Chapter 1

"Run Adrielle, please save yourself dear. I beg you please, I love you, your grandfather and I, love you so much."Her grandmother hugged her while sobbing, begging her to save herself, brushing her away to save her life.

Her grandmother was bearing the pain on her left ankle that was shot awhile ago while escaping and she thought that she's a burden to her. They're hiding behind the bush, the gang is still searching for them and she can hear voices from afar. In no time they will be able find them.

"Go, I've lived long enough, you have a long way to go my dear. There's so much truth about you that you need to know" She hugged her grandmother tighter with no plans of letting go.

"Honey let go. The diary of your mom was hidden in my drawer go find it." She squeezed her hand and cried harder. "Honey your grandfather is waiting for me, let go" she kissed her forehead and pushed her, a little harder this time.

Minutes ago, her grandfather died shielding her and her grandmother from the bullets shot by a gang leader offended by her uncle. Her heart was crushed the moment she saw her grandfather drenching with blood but still fighting to stand to buy them enough time to escape.

And now her grandmother is also sacrificing herself for her.

'Is my life really worth it for them to sacrifice their own'. She thought to herself.

With a heavy heart she dragged her feet to walk away from her grandma. She made her promise to stay safe and alive. "I love you" that's the last phrase her grandmother told her before she got the courage to let go. It felt like she's carrying the whole world on her shoulder.

After few moments, she heard two consecutive gun shots and the screaming voice of her grandmother. That exact moment her heart died.

She wanted to go back but she thought of how her grandparents sacrificed themselves to keep her alive.

She went straight to their house. She was out of her mind, frantically searching for her mother's diary.

There was one empty drawer that made her curious, there's a key whole inside the drawer. She rushed to their key holder and grab the keys.

She remembered her grandma has been keeping a key that she never saw her used. She used to ask her what is it for, and she will just simply answer her 'for good memory purposes'

"Catch her! I need her alive. Spotless!" She heard a familiar voice outside their house, the gang leader. She wasn't able to see his face but she was certain of that voice.

"Yes Sir" more familiar voices answered in unison

'I need to get out of here' her hands were shaking while searching for the key. In one try, the cover opened. She was right that was the right key.

There's her mother's diary, a letter and a locked heart necklace. She hurriedly took all three as she heard steps on their first floor.

She went directly to their veranda, her used to be escape pass whenever her uncle scolds her.

She was already on the ground when she heard one of them screaming "At the back!"

She ran towards the forest where she's most familiar with. It was her childhood's playground, she knows there's a road a mile away

She ran nonstop and her tears never left her cheeks. She was devastated. She was biting her lips to avoid screaming from anger and sorrow.

She can taste blood on her lips and a little bit of saltiness from her tears adding to the pain to her wounded lips.

She had reached the road but didn't stop from running. She need to get away from them and survive. Her sight is becoming more blurry because of her tears.

She can barely see the road. 'Booogsh!' Abruptly, she bumped into something hard… into a firm chest to be exact, their sudden collision made her even dizzier.

She looked up and saw a pair of brown eyes intently starring at her, they were cold as ice but for uncertain reason she felt safe.

All of her gathered strength awhile ago instantly fades.

"Help" she said in her almost whispering voice. She felt his arm supporting her back as she was slowly losing her consciousness.

[Thygo's POV]

"Mom how many times do I need to save the ass of this D*uche"

"Honey, please don't say that, he's still your brother" His mother knows that he can't refuse her.

He badly wants to punch his brother's face. For the last three months, he had covered 5 scandals in total and spend more than $200 000 dollars to compensate the damages caused by this assh*le.

And now, this d*uche just lost his newly bought Ferrari F8 into a bet and what's worse, the night is still young, it's too early to get f*cked up.

He just finished with a business meeting and was about to have dinner with his business partners on an uphill villa when his mom called.

He's pissed but still excused himself and left, and besides he's not fond of after meeting gatherings. He's into pure business only. He knew it's inevitable to be involve with social gatherings like this, but he hates pretensions interactions and fake relationships.

In Business, opportunists scattered, two-faced people are all over the place, braggarts flock, tigers and shark patiently wait to strike whenever you exhibit even the slightest of your weakness and trust is always and will always be an issue. Building a genuine friendship is almost next to never.

He usually let his assistant handle petty things like this but it happens that he was near the area. If he ask his assistant to fetch his brother it'll roughly take him 2 1/2 hrs before reaching his brother's location.

He drove 40km/h. In normal speed he's just 15 mins way but he intentionally wants to make his brother wait.

He was driving lazily when he saw a figure in a distance. At first, it didn't bother him but when he realize that the figure was a wounded woman, he stepped on his brakes without even thinking twice.

He went out of his car but the girl in front of him didn't to realized his presence just yet. She kept on running towards his direction. It's getting darker and the tall trees along the road dissipates all warmth but he can clearly see the fear and exhaustion in her eyes.

She's getting closer and closer towards him but she didn't stop from running not until she bumped into his chest. It took her few seconds before she realized her situation.

"Help" the girl mumbled then fainted

He didn't move for a moment, he took his time scanning the girl's beautiful face. His heart beat thump suddenly. He unconsciously gulped. The girl looked like a goddess descended on earth, wearing white silk dress with few blood stains. The next thing he saw were few scratches and a small blood on her lips.

He realized the danger that they're both in. He brought her into his arms and let her lay at his car's backseat. Then drove his car 3 times faster than his initial speed.

Passing his brother's location, he saw his brother's astonished face at the casino's entrance through the side mirror and smirked.

He dialed a number on his phone. "Andrew fetch Lucas at Exclair Casino"

"Yes Sir"

Then he dialed his brother's number

"Bro…." His brother exclaim with frustrated voice

"I'm not going to pick you up, Andrew will" he cuts him off before he could finish his sentence, then ended the call before he could answer him back.

For the third time, he made another call, this time, it's with Chief Inspector Lee

It was almost 9 when he reached his family's mansion, he stayed in his car for a while, he glanced back to the girl sweetly lying at his back seat. Aside from few scratches he haven't seen any major injuries so he knew she fainted due to exhaustion. He already made a call to their family physician.

He's certain that his mother will be surprised. She was expecting to see Lucas but he brought her a lady instead, worse a wounded one.

He didn't brought her to his own house knowing that there's no one to help him take care of the lady. And besides, his house is massive and spacious but he only got one room and Anna their caretaker visits his house to clean once a week.

He softly sigh.

He went out of his car and opened the back seat.

"Ma….Pa" the lady mumbled in her sleep

He saw forming sweats on her forehead. He place his palm on her temples to check her temperature.

"Sh*t!" He exclaimed lifted her out of his car and hurriedly went inside

He was welcomed by his mom. And he was spot on with his mother's reaction but in a split seconds he saw mischievous glow on her eyes.

He knew it right away. Aside from two reasons he first thought of, he realized that it's also the first time he brought a woman in their house.

His mom looks so intrigue and was about to open her mouth to start interrogating him.

"Later mom" he stopped her "She's sick, I asked Andrew to pick your beloved id!otic son"

He saw his mom's sudden change of reaction, from being shocked to worried. But he's certain that that worry on her face is not intended to Lucas and he proved it with her response.

"Nah, He's old enough" her mother turned her back at him and the next thing he heard is his mom demanding their helpers to prepare for cold compress, medicine and many more.

He continue walking towards his room.