Leanna

[Estela's POV]

[The Assassins]

Let me not be too late!

Let me not be too late!

I chanted while driving like a madwoman on a motorcycle I stole.

A while ago, we were just enjoying buying souvenirs, and the next thing I knew, Leanna got kidnapped right under my nose without me even knowing.

My brother entrusted her to me, and I failed him.

If something happened to her –– I could never forgive myself.

I held myself from crying.

This is not the time for it.

I glanced at my watch. I was getting nearer.

I left the motorcycle on the side of the forest and ran deeper inside.

I was following the tracker when it disappeared.

Crappy P***!

Something must have happened at the locket.

BANG!

NO!

Without thinking, I sprinted towards that sound while ignoring the men lying unconscious along the way.

In the end, I saw Four injured with a gunshot on her shoulder and leg. She was limping, avoiding the bullets coming from a lean man.

Saber!

I grabbed my daggers strapped on my thighs and threw it on Saber before he could pull the trigger that would end Four's life.

Saber sensed my presence and quickly avoided the daggers before it could even graze him.

As expected of an S class hitman.

Four quickly took the opportunity to hide against the protection of trees while I flung forward at the man, slashing him with two daggers in hand.

Saber just avoided my sharp blades. But, I still managed to slice some of his flesh. I didn't stop attacking, not allowing him to retaliate with his gun. He tried to point, but I kicked his weapon and twirled my body with my knives in hand to land him the finishing blow.

However, this man had luck on his side. He tripped against one of the protruding roots, and my knife missed his throat.

"Don't kill him!"

I briefly lost my focus when Four shouted, and that was all the man needed. He kicked my feet, and I fell on the ground as he flipped himself up and pulled out another gun from his vest, and aimed at me.

"Young miss!" Four shouted in a panic.

BANG!

Argh!

The gun flew from Saber's hand as he recoiled, grunting in pain as he held his broken wrist. And before I could even render him unconscious, someone already beat me to it.

Cedrick magically appeared behind Saber's back and gripped the man's arm before he hit Saber's nape, and the latter fell on the ground –– unconscious.

"One . . . ," Four whispered and limped towards us despite her injuries. "I'm sorry––!"

SLAP!

Before Four could finish her sentence, a resounding slapped echoed, and she fell hard on the ground.

"Disgraceful."

Cedrick stared at her in contempt as he wiped his hand with a hanky –– gone was the kind, well-mannered secretary he portrayed.

"This is not the time to render punishment. Where's Leanna?" I got up and roamed my eyes.

"She escaped."

Despite everything else, Four forced out the words from her bleeding mouth. Her face was expressionless without a hint of anger –– only shame and guilt.

----

[Leanna's POV]

[Chaos!]

I woke from the smell of antiseptic and the blinding bright lights that assaulted my eyes.

"Len-Len . . ."

My eyebrows twitched as I swept the white room to find my mother's anxious voice.

"Len-Len, what do you feel?"

My mother was sitting beside me as she held my hand, crying nonstop.

"Leanna, how are you feeling?"

My father strode by my mother's side, looking all strict, yet eyes full of worry.

"Cain . . . ," I whispered when I saw no one else besides us.

I tried to move, but my right leg was plastered, and my body was heavy, and I was attacked with dizziness at the abrupt movement.

"Stay still, honey . . ." My mother held my shoulders to keep me from moving.

"Mom, where's Cain?" My voice cracked when I saw my family's bewildered gazes like they were seeing a crazy woman.

Cain would never leave my side, knowing that I was injured even if my family was here.

"Where's Cain?!" My high pitch voice alarmed the people beside me.

"Leanna . . ." My mother stared at me, expression thick with questions.

"Who is Cain?"

What?

My hand caught my attention . . . It was bigger than what it was.

Air seemed tight as I gasped for breath, but it felt like I couldn't inhale anything. It was so tight and suffocating! I was panicking at the realization that I seemed to went back in time that I was twenty-something and haven't met Cain at all.

N-no . . .

"Len-Len, what's wrong?!"

"Quick, get the doctor!"

No . . .

My fingers clasped my chest, refusing to accept all it was –– was a dream.

A dream?

No . . .

No . . .

No . . .

"NO!"

I screamed and jolted up, but my shoulders were heavy as someone was pinning me on the bed.

"Leanna . . . it's alright . . ."

I found my calm in that soothing voice. My vision cleared, and the anxious face of Cain flooded me with relief.

I shot to his embrace, pressing my body to his, wanting to feel his warmth.

Wanting to ascertain this was not a dream.

"Shhhh . . . you're safe now . . ." Cain ran his fingers through my hair as he enveloped my shaking body.

The room flooded with my sobs and cries of his name.

"I'm here . . . I'm here . . ." Cain reassured with his voice so soft it was not helping in drying my tears.

I was bothered by the dampness of his clothes against my hands, but I was overpowered with the need to feel his touch that I put it at second priority.

Ahem

My eyes flew open and realized it was not just us in the room. There were Zoe and Estela, all smiles as well as Zhander, and . . .

Emery?

"Leanna . . . I'm so glad you're alright." Estela wiped away the tears in her eyes while Zhander put his arm around her shoulders.

"Damn, girl! You always know how to scare the life out of me!" Zoe grinned, but her eyes were all misty.

The two wanted to bolt to my side and hug me, but the cold, intimidating man stopped them from even approaching me with just one pointed cold look.

I let go of Cain and noticed his face was paler than usual, and spots of purple, dark hues scattered around his eyes. 

He looked so tired.

That's right, he's injured!

"Cain! Your wounds!" I said out loud, looking at Estela to get her brother some medical help.

"It's alright. It was already patched up."

I paused and shifted my eyes at him. My gaze wandered to his fresh white buttoned shirt. Then my eyes flicked to my hospital gown, my plastered right leg with bruises and cuts here and there. And finally, my view caught the white gauze, bandage on my cheek.

I probably look like a mess right now.

"Cain, what happened? T-the professor . . . ," I asked, a bit unsure.

Cain pressed his forefinger on my lips, silencing me.

"Your professor is alive. You don't have to worry about anything . . . Everything . . . ," he said, pupils constricting, "is being taken care of."

His last sentence sent a chill crawling to my spine, shaking even my soul.

"Cain . . . The professor saved me." I think I had to get the words out because I felt that if I didn't –– I wouldn't see that smoking hot silver-haired lady anymore.

For a minute, Cain just stared at me before he nodded slightly.

"Cain Fay!"

Our attention was drawn on Zoe, who was closing in on us with both arms opened.

"I need to give you a hug for saving my best friend!"

. . .

. . .

I couldn't believe that this girl would act so shameless under these circumstances.

"No need."

Cain brushed her off while his eyes never left mine. I was surprised that he even replied.

"I insist," Zoe pressed on.

Cain sighed and raised his forefinger at the girl while his eyes still didn't leave mine.

"I'll give you thirty seconds to hug my finger."

Zoe gasped while her eyes widened. She took in periodic short intake of air as she fanned herself with her hands in a frantic manner.

"Fudge! I can't believe this! I'm going to hug Cain Fay's finger! I can die happy now!" Zoe exclaimed, a bit dramatic while everyone suppressed a laugh. Including me.

She zoomed in and grabbed Cain's finger, but the cold, heartless man pulled out at the last second.

"Times up."

"What!"

Zoe yelled, brows almost knitting together as she growled in protest. "I demand a refund!"

Laughter boomed in the room. Even Cain and Zhander smirked at Zoe's shameful pleading. It dispersed the tension in the room.

After a series of hearty laughter, Cain stared into my eyes with all seriousness.

"Leanna . . ."

"Mmm . . . ?"

I wiped the tears in my eyes and looked at him with a smile on my face.

"I called your parents."

. . .

. . .

WHAT?!

"They have the right to know," Cain explained at my stunned face.

But my brain was still processing the piece of explosive information. Imagining my mother's anxious cries and the barrage of questions already caused my head to pound in pain.

What will I tell them about why and how on earth I landed myself in this sorry state? And what will I tell them about Cain?

About us?!

"Judging by the time . . ." Cain checked his watch, "they'll arrive about. . . now."

"Len-Len!"

True enough, I heard my mother's cries in the hallway.

Right now, all I thought was maybe –– it was not a bad idea that I died at that time so as not to be in this nerve-wrenching situation.

"Len-Len!"

My mother pushed open the door and barged inside. My eyes closed tight when my father and the twins were also present.

It was not only me who was shocked as the room was silent. Tense and dangerously still.

. . .

. . .

"YOU!"

Zoe's high pitched voice flung my eyes open, and it zoomed to their direction.

"Pretty Lady?!"

"Peacock girl?!"

Lawrence and Lance said at the same time and gaped at each other in surprise.

"You are that boy." Emery came into the picture and chimed in as well, adding to the already confusing state of affairs.

"Ah. Homeless lady?" Lance answered after he swept Emery with his brown eyes.

My head was spinning at the turn of events.

What's going on here?!