Love and Debt

She ran towards the long hallway and saw some men a few feet away. She wasn't sure if they were Alejandro's men or Paolo's, but she wasn't planning on getting their attention.

Nina knew she had to do what Paolo asked her. But she would never tell them where her friends were. She heard the men talking and getting closer to where she was, so she started walking backward. Then she heard some footsteps behind her.

She suddenly felt fear for her life. She was looking around to see if there was a place where she could hide, but nothing. So she decided to move forward. She had nowhere to go anywhere.

She was about to walk out of her hiding place when someone suddenly grabbed her from behind. She didn't notice that there was a storage room there. From the size and built of the person, she knew it was a man.

"Sshh. Quiet." The man said.

He covered her mouth while they waited for the men outside to pass through the storage room.

He released her when he was sure that no one was around. Nina looked at the man who saved her, only to be surprised to see that it was James.

"W-Why did you help me?" She asked.

"Let's just say I don't want to be a widow yet." He said with a wide grin on his face.

Nina didn't bother to observe the man earlier, but now, looking at him, she could say that he was good-looking. He was the same height as Andrew and the same physique as well. His eyes were like hers; it was hazelnut color.

"I know what you're trying to do, Nina. If my father found out about this, you know what will happen, right?" He said.

Nina glared at him. For some reason, her fear towards him vanished.

"Then why don't you call him now and tell him about it?" She answered in sarcasm.

James chuckled. "I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not the man you think I am."

"Really? Do you expect me to believe that you are not like those men? That you're not like your father?"

Nina didn't know how she was able to answer him like that. She knew she was already in danger in the hands of the Mafia, and one wrong move, Andrew's mom, would be dead.

"That's what I like about you. Even though you are scared, you can still talk back to me." James answered.

Nina didn't understand what he meant by those words. She decided to ignore him, then looked at her watch again.

"Shit! I only got fifteen minutes. I have to go out there." She said.

James grabbed her hand again when she was about to go out. Nina looked at him, confused.

"What do you want?"

"Change of plans. You don't need to do what you were told anymore. We lost, so go back to the others." He said while staring into her eyes.

"What do you mean we lost?" She frowned.

"Alejandro has been captured. They're capturing everyone involved, so you have to go back to the shelter to avoid suspicion." He answered.

Nina couldn't understand why James was being nice to him. He was supposed to be like the Mafia men, but she could sense some kindness in him for some reason.

"Why are you being kind to me?" She asked, curiosity piqued.

"I don't see any problem with that. You'll be my wife anyway, so I think it's best that we could at least get along." He answered.

Nina suddenly remembered Andrew. They were enemies in the beginning, but they tried to get along and eventually fell in love with each other. She felt like her heart was being pierced, and from all the emotions she had been keeping to herself, she burst out crying.

James frowned. He can't blame her for hating someone like him anyway. She was caught up in this mess and left without a choice. Fuck! He hates seeing girls cry. He thought to himself.

He pulled her into his arms, comforting her. Nina knew she wasn't supposed to be close to this man, but her life would belong to him after all of this. 

"I'm sorry if you are suffering. If only I could do something to help you." James murmured.

Nina couldn't stop crying, and James let her. When he felt like she was fine, he let her go.

"Go to your friends. Go to your husband." James said while opening the door for her.

Nina bit her lips, then slowly walked outside. She looked back at him and whispered thank you.

James chuckled when she thanked him.

"What are you doing, James? You shouldn't be like this. She should fear you." He talked to himself.

His father told him that he would get married to Katharina Sommers. He didn't know her, so he started stalking her. And for the past six years, he had been following her every move.

He didn't like the idea of marrying her, but when he checked her background, he got interested in her. He didn't know that he started falling for a woman who was already in love with someone else. 

He knew being his father's spy was the most painful thing she did to her husband and friends. He pitied her, so he wanted to help her by saving her husband's mother, but he couldn't find her. His father never trusted him. He was also like Nina, a puppet.

He couldn't do anything against his father. His mother was Galatea Vergara, also known as Camila. She was Alora Smith's aunt who joined the Mafia when the Smith's abandoned her. He didn't want to be at war with the Wilson Clan and the royal family, but he had no choice.

His father would kill him, his siblings, and his mother if he didn't obey his order. He was also caught up with this mess like Nina.

He sighed.

"Two months. See you in two months, my little wife.." He whispered before walking out of the palace.