NEVER BROKEN

Separate Lives

"Seiya!"

Two distinct voices called from opposite directions. The first to approach them was York. He was with Seiya in a second.

It took a while for Serena to turn around, taking her hand from Seiya's hold and fingering the rose's stem in the other. The other voice was Ami Lawson's.

The recognition in Serena's eyes was apparent in the way her blue irises responded to Ami's graceful stance. She could see how the woman paled. Blood was pounding loudly in Serena's ears. Her knees felt like they would not support her and she wished that the ground would break and swallow her. Darien was the first one to speak. He eyed her contemptuously.

"What have you been doing to yourself?" he asked when they were within earshot. He must have noticed the shadow under her eyes and her paleness. "Are you even eating properly?"

Serena was enraged but refused to reply. She would not give him the satisfaction of berating her in front of Rei. Sparks continued to fly between their stares. The line of his mouth was uncompromising. His virility was almost visible and she shifted her gaze away from his handsome face.

"It's nice to see you, Ami, Rei," she said instead. Both women nodded but did not answer.

"I'm sorry I missed your concert, Seiya," Ami apologized after York hurriedly left. He only managed to wave amicably to all of them especially to Serena. "Oh, this is my brother, Darien and his secretary, Rei Farley."

Seiya acknowledged them, apparently missing the exchange between her and Darien.

"That's okay, Doctor. By the way, Serena, do you know, Dr. Lawson? She's a very young specialist but the most promising there is. You may ask her what you wanted to know about me," he smiled charmingly at her, as if they have some big secret and Darien well noted it.

"Yes, I know... Dr. Lawson. She's very respected here." She glanced at her sister-in-law. "I'll ask her some other time. Please excuse me." But before she could get away from them, a hand caught her arm.

"Kindly excuse me and my wife," Darien interjected coolly, emphasizing the last word. Serena forced herself to look into Seiya's frame, to let him know that everything was okay. A mixed emotion crossed his face surprise, hurt, compassion, she wasn't sure. There was an understanding in them that she had always remembered. She felt Darien's fingers tightened their hold on her arm and tried hard not to show the pain in her face. She felt like they've walked a hundred steps away from Ami and Rei but Darien hadn't slackened his hold on her one bit.

Where are we going? she thought.

"Mrs. Lawson!"

She and Dariend came to a halt at the girl's excited voice. She knew that girl.

Serena's eyes softened as they rested on the flower girl on her wedding day. My, how pretty she'd grown. Sammy used to bully this kid mercilessly.

"Mika," she acknowledged as the girl walk-run toward them, her breath coming out in little gasps.

"Oh, it's really you. I'm so happy!"

Serena shook her head and laughed a little, unaware that Darien was eyeing her intently. "Did you come here with your mother?"

"Yes, she's waiting for me in the car. We agreed to meet there as she was with some old friends from the organization."

Ah, so Mika's mother still ran these charity shows.

"Hello, Mr. Lawson," the girl said to Darien.

The man tilted his head. She had always been in awe of his dark good looks.

"You look so good together," she remarked.

"Thank you," Serena heard herself saying and felt Darien stiffen beside her. She was transported back to the time when they were married and that was the most frequent remark of the well-wishers.

"Here." She handed over to Mika the rose Seiya gave her on the stage.

"Are you sure?" Mika was holding the long-stemmed flower with both hands; with no intention of giving it back should Serena say otherwise. "I've been a fan of him ever since. I watched that concert of his four years ago."

"Then all the reason for you to keep that souvenir, right?" She smiled at the girl. Mika was her only reminder of the fairy tale love she dreamt of and once thought she had. The little lady saw her relationship to Darien though rose-colored spectacles. "I'm sure Seiya would love to hear you have it."

"Thank you. I'll treasure it." She turned to Darien. "You are very lucky, Mr. Lawson. Your wife wouldn't even keep a flower from another man."

"She shouldn't have accepted it," was the curt reply.

Serena could almost shake her head at his show of possessiveness. There was no need to go that far. It was Mika's benefit, she was sure.

"It was so nice of you to come upstage. That man with his little girl told you, didn't he? My mother said his daughter has an illness similar to Seiya Kou's."

Serena felt her legs finally lose strength. Darien muttered an expletive under his breath as he steadied her.

"I'm afraid my wife didn't know, Mika." His tone was emotionless.

Why would he care if she went up the stage unknowing that Seiya was sick? My wife... She didn't know why she wanted to defend herself.

"I wanted to hear it from him," she added lamely.

She wanted to confirm it but Seiya didn't. But the man did tell her. Her friends at their row were really pushing her to go to Seiya's side but she would not budge. She thought it was just a ploy to get her onstage. And then that man approached her. She knew his wife. She used to baby sit the couple's first child. He talked to her after his daughter had given the rose to Seiya.

"Oh. I didn't think Seiya would use it to get out of the limelight. He cares enough for his fans to pull something as low as that. And to think that it made you cry..."

She couldn't hear half of what Mika was saying. Darien's arms around her was too much for comfort. She tried to pull herself together. So it's true. He's dying...

"You wouldn't believe it from the way he sings and looks on stage, huh? He's bearing the pain quite well"

...must talk to Ami.

Darien was still supporting her and Serena wiped the perspiration on her brow. She apologetically took her weight off Darien and turned to Mika. "Your mom must be worried where you've been off to," she reminded.

"Oh!" seemed to be Mika's favorite expression. "By the way," she turned around again, "my father said Mr. Portman is ill. I used to visit him with my Dad after you moved out; but we never had the chance since we changed houses. He likes to know if your father is any better."

"Tell him, my father is fine. Nurse Mina is taking good care of him"

"I will. Bye"

She found herself standing near the exit of the vacated auditorium. Molly was nowhere to be seen.

"Since when have you been back?" Darien demanded.

"A few months ago. Listen, I don't see why I need to explain anything to you "

"How could you assign yourself as your father's keeper if you can't even take care of yourself? Why do you think I regularly send you an allowance?"

"To make me feel as small as possible, maybe," she retorted, and regretted it the moment it left her lips. "I'm sorry. We're separated, Darien. People won't blame you even if I die tomorrow."

"Damn it!" He grabbed her. "Do you think it's the reason? Because of what people would say?"

"What else!" she shouted back, removing her arm from his hold. It reminded her of a few similar scenes in their bedroom back home...

"I don't care what you believe. Just don't kill yourself because of your stupid pride."

"As if you care." She could kick herself for the hurt in her voice. He didn't answer.

"I heard that your brother made some very bad investments." He was once again the cool businessman.

"It doesn't matter. In a few months, they'd acknowledge the new chairman. My father has given up Discs, Ltd. altogether. I'm surprised you didn't know."

"I stopped concerning myself about your father's company after we were separated."

It hurt. It really did. Serena thought it would not affect her but it did.

"Alain Ledger is being considered for the chairmanship."

"Didn't he want to marry you four years ago?" he sneered.

"As a matter of fact, he still does," she said before he could stop herself. "But I can't marry him, can I? Because I'm still married to you!"

He moved a step closer and his face was inches from her.

"Well, I won't be pawn for your father to secure his company again, do you hear me?" he said in a low voice. "I've done it once as payoff for my father's weakness but I won't be as generous twice." He could have just killed her for the pain that statement caused. But she tried to make sense of what he was saying.

"I would not give you a divorce even if it means I'll be wasting my chance for freedom forever. You will never be free to marry Alain. Ever."

"Who said I need to marry him?"

He grabbed her with both hands then, speaking so near to her left ear that she could feel his hot breath on her skin.

"Give yourself to him and I will destroy your father's company myself before they could name Alain president," he threatened before releasing her.

She couldn't raise her head if her life depended on it.

"Why are you doing this, Darien?" she almost cried. "Rei loves you. You're wasting your chance at happiness with her."

"Nobody tells me what to do." He left her abruptly after that.