Enchanting Passion & Retribution

Episode 8

Rina’s thoughts were scattered, each memory pulling her deeper into a well of painful nostalgia. She hadn’t even realized how much time had passed until Carlos’ sharp hiss broke the silence, snapping her back to reality. Her vision blurred as she wiped at her eyes, noticing the tears streaming down her face. She hadn’t been aware of how long she had been lost in her thoughts, but the world around her felt strangely distant.

Carlos’ eyes flickered with annoyance, though there was an edge of concern beneath it. "You’ve been staring at nothing for over ten minutes," he remarked coldly. "Snap out of it."

The harshness of his words stung, but Rina didn’t respond. She was too focused on the hurt bubbling inside her. The silence between them was thick, broken only by the faint sounds of the wind rustling the leaves outside the house.

Collins, who had been quietly watching her, noticed the tear-streaked face and the tension in her shoulders. There was something in her expression—a mix of vulnerability and raw emotion—that made his chest tighten. He didn't know what to make of it. Part of him wondered if she was trying to manipulate him, but another part couldn't ignore the way her pain seemed so real.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the uneasy stillness. Rina was sprinting toward the back of the house, moving swiftly and with purpose. Carlos and Collins exchanged a glance, unsure whether to follow or wait.

Rina skillfully evaded the enemies lying in wait, her movements quick and calculated. She was fast, far faster than anyone had expected, her desperation pushing her forward. The hidden passageways of the house seemed to open up before her, as if they were welcoming her return.

In the secret room, she retrieved the documents and the family pictures—those precious mementos of her parents that had long been locked away. With the items in hand, she made her way back to the others, the weight of her past still heavy on her shoulders.

Collins and Carlos, left to wonder during her absence, had briefly entertained the idea that she might have tried to escape. But deep down, they decided to trust her—perhaps foolishly, perhaps because they felt a strange connection to her. They chose not to send anyone after her, believing that she needed to prove herself, even if they didn’t fully understand her.

As Rina neared the clearing, she heard voices—low and murmuring—carrying through the quiet. She froze in place, instinctively pressing herself against the wall. The voices belonged to her supposed spouse and his best friend. The words that followed sent a jolt of shock through her:

"We did it," her supposed spouse said with an air of triumph. "They’re gone—her parents, the company, everything. It’s ours now."

Rina’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. The weight of the betrayal crushed her. She had known deep down that something wasn’t right, but hearing those words from the people she had trusted most shattered her.

"They never saw it coming," the friend laughed darkly. "And as for her... well, once she’s out of the picture, we’ll have full control."

Rina’s chest constricted. Her knees weakened beneath her, but she pushed herself to stand tall. She didn’t want to hear any more. Without a word, she turned and left, her footsteps swift as she made her way back to the car, the tears that had threatened to fall finally breaking free.

Carlos and Collins stood by the vehicle when she approached. Carlos, initially caught off guard by the icy coldness in her gaze, watched in silence as she climbed into the back seat without a word. The air between them felt heavy with unspoken emotions, and he couldn’t help but see her in a new light—a woman who had shown courage and resilience in the face of such overwhelming betrayal.

As the car began to move, Carlos realized just how harshly he had treated Rina in the past. His earlier comments, designed to belittle her, had left a mark. It wasn’t lost on him that her coldness was, perhaps, a result of his own careless words. He hadn’t expected her to distance herself so completely, but now he understood—she was protecting herself, just as he had done for so long.

For the rest of the ride, the silence was palpable. Collins, as usual, kept his thoughts to himself. Carlos, feeling the weight of the moment, stared out of the window, grappling with the guilt gnawing at his insides. He hadn’t meant to push Rina away, but he couldn’t help but feel that his behavior had irrevocably changed the dynamic between them.

As they reached the estate, Carlos glanced at Rina through the rearview mirror. She was trembling slightly, her eyes fixed on the window, her lips parted as if she were trying to steady her breathing. And then, he saw it—the faintest hint of tears, the quiet tremor of her body as she tried to hold herself together.

In a moment of clarity, Carlos’ mind raced with one singular thought: Collins. He reached for his phone, fingers flying over the screen as he composed a message.

Did you do this to her? Did you hurt her?

The question was simple but loaded with accusations. But as he hit send, something in him felt off. He doubted Collins would hurt Rina. But was it possible? Was Rina's pain stemming from something deeper than what she had let on?

Collins, however, didn’t believe the accusation. He frowned as he read the message, shaking his head. Rina hadn’t shown any signs of being physically harmed, and he was certain that his actions had been nothing but patient and composed, even if distant.

When they arrived at the estate, Rina immediately locked herself in her room. She didn’t eat, didn’t speak. She cried for days, each tear a reminder of the betrayal she had uncovered. Collins and Carlos were left outside her door, unsure of how to reach her, how to fix what had been broken.

Carlos, after some reflection, realized that his own issues with trust had contributed to the damage between him and Rina. He had been conditioned by years of heartache, and it had caused him to lash out at the one person who hadn’t deserved it.

He stood outside her door one evening, his knuckles tapping gently. “Rina,” he called softly. “Can we talk?”

She didn’t respond at first, but eventually, the door creaked open just enough for their eyes to meet. Carlos took a deep breath, steadying himself before speaking again.

“I... I’m sorry,” he said, his voice earnest. “I’ve been a fool. I’ve trusted no one for so long that I didn’t know how to treat you, how to understand you. I let my own past define my actions, and I hurt you because of it. I’m truly sorry.”

Rina’s gaze softened, though her pain was still evident. She realized that Carlos, like her, had a past filled with scars and betrayals. She understood now that they weren’t so different after all, and perhaps that was why the trust between them had been so fragile.

She took a step back, nodding slowly. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “I’ve learned not to let betrayal stop me from trusting. But it takes time.”

Carlos smiled faintly. "It does."

---

As Rina slowly began to heal, Carlos stepped away, leaving her with the space she needed. He urged her to eat, to regain her strength. Meanwhile, Collins remained distant, still wrestling with his own fears of trust and vulnerability.

Carlos, after a long conversation with Collins, urged him to reconsider his stance. “You can’t keep living like this, man,” he said, his voice firm. “Maybe it’s time to give trust another chance. Rina... she deserves more than this.”

Collins remained silent, his mind heavy with doubt. "What if I trust her, only to have it torn away again? I can’t... I can’t risk it."

But Carlos wouldn’t back down. “If you don’t trust her, you’ll never move forward. Don’t let your past control your future.”

Rina, overhearing their conversation, understood the depth of the struggle they both faced. She couldn’t let the past dictate her future either, and she knew the importance of moving forward, of healing, no matter how difficult it seemed.

---

After much contemplation, Collins made a difficult decision. He called Rina into his office one evening, his voice calm but determined.

“I think it’s time for you to start fresh,” he said, his eyes meeting hers. “I’ve arranged for you to go abroad. You’ll have a chance to build a new life, free from the shadows of your past.”

Rina’s heart sank. The thought of leaving everything behind felt like another betrayal. But she knew it was a chance—a chance to escape the ghosts of her past and forge her own future.

“Will you be okay?” Collins asked softly, his concern genuine.

She nodded, the weight of the decision heavy on her shoulders. “I will be.”

As she prepared for the journey ahead, Rina realized that this was the beginning of something new—an opportunity to leave behind the person she had been and embrace the woman she was becoming.