"You're afraid of blood," Rafael said in a cold, steely tone. "And yet, you're willing to commit an unforgivable act. Aren't you afraid of what awaits you in jail?"
Madelyn stood frozen, speechless. Her wide eyes were locked on his bleeding hand—still clenched around the sharp object.
"Answer me, Madelyn! Aren't you frightened by what you've done?" he demanded, his voice low which quivered with subtle emotions.
Her heart pounded wildly. Gathering every last ounce of defiant courage, she met his furious gaze and spoke, her voice steady despite the terror surging within her, "No, I'm not scared. If you're gone, I will be free from you." she declared.
The thunder rumbled through the dark– pouring sky, fierce and furious, as if fate itself had shattered, only to be rewritten anew.
Its fierce sound didn't faze the two turbulent souls.
Rafael's hand was still trembling from the sting of the cut. He hurled the knife to the floor far out of reach and in a swift motion, he tore the hem of her silk gown. He carefully used it to staunch the deep, bleeding cut.
He nodded once as if to acknowledge the unbearable truth in her words, though his voice remained resolute. "I'm not divorcing you, Maddy. It's either you live out of my sight, or you kill me. Next time I won't let you leave,"
"Why? Because you're not satisfied with toying with my emotions—and my body?" Madelyn finally asked, her voice trembling, thick with emotions she was afraid to confront.
"Yes, I'm not done toying with you, Maddy," Rafael confessed, his tone firm. His jaw clenched, as though tightening it might dull the ache twisting in his chest. "This game… it's the one I enjoy most and we must see to its end,"
"Then I might kill you the day our path crosses again when your delusions force you back into my life," she declared with unwavering vow.
In that agonizing moment, her trembling hand slid off the ring on her fourth finger. It fell to the floor with a sharp, echoing rattle—a symbol of a bond now utterly abandoned. It was their wedding ring.
Madelyn spun around, turning to leave but halted in a tracks after two steps taken.
"You better pray to your God or whatever you believe in that nothing happens to Gabriel," she declared. "Otherwise, I will make sure you suffer miserably before meeting your end,"
With that and unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer, Madelyn moved from her spot, escaping the house with an air of resentment engulfing her.
Rafael stood frozen, his fist clenched around the ring as he struggled to contain a surge of intense emotions. The hateful, vengeful glimmer in her tear-streaked eyes haunted him, but he maintained his gaze.
Slowly, he brought the ring to his palm, folding his hand, still bleeding and damp from the remnants of his pain, as he watched her disappear from his sight.
His mind reeling with so many thoughts.
As Madelyn emerged from the mansion that once belonged to her and Rafael, she breathed in the crisp evening air, feeling a wave of freedom wash over her.
Tears rolled down her cheeks, the aching events unfolding like ruthless blows against her face—wounds she never expected from the one she trusted most.
It broke her to realise that the ones we love and trust are often the very ones who end up hurting us the most.
The echoes of their shared laughter, stolen glances during quiet romantic dates, and those rare moments when he held her like she meant the world—all of it played in her mind like a haunting melody.
Were those four years together all just a lie? Had every soft word, every gentle gesture, been nothing more than part of his game?
Only now did Madelyn understand—his sudden sweetness in the beginning, followed by that slow descent into cold indifference, hadn't been random. It had been deliberate.
She used to blame herself, thinking she just needed to try harder to win him over. But the truth was, she was just another name on his list—a girl whose heart he toyed with so effortlessly, like it meant nothing at all.
Exhausted, she sat under the shade of a bus stop, her body still trembling from the weight of it all. She didn't want to even have the thought of losing Gabriel who had been their shield and provider after their father abandoned them.
She had been crying silently for several minutes, not minding the onlookers who passed by. Once, this place bustled around her. Now, she sat alone.
Raising a hand, Madelyn wiped the tears from her stained cheeks and sniffled while heartbreak pressed into her chest ruthlessly. She thought of heading to the hospital to check on her brother's condition.
Just then the phone vibrating in her hand, pulled Madelyn from her reverie. She lowered her gaze on it and saw an incoming call from Margaux. She had missed ten missed calls from her.
She didn't feel like picking up the call nor saying a word over the phone. The call ended.
After a brief wait, a lone taxi pulled up as she hailed it and slipped into the back seat, quietly giving the driver her destination.
As they drove, Madelyn gazed out the window, drowning in her thoughts. She would disappear somewhere far away, keeping her child hidden from Rafael. Start a new life with her siblings from those who had hurt them greatly.
****
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Margaux had already deposited the money Madelyn gave her while Gabriel was in the operating room, fighting for his life behind those heavy doors. He had lost a lot of blood and sustained a severe head injury that affected his brain.
She prayed the surgery would be successful, especially considering how wrecked the car was. Her thoughts remained fixed on Gabriel's survival as she called Madelyn over and over, desperately waiting for her sister's return.
She just hoped Rafael hadn't done something terrible to her. Even if society saw him as a golden boy, she knew the truth—he was a ruthless underworld mafia boss.
Madelyn wasn't answering, and it only made Margaux's anxiety spike. She quickly accessed the GPS software on Madelyn's phone, the one linked to hers. Her eyes locked on her sister's location—Madelyn had left Rafael's mansion and was now heading toward an unfamiliar destination.
Margaux zoomed in, frowning as she recognized the area.
"That place has been dangerous for a long time," she muttered, confusion creeping into her voice. "Why is Madelyn heading there?"
"She can't go there! Something must be wrong," she said under her breath, pacing the lobby with urgency. "I need to know what's happening. But who'll stay with Gabriel until the surgery is done?"
Running a hand through her thick brown hair, her mind swirled with conflict. She couldn't leave in case the doctor came out with vital information. Her eyes flicked between the operating room and the hospital exit.
She froze when her gaze landed on her stepmother, Cecilia, striding in.
"What's that old witch doing here?" she hissed under her breath, eyes narrowing with curiosity and suspicion.
"Where's Gabriel? I heard he had an accident!" Cecilia called out, her voice coated with fake concern as she approached.
Margaux didn't bother responding to the act. Cecilia had never cared about any of them. "Why are you here?"
Cecilia pulled a sad expression. "My heart nearly stopped when I heard what happened to Gabriel. I came to check if he's still alive," she said dramatically.