CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIX : FAILED

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY-SIX : FAILED
ETHAN’S POV

I was too late!

That was the only thing I thought as I walked in to see Leah’s entire body engulfed in flames.

I ran as fast as my legs could take me.

I had no idea when exactly I reached her, but I knew I barely cared about anything.

Not even the pain of the fire burning through the skin of my palms as I tore her dress off her skin.

I could hear a voice screaming from behind me, yet it sounded so far away.

The only thing that echoed in my head was Leah’s continuous brutal cry.

“I would not let you die.

I’ll never let you, Leah,” I chanted to her, as I finally ripped the last piece of cloth off her skin, stepping on it, and killing the flames with my legs.

Her body trembled as I wrapped my arms around her, bringing her closer to me.

“Ethan,” She whispered my name softly, and I was damned.

I could feel the dampness which stains my cheeks as I looked at her feeble body.

Her skin was hot from the heat of the fire, and yet I wanted to cool it on my own.

I knew she was in pain.

I could see glaring bruises from the fire around her skin, as more tears trailed down my cheeks.

“I’m so sorry Leah.

I promised to always protect you, and I failed,” I said softly, hearing her small groan of pain which left her lips, and how badly I wished I could take her pain away.

I dearly wished that God could heal her and stop making her suffer.

Rather, He should give me all of her pain.

I’ll gladly bear the cross of it.

“What have you done!” That familiar voice screamed again from behind me.

And this time, I finally turned.

But then, I was met with the shock of my life.

Standing there was a woman that looked exactly like Leah.

But I knew it, in every pore and every vein that flowed through my body that she was not Leah.

Just the same exact way I had known Aveline was my Leah from the day I laid my eyes on you.

“Why do you love her so much Ethan!

Why!

Tell me why!

You even jumped into the flames of fire for her!” Jennifer screamed.

Her screeching voice echoing in the air.

Her eyes flared wide with madness.

And I knew immediately that she had lost her wits completely.

But I did not pity her one bit.

I only wished her the most painful death for putting my Leah through pain time and time again.

“You are supposed to be in jail

What are you doing here?” I hissed with barely controlled rage as I stepped before Leah, shielding her from Jennifer.

“Step away from her, Ethan.

Let’s end this once and for all.

Then, we can finally get married.

Leah was the only thing keeping you from loving me,” she pleaded softly.

And I felt nothing but disgust looking at her and knowing I once believed a woman like her.

“You’ll have to kill me first to take Leah away from me, Jennifer,” I spat, my eyes bleeding with nothing but rage as I stared at her.

“And I’ve told you time and time again, that there’ll never be another woman in my life apart from Leah.

You should know that by now very well,” I bit out with nothing but honesty.

“She ruined your family, Ethan.

How could you love her!

She killed your grandfather, she…”

“No she did not!” I roared.

“You killed my grandfather, then you framed Leah for it.

And then, you also tried to kill Leah!

Why did you think I got you locked up?

And if my family is ruined today it is nobody's fault but you and me,” I barked.

Her face twisted in rage, her gun raised high in the air, still pointed directly at me, but I knew she was aiming for Leah.

“What exactly did I tell you the day you let the cops drag me out of that warehouse, Ethan?” Jennifer said.

And as if on cue, memories of that day flashed through my mind as her voice echoed in my head.

“You think you have won, right?

After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you repay me?

You don’t have the right to live happily if I’m in jail, Ethan Blackwood.

I’ll make you suffer for doing this to me.

I’ll destroy you!” 

My hands which held Leah behind me tightened as I stared at Jennifer.

“I have planned carefully for years, Ethan.

I took every step with precision.

And you never once stopped to think that you caught me so easily did you?” She laughed, mocking me.

“How could you?

When you were so eager to prove yourself to your Leah,” she bit out with so much venom.

“That day, you only caught me because I wanted to be caught.

And you could only arrest me, because I wanted to be arrested.

I needed you off my back for this moment, when I finally got rid of your dearest Leah.”