CHAPTER 92

She was walking back and forth tensely. "My concern is that they will know the location of this place. What if... they take all my pets from here? I can't accept that I took care of them and kept them alive only to die at their hands!"

Oh shit. Because Liam and I didn't say anything to Hen that he should bring the police when he comes here, eh.

"You go through there," she pointed to the back side of us and there was a door there. "Take that road out here. There's a car parked there and... get in it. It's more of a hassle if you take your car in front. The police will be here at any time."

"Come with us-"

"Not anymore, Liam." Lucile gave us her weak smile. "As long as I live, I will not let the police set foot on my territory. Until my last breath, I will protect them."

The dogs and cats here are noisy and playing happily, they are very lucky to have Lucile. That even if I wanted to try to convince Lucile to just run away, I knew I would only fail. Because right at this moment, the love she has for her pets that she adopted and raised here in her fortress in the middle of the farm prevails in her heart.

"Kris, come on-"

"Go away, Kris!" I heard her deafening scream at me again. "Let me die here. I deserve it, sis."

"Lucile, please... don't fight back. Just surrender," I begged; begging her to listen. "If you surrender properly to them, you will live and they will be safe. You can still take care of them even if you are inside the prison."

"Please..." I approached Lucile and couldn't stop myself from hugging her. "I was mad at you, yes... but for now, I want to forget about it. Let's make it up to each other." I made her face me. "Let's meet in jail, not at your funeral. Please..."

"Let's see." She laughs. "The time is new now, huh. This time, I won't run. I won't hide. Because at this time..." She moved away from me to pick up the gun she had thrown. "I found my reason to fight back… and I wanted to protect these animals… with this gun."

She completely turned her back on us and walked away.

"Lucile!"

"Kris, come on-"

"Lucile, please! Don't fight-"

"Kris, come on!" Liam pulled me out of the door that Lucile pointed out to us, so we could go out.

As Lucile told us, we caught a car. Liam immediately let me in there and quickly started the car. I just looked outside until we passed the door to enter the animal shelter, I heard a series of gunshots... and on the floor... Lucile's body fell.

"Stop the car."

"We have to get out of here-"

"Liam, stop it!" I didn't give up screaming. "Lucile needs help. It's a pity! Haven't you seen her-"

"I don't even want to know that she's gone. What could the police do if she fought back, Kris-"

"Stop it!"

I approached him and grabbed the steering wheel from him. We both fought but I didn't give up trying to control the car from him.

"Kris, we're going to crash. Stop!"

"Stop it because-"

"Wait." I felt his foot stomping again and again. "I don't think the brake is working."

I realized what he said and walked away from him. I stepped on the brake but nothing happened. The car does not stop. Shit.

"W-What are we going to do-"

"It really doesn't work!"

Liam's forehead was already sweating when he tried to break but nothing happened - until he finally lost control of the car and the car we were riding crashed into a pole.

I... once again... trying to survive from a car accident.

*****

HENRIX

"How is he doing? What did the doctor say about her condition?"

"She's doing fine but still unconscious. There is still no exact time as to what time or what day she will wake up," I was really frustrated answering Liam's question as I faced him. "Why did you have an accident? Were you not careful?"

"The car doesn't have brakes, Henrix. We didn't know it didn't have brakes-"

"But why does Kris have to be the one who got the most damage?" I use my palm to rub my eyes. "It's not because... you're the one I'd rather be in danger right now. But you see-"

"I understand, Henrix. Because it happened familiarly, eh. This accident happened to her before. And I'm the reason again."

"Kris's condition is worse now," I stated. "She has a minor internal bleeding on her brain, caused by the accident. The doctor told me that there is a chance for recovery, but then... we should expect some complications."

"But will Mama wake up?"

Kris and I were the ones who couldn't bear to interrupt our conversation with Liam.

"Mama will be fine, won't she?"

"She'll wake up, Audrey."

"Isn't it, daddy?" Aud ignored Liam, and instead, she looked at me and held on. "Tell me she'll be fine."

"What's the reason for your mom not being okay?" Maybe my laughter would help, so that Aud wouldn't worry too much, I did. "She'll be fine, of course."

"Don't you want to say goodbye to your dad?" I belonged to Liam. "He'll be sending himself to prison because he has committed a crime before. Would you mind saying goodbye to him at least?"

With a shock on her face, Audrey's grip on my arm loosened. Like my reaction when I found out that Liam was the culprit in the death of the two men who harassed Aud, well... Audrey's face drew the same reaction.

"I will... visit you there." She couldn't make eye contact with Liam while making her speech. "I will try to visit there often. And I will also bring Mama once she is okay."

"That means a lot to me, Audrey."

"But don't rush me..." Her sweet voice collapsed... became cracked. "That I can immediately accept that you will be a father to me. I think... I need more time."

Liam clicked his tongue. "I'm not in a hurry, eh. You're just talking to me... anyway, I'm okay with this."

"Just when you're ready to consider me as one of your two handsome daddies, don't hesitate to let me know." Liam smiled at us later before he left the hospital. It's time for him to face the law and answer for the sin he committed before.

"Do you want to go home with me to get some clothes?"

"I'll stay here."

"Okay." I kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be right back, Audrey."