Neva widened her eyes, body stiffenned and arms limp by her sides.
The strange man embracing her.
For a weak moment, she found herself melting, their connected chests beating fast and rhythmically.
No, she was married. It was wrong.
"Angel. Angel..." Rhett kept mumbling, tightening his hold on her, feeling her soft body on him, soaking in her warmth.
As if making sure to himself she's real. Not a dream. Not an illusion.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling his nose, tears streaming, unstoppable, drenching her smooth skin—her clothes.
"Angel–" A sob broke out his lips, his body shuddering.
Holding her tightly, almost suffocating her.
"I think—I think you have the wrong person." Neva said, her own ponderous assumption squeezing her chest.
He only whimpered.
She had to push him away. Now!
What in the world was she doing held in the arms of a stranger?
Leaning in... Her eyes slowly closing...
It's betrayal!
Ishmael would be mad.
A voice inside her head cautioned.
But this heart! This foolish betraying heart!
Her eyes flew open. She suddenly forced the weeping man away from her.
Her nose flaring.
Attempting to calm her erratic breathing, the traitorous heart thrumming inside her ribs.
This was wrong, very wrong.
Neva looked at him as he wiped his tears with the back of his palm.
He lifted his chin, gazing up at her with bloodshot eyes.
The pained expression in his face, for the reason unknown to her; hurting her. Playing her sanity.
"A–are you alright?" He asked, roaming gaze on her body.
Why would she be not? Neva just squinted slightly at the man: who looked like Ishmael in a terrifying resemblance.
His eyes glittered clear from crying, long lashes wet, his nose rosy.
But, his voice seemed a little different.
"Who on earth are you?" Neva asked taking a step behind, another, when she obnoxiously stumbled upon her steps.
And before she could fall and twist her ankle, the mysterious stranger reached for her.
He hovered over her slanted frame, a hand holding her waist, the other behind her back, and when their eyes met again; everything faded away.
Melancholy, a longing so similar, almost miraculous swirling in her chest. Drowning her. Warming her.
"Careful." He whispered.
Always the same. His Neva; always so clumsy.
Neva's eyes widened just a bit, her chest tumultuous, butterflies in her belly like the ones fluttering around them in the garden.
Garden!
She pushed him away and almost stumbled again, his hands instantly reaching for her.
But this time she composed herself.
She cursed herself under her breath.
How could she be daydreaming in the arms of some other man?
What in the world was wrong with her today?
"Angel, it's me." His withering voice, firmer than before said.
She looked up at him. Studying him closely.
"It's Rhett Angel." He whispered softly, carefully, almost afraid she would crumble had he spoke louder.
She squinted her eyes at the name. Again. Almost familiar.
"Rhett?" She asked and he nodded.
She sucked in a sharp breath at how the name sounded so familiar, so smooth leaving her lips. As if, she had called him thousands of times.
She felt light–headed.
Rhett? Angel?
Her breathing became heavier. Where had she heard it? A tightening in her chest.
She couldn't recall it.
Something important. So precious. It almost felt like a sin.
"Angel. Don't stress yourself." Rhett swallowed. She was so lost. Her breathing unstable and face pinched in strain.
He had waited. And he could wait more...
When Neva glanced at him again, Rhett smiled. Then the next, he was glaring at the house.
As if, he was gonna burn it down to ashes. Why was he so angry? Why in so much pain?
She didn't understand it. This kindliness in her heart, overwhelming her out of the blue.
"Do I know you? Why do you look like him?" Neva urged.
Rhett turned to a confused looking Neva.
He smiled at her, tucking a strand of hair in her ear.
He can't believe it at all.
Everything seemed unreal. Unless it really is a dream.
He shook his head.
"You know me. Better than I do myself."
She's a miracle. His miracle.
She's out of the world. Even in the danger of this situation, she could ignite in him emotions that could either save him, or kill him.
She tilted her head, more confused than ever.
And her big round deer eyes made him chuckle lightly. He cupped her face, unconsciously leaning in to kiss her.
As if he lost his mind. Like the four years of seperation never did take place.
And he's finally caressed out from a nightmare by her soft hands. That they were twenty–three and eighteen all over again.
Neva saw herself reflecting in his cocoa eyes.
This feeling. Like it had all happened once before.
But she slighted away his hands and looked away.
Her cheeks and chest flushed reddish.
And then her eyes met his.
A knot forming in her stomach. Ishmael stood there across her.
Watching her, watching them. Disbelief and betrayal in his eyes.
She started panicking. Lifting her head to glance at Rhett.
She frowned at him staring at Ishmael with the same intensity.
Appearing to not fear him.
Ishmael could kill him.
And the thought strangely wrenched her guts.
"Go." Neva whispered.
He gazed down at her. And smiled.
"Go!" Strictly this time.
"I'm not leaving without you, wife."
Neva gasped. What in the world?
"You lived." Ishmael said. Affirming. His voice stoned.
Rhett didn't reply to him.
Before Neva could notice what happened, Rhett had a pistol out from the shoulder holster under his jacket. His gun directed at Ishmael.
Neva gasped.
Fear prickling her nerves.
The past haunting her.
No. Not again.
Ishmael clenched his jaw. "Don't you dare hurt her."
Rhett raised a brow. Surprised.
Then he threw his head back and laughed. He was pathetic. Ridiculous.
"I'm notyou Raka." Rhett gritted his teeth.
Neva started backing away with numbing steps.
And she thought, to protect him from her own husband? Laughable.
Rhett turned to her, his gaze immediately softening. "I can't hurt you Neva. Ever."
He knew her name...
Rhett tilted his head at a furious looking Raka. "You came here. Saved me some time. I got what I want. Just the last job."
Raka scoffed. "Keep dreaming."
Immediately followed, heavy running footsteps closening them.
And in the next moment, Raka's guards had surrounded Rhett, their guns pointed at him.
Rhett's determined stare didn't falter.
He skimmed his gaze around the guards.
Barely. Twenty.
More should be coming. It'd be too late then.
Another running footsteps.
Tiny this time. Raka's eyes widened in realisation. Face ashened. Terrified.
"Papa," the voice withered away as she fearfully observed the situation.
The kid beside her looked, rather curious.
Interesting. Rhett smiled.
"Get them out of here!" Raka raged.
But the maid trailing after the children only froze.
The kids were in a distant, closer to the maid.
"Don't make a mistake." Rhett warned as Raka made to move to the children.
He fisted his hands, glaring as if to skin him alive there and then.
"Mumma," Naya cried.
Neva almost fainted with distress.
"Stay there Naya. Isaiah." Ishmael said, shaky voice attempting to sound firm.
Rhett scowled at him.
He wasn't the type to ever threaten children.
He was the one who wanted his son dead.
The kids were involved now. Even if they were Raka's. He couldn't harm them.
The circumstances enfolded drastically in a very twisted way. But he was glad, relaxed, at least, for Neva was unharmed and safe by his side again.
That's what he reassured himself.
He had to secure her before anything else.
He couldn't fail her anymore.
So he looked at Neva and their eyes threaded. "Please, forgive me. But whatever I do be calm. I won't ever hurt you."
"Let's take you home."
Neva didn't understand him. And before she could make sense of anything, everything happening at all, she was abruptly pulled by him. His hand on her waist, the other with a grip on the gun. The cold tip of pistol on her temple.
Skin crawling. No. It can't be happening again.
Ishmael stepped forward, a hand reaching to grab her, when Manager Cha seized his arm. He didn't even realise he was standing close, arriving with the guards at the press of the emergency alarm on his watch.
"Tell your men to open up the gates." Rhett demanded. Then he leaned and murmered in Neva's ears.
"Don't be afraid. Just go along. Be calm."
But Neva felt terrorized, cold sweat seeping out her pores. Then he moved, and she was obliged to do too.
Her gaze met Ishmael's own mirroring her scare.
Restless, thinking himself pathetic as he couldn't do anything as his wife was being captured from his own home.
Drifting her gaze to the twins, her lips trembled as the maid finally made it to them.
Wrapping them up in her embrace, shielding them from the view of their mother being seized away.
Tears falling.
What would she do now?
The guns riveted at them followed as Rhett walked them steadily backwards.
She sensed was towards the parking lot.