ISMAEL'S P.O.V.

"Nine x minus seven i, greater than three, multiply by three x minus seven u." [The equation described is: 9x - 7i > 3 (3x-7u) ]

Who on earth would give an activity in the middle of this terrifying situation? I let out a sigh. I hope Jothea will be distracted for a while and buy time for me.

I immediately went out of Safira and called Mr. Tory. The unglorified tears were attempting to bug out of my eyes. What I learned stirs me inside.

"Mr. Tory, the plan B," I immediately ordered when he answered the call.

"Acknowledged," he spoke. As far as I was concerned, I was rejecting that plan, but clearly now I have no choice but to execute it. Numerous times, I have kept my silence and done my actions in secrecy because I don't want our family's name to be involved, but here we are now, with no choice.

I was about to enter the car when someone called my name. It was Joth, rushed to appear in front of me while catching his breath. "Sir, we have a situation here. I saw Roxsielle around the building."

I gritted my teeth. Now, both siblings are working out synchronously, as if it were a big show they were planning to execute. I'm starting to feel dread knowing that my woman is in their hands, as is my child.

"And my sister wasn't here anymore," Joth added. "May kutob akong pasasabugin nila ang kumpanya ng Safira."

Again, I let out a heavy sigh. It has no difference from what they did to Zarate's mansion, Golden Red Casino, and Jothea's house. They planted a bomb, causing a fire for three main reasons. First, Raviel caused a fire in Zarate's house to inherit the wealth of the family who adopted him; second, he bombed the casino to hide the body of Mr. Vargas; and lastly, he planted a bomb in Jothea's house so he could escape the authorities from the cruelty he inflicted on my fiancé.

I shook my head in dismay. I can't believe he still didn't stop his psychotic scheme, despite what my men did to him. My tolerance for him has run out. I should have killed him when I got the chance.

"Keep following her," I answered. "Make sure you inform me of her movements. Jothea is in Raviel's hands now, so we better move quickly."

Joth's hand clenched. I remember the day he came to me, spilling all the things he learned from his partner. He was really sorry for her sister, whom he had previously neglected. "Fuck that guy who planned all this," he commented. "I'll definitely kill him." He hastened to leave, which I also did. I hopped in my car and headed to the location that Raviel gave me.

I recall what I learned about Joth's relationship with Roxsielle. Following Mr. Tory's investigation, Raviel and Roxsielle devised a scheme to introduce his sister to Alvandra's family. That was the time when Roxsielle seduced Joth and got herself pregnant. In Roxsielle's pursuit of knowledge about their parents' deaths, she wooed Jothea's younger brother into letting her reside with him.

Also, when she went to Jothea's house to borrow some money, Roxsielle was literally checking the house for Raviel. Additionally, since Joth broke the doorknob, she was able to get into Jothea's house and wander around inside. Joth naively complied with his partner's request, unaware that they were using him. They must not have known that this was the reason I bought the lot near Jothea's house.

I was in the middle of the road when Mr. Tory called again.

"Sir, I apologized; we're working on the plan, but our men are insufficient. In order to dispose of those bombs promptly, we require more backups. I've also contacted the authorities to help us keep track of Miss Alvandra."

I closed my eyes for a moment. I still can't believe Raviel was willing to involve innocent people just to lure me out. I don't think this is about his parent's death anymore. He must have held a huge grudge against me. "Do everything, Mr. Tory. Jothea's life depends on it," I pleaded.

"How about we call her parents?" he suggested.

"No, don't do that." I declined. Knowing her parents, they won't bother to help, since I know they were trying to conspire with Raviel before. I just realized that when they went to Mondalla's residences. They knew about Jothea's recent stay in my penthouse. Just like how Raviel discovered it when he told everyone back at Marcus University about us.

I also received a couple of blackmails from Jothea's mother, and that's why I was really eager to have me as Jothea's guardian. I couldn't bear witnessing the way they mistreated their eldest daughter. They were the reasons why Jothea suffered like this when she was supposed to be loved.

"Don't ever inform them of this. She's my responsibility now. I will be the one taking care of her," I added.

"Then what about we ask for your father's help?" For a second, I halted. "I understand that you have resentment and animosity toward your father, yet the fact remains that he serves as the head of your clan at this time. We should probably broaden our connection further than we have before with your father's help."

"Don't call him," I rejected. "Use your resources for now, and keep me updated."

I hung up and drove the car swiftly.

I kept my eye on the road, but for a split second of time, it suddenly hit me. Pride shouldn't be embraced at this moment.

I was nervously biting my lower lip when I dialed my father. I cleared my throat when he immediately answered.

"Yes, son?"

My tears dwelled in my eyes, and for the first time since leaving the house, I uttered these words. "I need your help, dad."

I was literally crying when I told him everything. It was like I was a little boy whining to him about what hurts me and wanting he'd fix everything for me, but I'm a grown man with a lot of responsibilities I've chosen to carry ever since I departed from them. Nothing could have prepared me that this day would come, and up until this time, Jothea was the reason why everything in my life was falling into place itself.

"I understand. Don't worry, son. We'll save her. I promised."

The instant he ended the call, I tasted a glimpse of hope. I focused on the road, which I never thought would be this long, just to meet the woman I love. I hope she's fine; they are fine.

I will never forgive myself if, until now, I couldn't protect her. She was the reason why I wanted that position to prevent these things from happening. If I wasn't that stubborn about obeying my parents, these things wouldn't have happened to us. I wish I had chosen to marry her early. I hope I just made everything easier for us. I thought everything that was made in a hurry was wrong. I never thought that I would be this late.

I finally found myself arrived in the lot where Jothea is. A long chain hung from the ceiling, binding her hands. She was standing up, wet in every part of her body. Her head is dripping blood down to her ivory face. She was unconscious. I immediately rushed over to her in haste to free her, but I suddenly noticed it wasn't water at all; rather, her entire body was drenched with gas.

I tapped her face, waking her up, and I did it several times, losing hope for her to open her eyes.

"Jothea, please wake up. I'm here," I cried while clearing the hair on her face and tucking it behind her ears.

Slowly, her lids opened, and her eyes met mine, and that was when tears started to pour again. "Ismael..." She called my name with a smile. "You're here. I'm saved. You saved me again." She closed her eyes again, causing me anxiety.

"Yes, my love. I'm here. Please don't close your eyes for me. Keep yourself awake," I told her while completely unbinding her hands. She immediately fell into my arms, and I placed her head on my chest before lifting her. "Jothea, please." I felt her weight on me and her breathing, which abruptly removed my worries.

But that was not long before I noticed someone behind me.

"You're finally here, professor."

The moment I pivoted, I beheld Raviel's countenance. He wears a winning grin from ear to ear. "Were you regretting not killing me?"

"I do," I stated, which made him crack a creepy laugh.

"I know you are. You were just hiding your true self, but you are just like me. You can even do this to me." He showed himself and every part that was damaged.

"No, you brought this upon yourself. Despite my repeated warnings, you proceeded to touch the girl I love. Raviel, I am my words."

"You are?" He blabbed. "What a noble professor you are, I must say. You thought I wouldn't know? Jothea admitted she was the one who killed my parents."

I gasped. She knew?

I glanced at her face, now unconscious. Good thing she is.

"You already knew it, but once again, you kept your mouth shut. What kind of professor are you? Just favoring who's beneficial to you?"

"It was an accident. Jothea was five at the time. She's not aware of what happened."

"Bull shit!" he cursed. "How can you talk like that, as if it were my parents' fault that they died? We were a happy family! A perfect family! Roxsielle was treated right, even when she was adopted. If Jothea wanted to die, she could die alone. Why would she involve other people? Why would she take away Roxsielle's opportunity to have the parents she recently got?"

I was rendered speechless, and immediately I heaved a sigh.

"Ano? Will you still defend her? Are you still going to justify the idea that she is innocent? Then why on earth would your grandfather have set fire to the entire village? Was it due to the election or his desire to conceal the truth in order to save her family from the animosity of the neighbors?"

I will never understand why my grandfather did that. Now that he's deceased, I have no one to ask and confirm. All I can think is that it might have been a coincidence or that he was trying to keep the peace so that Alvandra's family wouldn't take the blame since the one who caused the fire was a minor.

"If human law fails to bring justice to the deaths of my parents, then I should avenge them using my own hands. You can't be happy while my siblings and I suffer," he warned, before picking up a lighter from his pocket.

I took a second glance at Jothea again, and I saw her still unconscious because of the amount of gas she had inhaled. We need to get out of here as soon as possible, both for her safety and for the baby in her stomach.

The environment had transformed before my eyes. The light was fading. My gaze rose to the heavens. A deafening rumble emanated from the clouds.

"What's going on?" Raviel inquired in surprise. "Did you call for the police?"

With a shake of my head, I opposed it. "It wasn't the police, Raviel, but because that thing was in the air, you wouldn't be able to set fire in this place."

Cloud seedling...

Gradually, heavy rain fell. While he was preoccupied with the mayhem around him, I seized the opportunity to flee from that location. The intense downpour and gusty winds prevented him from lighting the lighter as he had intended.

I kept trying to escape with Jothea, thinking that maybe we could get out of this nightmare together, but the world only kept pulling me in deeper and deeper until I was drowning in it.

An ear-piercing gunshot sounded. Because everything happened so rapidly and I was preoccupied with getting away with Jothea, I failed to see that she roused from her unconsciousness and snatched herself away from my arms.

As soon as I heard her yell my name, I was shocked to see her blocking behind me to catch the bullet meant for me. I was so shocked that I almost failed to catch her body. While her body was covered in blood, she gazed at me with a smile that pierced my heart.

"No, no, this is not happening. Jothea, no..." I cried. I just couldn't get the facts about what literally just happened. I can't believe my eyes are seeing this. My knees are so weak that I settled down on the floor, still carrying her between my arms.

A vengeful glare fills my eyes as they grow darker. Upon realizing that a man had shot my Jothea, I swiftly retrieved my revolver and discharged its rounds at him. I went through the entire cartridge because I was so furious. I shot his limbs and digits.

She gently touched my cheek. "Ismael..."

"No, don't call me that way..."

As soon as my hands touch her, they quiver. Her hands were cold.

"P-professor..." She coughed up blood. "I finally solved the equation you gave me. I finally found the answer."

I couldn't help but shake my head as I sobbed. "No, my love. I don't need your answer now. Answer me tomorrow. Let's talk tomorrow. Please... I'm begging you."

"I love you, Ismael... God knows how much I do."

"Don't talk. I don't want to hear these things. I hate it."

"But you do love me. That's the answer to that fucking problem." Her body ached, and for a second, she wished she hadn't laughed. She proceeded to bite her lip before breaking down in sobs. "And I fucking love you, Ismael. I love you so much that even death can't make me feel numb, because my heart is still beating right now. Quickly, just like how it did when you confessed your feelings for me the first time."

"Shhh...don't talk. We'll definitely talk later, so carry on."

Footsteps broke the silence. It was probably my dad's side, along with the cops and a few of my men.

"I'm tired, Ismael," she remarked.

"Then rest for a while. Just don't leave me."

"Thank you for bringing light into my world full of darkness. You made me so happy."

Her hand, which had been delicately touching my face, abruptly let go as she closed her eyes.

"No, Jothea, I can still make you the happiest. Come on! Wake up. Don't leave me..." I begged.

"Please, don't fucking leave me...again." I held her hand and caressed it on my face, but that was the time I felt her pulse stop.

"No, don't break your promise, Jothea."