CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE OMARION

"Let her go", was all I could manage to say and I saw relief across her face as soon as said it. It was as if that's all she needed me to say for her to start breathing again. She looked at me and I could see fear in her eyes. What was she afraid of? Me!? I know....I totally know the answer to that. I was shocked this morning when I watched the news. I didn't know what to say after I heard each and every word. Would Prim do that? Would she really go as far as doing what she did? No...that wasn't the Prim I knew. That was a different Prim. A Prim I didn't know. People have same names and lookalikes. That definitely had to be her lookalike. I didn't want to believe it was someone I knew because I didn't know who that girl on TV was. I just knew this girl who was in front of me but that girl on TV was someone I didn't know. Was it her? Who was she? I just needed answers to these questions that's all. That is all! And then we can live like this never happened. I just needed answers to my questions that's all. How did she even end up at CrustyCrunch after she told me she won't go? I had a flood of questions in my mind and I was going mad trying to find the answers. I looked at her and she still looked at me. She didn't change her position. She didn't even blink. Tears had gathered in her eyes and we both didn't understand why. Shock and surprise written on her forehead expressed by the wrinkles and escorted by speechlessness. I could tell she wanted to speak but her lips couldn't allow her to do that. All they could do was to tremble as though a tremor passed through. She was wearing her hair down. Her curls well made and all the way to her back and half way her trunk reminding me of the very first day I saw her on the balcony. I couldn't resist but look at her. She looked so beautiful in the dress and the posture she was in. Her dress had star prints and they matched the stars in the sky. It was one starry night.....One starry night! Some of those stars became human beings and I was blessed with a chance to ever live with one.

"Is that your natural hair colour?", I asked because I couldn't comprehend the fact that it was long, amazing and white. I wish I would touch it to feel the fibers and see if they felt like hair. Real hair and not these synthetic extensions people plant in their heads. I waited for her reply while still standing right where I was. About a few inches from where she stood. She slowly turned her head around to look at me. Her face was shining in glamour and sparkling exceeding all the stars in the sky. Her eyes where so beautiful and my goodness she looked like the moon spirit. A pretty smile on her lips spreading elegant rumours to my heart of which I couldn't understand. She was so beautiful. Even if Aphrodite where to come down now, she'd give her a thumbs up.

Taken a back, I stepped on break to stop this fantasy. There was something about this face. She was familiar. I've seen her before! I've seen her before....somewhere....in a dream! More like a nightmare. She was the girl that died. She was dead! So how is she alive now? I wondered to myself forgetting I saw her in a dream and she died in the dream not in real life. I took steps away from her hoping to save myself this time around.

"Are you Okay?",she asked with the smile on her face. I admit it was one intriguing, fancy smile. That which I've never seen and probably won't ever see again because I was like already a number of steps away from her now. I went down the stairs and back into the crowd. I saw her walk behind me but she couldn't see me so she just got herself lost in the crowd as well.

The memory made me smile and prompted me to take my phone out looking for that picture. I swiped through my pictures hoping to find it. Of course I found it. I saved it to my cloud and also encrypted it. I didn't want to lose it at any cost. I sent it to Liam's phone without his knowledge and saved it to his drive, backed it up, and also stored it to his cloud. You know...in case anything..I even encrypted it as well so that he wouldn't look at it and remove it....well accidentally or purposely, I wasn't risking anything. I took my phone and gave it to her so that she can see it too. She looked at me and at the phone. She blinked making all her tears fall on my screen. I quietly looked at what she was going to do but she didn't react in any way. It's as if the picture didn't mean anything to her. It's as if she couldn't recognise the person in it. 'Welcome to my world Prim',I stated in my heart after I finally got her to understand what I was feeling right then. I couldn't understand who was Prim and who wasn't. The girl in the picture was Prim...but the girl on TV was someone I didn't know. Someone I didn't know. I took my phone from her and put it in my pocket.

"What day is this?", I asked. To see if she remembered. If she would, she is the real Prim. If not then she's someone I don't know. Who doesn't keep track of days when their lover promises a one week love challenge?

"Wha-what?",she asked back completely lost.

"What day is this?", I repeated. She blinked a number if times and wiped the tears on her cheeks. She looked at me and fixed her face. She looked away and pulled her hair up in a ponytail. I didn't contest her, I just looked to carefully see what we had here. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"Um...day number nine",she relied. She got it right. Only one day to go.

"One day to go....", I added. I walked to where I was and took a jewelry box. I bought some bangles for her. I didn't know if she would like it but I loved them so much. A round ring enriched with such love. Glittering and glistering portraying it's beauty. I took her hand, pulled down her sleeve and slid the bangles one by one. I put five on one hand and four on the other.

"Each symbolizes a day in my challenge and as unique as the places where these bangles have something that will remind you of each of those places. I'll give you another tomorrow....if fate will be kinder", I smiled but she didn't. She kept staring at me again as if I was acting weird and sloppy.

"Come....I want you to tell me something....",I dragged her to the TV so that she would answer the questions I had. I had to record the news program so that I use the same as I ask her although it wasn't necessary as almost everyone had it for it was hot bread on the market. Everyone goes for it. I took out my phone again and showed her that picture.

"Who's this?", I asked her. She looked surprised as she looked at me. She gave me a look I couldn't even make out what it meant. She looked at me as if her life was at a mountain top and only I could rescue her from it. Of course,only I could.

"Me.....",she replied. A bit relieved.

"Okay...", I got up and tuned the TV on. It was exactly where I had stopped. I speeded it a little to the part I wanted. I paused it to when she was with Tony.

"Who is that?",I asked pointing at the woman in the picture.

"Omar I didn't do it. It wasn't me...I don't have anything to do with it....I admit I went to CrustyCrunch but I didn't kill Tony or Natasha. Why would I do that? In fact they helped me...they gave me pieces to my puzzle and I only have to find the last piece. All I need is one piece. All I need is one piece...one piece Omar and all this will go back to where it came from. Wherever it came from....I don't know who did it but it wasn't me....", she begged to be believed. I could see it in her eyes that she badly wanted me to say I trust her. She wanted me to believe her so badly. She looked at the TV and back at herself and at me....I eagerly waited for her to tell me who that girl was and that's all....

"She's just your lookalike right?",I asked. I was getting mad. Mad crazy. I got obsessed in these matters and I was so scared that she really did it. Why would she do this to me? She didn't only hurt me she also ruined Liam's reputation here. Didn't she see that?

"Omar...that is me but....I didn't do it...", she cried. Crocodile or real?

"Why did you go to CrustyCrunch....after telling me you won't go?",I asked furiously. She lied to me.

"I...had...to...I needed to go get help for my friend...", she stammered.

"So you thought it wise to lie to me than to tell me the truth...?",

"No...", she started but I cut her. I wasn't giving her a chance to redeem herself here. She was wrong, she was wrong and needed to face the consequences. When it was about me, I spared a lot of people but if it involved Liam there was no exception. Everyone was going to face my wrath! What hurt me the most was Liam worked for it...he worked hard for that place to be where it was and someone just came out of the blue to shut it all down as if it was nothing. It hurt me to know that his reputation had been spoiled too. The executive director behaving in such a manner was embarrassing. If she is on the forefront killing people then will people trust us with their relatives? Will they? We wanted to make it a better place to stay right? Is this what it meant to her to be a better place? So much for being a City of love then....

"Yes...don't you dare deny it....",

"I wanted to go get help for her Omar.... She was innocent. She didn't commit any of those crimes....she didn't. Natasha framed her and....",

"Natasha framed her? Then why would she give you the flash to help her if she was the one that initially framed her? Why would she want her free now?",I asked because it just didn't make sense to me. Why would someone who wanted you dead seek to make you live all of a sudden? Was she visited by the Christmas spirit who threatened to not visit her for this Christmas or what?

"Well....she said someone else was the mastermind behind it all. Someone else was the one who has been pulling the strings all through the while.....she wants to kill you....and..."

"...and who is this someone?", I interrupted her again and left her stammering all the way. I know she was stammering not because she didn't have explanations but because she was under panic. I was causing her to panic. I was asking and putting much pressure on her making her go nuts. I knew I was doing something wrong. I was supposed to hear her out. I was supposed to listen like a good friend would. I was supposed to keep quiet and let her talk. Let her say her side of the story but I was doing the opposite. I couldn't understand that she did it. I just couldn't. Prim might have been found in the scene but their was another explanation. There had to be right? She was innocent. Pure innocent! That's who she is.....

I ran my hands in my hair and scratched my eyes. I looked away from her and then looked back at her. She couldn't say any word but only shook her head telling me she didn't do anything. I didn't know what to believe and what not to believe. I just turned around and headed for my room. I got in and locked myself in. I heard her bang on my door screaming my name and making me open the door. She tried whatever she could in her power to make me open the door through whatever means. She screamed and bang on the door louder each second and it began irritating me. I crossed my ears to prevent the loud sounds from getting in as they where confusing my brain. It became even more infuriating and aggravated with each passing minute. I got up and threw my phone against the door.

"Shut up!", I screamed for her to keep quite. She stopped her nonsense after she heard me. My anger levels increased and I went back to my old self. I removed all my beddings and tore all my papers. I tore all my nut plans, my models as well as all documents I signed and all contracts I had. I even had models of nuts I made but just awaited for the moment to design them. I tore them all and after I was done I went to my bathroom. I broke my shower making water leak all over the floor. I unrolled my toilet paper and it's sheets got wet and it was so unpleasant. I didn't even spare my windows. The pyrex used to make them cried after what I just did. I took my cistern cover and threw it against the bathtub making them both break. I took my towels and tore them.I walked to my wardrobe and removed all my cloths. I threw them down and spilled all my bath gel all over them. I went onto my dressing table and one by one I began breaking every single bottle I saw there. My cologne, my aftershave, my shaving cream, gel, moisturizer, body lotion, hair spray, every little thing I saw I broke. I was just disgusted by it all. Everything I set my eyes on disgusted me and I didn't really love the sight of it. I eliminated each and everything. Prim was causing me too much trouble and I couldn't stay with it. Satisfied that I tore them all down, I thought of my kitchen and I got up to go to my destination as commanded by my brain. I opened the door and found her there...

*****

"Omar stop!", she grabbed my hand but I quickly slid it away. I walked to the kitchen and one by one started breaking all my cups. I hated them all. Prim touched them. She spread her soul onto them and I didn't want anything to do with her anymore. I wanted her to go away. Far away...everything that had to do with her had to leave. Leave me...

"What are you doing?",she asked completely surprised. "If you're mad at me why can't you take your anger out on me..?!".

"That's what am doing....", I replied still throwing cup by cup down the floor. After I was done, I went to the plates. Everything in this kitchen had to die. I just died hours ago and it also deserved to die. As long as it had contact of any sort with Prim it had to die. Utensil after utensil, glass after glass...it all went down to pieces. No sign or evidence that this once used to be a very good kitchen. I broke the coffee maker, the fridge, the cooker...everything.

"... What?", she interrupted me again. I turned around and grabbed her hand so tight that she cried. I pulled her close to my face so that she'd understand what I was going to tell her. I looked right at her face and pinned her against the wall. She took her face away from mine and with painful facial expressions she conveyed to me the feelings she was having but I chose not to look or understand.

"Omar you're hurting my arm...please let me go....",she begged.

"Does it hurt?....so much..? At least you now know what I feel....", I said squeezing her arm even harder. She yelped in pain but it had no effect on me. All the chemistry I had had turned into physics.

"We're in love right..? Your joy is my joy,my pain is your pain right? Now that am in pain....I want you to prove your love for me by feeling the pain am feeling right now...", I said it straight to her face and she widened her eyes in terror. I could clearly see how scared she was. She was terrified of me and I couldn't say it any louder. She was so afraid and so frightened her eyes gave it all away. She looked at me and I looked back at her. Her eyes where all teary but she didn't make any sound. They flowed by themselves down her cheek as though automatically controlled. Well wasn't it? She didn't contest me when I squeezed her arm even tighter like she did before. She was proving she loved me! She didn't ask me to let her go or anything like that. She just stayed quite and looked at me. Looked at me as though nothing happened. Her face began to change. To change into that of an errand-ghost. It became brighter and their was a slight curve at the tips of her mouth. She wore the most amazing smile on her face and it really calmed my soul. What did I do? I broke her?! Yes I did!!!!! I felt sad. So sad that I couldn't look at her. I felt the tips of her fingers on my cheek. Her warm hand melted the cold heart in me.

"Don't let her come close to you!", Cass shouted, interrupting our moment and pushing Prim against the counter. She came to me and examined me to see if I was hurt or something.

"Am okay", I said pushing her hands away from me. I didn't want her anywhere near me. I knew she had something to do with this fiasco. She definitely knew something about it. She wanted me after all and definitely this was her doing. Sometimes she got crazy. She was one of those people that'd do anything to get something they want so bad. And I am so certain she did this. Definitely,I just need to find proof against her. And then I can prove Prim innocent. Yes!! There's no way Prim could have been in the wrong. No way!! I grabbed Cass's hand and dragged her down to the sitting room.

"Happy?", I began "Satisfied? Got what you wanted?!"

"Yes...", she replied as she drew closer to me. "Yes....didn't I tell you ,you will want me? Didn't I say you'll come running to me? Earlier it was only a glass in my flesh but now it involved lives.....I had to kill just for you",she whispered in my ear. She was that close!. Each word came as a canon and already blown nitro or dynamite.

"You've really let yourself go....Cassandra...you've really let yourself go....", I pushed her away. She was way...way down the wrong path. She isn't the girl I used to know anymore. This was someone else...

"Please say my name.....", she cried as she walked toward me. I looked at her and she really brought my past back to me.

"Luen.....",I began. I couldn't continue with what I wanted to say because I saw Prim from the corner of my eye. She stood against the wall and just watched us. What else would she do? I want to see if she can't stand it. I want to see that urge in her for me. The warrior in her. Fighting for me....

"Go away from me.....",I whispered, loud enough to be heard by Cass only. Prim didn't hear me. I saw her shrug her shoulders and walked to where we where. She pushed Cass away and proving to me true love is just a leap of faith.

"Get away from him!", she shouted at Cass who responded with a tight slap across Prim's face. I was alarmed to what just happened and shocked, I quickly dragged Prim's hand. I took her to outside the house and was about to lock her out when Liam came into the picture. He stopped me from doing what I was doing and said he had questions for Prim. I followed as he went in and made Prim take a seat. He gave her a glass of water and after she drank it, he wiped her tears and raised his eyebrows simultaneously and then lowered them instantly. It was sorta like a greeting and it made her smile. I remembered all those moments we had and yet now we ware acting like strangers. Actually I was acting like she was a stranger.

"How do you feel?", he asked.

"Relieved....thank you",she replied wiping the water that was on her lip.

"Oh....you fancy her now?", Cass shouted as she came in between Prim and Liam. She looked at Prim as if she was some disgusting thing and Liam was going to get himself hurt by being close to her. She shot Prim this am-the-boss look and Prim really felt like a shrunken balloon. Cass burst her bubble hard and she was totally wet. No way out for her. I felt sad and lonely. Prim was defenseless. She couldn't even say anything in her own defence. She uttered no word and just stayed silent through it all. Could she be telling the truth? My experience with her for the past days was somehow making me believe she did do it. Due to all the tension and betrayals that have been happening in her life, definitely she would take such a drastic step. Yet somehow my heart refused to believe that. I knew Prim and she wouldn't go as far as killing someone. She would get depressed yes that is a condition any human can face however it wouldn't drag Prim to the point if killing someone. On the other hand, Cass is causing too much drama. She is acting as if Prim had robbed the bank or something. She is making a big deal out of it and it's making me believe she's the real culprit. She's putting up too much drama and I am certain it's not just an act to show how mad she was but just a technic she was using to drive all the attention away from her and to Prim. She was playing it smart and I had to play it smarter. This was no longer an investigatory case or a rescue mission. It had turned into a game of love where only true love prevailed. I had to prove I loved Prim more than I trust the media. That's all it took for me to win...the ball was already in my coat and I just needed to give it a slight drop of confidence to make it a score.

"I just want answers from her",Liam put an end to Cass's drama and made Prim her comfortable self again. I was as observant as ever when I saw Cass extending her hand to give Prim another slap. I quickly grabbed her hand and in return made her cheek face the back of my hand. She thought it was funny when you give someone else a slap. I hope she found it funny now that she was the one who was slapped. My slap was a bit too strong and made her sway all the way to the TV and fell. I wasn't sorry.

"Is it funny now?", I asked walking closer to her as if I wasn't done yet. Of course I wasn't. I looked a her bent my knee and made sure she was looking at me right in the eye. She was bleeding. Her lips where bleeding. I didn't care.

"If you dare raise your hand to her again.....I will drain all the blood from your whole body drop by drop if I see fit. I know you went to school and pretty much get my point. I can be mad sometimes. We've both witnessed that before. I will make you bleed....worst than this",I referred to her bleeding lip. "...I will drain all the blood from your body....and I will make it slow, slow and painful...",I said looking straight at her for her to completely understand me.

"Understood?",I asked to see if my lecture had made a good student. She nodded. "Good", I petted her hair. I stood up and went to where Liam and Prim where. He was showing her something on his iPad and I got consumed in curiosity. I went to where she sat and squeezed myself besides her. I wanted to watch with her what she was watching.

It was a video of people sleeping and it seemed to be at the hostels in Cassandra's Palace. Nothing weird about that. Then came a woman in a hoodie in the server room. She was doing something to the computers. I don't know what. And then, she just disappeared out of nowhere...

"What? I don't get this video?", I asked and both of them gave me a shocked room.

"I went to Cassandra's Palace and unfortunately I couldn't access the server. Someone....hacked into the C.I.L server, blocked all our access and took some information of the patients.....whoever it was.....they used it to make a program that has gotten viral throughout the Internet. One that says we should get rid of all people with the bipolar disorder! It is serious this time.....", he told me and I looked at Prim who did the same. We looked at each other and back at Liam.

".....they somehow managed to put up an act so that no one wakes up...and it was medically proven that something was wrong with their bodies....", he continued. I could see disappointment across his face and I could tell this wasn't going on well with him. He was weak like seven days and I couldn't really come around to it. I was so angry at whoever did it. It must be the very same person that framed Prim. If I find him, I'll totally give him a taste of what I can do. I lost Lily and I wasn't losing Prim at any cost. I wasn't. I got angrier by the minute and I grabbed the iPad from Prim's hand and continued watching.

"... Hey guys across the universe....I am Primrose Gerardia and I think we should get our fingers on the pulse together. I would like you to join me in this movement I have just introduced. I have had an encounter with bipolar patients and they are not one who you'd get close to. For instance here's a little preview of what I faced....",I couldn't believe it. I couldn't.

In the footage....their was her and we were in my room. I was furious and pinned her to the wall. I remember that day. It was the day she used her kiss of peace on me....oh my word so it was all well planned. I slapped my forehead in despair. I didn't want to continue watching but I knew I should. After then, it came to when my house was waterlogged this other time....and then to when....I threw myself in the water.....and then to when I was in my helicopter with Prim.. Although this part seemed so false. I remember pulling her back in so that she doesn't fall off but in this video it looked as though I was pushing her. Oh my Goodness! And then....it came to the part at the aquarium when she sat at the edge of the pool. All of a sudden, somehow, I swam to where she was and I pulled her into the water. Really??? Whoever made this is a complete phony! All these where false clips. They are using me in manners am not supposed to be used.....!!

"Oh my word....!", I signed.

"So my fellow fighters..... We can save ourselves. This is a matter of life and death. Whether you kill or get killed. That's the strategy they are going by. Let go.....stay away from them....and if need be...through whatever means....eliminate them!", she concluded and crossed her fingers. The video ended with Prim walking. She was in a black hoodie and was walking outside the gate of Cassandra's Palace. Did she go there? Why? Why would she go there at night? Is she the woman in a hoodie that Liam was talking about? Oh my God. I looked at Prim and she was dead already. She better be dead because if I find her alive I'll kill her myself.

"Tell me why I should believe you?",I asked her. I wanted to see if she was still holding on to the love we have blabbered about. It all became so fake to me. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Sometimes eyes get tired and see things wrongly and this was one of those moments. I didn't want to believe what my eyes told me and so I didn't. I wanted to believe what she tells me and I would believe only that. Only that....

"Your choice...",she replied. Eyes dry,no hint of irony, no sight of shame. She was good! No stammers; I underestimated her.

"Prim what where you doing at Cassandra's Palace at night?", Liam asked. He stood up and walked to where she was so that he can look at her in the eye.

"I was passing by and I found refuge. I got in and I found people their on the computers I don't know what they where doing...I managed to see through their texts and found out all this plan of theirs...I distracted them with a flower case and when I came back I just decided to block everyone because I didn't know anyone else to trust.....If this person had access to the servers it means he is one of us because only the four of us have access to the servers.",she tried to explain but to me it wasn't making any sense. Her voice echoed in my ears and all I could make out of it was anguish and hurt. Despite the fact that she did this to me, I still loved her. I looked at her and saw the face of the person I'll never forget. I walked toward her and she sensed my presence and looked at me. I am only human...Please! Why would you do this to me? I have feelings and what I heard from her penetrated through the very core of my heart and soul. Slicing every fibre of my flesh, making me feel abandoned,unwanted and unloved. The words left me dead for she took my life away. The sound of each whipped me, leaving bruises and wounds imprinted of my heart's flesh. I tried to understand her but I didn't know where to start from. I tried to listen carefully what she meant but.....I don't know if it was working. The last part did make sense though. It made so much sense. The real villain was eating with us in the same place. I pure descendant of Judas Iscariot. I looked at Liam and I could literally see the tears in his eyes and I couldn't take anymore of this. A shattered Liam meant worst to Omar. Liam is my number one and I just can't help to see him angry and sad. I just can't. He fought for me. He loves me like a real brother and here I am looking and staring at him cry after watching him work and sweat for this place.....I also love him very much and I'd do anything for him. I just have to take vengeance on whoever did this. I just needed to stage my revenge.

"Do you expect us to believe that? If it's among us then it's definitely you....right? You've even confessed it just now...then what?", Cass asked Prim. She was asking her questions as though she was a barrister confusing her and making her dim.

"There you go...", Cass came and started yammering all over again. She said a lot of things and I got fed up with her. She did all this because we gave her a reason to. She always did it because she did not appreciate us. She thought our love was shallow perhaps. She didn't treasure a single thing we did. No she didn't. All she wanted was to cause drama.

"I don't trust this video. Unless we go and prove that Prim was the one who went their and blocked us all I won't believe it",I contested and seeing me like this made Cass even angrier. She was actually at her most angry point and she opted to drive us herself. Fine by me!

"Let's all go to the crime scene and prove this then. The one who can manage to log into the computer systems... Is the victim behind it all...", she declared. Liam just got out and I followed him. We didn't say a word after what Cass said. We just walked our way out. Prim was stationary on the chair. I didn't bother go to her because I was consumed by the realm of bewilderment. I looked around to look at Cass to make sure she doesn't do anything weird. After my look, she quickly took off and left me and Prim in. I knew she had bad plans. I knew it. On the other hand, Prim was just still as if she wasn't hearing what we where saying. Like a statue she stayed still on the chair. I wanted to help. I wanted to tell her am on her side. I want to make her believe am with her. I know all these things are fake. Prim would never do that. She wouldn't. I just needed proof to say it to the world. I just needed to make them understand Prim was an angel as much as I did. There was a wolf in sheep's skin that was responsible for all this devouring and made Prim the scape goat because she was in the right place at the wrong time. Prim's timing was totally off no wonder all this was happening to her. If only she'd told me clearly that she was going to meet Natasha all this wouldn't have happened. Why Prim....why didn't you? I really underestimated you....a hundred fold! ..and you've proven to me that you overestimate yourself. I walked to where she was and offered my hand. She needed it. When she looked at it, she raised her eyes to look at me and straight away got on her feet and I felt her arms run around my neck.

*****

"One by one....we will try and log into the computer....", Cass explained the strategy. I didn't like it. I didn't like this. I didn't go well with this strategy. My heart told me all this was wrong. My heart condemned me for what I was doing. This was a predicament in the history of love. I should do something about it. I can't go on with this. I feel bad for what Prim has done but part of me says it's not her.

"Omar you go first...",Cass said dragging me away from where I stood to the computer. She made me sit and put my fingers on the keyboard. I quickly typed my password to get it over with. It got denied! A cold shover went down my spine. Did this mean Prim really came here last night to block our access to the computer? Why? Why would she do that?

"Thank you...",Cass took me out of the seat and she quickly typed her password and unfortunately it also got denied. She shrieked in joy as Liam came in the seat and typed his password. It also got denied. That left us with Prim.....

"Go ahead Prim....try to access the computer...go ahead and do it please...",Cass wore this smirch smile as she looked at Prim who looked back at her with glossy eyes. She walked to the seat and quickly typed her password. It...it ....worked? I looked at the computer screen displaying the words we all yearned for. ACCESS GRANTED! Prim was here last night! I lost my balance and feel hitting my head against the wall. Prim? Was she the one who really did this? But why.....? What did I ever do to her to deserve this? It wasn't my fault that I was sick....was it? I admit I was out of control the first days but I really really really never sought to harm her. She manipulated everything and made me seem like the villain when their was actually a snake behind that sweet princess face of hers. There was a time when I look at her, all I would see was life itself....yet now all I see was Santa Muerte. More of the other image of the Grim Reaper. I got up and headed for the door.

"Omar....Omar...please...please ...just a word from you will make me feel good....please say you believe me...",she cried as she run toward me. She grabbed my hand and made me stop. She looked at me and I looked away. I just didn't have the courage to face her right now. Not at all.

"Do you trust me?",she asked.

"C'mon...I think we've been down this road before, don't you think? Just not again", I replied trying not to bring controversy in the issue. I didn't want to talk about it now. I was super angry and the best I'd do right now was to walk away. I wanted to go to a place that I would be alone and not think for a while. Being around people would make me sin and I didn't want to be answerable before the supreme one.

"...You've never trusted me! Never! You don't know how to love! You have a heart as dark as coal and cold as ice. There's no room for affection in it. No kindle was able to resist it. Not even one! All those times you where with me....that wasn't love....that was far away from love itself.... That was just a waste of both of our times! If you loved me, you'd be with me when I needed you most. You're just an ugly insolent imbecile! My love meant nothing to you..... You just tossed it in the bin like you didn't care. You claimed to love me right? That wasn't true! That wasn't true! Your love for me was shallow. As shallow as a gully. Even worst than that. All you did was to lead me on.....the ten day challenge was just a way to spend some of your extra money....and you found me as the target", she paused and then looked at her hands and saw the bangles.

"Do these mean something to you? Do they? No right? Of course not....",she said taking them off and throwing them on the floor. One by one she removed them and they clashed against each other and against the ground producing the shattering sound. I closed my eyes preventing my tears from coming out. But it didn't seem to be working. Men don't cry so they say. But I say a broken heart cries...and my heart is broken.

"Fine! Fine! Believe me or not, accuse me or not, I didn't do this. I did not do all these things....If you don't believe me now....I bet you'll believe me when am on my deathbed.....an innocent soul killed because of all your gibberish! I wish Omar....I just wish....", she started concluding and a few tears running down her cheeks.

"I wish I never met you", she said and left. I watched her as she left and walked away. There where a lot of people outside. The paparazzi where everywhere. They over crowded and surrounded the building as if we where distributing free food. I looked hoping to see her but I didn't. She was consumed by the mass percentage of persons. My brain was in shock. Did she just say all that to me? She did right?

" Yes Omar...she did....she just said all that!",Cass answered my question. She came where I was and gave me an embrace. I felt so cold and weak.

"She never loved you Omar....all this time she was leading you on....she betrayed you. She is pure evil. Not to be trusted....I always wondered why you left me for her....she wasn't worth of you....she was never worth of you. Not in anyway! She took advantage of your love for her. She used it to spoil your reputation and make money out of it. She used your medical condition to her own gain. She was no less of a treacherous snake....she bit all of us Omar....", she broke the hug and looked at my face.

"I'm here Omar....Luen.....your Luen....I know you love me.....I know you care.....I know you love me so much....her presence just brainwashed you making you think you love her...she compelled you to love her.....she forced herself on you!", she continued and each word came as the opposite to me.

"She loved you....she adored you.....she took care of you....",that's all I kept hearing although I knew it was actually just what I wanted to hear. I lost my true love! I just did!

🌺====================

When we drove back to my apartment that evening, we were surprised to hear that the apartment was out of bounce and any form of means through it was no other than trespassing and was punishable by law. We got out of the car and I went to one of the men, inquiring from him to see what was going on.

"The angry mob set a room on fire. Section....4B...", he went on! That was my room! They set my room on fire?! Do they have any idea how hard it was for me to pull the full house together!? Everything in there was no other than first class material and imported from the best business companies world wide. Oh My Word! They brought all my hardwork to ruins in less than minutes when it took me years to build it this high. It really tore my already torn heart. I couldn't understand it. Catastrophe became my middle name. Everything was going down and I couldn't understand it well. "Omar you have me.....", Luen's voice echoed in my ears. She came to where I stood and held my hand. She interlocked her fingers with mine and I could feel they didn't fit.

"I love you Omar....am happy you came back to me...", she cried and leant on my shoulder.

"You have no idea how much this means to me...you have no idea....", she stammered as she was busy. Busy talking, and looking at me, and trying to make me understand. She was pipelining and I wasn't going well with it. It was as if she had gone mad.

"Omar....remember how we used to light lanterns every of your birthday at the orphanage? It was beautiful right? I'd ask you to take me to linterna de amor but it won't be special anymore because that wretched woman already made you take her their. Take me to Taiwan...on your helicopter.....right now....there's....there is....a ....a...festival. You know...you love festivals don't you? Yes you do....there's a Pingxi Sky Lantern festival ...specifically in Taipei", she blabbered and blabbered. She had no shame! She wanted me to take her to Taiwan? I cannot even dare to think what I will do to her. I couldn't understand any word she said anymore. My ears were blocked from this voice of hers and all I heard was a cry for redemption. She definitely needed that. She was behaving like a twelve year old when she was way older than that. She had lost all her dignity and virtues in one goal. They all turned into vices and she had no worry or sense of guilt in her. She behaved in such an ill manner with me when she was already dating my brother....Worst of all he must have been watching us by now. I couldn't take more of this.

".... Luen....I will say this once but if you keep on coaxing me I won't ever hesitate to say it again and again. I do not love you! I won't ever love you! You and I are history. I moved on. I love and only Prim! I loved Lily but even she didn't make me feel the way Prim made me feel. I know you are the one behind all this. It's just unfortunate that my confidence levels are boosted way too late. She has already left. She is gone....because of you! I won't kill you or try to....it's of no use to me. I'll just make sure you understand one thing....I feel no more than utmost nothing for you. If I say I hate you, you'll be comforted that at least my heart feels something for you but No. I have no desire for you! I have Zero feelings for you!!!", I poured out my heart in front of her.

" If I get a slight hint that you framed Prim or you're trying to harm my brother....no one in your life...will ever be worst than me...!!",I finished and I could see a flood of tears down her cheeks. She was breathless and it really had no effect on me. I lost my love. I was stupid, flaccid and weak. She was right. I am insolent. I am an imbecile. The truth was right there in front of me and I chose not to believe it. I am such a fool. The worst there has ever been. I felt like I was in an exam and the books where right at my own disposal and yet I still couldn't find the answers. I had became the most dumbest person there has ever been.

I turned around....hoping....with so much hope in my heart....to get back the heart of my love.

Am so sorry Prim. I really am the worst. I believed you all this time. I will always believe you. You can never lie. You are truth itself. Lies and you are just an oxymoron! I know it's too late but give me another chance.

Am coming Prim. I am coming back. I need you so much...

I need you...because I love you.