the front, paired with blue jeans shorts and yellow slippers. She tried to fix the yellow ribbon around her half ponytail while multitasking on the phone, but it was proving to be a challenge. The phone nearly slipped from her grasp, and she let out a soft curse before giving up on her hair.

With a small smile, I inched closer to her, my hand going to her ribbon, and I fixed it around her ponytail, tying the silky material over the soft locks of her hair. She smiled at my gesture and threw me a flying kiss as she resumed talking on the phone with her mother. When I was done, I edged closer and pecked her beautiful lips. Her perfume, so elegant and feminine, enveloped me, saturating my lungs and I felt myself sinking deeper into the essence of everything she is.

"Okay Mom, talk to you later," Lilly said as she ended the call, "Love you."

When she hung up, she beamed at me ever so brightly. God, I loved it when she was happy like this; "Thanks," She said, running her fingers over the ribbon.

"I missed your ribbons," I couldn't help but comment. I liked it when she wore them, it reminded me of the young Lilly I spent years crushing on.

Her smile widened, "When I wear them, I feel like my old self," She said, "The young innocent Lilly," Her voice dropped lower as she searched my eyes, "I only feel like her when I'm with you."

I nodded my head, running my fingers over the two strands of her hair she left loosened, "Yes, she is my little ribbon, don't you dare take her away from me," I said and Lilly nodded, my words softening the look in her eyes, "I would never."

"Yellow-" I pointed out, trying to recall how she associated each color with a distinctive feeling, "It means..." I paused and then added, "Happiness, didn't it?"

She nodded her head multiple times, giddy that I knew, "You're happy?" My heart felt lighter when she nodded her head, "Uhuh, I am," She whispered and I pecked her delicious lips again, "I love it when you are happy."

Her smile widened and I asked, a bit out of the blue, "Do you have anything planned for next weekend?"

Lilly's eyebrows pulled closer and she shook her head, "Nothing that I can recall."

"Good," I said, "Then, come with me."

"To where?"

"Switzerland," I said and her eyes grew slightly wide, "A weekend in Switzerland?"

I nodded my head, "I have a flight there and I already got you a ticket," My admission had her eyes widen slightly, astonished, "You can go and come with me, and we can use our free time there to sail around, it's a beautiful country and I wanna see it for the first time with you."

She bit her lower lip, trying to hide her big smile and she nodded, "I would love to," She said and my fingers fluttered over the exposed skin of her waist, "I hate it when I have a flight on the weekend and I don't get to see you," I said, "At least, we can be together this time."

She nodded, her eyes full of so many feelings, the same ones that rushed into my chest and consumed me whole. She tried to contain herself from jumping up and down, "I can't wait, it's gonna be great!" She said, and excitement flew within her words.

She rested her hands over my chest, pretending to fix my sweatshirt, her eyebrow raising, "While you fly us there, you will occasionally come and visit me in my seat, right?"

I nodded, "Of course, I will need occasional kisses to recharge," I said with an arched eyebrow, "It's almost an 11-hour flight, it's no piece of cake without you."

She beamed brightly but before we could discuss our travel plan any further, the bell rang signaling their arrival. Lilly bestowed a quick peck on my cheek and made her way to the door, swiftly opening it to greet Sally with a warm hug. Her eyes, however, appeared somewhat puzzled as they scanned the area beyond the doorway, and she couldn't help but ask, "Where is Conner?"

Sally shrugged, "I don't know," She said. Lilly's eyebrows pulled closer and she closed the door, "But I thought you two would come together, where is he?"

Sally rolled her eyes, totally disinterested, "I don't know, Lilly." She said, annoyance flaring in her voice, "He is not my boyfriend, I don't keep tabs on his every move."

Lilly shot her a glare and walked side by side further into the house. Sally offered me a smile and waved her hand, "Hey, Chase," She said and I greeted her back, my questioning gaze flickering to Lilly and she responded with the same clueless look. True, they weren't officially dating but they were together almost every second of every day. Something must've happened.

I texted Conner, checking on him and he responded that he would be here in around fifteen minutes. Our food order arrived almost at the same time as Conner himself. I helped Lilly unwrap the burgers and fries and arrange the plates in the kitchen.

Lilly's eyes flickered to inside, where Conner sat on one couch and Sally on the other, a very safe social distance separating them, "They didn't say a word to one another since they got here," Lilly observed and I nodded, acknowledging that fact too.

"What do you think happened?" Lilly asked, pouting and not liking this one bit.

I shook my head, "I have no clue."

"Come on, let's see if they will say anything," She urged and we carried the food to the living room, arranging it over the table. Conner was on his phone, ever so casually flipping through it without a care in the world. Sally, on the other hand, had her jaw clenched tight, her arms crossed over her chest, and apparently fuming with rage.

"You guys okay?" Lilly asked, her voice lacing with hesitation as they flickered between them.

"I am perfectly fine," Conner said, flashing Lilly a smile before he leaned forward and took a couple of fries from the plate, which made Lilly glare and slap his hand away.

Sally only scoffed in response, never once looking at his side. Conner looked at her and shot her a glare before he focused his gaze on the TV screen, joining her in the ignoring session. Lilly's wary eyes flickered to me, uncertain as we sank into the tension they created.

Lilly leaned closer to me, her lips beside my ear as she whispered, "Usually we are the ones creating the drama," Her words had me chuckle lowly, nodding my head and agreeing. Not going to deny, this was a nice change.

Our voices grabbed Conner's attention, "What are you two laughing at?"

I shrugged and Lilly shook her head, covering her mouth and hiding her smile, "Nothing."

We tried to ignore them for the time being and focused on the game as we munched on our food. While Lilly and I occasionally exchanged comments about the game, Conner remained silent, dedicated to his meal throughout. On the other hand, Sally's gaze was fixed blankly on the screen, her plate of food sitting untouched before her.

As the commercial break began, Lilly took the initiative, lowering the TV's volume, and couldn't suppress her curiosity any longer. "Okay, you two, what happened?" she asked, her gaze moving back and forth between Conner and Sally, who sat at opposite sides of the room. "Let's talk about it; we're no strangers," she continued, "After all, you guys have witnessed all our arguments," She added, playfully pointing between herself and me.

I chimed in, supporting Lilly's sentiment, and encouraged, "Yes, come on, tell us what's going on. We can work it out together."

"I didn't do anything, he did, ask him," Sally spoke, and for the first time since her arrival, her gaze settled on Conner, the murderous glare in her eyes hardening.

Conner sighed and rushed a hand over his face, "Here we go again," He grumbled before he straightened himself in his seat, "When we started this," He said, pointing at her and him, "We agreed that it was going to be casual, our usual fling, right? Nothing more, that there will be no strings attached, we made rules, didn't we?"

Sally's anger only multiplied, "Yeah, we did, but that was in the beginning, things changed with time and you know that!"

"No, I don't," Conner retorted back.

Sally's eyes widened, "Don't act all clueless, things were different in the last couple of weeks and you know it, so you had no right to do what you did!"

Lilly's eyes widened and she looked at Conner, "What did you do?" She asked, thinking of the worst scenarios.

"I did nothing wrong," He reaffirmed.

I picked up the bowl of chips and rested it between me and Lilly, I picked a few and fed them Lilly, she munched on her snack and smiled at me before we both resumed watching these two crazy humans interact. 

"Ugh, you are unbelievable!" Sally shot out in bewilderment. Her gaze flickering to us as she explained, "The other evening, I called him," She said, an apparent hurt surging within her words and buried beneath the rage, "I was checking on him and on our plan for the night and you know what he said," She said, her gaze flickering to him, "He said that he had a date, that maybe we can meet up after."

"Conner!" Lilly said with a gasp, turning to him and gaping.

"What, what?" He shot back in defense, "I have the right to go out on dates."

Sally let out a low groan, her frustration had her get up to her feet, "No, you don't!" She shot out, "What do you think; that you will go out on a date with some girl and then come and sleep with me after!" She grabbed the pillow from the couch and threw it at him, "You asshole!"

Lilly sought refuge in my arms, and I immediately encircled her waist with my arm, drawing her nearer. Meanwhile, Sally, undeterred, grabbed another pillow and flung it at Conner, her words charged with frustration, "You're being a coward!"

"Stop, goddam...stop-" Conner tried to say but he was met with another pillow to his face.

Sally's anger dissolved and the hurt came tumbling out from her broken gaze. I saw the tears gather in her eyes but before they could cross the threshold, she whirled around and stormed off into Lilly's room.

Lilly's eyes grew wide and she shot up from her seat. She curled her hand into a fist and punched Conner's shoulder, glaring at him as she scolded, "I am so disappointed in you!"

She rushed behind Sally to soothe her and Conner clutched at his shoulder, wincing as his eyes flickered to me and he rolled his eyes, "Don't start," He mumbled.

"Is it true?" I asked, disappointed too.

"What is?" He asked, feigning ignorance and I shot him a glare.

"What happened?" I asked, "This doesn't exactly sound like you, so tell me, what happened?"

His uncertain gaze flickered to his lap, refusing to face nor answer me.

"Conner," I insisted as he seemed to be struggling with some inner turmoil.

A long moment of silence enveloped us before he lifted his eyes up, a bit of vulnerability surged into his gaze and he said, "I think I am like him," He started and my eyebrows pulled closer, trying to understand, "Some people say it is hereditary, you know," He said, a hint of mockery in his voice. He shook his head, admitting to me the reason he was comparing himself with his father now, "When I start to drink, Chase, I...I don't know how or when to stop," He said, shameful as he drifted his gaze away, "I've only noticed it recently."

I knew that his father suffered from an Alcohol use disorder. He is been struggling with it since Conner's childhood. And to learn that Conner was wrestling with something remotely similar, left me speechless and bewildered.

"When I finally became aware of my problem, I went to visit him, to see how he is doing, you know I haven't seen him in so long," He said, speaking of his father, "I found him the same, he hasn't changed, he still drinks himself senseless," He shook his head, his jaw tightening, "He was passed out in his house, drowning in his own filth, I didn't do anything, I just threw him some money and left, I didn't want to do anything for him, to be honest."

With the way that man treated him before, I don't exactly blame him.

"I could easily become like that one day, Chase," He said, a bit of fear enveloped those words and I shook my head, "No, you won't." I stressed out, "You are acknowledging the fact that you do have a problem and that's a good thing, it's the first step," I leaned forward, "It's a process, and we will go through it together, you think I will ever let you end up like him."

He shook his head, "There is no guarantee," He said, giving up for some reason, "Look Chase, I didn't...I didn't grow up with a perfectly healthy family like you did, no offense, but maybe it's not easy for you to understand," He tried to respectfully make his point, "I grew up in a very dirty toxic environment, I saw how this...disease, how it ruined our lives, my mother's, mine, and his."

His gaze flickered to the corridor, the one leading to Lilly's room, where Sally was, "I can't do that to her," He whispered, his tone anguished, "There was no date or whatsoever. After I realized I had a problem, I had to find a way out of this, and I couldn't tell her my real reason, so I just made up the whole thing."

My jaw tightened at his thick-headed reason, "I wish you could hear how stupid you sound right now."

"Chase-"

"Conner, listen to me," I stressed out, my voice raising, forcing him to hear me out, "You are facing a problem now, and we will work on it and get you out of it; will it be easy? No. No one is saying it will be easy." I said, "But, you are not alone in this," I shook my head, "You are not like him, not at all, and you won't end up like that. I won't allow it."

"I've known you for so long, Conner, and if you forgot let me remind you," I continued, "When I was in the hospital, dealing with a somewhat similar problem, you stuck by my side and helped me. So, don't for once think that I will let you go through this alone," I pointed out, "I am even furious you didn't tell me right away."

"I didn't know what to say, and you guys have enough on your plates as it is," He said.

I edged closer to him, "Conner, there will always be a very big space on my plate only for you," I rested my hand over his shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze, "You know that."

His throat bobbed heavily and he nodded his head. A hundred different emotions swirled in his eyes, "I am scared," He mumbled, shaking his head ever so helplessly, "I've hated him my whole life so I won't bear to become like him, to inflect that abuse on the people close to me."

"I am sure that you won't," I assured, because honestly, I believed in him. He was nothing like that man.

"But now, you need to go inside and explain all of this to her," I urged him, "She is hurt and she's crying, she needs to hear out your real reasons, and I am sure, she will stand by your side like all of us will till you get over this."

He seemed hesitant still so I added, "Do you like her, Conner?"

He gave me a knowing look, "Do you like Lilly?" He asked in mockery at how obvious the answer to that question is.

"What I feel for Lilly, is much more than just like."

A small smile lifted the corner of his lips, "My answer is still the same."

"Then go and talk to her, come on."

"And if I end up hurting her in some way-" He mumbled.

"I will beat you senseless myself, I promise, come on," I said, earning a small smile from him before he got up to his feet and headed in that direction.

Seconds later, light footsteps emerged from inside, my gaze fell on Lilly as she left them alone and walked to my side. She let out a low sigh and sank onto the couch. She lifted her eyes to me and scrunched her eyebrows, "It feels really weird that we are the ones in a healthy relationship."

I nodded my head and pulled her to me, "Yeah, it's a nice change."

"Like I actually gave Sally some advice, can you imagine that," She said in astonishment. She pointed at herself, "Me, Lilly, me," She stressed out at the absurdity of it, "Me, the one who sucks at relationships."

I shook my head and dropped a kiss on her head, "You are much better than you give yourself credit for."

She hummed, sinking into my embrace before she suddenly pulled away, her eyes growing wide, "Oh my god-"

"What?"

Her expression twisted into a disgusted one, "They're gonna have sex on my bed, aren't they?"

I chuckled and she winced; almost like she wanted to crawl out of her own body, "Oh god, I can't believe this," She shivered, trying to shake the thought away, "Let's go to your apartment, I don't wanna stay here and bear witness to that."

I smiled at her silly thoughts and she leaned into me, her eyes on the TV screen but the game was long forgotten after what happened, "Chase," she said, lifting her gaze up to look at me.

"Yeah?"

"If you ever go on a date with another girl while you are with me, I want you to know that I would first kill her and then I would beat you up and gauge your eyes out," She threatened, ever so seriously and my lips twitched, "I am serious," She said as she edged backward slightly, "I own a knife and a gun, and don't forget that my family is rooted into the mafia world, they would kill you and make it look like an accident."

"I am very aware of that," I said, "The looks your uncle gives me are enough."

She nodded with satisfaction, "Exactly, so tread carefully."

I smiled and I rested my fingers under her chin, "Do you really think my eyes see anyone but you?"

My words were enough for her to let go of the cute little criminal expression she pulled on me and she smiled, her head tilting to the side, "They don't?"

I shook my head, "It's impossible."

She playfully slapped my chest, "Don't say cute things like that and make me love you mor-" Her words hitched when she realized what left her lips. She winced slightly and pressed her palm over her forehead, "I mean..uhm, it's just-" She said, anxiously, trying to edge backward and escape away from me, "What I really meant is-"

"Lilly," I called for her, hoping to stop her ramble of words.

"Hmm?"

With my fingers below her chin, I tilted her head up and gave her a soft kiss, savoring my favorite taste in the world. And when we broke apart, I whispered, ruining both her heart and mine, "I love you too."

*******************

Nikolas's POV

I dropped the clothes I was holding onto the bed, my voice steady but my emotions a tumultuous whirlwind inside. "Clean yourself and change," I told him, doing my best to keep my tone neutral.

He remained motionless, showing no reaction, not a flicker or a twitch across his face. There was no effort on his part to lift his gaze and meet my eyes. I glanced at the nightstand beside him, noticing the tray of untouched food still waiting there. I'd been keeping a watchful eye on him for the past week, and I couldn't help but notice that he hadn't eaten a single thing. Instead, he remained curled up in the corner of the bed, beside him lay the notebook I had once given him, pages filled with mysterious scribbles.

A tornado of emotions raged within my insides, my hand on the side curling into a fist. Every fiber of my being urged me to lash out, to ruin and kill, to make him feel the same pain he'd inflicted on my family. But as I watched him, so detached and...broken already. I was rendered helpless. Speechless.

My jaw tightened and instead of leaving, I found myself dropping to the edge of the bed by his side, "Nathan," I urged, calling out for him, hoping to get a reply but he stayed silent, which was so unlike him.

He seemed to be still grappling with the weight of the truth I had revealed, attempting to fathom the enormity of it. In his mind, I think he is retracing every situation, viewing them from fresh angles and reconsidering each perspective.

Every word ever spoken by Isaac must be echoing in his thoughts, their true meaning now coming into a new spotlight. It seems as if that painful truth had taken from him that last vestige of life he had clung to, leaving him bereft and desolate.

My gaze swept over him, the dried blood clung to the edges of his face, from Emma's attack, from Alex and Chase's back when he was first caught. Also, from Max's the other day when he dropped by. His clothes were dirty, disheveled, and bloodied. I can't let Natalie see him in this state.

Realizing that he wouldn't listen to my words, I retrieved the clean cloth I had brought, saturating it with alcohol before inching closer. With a gentle touch, my fingers anchored his face as I carefully used the cloth to cleanse his wounds. It was only then that he found the courage to meet my gaze.

He remained eerily silent, not even flinching as the alcohol stung his open wounds. The cloth glided over the gash on his cheek, one that would inevitably leave a lasting scar. I tended to the wound on his temple, then the one on his jaw, and the final cut on his nose. With each passing second, the once-white cloth transformed into a deep maroon, the blood clinging to its fabric.

I discarded the cloth when it became useless and retrieved the sweater I had brought for him. His eyes remained fixed on me, searching for answers, yet no words escaped his lips. I chose to remain silent as well and began to unbutton his bloodied shirt. However, as I exposed what lay beneath the fabric, my actions came to a sudden halt, my hand freezing as I caught sight of the shocking revelation.

It felt as if I were peering into a dark and twisted mirror, and my heart plummeted into my stomach. The emotions coursing through me played out across my face, and my gaze snapped up to meet his. A flood of bewilderment surged through my veins as I whispered, "You believed I was the one responsible for this?" My voice barely rose above a whisper as I addressed the myriad scars and bruises covering his shoulders, arms, chest, and likely his back as well.

He gave me a small nod, finally interacting with me.

The room fell into an eerie silence as I gazed upon the horrific tapestry that marred his body. They told a story of unimaginable pain and suffering, etched into his flesh like a gruesome work of art; god, I'd know.

His shoulders bore deep, jagged marks, like dark rivers that had carved their way through his skin. The bruises on his arms painted a portrait of relentless violence, their angry colors stark against the pallor of his skin. I couldn't help but imagine the force and brutality required to inflict such damage.

As I unbuttoned his shirt further, his chest revealed more scars, some fresh and angry, others older and faded. They crisscrossed like a map of pain, telling a story of horrors that weren't beyond my comprehension. The realization that he had believed I was the one responsible for this unspeakable brutality sent a shiver down my spine.

The room seemed to close in around us, and the weight of the truth bore down on me.

Fire licked in my chest, scorching from the inside and I felt the rage bubbling beneath the surface, ready to explode all over the place. I contained myself, my hand falling onto my thigh and curling there. I tried to breathe, once and twice. My gaze met his lifeless hopeless eyes and I asked again, "You thought that I knew you were alive?"

He gave me another silent nod.

"Who did this to you?" I whispered as my eyes took into the horrific scene ahead of me, one much similar to my own, "Who got you out of there?" I asked, I knew it was Isaac who orchestrated the whole thing but he was dead, so who physically did all of this, "Who faked your death and changed your name?"

He shook his head, "You don't know him," He finally spoke, his voice so low, it barely made it out, "He was dad's...he was Isaac's right hand," He mumbled, his jaw tightening, "He had told me that da..." His eyelids fell down, his jaw ticking at how effortlessly the dad word left his lips. A harsh breath pushed out of his lungs, "He had told me that Isaac appointed him only to look after me after his death."

"How convenient, right," He added, a bit of mockery in his tired strained voice.

My jaw tightened and I, myself was unable to digest all of this at once, so I didn't know how is he going to. Isaac never fails to amaze me. I shook the thoughts away and shrugged off his shirt before I helped him put on the black sweater, covering up all the messiness beneath.

"Nikolas," He whispered.

I looked at him, "Yeah?"

"When are you going to kill me?"

My chest constricted, squeezed by the certainty in his words. He truly believed I was going to end his life. But the truth is, I wasn't. I couldn't. Shouldn't. Alex would never comprehend my predicament, but it was a complexity I couldn't explain. The situation was too tangled, too convoluted to be put into words.

"I know that I am going to die anyway, but I have like five months left, so, when are you going to kill me?" He asked, surrendering to his fate, "If you make it faster, I will really appreciate it."

His words left me numb, unsure of how to respond. The mention of five months cut through me in a way I wasn't ready to confront.

My gaze wandered all over his face, once boyish but now aged by the many burdens he'd carried. He still appeared too young, too inexperienced. In my eyes, he was just a kid still, the same frightened boy I had taken from Isaac. A kid who was injected with a similar poison to mine. He was far too young to face death.

My throat moved and I shook my head, "I am not going to kill you, Nathan."

Lines etched his eyebrows, "Then, what are you going to do to me?"

I shook my head, uncertain, "I don't know."

"Do you want me to remind you of everything I've done, Nikolas?" He questioned, purposely trying to trigger me.

My jaw tightened, "I advise you not to."

I needed to not think back to those days, not to Max's state nor to the sight of my bleeding boy in my arms, or else I-

I let my eyelids glide down, gathering enough control before I pried them back open, "What happened to your promises?" I asked, shifting the conversation toward another side, "The whole taking over the throne and whatnot?"

He scoffed, a very somber smile pulling up his lips as his eyes fell on mine, "Look at me, Nikolas, I am dying," He said it so casually, a fact he had accepted and made his peace with, "The last thing I care about is your kingdom."

"It's not mine."

"Whatever."

"Is that the reason why you did all you did now?" I asked and he nodded, "My life had to be cut short before I even got the chance to live it, so yeah, I got bitter, angry, enraged," His jaw clenched tight, "And it's crazy, the thoughts that come to you when you've got nothing left to lose," He said, that psychotic look creeping into his gaze again. Yeah, I gotta applaud Isaac, he was able to create a monster even while dead, "You feel like you could do anything."

He gave me a knowing look, "I could do everything, because what's the worst thing you'd do to me? kill me?" He addressed how meaningless that punishment was for someone who had accepted his demise.

"And Christian?" I asked, trying to understand why Isaac included him in his plan too.

"Did you forget?" He asked, his eyebrow arching, "You introduced me to him," He gave me a casual shrug, "I was lonely, I just wanted a friend."

"So, you care about him?"

He smiled, "I care about nothing."

I nodded in response, my skepticism evident. "We'll see about that," I whispered, my eyes shifting to the door where Natalie had paused, her gaze wavering between me and Nathan.

Nathan's eyes slid away, and he turned his attention to Natalie, his face remaining unreadable, not a single twitch in his features. Either he was really dead on the inside, or he mastered the art of isolating his feelings behind a mask.

Natalie stepped inside, her fingers on the side twitching with her pain and fear, she curled it into a fist, controlling her emotions as she paused by his side, "But, I cared about you, a lot," She whispered, addressing his latest answer. Her head tilted as her soft gaze flickered all over his face, for the first time since he got back, finally able to absorb every little detail about him.

I got up to my feet, giving them this moment. Nathan's head whipped in my direction almost instantly and I must be crazy but the look in his eyes was telling me to not leave him alone with her, to just...stay. So, I stayed.

Natalie settled beside him, openly speaking, "How could you think that we knew you were alive and just left you out there," She whispered in utter disbelief and he silently looked back at her.

She swallowed hard, her fingers grasping into the sheets beside her thigh, "When I thought you were dead, I nearly lost my mind," She added, "We had just gotten you back, and you were stolen away from us like that."

"I grieved you, Nathan," She brought her hand forward, her fingers delicately brushing the scar forming over his temple and he didn't even flinch, his eyes focused on her face, thinking of something but I couldn't understand what it could be, "I named my son after you," She said, "I just wanted to keep you alive in a way."

She retreated her hand back when the contact of skins almost burned and scorched her, "And what did you do?" She questioned, not waiting for an answer, "You went and hurt my little boy," Her eyebrows pulled closer, the underlying rage sneaking up to the surface, "What did he ever do to you?"

"If you really thought Nikolas hurt you, if you thought I hurt you," She shook her head in disbelief, "What was my little boy's fault?"

Nathan remained silent, but a fleeting expression passed through his eyes, a brief glimmer of something hidden. He quickly concealed it, however.

Natalie continued, her voice edged with a mix of anger and sorrow, "I will tell you why," She said, "It's because you are weak, you knew that you couldn't face us, so you went after the helpless."

Natalie brought her hand to her face and brushed a few tears from beneath her eyes with a trembling hand. Nathan's gaze followed her movement, and I wished I could peer into his thoughts. I would kill to understand the thoughts brewing within him.

Natalie focused her eyes back on him and she regained her control and whispered, "I want you to meet someone."

Lines of confusion were the first thing to shift Nathan's expression, his head slowly turned to the entrance when he heard footsteps nearing. The sight of the man ahead of him was the first thing today to flip his neutral expression a hundred-eight degrees. His eyes grew wide and he shot up to his feet almost immediately.

Natalie's father, his father, he stared back at the kid with a mixture of anguish and heartbreak. The kid he once thought died, the kid he never got the chance to meet. The kid that grew and grew far away from him. It all swirled in his eyes, darkening them. It all surged through his body and nerves, it had his hands shaking under the heavy turmoil, and the emotions were too heavy, too much that they gathered and misted his eyes.

"Nathan," The name left him in utter disbelief. I wasn't sure what Natalie explained to him in exact, but I knew she kept many details hidden and tucked away.

Nathan shook his head, the wave of shock jolting his body and he staggered backward. Something wild broke free from his gaze, acknowledging who that man is without the need for us to explain it.

Natalie's father strode forward, "Oh my god, my little boy," He whispered and Nathan shook his head, furiously, "No," He whispered, "No," He added again, his wide eyes on the man that neared him, "Get...get away from me."

Micheal's hand reached for Nathan's arm but he flinched right away, "Natha-" He tried to say but Nathan shook his head again, "No, no...no, you are not my father, no!" He shot out, his bewildered voice enveloping and bellowing into the room.

"I don't know what you've been through, I can't begin to even imagine it," Micheal spoke, the agony tightening the lines over his face, "But Nathan, god, you have no idea how much I wished for this, my little boy-"

"No!" Nathan snapped, his voice laced with bitterness, and he harshly yanked his arm free from the man's grasp. "Why don't you get it? I am not your boy. You...you are not my father!" With fierce determination, he pushed himself away from not only the man but also from Natalie. He staggered backward and my eyes widened when I saw him seeking refuge behind me.

I felt his trembling hand curl over the back of my jacket, and I turned my head to look at him. He was struggling for his next breath, his eyes a turbulent storm of emotions—fury, fear, and a profound sense of bewilderment. His gaze finally moved away from Micheal, locking onto mine. "He is not my father," he whispered, his head shaking with an intensity that implored me to understand him, to see through the chaos inside him. "Make him leave, please," he added, a plea in his anguished voice.

Something about the man's presence had torn through Nathan like a relentless hurricane, leaving behind a tumultuous sea of mixed feelings—fear crashing against anger, and bewilderment as vast and deep as the ocean itself.

"But, Nathan-" I tried to speak but he shook his head again.

"Please."

I nodded, turning to look at Natalie, who wore an expression mirroring my own shock and confusion. With a reassuring nod, I urged her to handle the situation from here. Her throat moved as she acknowledged my signal, and she directed her attention to her father, who seemed utterly lost at Nathan's abrupt rejection.

"Dad, come with me," Natalie gently implored, enfolding her arms around him and coaxing him away from the room. He appeared hesitant, muttering something in response. Natalie, however, remained firm but reassuring. "I know, just come with me now, and we'll talk about it," she promised, her voice a soothing balm as she guided her father out and away from here.

I felt Nathan's once tight grip slowly release its hold on my jacket. I turned to look at him, but his gaze remained fixed on their retreating figures. In his eyes, bewilderment mingled with a profound, raw ache, like a storm raging. The first tear welled up, tracing a silent path down one cheek, followed by another.

His chin quivered slightly, and the intensity of his emotions pushed him back, his body colliding with the wall. He brought his hands to his face, fingers trembling as he clutched at it. The heels of his palms pressed firmly over his temples as he tried to keep it in further but couldn't.

All the unspoken pain and turmoil, now surfaced, overtaking his expression and his very being. It stripped away every ounce of strength and control, leaving him exposed and vulnerable to me.

With his back pressed against the unyielding wall, he slowly sank to the cold concrete floor, folding his knees up as his shoulders trembled slightly. In the silent confines of his solitude, he wept for something unnamed, a cascade of emotions surging back and forth.

My chest tightened, something wild ripping at the muscle beating there. The rock lodging my throat expanded, cutting off my airways. I rushed a frustrated hand over my face before I edged closer and joined him, sitting right by his side.

"Why did he do this to me?"

His broken whisper wrenched open old wounds, stirring a familiar question I had once asked, a question that still haunted my memories.

Why?

It was such a mind-fucking question; Its answer still unknown.

I looked at him, curled up and silently crying. He resembled the little boy I hid away, the same terrified boy who Isaac managed to ruin too, the one who asked and cried for his father every day. He was the same boy, but going through two very contradictive situations.

I wasn't thinking of logic anymore. I wasn't thinking at all. I just brought my arm and encircled it around his trembling shoulders, drawing his quivering body close to mine. The side of his head hit my chest, his tears streaming through and soaking my shirt. Rather than pulling away, he reached for me with his other hand, clutching onto me as he clenched his fist around the fabric.

I brought my other arm around him, enveloping his fragile, faltering form. My chin nestled into the top of his head, and I closed my eyes. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't differentiate right from wrong at the moment. I had no idea what I was supposed to do.

So I did nothing.

I kept silent and I stayed the same till his tears died, till he calmed down, and till he drifted off to sleep in my arms. The relentless exhaustion, the sleepless night of the past week, and the lack of food and energy, they all took their toll and had him crash into slumber within my embrace.

I didn't move after. I just stayed there, thinking and thinking, but I couldn't reach a definite conclusion.

It's been a long time since I felt this much helpless and lost.

The light footsteps nearing me had me finally lift my eyes up, falling on Ronald as he edged to my side, his eyes on Nathan before he bent down, settling on the ground ahead of me.

His expression told me much more than his words ever could. Lines of anguish had etched themselves deeply into his forehead and between his eyes. His jaw was clenched tightly, exuding a palpable sense of fury. He extended his hand, fingers gripping the file he had brought per my request.

With my free hand, I reached for it, opening the first pages and skimming through the medical report.

"It's true," I said, coming to that horrific conclusion.

Ronald silently nodded his head, his devasted eyes focused on his brother. He brought his hand forward, his fingers tenderly brushing the few strands that fell over his forehead away, "Yeah," His voice was heavy, strained as he admitted, "He is slowly dying."

He lifted his tormented eyes up to me, "You're not going to hurt him, Nikolas, are you?"

I shook my head, "But no one is going to take my side on this," I said, "Not Emma, and not Alex," I added and Ronald nodded, aware of that, "So, I am gonna need your help in this, Ronald," I added and he nodded his head, without hesitation.

"Do you think we can find a way out of this?" He asked, ever so helplessly

I shook my head, "I don't know," I mumbled, my gaze drifting down to Nathan, "But I have to at least try."

***********************************

Hey!

I hope you liked the new chapter :)

Do leave your opinions, I always love to read them out ;)

I think we are past the whole "Team-christian & Team Chase" Era and we are back to "Team Nik & Team Alex" era now xD

Which team are you on?
Team Alex: kill Nathan, or Team Nik: Keep Nathan alive? xD

See ya soon :)