Fatal Love

Chapter # 9

I was working in the office the next day, diverting my mind from any affliction and solely focusing on my work, not letting anything distract me from my loop of stress and involve my mind with the tribulation occurring, indulging in my reprieve but then Lucas reminded me, “Sir, You have to go to the station.” 

I looked up from my file, “Oh, right… I almost forgot.” I said, closing the file and putting it back in the desk, rising from my seat. I button my jacket, the door knocked, I hummed, motioning the person to enter. Perry came and said, “Sir, Zella is here to meet you.”

“Zella?” I called her name, knowing she must be worried about me. “Okay, send her in.” She nodded and walked out. Soon Zella entered with tears brimmed in her emerald eyes, her blond hairs were in a messy bun, obviously extremely tense about me. She ran to me and engulfed me in a tight hug. “Damien!!.. I was so worried about you. You are not hurt, are you?" She asked as a tear rolled down her cheek, holding my collar while I held her back with one hand and wiped her tears with the other.

"Zella… love, I am fine. You don't have to stress." I whispered, kissing her forehead. She kept looking, with a pout, she looked at me innocently.

"Are you sure?" She asked in a low tone. "Yes." I smiled, tugging her hairs behind her ears, giving her a side hug. "The conditions are not okay, nowadays. Please take care of yourself. I don't want to lose you." She mumbled, wiping her tears and setting my tie. "I know you don't. You don't have to worry, I have assigned some suites for my protection." I smiled and told her, motioning at my bodyguards. She hummed in acknowledgment and asked, slightly agitated,  "Hmm… where were they when you were attacked?" 

"It was indirectly my fault. They protected me. You don't have to meddle." I told her softly but my words enraged her, "How can I not when you are almost killed?!"

"Zella… My love. What matters is that I am fine now." I whispered again, pulling her close, trying to soothe her.

"But what if something happens? I am so frightened. What if you are the target of this Killer M?... Please take care of yourself." Her voice filled with fright, not raising her gaze in apprehension. 

"I know. I will… Besides, you don't have to worry about my insurance." I told her firmly, remembering Irene how she shot the hold holding me right in the head. 

"Why is that?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. 

"Because I  am under the protection of a dead soul." I smiled while saying this when her eyes came in my mind, how emotionless her eyes are as if there’s no reason to live in them anymore, existing, being a weight on it’s very being along with those unfathomable secrets, too far from my reach. 

"Dead Soul…?" She asked vaguely, "My bodyguard, Irene." I replied. Telling her about my soulless guard.

"She is a girl?" That’s her question, knowing how possessive she is about me, she would never tolerate another woman with me, even if it's for the purpose of work.

"Yeah.. So?" I shrugged, not getting her demeanour. "Why do you have a girl as your escort?" She inquired, raising a brow. 

"What do you mean by girl?" I asked in the same tone.

"Fire her." She said with no hint of amusement. I stared at her for a few seconds, not believing her words. 

"Don't be absurd. She is the agency's best, I have fired her once but now I can't… after seeing her flairs." I said, saying the last part to myself. 

"You fired her? Why?" She asked, putting her hand on her waist. 

"For a stupid reason…" I muttered. "Still… tell me." She insisted and sparing a glance at Johnson, I said,  "I abhor her eyes."

"What?" She asked in disbelief. 

"Yes. They evoked dreadful shudders from within… that's why… I fired her." I told her, she nodded in understanding and it finally convinced her to not place any doubt on me. 

"Hmm.. I see." She hummed, holding her chin. I hugged her again, "Anyways, love. I need to go." I smiled.

"Where?" She asked.

"Cops called me to identify the attackers." I told her. "Be careful." She smiled, holding my hand.

"I will." I smiled back, putting my hand over hers.

I was about to leave but she held my sleeve, looking down and mumbling, "Um.. Damien."

"Yeah?" I asked, turning to her. "Can I come with you?" She asked sweetly.  "You don't have to." I reasoned. 

"Please… I want to." She said, biting her lips and how can I resist this charm, my lips curved upward, "Oh. Okay then." I held her hand and went with her.

We went to the police station and the officer showed me their files. "Here they are. Can you identify them?" He asked. My eyes widened in the mixture of dread and stagger to see them after a decade. Left with the inability to react, my heart skipped a beat as an unnerving shiver went down my spine. 

The earth beneath my feet cracked and drowned in me in the deepest depth of turmoil. My throat dried up with an apprehensive gulp, I blinked, trying to stay in my posture but it was extreme hard as his words stirred my mind drastically,

“The truth would never come to the surface.” 

The truth would never come to the surface. I repeated this sentence in my mind like a mantra and tried to provide my ravaged form with some solace.  "Sir." The Officer called me again but my mind was incapable of comprehending.

"No…" I whispered, putting the file back, acting cool. "I don't know any of them." I said firmly this time despite my heart being on the verge of bursting. 

"Are you alright, baby?" Zella asked, holding my hand in a tight grip but I was lost in my devoid.. 

"Huh? yeah.. Yeah.." I nodded, regaining my lost breath and passing her a smile. This couldn’t be true. Why would his men attack me? 

"Officer, I don't know any of them." I finally said nonchalantly, passing him a faint smile. 

"I see. Thank you for your time, Mr Eryx." He nodded, taking the file back.

"No problem…" I hummed and was about to leave but stopped and turned to him when he called me, "Also, Sir." 

"Yes?"

"Please take care of yourself, you might be the next victim." He warned. 

"I will. Thank you." I nodded but asked what I wanted to do. "Umm… officer, who are they anyways?" 

"All of them are drug addicts. It seems like they wanted to kidnap you for money but we don't know for sure… your guards, didn't think for a second.`` I hope what I am thinking is wrong. I thought. Officer glared at my guards from behind. 

"I see. They were just protecting me." I defended them. "We know." Humming, I walked out trying to suppress my overflowing thoughts desperately but to no avail. 

We were coming back as Zella said, "See Damien." but I was too lost to comprehend her words. 

'What were they doing here? It must be a coincidence. It has to be…What’s buried can’t be dug.' I thought, sinking in the ocean of misery. 

"Damien… I am talking to you." Zella called me again.

"Huh?” Her snap broke my fretful thoughts.

"Did you hear what I said?" She asked angrily. 

"Sorry… I didn't." I sighed. 

"Huff… okay let's go." She pouted. 

"Come. I will drop you." I motioned her to come along and dropped her off, "Thank you."

"Take care." I said, dropping her at her apartment. 

"You too. Bye." She smiled and left after kissing my cheeks.

***

I was drinking with Esmei, shrugging all my thoughts and not mentioning what hell occurred at the station with him, “God Esmei, The more I try to look for ways to break up with Zella, the more she is clinging onto me… I don’t want to break her heart.” I said, finishing my drink in one go.

“I told you before, Bro. There’s nothing in this love, could’ve used her.” He laughed, patting my back, increasing my frown. 

“Shut up, if you can’t give me ideas, then don’t do ridiculous things.” I muttered, pushing him away. 

“By the way, I heard your princess saved you.” He teased, pushing me from the shoulder.

“Stop saying this. I am more vexed about Zella, I don’t have enough courage to do it.” I said furiously, pushing him away but this guy swore not to take my words seriously. 

“Ah my brother, Damien… you are too good for this world. Dude, just say it to her face.” He said, putting his hand in the air dramatically. 

“Are you out of your mind!? She is so sensitive about me! What if it hurt her feelings?” I gasped, tearing him off from me and getting up. 

“Either way, it will. Why do you want to break up anyways?” He asked, putting his chin on his elbow. “She is cancelling her internship from France only to stay with me. I told her she should focus on her career but no…” I told him bitterly, looking down at my glass, tracing my finger over it. “So… you still love her?” He asked, leaning in.

“Of course, I do!” I argued.

“Hmm.” He mused, holding his chin, deep in thoughts. “‘Kay then, let’s see what we can do.” He finally returned the smile and I know he ain’t doing s**t. In the end, I will end up breaking her heart. 

“I want to bid her goodbye with a smile.” I said sadly, gritting my teeth, wanting desperately to tell Esmei about my attackers. 

“Or with a great night.” He smirked. 

“Shut up. Not all relationships are based upon lust.” I told him. “Most are.” He muttered, rolling his eyes.  

“Like your each girlfriend?” I smirked this time.

“Hmm.. Yeah. Ah, from each, I remember, how about your princess? Ah, I truly want her. I heard she got shot protecting you and I believe I must ask for her well-being.`` There he goes again, mesmerizing Irene. I don’t know what she has that he is so attracted to. 

“Whatever… But if she breaks your bones for toying with her dignity, I wouldn’t stop her.” I joked, chuckling. 

“Don’t take me too lightly.” He said proudly.

“Yeah. Yeah…” I laughed, waving my hand and shrugging him off.

***

I went home after work and saw Irene reading a book while sitting on the couch. “Hey. How are you?” I asked. 

“Fine. Recovering quickly… because I had nothing to do.” She replied, turning the page. 

“She tries to get up many times.” Amy complained from behind. “And she always drags me back.” Irene muttered, her tone hollow like always. 

“Good job, Amy… I want her to be top-notch before coming to work.” I smiled, handing her my briefcase. 

“I can move my leg a bit.” Irene said, moving her foot, tensing me about her condition. “God woman stop it, it might open the stitch.''I said, stopping her. I held her shoulder worriedly, she smiled and turned to look at me, glancing at my hand, signaling to remove my hand. I pulled my hand back, curling it in a fist and moving back. “I am fine.” She replied with a shrug.

“You are not fine in any way.” I muttered. 

“What do you mean by any way?” She raised an eyebrow. I mumbled again, “I meant what I said.”

“I am-” I cut her off, leaving for my room.

“Amy, serve dinner.” 

“Yes, Sir.” 

After dinner Lucas and everyone else went to their room while Irene was sitting on the couch. Amy left and I was watching TV. “How do you guys fit in one room anyways?” I asked. “I sleep on the floor, others have turned who will sleep on the bed.” She replied using her phone. I think I am getting used to her coldness now. 

“Don’t you want to sleep on the bed?” I asked, turning to her and turning off the TV. “I have slept in the worst places, the floor is fine.” She replied, putting her phone down and turning to me, “By the way, What do you mean by I am not fine in any way?” She asked, raising a brow. 

“Because you are not. Either mentally or physically.” I replied casually. “What’s the problem with my mental health?” Her voice irked, narrowing her eyes at me.

“I believe your soul is dead.” I told her. 

“It is.” She muttered.  “What? Did you say something?” I asked, not believing what she said. 

“Nothing. Don’t assume things, Mr Eryx. I am absolutely fine.” She replied coldly. 

“Listen Irene. Hiding pain and tears is not the mark of being strong but rather cowardice.” I told her. “Cowardice? How?” She asked in bewilderment. 

“When you can’t face your own self? Then how can you face the world? Running away from it only makes you a coward, not brave.” I said, inducing the pit of chaos she was hiding by her cold walls. My words surely invoked something undesirable in her but she quickly shrugged them off and retorted, “Stop… talking delusions. In this world, the weak are taken advantage of.”

“And the feared ones died alone.” I said with a smile. Her Eyes widened for a second, wanting to say something but closing her mouth, she lowered her head, knowing my words were not empty but held great significance and unable to reply, she turned away, escaping the situation… I believe in her life.

“I… am sleepy.”