Felix pulls himself up from the couch as I enter the living room. Currently, the worst emotions are gripping me. I am so overwhelmed by the whole situation that I don't know what to do.
Lucas is blackmailing me, telling me to definitely end the relationship with his cousin that night, but I can't do it, despite all this past.
In my heart I am happy that I met my first love again and can be by his side, I even disregard his health problems and the fact that he inadvertently killed his parents. I don't give a damn about everything that happened a dozen years ago, because I want to be by his side.
Old love never rusts, so I feel how I still love him madly since we met again.
The fact that after so many years he appeared in my life.... isn't it bloody destiny? Why do I feel that he is my soulmate and that's why I can't relate to someone else?
I would like to confess the truth to Felix and come clean about my painful past, but now I am even more afraid to do so. We've been together for so many years, and I haven't told him my biggest secret — something that has affected me the most in the past.
How can I do it now that Lucas knows the truth and Felix has no idea about what terrible things happened in my youth?
He won't forgive me for that.
- Selena, are you all right? - he asks in a concerned voice as he faces me and grabs my shoulders, watching my face with a caring gaze. - Did Lucas do something to you?
- He didn't do anything to me, everything is fine," I reply.
- So why are you so pale and scared? After all, I can see that something is wrong....
- I just... - I interrupt and look him in the eyes. - We are both afraid of your cousin, I am especially afraid of him. He doesn't give me a choice, Felix....
The brunet closes his eyelids.
- He makes you walk away from me. He forces you to do it.
- He tells me to do it that night. He also said that he went to the same elementary school as us. He confessed to me that he noticed me at the same time as you and would not allow us to be together," I say in a trembling voice, afraid of his reaction. Felix, however, does not look upset by these words.
- Selena, he only wants you because I love you. He always wanted to live my life, he envied everything about me. He has something like an obsession with me. Because of him and my mother, I experienced real hell in the past. When I was younger, it seemed to me that Lucas was my mother's biological son, and I was adopted. They had the same cruel characters. I still believe this, looking at how she wants to control me.
- He won't let us live peacefully? He won't let us have contact with each other, right?
Felix shakes his head, his hand touching my cheek.
- He claims he's doing it for me, for my good, but it's not true. He just wants to control me, claims that I am too weak to deal with my life demons.
Felix's whole life has been hell, his family is abnormal, so it's no wonder his mental health has suffered at such a young age.
There is nothing worse than people close to you controlling you at every turn.
- I would rather not leave you, not with him. I'm worried about you," I say in a concerned voice, feeling tears coming to my eyes. - I'm the one who wants to be by your side, Felix. I'm the one who should protect you.
- It's true, you are my light in this dark life," he replies with a smile on his lips, although his eyes are sad.
- Is there any possibility that Lucas will give us a chance?
His sad gaze scowls at my face, and I hope he'll think of something.
- There is a possibility, but a very risky one. One — the only possibility that will give a chance to live together.
He doesn't have to tell me that. I know what he means.
Escape from Lucas to a place where he won't find us.
*
Think it over, Selena. Think about whether you are willing to risk so much to spend your life with me. Are you willing to give me a second chance, knowing who I am and what you agree to?
I'm drunkenly heading down the sidewalk in the middle of the night, just walking ahead. I didn't drink alcohol, but certain thoughts make me intoxicated.
I don't know what to do.
Felix makes my peaceful, orderly life turn upside down again. I have to decide, do I want to give him a second chance and be with him, hiding from his dangerous cousin, or just let go and live with the thought that I let my soulmate go. I will never be happy in love again.
Why does decision-making come to me with such difficulty? Why can't I be brave and say on the spot what I really want?
My heart speeds up with fear when I realize that a dark blue luxury car is stopped next to me.
The darkest scenarios are playing out in my head.
- Selena. - I let the air out of my mouth as my former classmate Sebastian gets out from inside. - I'm sorry if I scared you.
- What are you doing here?
- I returned to Los Angeles together with Hero. I was at home and saw what was going on. He told me to find you and drive you back. He won't let you be together. As I mentioned to you before, he's really a great boss, but he's very dangerous, and if someone defies him, he can be very cruel.
- Felix suffers at his side. He needs freedom.
Sebastian looks at me with sympathetic eyes.
- I heard what you were talking about with Felix.... - He sees the fear in my eyes, so he quickly adds - Calm down, I won't tell Hero about anything. I won't put you in danger.
- What should I do, Sebastian? I'm so scared for him, but the thought that I would have to leave Felix by his side and be miserable makes me want to take a risk and put myself in danger.
- I will not advise you, Selena, because it is your decision. I can only tell you that Hero will not let you go if you run away together. Undoubtedly, he will get mad. He hates most when something doesn't go his way, especially when someone rebels....
- I took the time to get to know him and realize that. I thought he wouldn't let me out of the house, even when Felix and I told him that we would never meet again. The man scares me from the very beginning. I don't know what would have happened to me if you hadn't been there that day in New York and you hadn't helped me....
Sebastian puts his hand on my shoulder and carefully looks into my eyes.
- Listen to your heart and decide that you will not regret," he announces. - Now let's go to the car, I'll drive you home.
- Thank you.
*
In the morning, looking at myself in the mirror, I look like a zombie. I did not close my eyes even for a minute. I feel bad, I can barely walk, and yet I couldn't fall asleep.
I take the phone in my hand when I see a new message.
It is from Sebastian.
"When I drove you home, apparently at that time there was an argument between Hero and Felix. Your ex-boyfriend has a busted lip. He must have been hit in the face by him."
The feeling of unease makes her quickly write him off.
"I want to get him out of there. As soon as possible."
"So you've already made up your mind?"
"Yes, if I hadn't taken it, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life."
I put the phone down in the closet and looked at myself in the reflection of the mirror. I know that this decision will change my whole life. I will have to sell my apartment and give up my job, so Lucas won't find us.
- I have savings set aside that will last for a while.... it will be fine. We will manage," I repeat.
Should I sincerely believe it? Is my decision a good one?
Think about what you went through with Felix.... How much you suffered because of him, these thoughts cause confusion in your head.
Should I really abandon my current life for him and start all over again, waking up in fear every day?
I rise from my chair and, with my arms crossed over my chest, walk over to the window. I watch the passing cars, still wondering if I'm doing the right thing.
Yes, I have to protect him. He has suffered enough in the past. I can improve his future.
I go back to the cabinet where the phone lies. I take it in my hand and without thinking, I dial the number for Mike.
- Friend, something happened that you are calling me instead of Eve? - he asks at the outset.
- I have to tell you something... don't interrupt me and let me talk until the end, okay? - Mike's voice betrays that he feels anxiety.
- Is something wrong, Selena? You sound grave.
- Just hear me out, okay?
- Sure...
- It's all about Felix. - In the receiver, I hear him swallowing his saliva hard, but he remains silent. - I met him several times. His condition has improved, his cousin got him out of the psychiatric hospital, but.... - At this point I pause and take a deep breath. - He is controlled by him at every turn. His cousin, Lucas, really is very dangerous. I've interacted with him many times, he's the man who chose me as a passenger in the race last night.
- Selena...
- Mike, you were not supposed to interrupt me. Keep listening," I say, not letting him express his opinion. - I want to help Felix get away from his demonic family. His cousin won't let us keep in touch with each other. He doesn't like the fact that I have appeared in Felix's life again.
- I would like to meet with him. - Mike's emphatic statement makes me gasp. I thought he would be angry with me, but he just wanted to see Felix. - I have to meet him. All these years I've been thinking about him and wondering if he's okay.
- There is only one problem... namely his cousin. He doesn't let anyone near him.
- That's how I felt there was something wrong with this man. I thought we knew each other.
- I want to help Felix get away from him.
- Should I help you with this? - Mike is ready to do it, but I don't want him to get involved, not now that he has a child.
- You have a family, so there is no question. I just want you to lend me your motorcycle. I'll take Felix from there.
- Selena, this could be dangerous.... since you got your license, you've only ridden a motorcycle a few times, what if they start chasing you?
- I can handle it, just believe in me and don't say anything to Eve. She acts without thinking and can spoil my plans.
- I don't like it, but that's okay. Although, this way I will help you...