Kurosava sat inside the ball room of the mansion, with a chair placed at the center, just below a huge chandelier. The floor was made of marble and was old and dusty. There were various statues all around. He listened to a classical piano piece as he looked at his wine glass.

'Twenty two years ago, when I was 13, my sister promised me that I would inherit Belleneé. I was the rightful heir of the company. It was mine! Until, he came. He took away everything. My position, my status as the only genius in the entire Hiomi family. He was still a brat but he was such a handful! He was arrogant and rebellious.

But I could never point a flaw in his work. Nevertheless, I was still better than him! I was much better looking, strong and smart. I was perfect but she still chose him! Even when she knew that he wasn't her own blood, she chose him and not me!'

"I remember the humiliation I went through that day and all she could give me was this mansion as compensation!? Does she think I'm a beggar!?" He shouted and threw the glass on the floor.

He was breathing heavily as he looked at the red wine fallen on the floor. He leaned down and sat on his toes. He looked at the blood red wine.
"What a beautiful color... This color itself is an art that God has created with his hands" He looked at the wine. He turned towards the statues.

He pressed his hand on a woman's statue "Once an artist falls in love with you, you can never die. You are eternal, Maria" He smiled as he pressed it's cheeks.

"Nine years... Time passes by before we know it. I mean, it's nine years already, Maria. You had such an absurd taste; dangerous too." He stood there and stared at the statue.

"Maria, I will avenge you. What he did to you, his wife will face the same. And then I'll ask him to replace her, just like he asked me to and then he'll know that fame means nothing but destruction."

Fate sat on the the top of a tower and wrote something in her Grecabulum, the book of fate and destiny. Her pen shone light blue as she wrote down the Fate of people. Then, she flew up and reached a balcony. She passed through the closed doors and looked at a new born baby sleeping in a cradle.

She touched his hands and the fate lines appeared on his palm. "May you get what you deserve" She smiled and walked out. She flew up and climbed at the terrace of a building. "Let's see, what's next," She looked into her book.

"Are you done for the day?"

She turned back. It was Lucus "What are you doing here? Aren't you done for the day?" She asked "I work day and night, unlike angels of heaven like you" He said. His book began shining and he disappeared again. She looked at her Grecabulum which shone bright.
"Oh! Somebody managed to change their Fate, huh?" She looked into it and grasped as she read it "I should probably keep this a secret."

The next morning, as Ethan was getting ready, Vivian shouted "Ethan! Look I'm on TV!" She pointed at the TV. Ethan dropped his phone on the floor as he read the headlines.

'Belleneé sets yet another bar in fashion and maybe also in music? Belleneé's new singer stunts audience worldwide! Talent agencies running around to get her name!'

"Ethan--"

"Don't go out! Close all the door and windows!" He shouted while doing everything he was saying. "Ethan--"
"I'll get the groceries, you just stay home."

"But I want to sing" Vivian said. "What?"
"I always wanted to sing for a large audience. It's been my dream!"

"Vivian, it's not just singing. You don't know the entertainment business. I have seen it. They only take from you-- your happiness, your freedom. They sell your talent for money. They don't leave you with anything. That's not where I want us to be."
"But that is where I want to be. And not everyone is the same. I just... I just want others to know of what I write"

"No, that can't be right" Ethan hugged her "This is better. I'm here. Sing for me. I'll listen to you everyday." She gently pushed him away and looked away "Vivian--"
"I need time to think" She said
"... Okay"

'Though I thought you'd chose me instantly.' He thought and picked up his phone.

"I'll go now"
"Okay" She said in a daze. He kissed her forehead "I'll be home late today. Don't cook for me"
"Okay" He smiled and walked out of the house. She lay on the sofa. She was in a dilemma as she thought by herself.

"The answer is pretty easy but it's killing me because if I love you, I can't love myself and if I love myself I can't love you." She mumbled.

'This time, I'm only living for myself'
'You are just a tool for me'
'Why don't you die?!'
'I hate you!'

"This relationship is cancer. I'm always giving and he is always taking. That isn't how it should be. I mean, I'm not doing anything wrong."

'Ha! You look so ugly!'
'You're such an embarrassment!'

"He just married me for the wealth he would inherit. I was so blind, how could I forget everything so easily. You were so cruel and you still are. You are stopping me by making excuses."

"You don't want me to move ahead, do you? If you really cared, then, you'd let me! And be happy for me!" Vivian shouted as Ethan stood before her. It was late night and he had returned home after a tiring day.

"It's because I care about you that I'm stopping you. Vivian, the world outside is dangerous. There are predators all around. People will be looking at you the way you don't want them to but you won't be able to fight back. I don't want to sell you." He pressed her cheeks and looked at her.

"I'm not your enemy, Vivian. I know you love singing and you can sing. Sing for me, from now till the end of eternity, when we grow old, sing for me." He smiled.
"That's not the point. I want to reach a lot of people, I want to bring them smiles. I want to be remembered."

"Am I... Not enough?" He asked as he looked into her eyes.
"No. No, you're not" He took a deep breath.
"Vivian, I think you don't get it" He sounded colder "I don't want you to go. I need you beside me. I'm still-"

"It's not like I'll move away from you--"
"But you will! You won't notice it initially. And when you do, it'll already be too late. Fame is that glitter, which comes with an expiry date. And once you cross that date, nobody wants you. And the people who you want, will already be too far to ever reach again. I don't want that. Don't leave me, Vivian."

"Nothing like that will happen. I'll take care of that. Trust me, I'll make everyone proud"
"I trust you but I can't trust those who will be behind you. They'll be selling you every day. I'm afraid I'll lose you" Ethan said.

"I'm loyal"
"That's not what I mean. You'll become too busy"
"I will take time out for you. You won't have to work, we'll have enough money--"

"Did I ever complain that I don't want to work? I want to work. I'll earn for the both of us. I'll never make money a problem. I just want you"
"But I... I want to go" Vivian said. "Vivian, I can't live without you," He said.

"That's all crap! What--You just want to lock me up now?! You expect me to believe you-- I didn't even know your real name till last week!" She shouted. Ethan looked at her with surprise. He waited for her to realise but maybe...

Maybe she was blind after all.

He smiled nevertheless "Thank you. I won't stop you after this. You are right--I can't be trusted. I might not even be your real husband if Kirito didn't die. We were merely a coincidence but such a beautiful coincidence that was that I wanted to live in it forever"

She looked at him "You made us" He walked away "I'm tired. I should sleep peacefully. I deserve it" He said as he lay on the bed. As Ethan slept on the bed, Vivian looked out at the sky.

'This is the freedom that I've been looking for.'

- To be continued

Ethan Evaganza
My Heart Hates Me