Chapter 113 LOVE THAT KILLS YOU

Chapter 113 LOVE THAT KILLS YOU
\- MELISSA -
"I won't be telling you that. I'm not that dumb. I'll tell you this, though. I've known for a while. It's why I got rid of it myself. Well, I guess this won't be a bad time to tell you that. You won't be able to get the beast out of me even if you rip me into pieces. I've killed him. He can never come back."

"That's not true. We have a way. Your shenanigans will never stop our plans," Jane retorted.

She had gotten tense, so tense that she was spouting anything that rolled out of her mouth.

"Is that what they told you? Well, pity. I guess in a way, you must have been used like I was." I grinned.

For some reason, knowing that brought me some comfort.

"Liar. Fuck you, Melissa. You lie like breathing. I will never believe you."

I laughed at her.

"Do I really look like what you believe matters to me? Wake up, Jane. I don't give a fuck what you think. The truth is the truth."

"You are lying. You are lying," Jane ranted, but this time her voice sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.

"But was it worth it, Jay?" My voice sank into a whisper. "Was it worth giving up your virginity, your son, and your whole life for?"

I noticed her body rotate. She was facing me fully now. My eyes traced her hands. They couldn't seem to stay up, but something caught my attention. She was trembling, visibly shaking, like she had a terrible cold.

I heaved a sigh.

"I guess we both are fools indeed."

I raised my head slowly, guiding my eyes past Jane to find the figure behind her at the far end of the hall, leaning on the wall. I had sensed him a long time ago, in fact. I just didn't want to see him, but now I feel like I do.

"I feel like my question shouldn't be for you, but for you, Mutheran."

He leaned away from the wall and started down the passageway. As he walked, guards bowed and vanished, the torch lights going off and the world behind him enveloping in darkness. It continued like that until he walked into the main area where the cells were lined up, all empty except for mine.

"Jane, leave us," he ordered.

Jane turned sharply. His gaze shifted into a glare immediately she looked at him. It was his way of telling her this was not up for debate.

Jane huffed, angrily storming out with steam practically shooting from her ears and nostrils. Well, not really, but imagining her like that lightened the mood for me so much that I smiled a little.

"So you have the strength to smile. I'm not surprised, actually. You're strong like that."

"I guess I should owe that to you. You taught me well. Thank you for putting me through so much lies and deceit. Now I can smile through pain effortlessly."

I grinned to show him that I meant every word.

His eyes lowered. I think I saw remorse on his face. Just thinking that I might have made my gut twist, and suddenly I had a stomachache.

The prison fell into silence for a moment, not one of us daring to speak. Finally, Mutheran broke the silence.

"You know I asked them to lock you up. I refused to let them touch you."

"Oh wow, I'm so grateful. I love it here. I've always been a fan of damp, dark holes in the ground and cell bars," I replied, my voice dripping with disgust and sarcasm.

"I actually did you a favor. They wanted to gut you right there and rip the beast out of you, but I..."

Those words stuck in his throat immediately I started laughing and clapped with my weak hands. I paused, giving him a surprised stare.

"Oh my God. Oh my. Isn't that what you wanted? To be praised for being so benevolent?"

"Lissa —"

"My name is Melissa Adams. If you came here to say all these fucking things, then please, use the door. I'd see you out, but I don't have the means."

He clenched his jaw, his features marred by anger. Furiously, he punched the wall. It cracked, and I watched him with a flat expression.
"Why are you like this, Lissa?" he growled at me.

My brows shot into my hairline.

‘Wait, is he mad at me? Seriously?’

I scoffed, not sure whether to cringe in disgust or just laugh. I couldn't for the life of me guess how on earth he figured that he should be the one getting upset right now.

I rolled my eyes just so he'd know I wasn't even the slightest bit moved by his show of emotion.

He exasperated loudly.

"Are you kidding me? I'm right here, Lissa. I'm right in your face. Do something. Beg me, Lissa. Beg me to save you. Tell me that you want to live, Lissa. Ask for my help."

My lips parted and I burst out laughing. My voice rose so high it surprised even me. I didn't think I'd have the energy to laugh so hard. I coughed for a while before easing into a chuckle, wiping tears from my eyes with a finger.

"Here I was thinking I was the pathetic one. Guess I lost that title too."

He hissed, massaging his temple with his index finger.

"If I leave here, you will lose this offer."

"Hold on a second. Do you really, really believe you're helping me? Like, for real? When did you become so dumb? No, are you trying to deceive me? That's it, right? You think that because you fooled me with your fake love, you'll fool me with fake care too? Come on, don't tell me you think so highly of yourself."

My brows pulled into a frown.

"Get off your high horse, Martin Mutheran. You are not that capable.”

"I wasn't faking it. It wasn't fake," he muttered under his breath.

Then his eyes lowered, searching for God knows what on the ground.
"Everything was real to me. I was never, not even for a moment, faking it."

My lips began to quiver. I buried my teeth into them, but it wouldn't stop. My eyes flickered desperately, trying to blink back the tears welling beneath my eyelids.

He wasn't looking at me. He couldn't see me falling apart.
He continued, not knowing the damage his words were making.

"I still love you. If you say it... if you tell me to save you, I will. I will..."

"Shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up!"

My screams pitched higher and higher until my lungs began to fail me and I couldn't scream anymore.

He stared at me with wide eyes. Shocked.

He had the nerve to be shocked.

"How dare you say that? How dare you? You..."

My voice broke off. I hit my chest, tears flowing freely down my cheeks. Yes, I failed to keep them away.

"You lied to me for so long. I loved you with everything I had. Everything inside of me. Every bone in my body, my heart, my soul, and you ripped me apart. How could you even do that? What did I ever do to you that I..."

My voice cracked completely. I buried my face in my hands and cried.
I knew this would happen the moment I sensed him in the prison walls. I knew he would push me to the brink and I wouldn't be able to hold it in, but I still let him do it.

I'm such an idiot. I'm such a fool.

"Listen..."
He moved, his hands reaching out to touch me.

"Don't you dare!"

I yelled, bolting backwards as fast as I could away from him.

He stood there, looking betrayed. That look on his face only fanned the flames of my anger.

I brushed tears off my eyes violently, then faced him.

"Please, please leave me alone. You want me dead, right? So you can take your fucking beast and let me fucking die. Stay away from me. I don't even want to see you again. I don't ever want to see you again. Stay as far away from me as possible, please."

He stepped back, struggling a little. Then he turned around, his back to me.

I saw his broad shoulders and wide back, the same features that had once given me closure and chased my fears away.

I fisted the clothes around my chest like it would somehow support my failing heart. I dropped to my knees, crying again. My breath came in jagged pants, like I had been stabbed and my body was collapsing. Like I was dying.

"Why?"

He froze. My question stilled him right where he stood.

I raised my head and looked at him.

"Why did you do it? What did I ever do to you?"

"It wasn't about you. It was never about you. You were just collateral damage. It was about the beast. I need the beast, but I have to break the vessel before the beast can come out. I have to break you. I... I don't want to do it. I still do..."

His voice trailed off. He heaved a breath.

"I'm sorry. If there's ever a next life, I will pay you back for what you've sacrificed for me. I will pay with my life. And if we have a life after that, I will continue to repay you even then."

"If we ever meet again, if we have a next life... and a life after that, I swear to you, Martins Mutheran, I will spend all my lifetimes hunting you down and gutting you like the animal you are.”