Chapter # 25

When Nathaniel and Zariah were in their room, De Villiers and Amanda were in theirs. De Villiers was lying on the bed until she came and placed a cup of coffee on the table for them. 'Here you go," 'Thanks," He hummed, not opening his eyes. Since their marriage, she had been devoted to him, she was trying her best to be a partner he won't regret having. She considered his presence in her life a second chance. Else, she never thought she would marry or fall in love again. 'Do you think they will be okay?" She asked vaguely, sitting beside him, watching him with his eyes closed, almost dozing off. He chuckled dryly, 'When were they ever? Do you see anything good in their lives?" She couldn't reply as he sat up gradually with a sigh. Taking a sip of his coffee and continued nonchalantly. 'From the very start, first Issac, then him losing his memories, saving her, her hatred, their separation." 'Better late than never, don't you think so?... Like us?" She ended up shyly, averting her gaze. She wasn't like this anymore but since their marriage, she was turning into someone she never was. Shy, sweet, caring. When she mentioned ‘like us', she stopped and arched an eyebrow, 'What do you mean?" Placing the mug back, his lips curled downwards. Sighing that dropped her smile, he placed his hand in the air defensively. 'I am sorry, Amanda, I have made this clear that we are in this marriage because I am taking responsibility," Her smile vanished, replaced with wretchedness. Holding her dress, she looked at her laps with a tear pricking in the corner. 'I am not a coward…but I don't feel anything for you," De Villiers confessed sadly, turning his head away with a clenched jaw, emitting a powerlessness that bound him to this marriage. He made a fist, a glimpse of discomfort which couldn't last long when she placed her hand over his, caressing his knuckles. His mouth gaped, placing his attention on her when she whispered beautifully that made his heart skip a beat. 'But you are taking responsibility, De Villiers, you are here, you are supporting. Brandon didn't and that means too much to me," He held her hand, features hardening to find it disapproving to be compared with that traitor. He would never be a pathetic coward like him. He would take responsibility. 'Not everyone is that brave and the fact you have accepted us gave me all the feelings I never felt before for you." She continued tenderly, raking her fingers in his hair. His gaze lowered, bringing her hand to kiss the back of her palm. And then his tenderness towards her was melting her heart. She couldn't stop herself. 'Don't make me feel bad by saying this. I didn't mean to hurt you, I am trying too and I will, for us, for our baby," He enunciated. 'What type of woman did you want in the first place?" She chuckled nervously. 'I-" He opened his mouth but then ended up chuckling, shaking his head as he brought his hand to her cheek. He knew she went through a lot, her life wasn't the best and he had no intentions of being a toxic husband. 'Doesn't matter anymore. When one is married, they don't type, they have ‘the one', their world, their everything," He whispered sincerely before responding wholeheartedly. 'And since we are married- You," 'A little bit crazy, shopping freak, seductive and our torture specialist," Laughing a little, he ended in a wink. She blushed, heart skipping countless beats to be held so affectionately, to hear these spellbinding words. She couldn't herself not consider him her world and everything. He was trying his best to be a good husband after all… 'Guess whose targets never miss either from the gun and below the belt?" She cracked a dirty joke, referring to her pregnancy. 'Hey," And they both laughed. Shaking their head before finishing their coffee and falling on the bed again as she wrapped her arms around his. He didn't say anything, in fact, shifted that hand under her head to pull her closer with a feeble smile. 'And then you say, how can I not fall for you, De Villiers?" 'Ah, I hope Boss could live a normal married life too one day. He deserves it, don't you think?" He whispered, not replying to her previous statement. 'Me too and you know what?" She hummed, resting her head on his chest to relax in his arms earnestly. 'That is what he- they both wanted. Not a plague doctor, or a killing machine. Just, Nathaniel and his Zari," 'I pray they will be like that one day," 'Me too," Back to Nathaniel and Zariah who were engrossed in eating and he began to tell her everything that happened at the airport. Because she was becoming dismayed by the Doctor's mask on the table. 'We are in Mumbai for now and in hiding." 'Why?" 'This," And he turned on the news where he emerged again as the Plague Doctor once again, not only in India, it spread rapidly in the world as the breaking news. 'Here, a bloodbath had taken place, no mercy was shown. The survivors confirmed it was the Plague Doctor with the same whistle but too frightened to tell about the person. But, the question remains how did he escape the public and live execution? And even if he did, what was the vicious leader doing in India? Here are words from the investigator officer, Sir Prakash," 'What is it, Nathaniel?" She asked, frightened. 'Exactly what you are hearing," He replied coldly, folding his arms at his chest while whistling as they continued. 'I do not know how he managed to escape his execution previously but one thing I can tell you for sure, it IS the work of the Plague Doctor. Not a replica, not a duplicate, The Real Plague Doctor." 'No, no, no, Nathaniel, you can't-" 'I have, Zari," 'We have sealed all transports, blocked all the paths in the area, sealed hotels and extended search parties. Shoot on sight orders have been launched. Indian police are on their best patrol to find this monster. We won't let him emerge again-" After hearing the news, Zariah was in utter shock, her jaw dropped as he turned off the LED with a cold shrug. 'As if they could catch me," Not believing that it was his divulgence which induced nothing but unwanted sensations in her. It was highly undesirable for her to fathom. With dismay coming to her features, she turned to Nathaniel who was nonchalantly sitting beside her. Her eyes were affixed on the news and his were on hers. 'Did you… do this?" She swallowed hard, turning to him distressfully. 'How dare he kidnap my Zari? Glad he hadn't hurt you or else I would have hunt his very soul," 'Are you… coming back as the Plague Doctor?" 'Mhm. I had no choice-" He nodded, sitting beside her and was about to touch her but she slapped his hand away. 'Why?!" 'What do mean why-" Her voice broke as she held his shirt, at this point, she was against all of it. It was undesirable for her. 'I thought you hated this and was going to leave it. Weren't we supposed to start our lives from this bloody mess? Together?" 'Zari, my darling, listen," 'I thought we were supposed to build a home… I thought we were going to escape from this hellhole like Prince did," 'We will, I promise you, do you believe in me?" He murmured. Holding her wrists to press her into him but she refused to listen with tears coming near her eyelids. His hatred and revenge was giving her terrible omens. She was becoming afraid- Afraid of losing him, and not only his life, but losing his identity, his emotions, his purpose in life, his everything… 'I do but I am tired, Nathaniel." She confessed. Lowering her head with wretchedness because upon seeing her mother's body… She knew life was not guaranteed, no one was safe in this prison of resentment. 'I don't want to live as a human killing machine or an ace anymore, I want you, just you," 'Is… that too much to ask for?" She asked desperately. Losing her composure in the desire of having a life away from these tribulations. Sighing at her wordings, he took her hand in his and kissed them. 'I am so sorry for all the troubles. This will get better, I swear. I am trying to balance things, will you stick with me?" 'Then… Why did you call me back?" To his hopeless call, she pulled her hand back gradually, disappointment creeping on his face. He blinked, 'Huh?" 'You never returned before until you were hundred percent sure. When you are ready and this time.. Midway…" But he had already replied to that question- He was yearning for two moments with her and further distance would be too agonizing for him- He couldn't. Not anymore. And then she asked in a spur of tense emotions what pierced his heart. 'You were using me…?" 'What…?" 'To lure Zoran? After knowing my pact with him…?" She asked vaguely and that hurt more than he could fathom. If De Villiers asked this, he might shrug it as nothing but her considering him that was disheartening. 'Of course not! Why do you think that?" Yet he lied. But it was the opposite, he let Zoran lure her so he could call her to Amsterdam herself and capture her. He wanted her to believe that ‘she' came to ‘him', not any of schemings so it would evoke pride that she abandoned everything and came to him. Yet to hear him using her was not right- at least not his point of view- discard others. Exhaling at his frown, she shook her head in disappointment and rested her head against his chest. 'Zari, I can be insincere to this world but not you, trust me," He whispered, kissing the top of her head. She held his shirt weakly, shutting her eyes from exhaustion, unable to bear this vicious life anymore and murmured. 'Don't be insincere to my feelings, you are all I have left, you are my dream, foundation, my hope, Nathaniel," 'And I will be, relax, Darling, I am here, I will make everything better," 'I am tired, when is it all going to stop?" 'Soon. Very soon," He knew he must eradicate his hatred and nightmares soon if he wanted to live peacefully with Zariah because if he didn't… His resentment would gobble him and he won't be himself anymore- Or maybe it was too late and hadn't realized it yet? He didn't know…