Ruby

A few moments after the first shout bellowed, the crowd inside the restaurant started to swirl. Countless of people with blurred face appeared out of nowhere, as if filling the scene from an action drama where it gave the protagonists time to escape.

“Ruby, we have to get out of here!” Mark had stood up and was shielding me from those goons. Miraculously after that, the way towards the back of the restaurant was empty as if inviting us to go there. As for me, I was standing still as I tried to search my way out from all of this.

Escaping just like what Mark said sounds pretty tantalizing for this scene, but I dislike the setting of the surroundings—from the crowds that appeared like it was some kind of assembly, to the conveniently available escape path—it’s like the story is pulling me into it’s storyline and wanting to nominate me to become one of the main leads of some drama I never wish I was involved in.

I shut my eyes tight and exhaled. There is only one way for me to escape being pulled inside this mess.

“No…” My eyes were glued to the figures of goons who was about to escape the miracle assembly and is now making their way to us, as I raised my hands as a signal of defeat.

“Ruby!” Mark looked at me in disbelief. He then paced his gaze between the goons and the escape path, conflict surfaced in his hazel eyes while he probably think of wanting to escape.

“You can go if you want to, Mark.” I said without looking at him, my eyes were occupied with looking the gang members who was now making a ruckus inside the restaurant, whereas some of the people with blurry face have already escaped the scene. “It’s your choice to make, but I won’t run from them anymore.”

I won’t. I won’t make myself the heroine of some game of tags with a Mafia King and get persued until the ends of the world. What I can do now is surrender and see where it goes.

I just don’t want the story to swallow me as their protagonists.

Suddenly Mark shifted his body to the direction of the people and also raised his hands to them. His face wore a tight expression, yet there is this determination in his eyes that made the hazel hue bright like a glisten.

“If you didn’t run, then I won’t run.” At that moment I felt something clicked between us. Mark gazed down while breaking a confident grin at me. “It’s my choice to make, right?”

We both exchanged smirk while the people surrounded us, completely blocking our exit. 

Raul

Inside an office filled with elegance and superiority, Raul was sitting on his work chair as he gazed though the thick tinted window of his office. His gaze wandered beyond just the scenery of the city, and his restless heart remained restless when he heard a sudden news about his fake wife Mia who had just ran away.

Memories of her suddenly filled his mind; of how beautiful she was, and of how she managed to attract him since the first night they were together, yet the Mafia King is too arrogant to admit his feelings. He was hallucinated by the thought that all those infatuation is just a matter of lust and nothing more than that.

Raul rubbed his face regrettfully, his depressed feelings got even worse when he remembered how she was pregnant, yet he dismissed it as her having a relationship with another guy and got pregnant of a child that was not his.

‘That was her fault.’ Raul thought, trying to ease his thinking from blaming himself too much. That’s right, it’s her fault for not taking care of herself that she got pregnant. It was stated in the clause of the agreement that if she gets pregnant, it’s either abortion or they annul their marriage.

Raul knew how loving his wife is. As someone who was raised in a loving yet unfortunate family, she was taught that every people have rights to be loved. Because of that, Mia decided to keep the baby and annul their marriage. He knew he loved her, but he was too egoistic, and now his wife had disappeared.

Raul heaved a long sigh. The regret now masked with conflict. About a few days ago, he stumbled upon a lone woman passing through the alleyway. He was curious as to why he was instantly attracted to that woman, like she was his wife, and resumed to pursue her until this day. Now he’s waiting for his underlings that informed him the news of her capture.

“Boss.” A voice filled the air when a group of people entered the room.

“We’ve brought them here.”