Chapter 9
My heart instantly began to pound violently, and my eyes flew open.
Only the bedside lamp cast a dim, yellow glow across the room. In its faint light, I saw a tall figure clad entirely in black, half–crouched on the windowsill.
Rainwater dripped from the soaked hem of his windbreaker, falling onto the carpet below, where a dark stain slowly began to spread.
He had grown gaunt–the once well–fitted black windbreaker now hung loosely on his frame, and the sharp scent of blood clung to him.
Yet his eyes burned brighter than ever before, fixed intently on me like a predator locking onto its prey.
“It’s been a while, Sandy.
“I knew it. No one could ever stop me from seeing you.”
His voice was hoarse, yet carried a twisted trace of a smile.
A cold sweat broke out down my back. Instinctively, my hand crept along the headboard.
The emergency button was right there. One press, and the villa alarm would blare, bringing bodyguards rushing in within a minute.
But Kenneth seemed to read my intention,
“Don’t press it,” he murmured, taking a step closer.
Then, softening his tone almost to a plea, he added, “I don’t want to hurt
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you. I just want to talk.”
“Talk?”
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I fought to suppress the deep–seated panic rising inside me, pushing myself up against the headboard and pressing my back tightly to the wall, putting as much distance between us as possible.
“You’re an internationally wanted man, and you broke into your ex–wife’s bedroom–just to talk?
“Kenneth, have you lost your mind?”
He let out a low laugh, dark and oppressive enough to send a chill down one’s spine.
“Ex–wife? How could you say that, Sandy?
“What we had over ten years doesn’t just vanish because of some stupid divorce agreement.”
He took several steps forward, stopping just two meters from the bed. In the dim, yellowish glow of the lamp, his face became clearer.
It was only then that I noticed a fresh scar cutting across his face–from the edge of his eyebrow down to his cheekbone.
Noticing my gaze, he gestured toward the scar with a bitter smile.
“See what I’ve endured just to reach you?
“The officers have been hunting me everywhere I turn. But every time I was close to giving up, your face appeared in my mind, and it gave me the strength to go on.
“Come with me, Sandy. Let’s go somewhere no one knows us and start over.”
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“Start over?”
I felt like I had just heard the biggest joke in the world. “So you can go back to smuggling and money laundering? Or find another mistress to betray me with?.
“Kenneth, look at yourself. You’re a wanted man living in the shadows. What makes you think I would ever go anywhere with you?”
At the mention of his mistress, the obsession in his eyes twisted into raw ferocity, his fists clenching tightly at his sides.
“I was just playing with her. She didn’t deserve to be with me.
“In certain angles, she resembled you. That’s the only reason I…”
“Enough!” I cut him off sharply, my voice icy.
“Stop trying to justify yourself, Kenneth!
“You chose to be with Jasmine and spent money on her, and she flaunted those disgusting videos online. None of that had anything to do with me!”
“It had everything to do with you!”
He suddenly got worked up and took another step forward, almost looming over the bed.
“You just had to make a scene and turn me in. Or I wouldn’t have ended up like this!
“Sandy, you know perfectly well that I can’t afford to go to jail. My enemies are waiting in there to tear me apart!”
“You totally deserve it!”
I couldn’t help but raise my voice, anger overriding my fear. “Kenneth,
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you brought this on yourself!”
His face instantly turned livid.
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“You’re right. I made all the choices myself. But I also chose you. Was that a mistake, too?”
He suddenly extended his hand, wanting to grab my wrist. “Sandy, come with me. Please…”
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Lateefa Khanam is a spirited writer who finds freedom in horse riding. She cherishes her mare and the newborn foal, calling them her little happy family.
