Chapter # 8

AMSTERDAM Mark was doing some work while Nathaniel and Zariah sat down for dinner. She was disquiet to fathom it was his planning, to cause a crash. Leaving the Underworld to reveal the identity of the prey he wanted to torment ruthlessly and now everything was gradually how he wanted. 'Since Sufiyan has left, Zoran can reveal himself," Nathaniel explained nonchalantly, finishing his food while she was staring at him. ‘No wonder why he was known as the Plague Doctor, he already arranged everything. All pieces were according to him,' She thought in admiration. Still, she was bewildered about one thing. 'Why did he hide himself all this time? Where was he?" They became serious abruptly, giving a clear-cut response on why he never came to the surface. 'Fear." 'What? Really?" They nodded sternly. Mark exhaled a sigh, explaining further how he had held a firm grip over that family. 'He is profoundly petrified of Boss, as long as he was the Plague Doctor, he remained underground but now after Boss left… he is free." Her heart skipped a beat, almost pondering what they did that he was hellbent after them with so much resentment. Upon noticing her daze, Nathaniel whistled to gain her attention with a smirk, 'Do you want to know a secret, Zari?" 'What?" 'One of the main reasons why I left- faked my death… It was one of them. I want to rip Zoran out of his hole," 'So it was not emotional but rather a fully planned step. Not only to get away from me but you… you had other plans," She spoke, grasping a glimpse of how extreme steps he had always taken. 'Of course, I was never among those who take hasty steps. I thoroughly thought them through." From killing Issac. Killing Alessandra. Axel so he won't take Zariah's name. Sending her to jail. He always took extreme methods and it made her shiver that all his actions always held a meaning, they were never… baseless or emotions. 'He rips cures, everyone knows. Why are you looking so astonished, Madam?" Mark asked in chuckle, tilting his head in confusion. 'Because," She paused, holding the hem of her dress. Eyes affixed on Nathaniel who was washing the dishes while whistling to himself as she completed herself. 'To me he was just… Nathaniel." To her innocent reply, his eyebrows furrowed, turning slightly as she continued with a sorrowful smile. 'I honestly never thought how devilish or intricate his mind would be." 'I just cared that he would return and make me his… I didn't think, just held faith in him, his words, his memories, in Nathaniel- not Plague Doctor." Ending in a chuckle, she greeted his stern gaze, almost displeased- or she could say, disturbed at her perspective. 'I was just a puppet in the end after all, I couldn't think that much, my fault." Taking blame on herself, knowing how emotionless, thoughtless she used to be at the beginning that everyone refused to believe her- That she could ever ‘feel' anything for anyone. 'My fault, my fault," She mumbled, shaking her head to not make the moment awkward as Nathaniel stopped abruptly. 'Upstairs is my room. You can go there and freshen up," He spoke coldly. 'You?" 'I have some work to finish. Go and rest," He said without looking at her. Nodding, she didn't think much and went to his opulent room. She changed into his shirt after a shower, blowing on her bruised and hurting wrist by the ties. Sighing, she was looking out of the window. 'Oh Lord, Please don't let this chance get destroyed. Not this time," She whispered wholeheartedly. She knew was a dominant and powerful woman now… still, for him, she wanted to abandon her own identity and live in this moment. With him. Her world started and ended with his after all. Then how could she accept anything else? Smiling to herself emptily, she was unsure where this would lead and to hasten her heartbeats, his loud footsteps echoed. Her body froze, a blush adorning her cheek beautifully remembering her wedding night. …. "Do you know what I hate the most?" Nathaniel scowled, taking a step further, she stumbled upon her wedding dress, breaths tightening around her throat. "Pathetic people like you." It was an unbelievable emotion coming from her- powerlessness. How can she, Zariah Ezekiel, be weak? By a mere man? … But how perspective, feelings, thoughts, everything had changed. Now she knew he was her only weakness. He knew she was his only weakness. 'Don't remember that night, it was not that memorable anyways," Standing behind her in his dominant form, hands in his pockets as he hovered on her petite form with an inscrutable expression. Her mouth gaped, 'What- How do you..?" 'I have strong and almost accurate instincts." 'My everything related to you, even pain, misery, distance is beautiful. Everything is mesmerizing." She smiled, holding the hem of her dress, looking at the shining moon, indulging in the moment with him so close, darkness spreading arrestingly. 'I know," He hummed, placing one hand on the ledge, beside her face to keep her trapped in his vicinity. Gathering her courage, she turned to him, softening her gaze. Well aware her tone changed completely into a gentle one, being timid and innocent with him. 'Nathaniel, you haven't answered, are you angry with me?" She mumbled, fidgeting her fingers around his shift anxiously. 'Do I look happy?" His amusement faded, replaced with a frown as he grabbed her wrist to make her maintain the keen eye contact. Her throat dried as she shook her head in denial, 'No," 'Then I am damn enraged but for the sake that we are meeting are a damn year, I am silent," He growled in a low tone, grip tightening over her wrist, making her wince as he brought them dangerously closer. Their talk was left hanging when Mark came but the fact she went to him was highly unfavorable. 'What the fuck you were doing in India with Zoran?" 'I didn't know you were enemies-" She whimpered, attempting to leave her wrist. But he pressed her against the window firmly, closing their gap to the point he could feel the heat from the closeness. 'Enemies? Heck, he is not my enemy, he is not worthy of that position." He hissed. 'Then?" Leaving her wrist to wrap his fingers around her throat with the most malevolent hint she had ever seen. His eyes darkened, emitting a strange temptation. Mixing his breaths with hers, he stared dead into her eyes while declaring in a seductive whisper. 'Him and his whole lineage is my slave, my fucking dogs to execute whenever I please," She shivered but he kept holding her throat, forcing her to witness the deadliness of his aura as he continued in her ears. 'They live on my mercy, their lives are in my hands, I OWN them," And then brushing his lips on her cheek, to keep their faces extremely close, licking them dangerously. 'So tell me, what business you had with a lowly life as himself?" As she had never seen him like this, it was frightening her. Trembling, she dared to hold his wrist so he could remove his hand. 'I-I had no idea-" 'Why were you there? I do not care if you didn't know. Why did you go to India in the first place?" He growled, liberating her after noticing the discomfort he induced in her. He couldn't let her see his maliciousness after all. 'Nathaniel-" At her attempt to call, he turned her around and pressed his chest over her back, keeping her body caged in his muscular one. 'Wasn't the playground I provided you enough?" He murmured, softening his tone so she won't be startled anymore. 'Playground?" 'Why do you think you are safe and sound, Zari? You had my hand over your head all this time," He suppressed a chuckle, amusement coming back at her ignorance. 'That is why they never hurt me- But-" 'Or would you taunt me like before that I was doing this to degrade you?" He mocked but it pissed her off. Growling, she slapped his hands away, pushing him by his chest. 'Why are you so angry, Nathaninel? Okay, I am sorry, I was wrong before and now too." 'You were protecting me and I… refused to listen, and now sorry for going to Zoran. He was just paying well for-" 'Did you take money from him as well?" He hissed. He couldn't help it. His mind was too furious at Zoran's mention. 'For the file-" 'Burn that down, there won't be any use of his damn stained, unworthy money in our-" Before Nathaniel could speak mindless Zariah reminded him. 'Our?" And then, she spoke of the heartbreaking outcome they choose with a heavy heart. 'You do realize I am your… ex-wife, right?"