______ A Month Later ______

☘︎ Jᴇɴɴɪғᴇʀ Rʏsᴏɴ ☘︎

Someone must've mentioned that every great accomplishment happens in a series of three. And if no one said that, it should be a fact.

My feet remain on a standstill outside my father's hospital ward, a flower bouquet Lykas shoved into my hand telling me I need to take it along with me, clutched in my arms. I contemplate turning around and shoving it back into Lykas' hands and doing hell with what I came here for, very much like a coward. But in the end, I take a deep breath, compose myself and push open the door to the hospital's luxe suite.

Samuel Davidson turns his head in the direction of the door the moment he hears it opening and his eyes light up when he sees me, a warm smile forming on his tired face. My dad is seated on the patient bed clad in a blue hospital gown, a single IV cord strung to his nerve. Yet he couldn't look happier. It softens my heart a little. I did the right thing by coming here.

"Jenna." It's Moon who addresses me, sitting at the edge of Dad's hospital bed, peeling an apple. She looks calmer and homier than I'd ever seen her, even giving me a small smile of acknowledgement.

Things have been so weird the past month after the kidnapping. Paul getting hospitalized due to heavy blood loss and gunshot injuries, until he'd be fit to be put into jail. Dad's health deteriorating when he found out the man who killed Mom and was haunting me, was someone he'd known and him ending up blaming himself for what Mom and I went through. Mia getting intensive therapy for her condition. Moon finally agreeing to let Mia seek the therapy she should've been given eleven years ago.

Moon had taken the news with a lesser blow regarding her daughter's mental health, expressing she'd been doubtful that Mia seemed a bit withdrawn ever since she married Samuel, but how it had become very strange in the past few days from the moment I returned to Davidson Villa. How she noticed that Mia was obsessive about me staying in New York when before even though she didn't say it, Mia always wanted me to go back to London as soon as possible.

Moon's words still stick with me, the ones she'd told me a month ago after we spoke to Mia's therapist regarding the graveness of her condition, "I'm a mother, Jennifer. No mother wants to accept the fact their daughter is becoming more and more unstable with each day. I saw Mia pass that article about your mother's death to a news reporter. I confronted her, took her to a psychiatrist, avoided Samuel when he asked me about it. All because I wanted to protect my daughter. That's what I've always done. You can't blame me for it. Mia is all I have. The man I loved. . ."

For the first time, I'd seen pain flicker through Moon's brown eyes, "He'd hurt me more than anyone could. I'd tried my best to love him even as he abused me, because I've always been in love with him. But. . .I had to leave. I had to stand up for myself to protect my daughter. I hope you understand why I hid about what Mia did, from you and Samuel. I was scared my daughter would be sent to prison. I. . .I'm sorry that I unintentionally put you in danger because of that. It was never my intention. I regret it now. I really do. I hope you can forgive me for hiding everything one day."

In a way, I understood Moon. Even if she's always protected Mia, she's never been cruel to me. Her confession made me realize why she's forever been edgy whenever I was around Mia. She worried I'd find out about Mia's condition and send her daughter away from her mother to a rehab somewhere faraway. And specifically because of that, I made sure with a team of therapists that Mia didn't have to go to the rehab. But she'd have the rehab bought to her.

"What brings you here?" My dad's question asked in a hopeful tone, reverts me out of my reverie.

I hover awkwardly next to his bed, clutching the bouquet closer until I can feel a flower break and fall off the bouquet. Blinking in surprise, I extend it to Samuel Davidson out of instinct, "Lykas sent this for you."

Dad stares at the bouquet, at me, before accepting it with slow movements, "Tell him my thanks then." He smiles, waiting for me to continue.

Just tell him you love him and want to spend all the time you missed out on with him, Ryson. It isn't that hard.

Except it is hard. I have no idea what to say. But I take my annoying fiancé's advice and convey truthfully, starting with. . .

"The doctor said they have the new cancer med which has 100% success results, they're going to give you that. And that you're going to be okay. . ." My words draw to a softness I rarely speak in.

Dad's smile just grows wider, as if he knows I'm building myself to confess something from my heart. He's always known me like that, he's always been patient to let me rant when I was a little girl, when we were all so happy.

A pang hits my chest, emotion clogging the next words I say, "I know we missed out on so many memories we could've made because of so many misunderstandings." I force back the stinging in my eyes as I look up at my father, "But I don't want to do it anymore, Dad. I want to make up for everything we've missed as a father and daughter, every little moment. Can we do that?"

Dad's smile is so wide, so happy, it warms my heart, even though I see unshed tears line the rim of his eyes. He brushes them away before they can fall, the action so similar to what I'd do it makes me smile.

Moon watches along with an uncharacteristic warmth in her eyes and I admire her a bit more for it. Yes her first love didn't work out and yes Dad lost the woman he dearly loved, but maybe this is their chance to find happiness again. They respect each other and maybe it would give into love one day and I really wish that for them. They both deserve it after everything they've faced and gone through.

Samuel Davidson opens his arms with a smile on his face and unshed tears in his eyes to say, "Come give your father a hug first, my Artemis girl."

Artemis. Goddess of the hunt. My father's favorite Greek goddess. The middle name I chose for myself.

My smile grows and I rush upto him, the bouquet forgotten to the floor. He pulls me into the warmth of his fatherly embrace. I think how I really did miss my Dad the most growing up. How I finally feel like I've found a piece of me I lost long ago.

***

The accomplishment number two from the three, starts off with another excited hug. Mia wrapping her arms around me and beaming like a kid on Christmas the moment I show up at the ward she's seeking therapy in.

"Jenna Jen Jen!" Mia pulls back, tucking her hair behind her ear and spinning around in the cute baby pink dress she has on, "The new therapist told me I'm getting better! How good is that?"

"Like on a Grade A level?" The voice that answers belongs to the guy with sandy blonde hair and ocean eyes.

Francis lounges on the couch near the window, a Vogue magazine with his picture on the front page lying on his lap. His hair is messed up as though someone, likely Mia, ran her hand through them and he wears a vibrant show-stopper smile.

Mia rolls her eyes at him, but I see her smiling despite herself, "Yeah?"

Francis sets the magazine aside and approaches me and Mia at the door, "Absolutely, mon amour." He places a quick kiss to her lips before she can even process.

Mia blinks dazedly at him. Francis grins, slinging his arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him before turning to address me, "Hey you Jenna amie, what's the occasion for the visit?"

It still baffles me how Francis is the one who never stopped loving Mia even after he found out everything. In a way, he'd always known something was wrong with Mia, he'd picked on her mood swings, sudden attachments. But he hadn't know her condition was on extreme. Because growing up, Francis had faced far worse things. The kidnapping was just one of the few horrible things he faced. . .

I remember Lykas telling me how he'd always assumed someone else to be the child of his mother's lover, since that guy was also settled in France. But when he met Francis on the yatch party, he'd been surprised because Francis looked so much like his father, like Lykas' mother's lover, the resemblance so stark Lykas couldn't help but do a background check on Francis.

Only to find out Francis is the guy David Vitallis sold off to a couple from a wealthy family. Francis was supposed to be the bone marrow donor for their child but before the surgery could happen, their child died. The couple were devastated and in the spur of the events, they raised Francis, concocting a false image in their mind that they were raising their dead child instead of someone else's child they'd bought with money like he was a commodity.

Francis told me how lonely he felt sometimes, to grow in a house, knowing your adoptive parents are just raising you to fulfill their own misery. Then the clown kidnapping happened and things turned worse but amidst it, he met Mia. She became his friend, he fell in love with her.

"Mia's the anchor holding me together, Jennifer. I can never give up on her. I'll be here with her till the very end, till she gets fine again. Even if I have to leave everything behind." Those were the words he'd expressed after Mia's therapist declared that her DPD could be controllable if she had a mentally healthy person to guide her.

We'd done the biggest mistake by letting Paul be that guide. He'd used Mia for his own vicious schemes. DPD isn't something one can easily cope from. We can't even have a constant therapist for a long time in fear of Mia growing dependent on them, hence why we keep changing her therapists. Because they can't stick with her forever and separation from another person she's dependent on might push her off the edge, unless they were there to stay for good. And Francis is going to stay for good. He wants to marry Mia. Even if he has to wait months or maybe years, for her mental condition to become stable.

We all knew somewhere in our hearts that Mia wouldn't have done all of those things, killed Mom on Paul's influence, if she was fine. Behind the whole fuckery of her mind, she does have a loving heart. She just needs to get herself together and work past this. And we are here for her.

"What are you thinking so much about?" Mia chuckles, swishing her hand in front of my face.

"Nothing. Just that I want you to get better the soonest so Francis can finally be out of torture and marry you." I smile, soft as ever.

Mia beams, "Yes! You can be the bridesmaid and Lykas the best man for Francis. Mom could be a bridesmaid too! And Dad-"

Me and Francis stiffen, knowing exactly which Dad she'd thought about.

Mia's cheery mood vanishes in an instant and she looks around the room in alarm, "Where's Dad? Everyone knows about him now. He doesn't have to meet me in secret anymore." Panic envelops her features, "Where's Dad?! He hasn't met me in days!"

Francis has his arms around her in a minute, pulling her to his chest, "It's okay. He's just gone somewhere. You're fine, amour."

Mia doesn't have any of it. She thrashes against Francis' embrace, "Where's Dad, Francis?!" She's screaming now, growing hysterical and breathing heavily.

Francis gestures for me to press on the emergency switch that will have the nurses bring in injection to calm her down. The last time when we avoided putting her to sleep through shots, her panic attack had almost made her stop breathing for a minute. I'd never seen Francis more terrified than I did then.

The nurses rush in within minutes of pressing the emergency button, settling Mia down on the bed so they can dose her with sleeping medication. Mia holds Francis shirt in a death grip as if she's afraid he'd go away. Francis brushes her hair out of her face, kissing her forehead with a heartbreaking tenderness as the nurses put Mia to sleep.

"I hate him for doing this to her." Francis says, his eyes set on Mia's peacefully slumbering face, "He didn't pay for what he did to you, to Samuel, to Moon, to Irene, to Samantha and. . .to Mia." He holds Mia's hand, a sadness washing over him, "She'll be fine, right?"

I stay quite by the door, remembering how the psychiatrist mentioned if Mia were to go out of control, she'd become extremely unstable and would be needed to be kept in psychiatry ward. None of us want that for her.

I walk over to my sister. Kissing the top of her head affectionately, I declare with all the faith I can muster, "She will be fine." Before I add in a whisper-soft promise, "And he will pay for everything he did."

***

For the last piece of the three accomplishments, I don't bother knocking the door. My hands twists the knob, inviting myself in.

Paul is at the back on the hospital bed, IV and a lot of tubes hooked to him. An oxygen mask rests on his nose and mouth. His breathing is loud. He looks withered and in pain.

He'd gone in a coma due to acute blood loss a month ago. Anesthesia dosage had kept him numb from any pain for the two weeks he'd been hospitalized here after, still in partial consciousness. It had hurt to see him rest peacefully after the lives he'd ruined. And so, the moment he woke up from his coma a week ago, I'd specifically made sure he wasn't infused with anesthesia anymore. So that he can feel the pain from his gunshot wounds in the rawest form.

None of it could match the pain he'd caused all of us though, none of it could give the time lost, back again. Yet the vengeful part from the darkest corners of my being revels at the sight.

"Look at you, Paul." I say, slowly walking towards his lying form on the hospital bed, "So helpless."

The machine showing his heartbeat beeps loudly, his eyes narrowing at me. He can't speak with all those tubes struck to his nose but fury still glints in his gaze.

I run a finger along the cord attached to the drip, stopping at the button that controls the speed of the IV drip, "Just the way you'd made me, Dad, Mom, Moon and Mia helpless once upon a time. Karma is a bitch, they don't lie about that."

The monitor beeps louder and louder.

I smile, feeling very much like a sadist. But for once, I can understand why Juliette thrills at the feel of these things. It is actually very satisfying to see the one who made you suffer, suffer themselves.

"You don't know, I've always been a little vengeful myself." My finger play with the controller, "And I don't like it when anyone tries to hurt someone I love."

I push up the IV drip control to block the medicine from being infused into his nerves, enjoying the widening of his eyes. The monitor goes haywire, a horrified expression washing over Paul and finally finally the defeat takes over him.

I don't wait around to watch more, fearing I'll reconsider and let him go. I'm not a killer. But if I let him stay, he'd only ruin more lives. Maybe they'd put him in jail but how easy is it exactly to get out? Very much. David Vitallis is a stark example of it. Look at how he'd gotten out hours within Ethan arrested him for child trafficking. I can't risk that happening with Paul.

If I have to do this to protect the people I love, then so be it.

"May you rot in hell." I leave the room with those words and a dying Paul left behind.

***

All of the three accomplishments don't feel like accomplishments until I find myself walking out of the hospital in a daze to the man waiting for me.

Lykas is lazily leant against his car, wind blowing his hair into a mess. Clad in a plain cashmere sweater and washed jeans, he looks so at home. So beautiful. His whisky eyes catch my gaze and he instantly straightens up. He knows what I'd intended do to Paul but he looks at me as if he knows how I feel-a little confused, a little relieved, a little sick. He always does know.

But this time before he can walk upto me and pull me into his arms, I rush towards him and throw my arms around his neck.

"Marry me." I mumble, burying my face against his chest.

Lykas freezes, contrary to the reaction I'd expected him to adorn. When I look up at him through shadowed lashes and narrowed eyes, he's blinking down at me like I sprouted horns on my head.

His warm palm hold my cheek, "I'm sorry, love. But I think I heard you say you want to marry me."

I refrain myself from rolling my eyes, "You're not deaf, Vitallis. I did ask you to marry me."

It takes him a little too long to process my words before a shit eating grin morphs on his whole face, "Are you freaking kidding me right now?"

I just raise my brow with an unimpressed look on my face as a form of answer.

Lykas might as well split his lips with how wide he's smiling, "You do realize people say I love you first and then ask someone to marry them?"

I push away from him, suddenly annoyed, "Fine, if you don't want to marry me, I'll just go find someone willing."

I'm not even two steps away when he grabs my wrists and pulls me to him. Before I can glare at him or stab him with my heels, he lifts me up, settles me on the hood of his car and his lips attack mine.

Lykas kisses me like there's no tomorrow, like there aren't passerby who could catch us being indecent. I circle my legs around his waist not caring about an onlooker either. My hands dive into his hair as he bites down on my bottom lip, pulling it with his teeth before his thumb soothes the slight sting away.

Breathless, Lykas rests his forehead against mine, "You gorgeous fucking thing." His champagne eyes very near devour me, "You could ask me to accompany you to hell and I'd do it without a question if I get to be with you. Heck if I'll let anyone take that privilege from me. You're mine, Ryson. As I'm yours. You're stuck with me for the rest of your life. So yeah, we're fucking getting married."

I know I don't have to convey it in words to tell him how much I love him. He knows I do. Words are just a medium to an end. Connection is what matters. He and I. We're bound for life.

"What's that you keep saying?" I tease him, a smile pulling up my lips as I run my fingers along his jaw down to his neck to his exposed collarbone. I want his sweater off. I want all of him.

Lykas grabs my hand, kisses my fingers, "I'll be the lighthouse in your dark storms."

Before I kiss him, I say, "Then I'll be the dark storm to keep you shining."

--------᪥♔︎᪥-------

This is it. We've covered all the points as far as I can see. There's gonna be a teeny smol epilogue which will also hint you about the next book👀✨️

The cancer medication with 100% result thingy is actually a legit thing. The scientists recently found it and I think it'll be available in hospitals soon! So consider this me spreading awareness <3

Also who do you think Lykas thought was his mother's lover's child before he met Francis?👀

Also also lemme know your thoughts on this chapter!

I wanna express my undying love for y'all but it's nearly 3:30 AM and I feel like the dead. So....

Seyonara, tiny hoomans!
Until next time!