S2 Chapter 47 : Save

The Ace and the Four kings

Spade's POV

Before The Proposal

"Sir Spade, it's Ma'am Xyrine," one of the Montreal mansion's maids cried out.

I immediately ended the call, left the Sy mansion, and rushed back to the Montreal estate. As soon as I arrived, I headed straight to our bedroom, only to find a group of maids huddled outside, clearly distressed.

"What's going on?" I demanded, turning to the head maid.

"Sir, it's Ma'am Xyrine," she murmured, her head bowed, tears streaming down her face.

"Tell me, what's wrong?!" I shouted.

"She hasn't come out of her room since you left this morning. But just a while ago, we heard something shatter inside, followed by her screaming, 'You can't leave me, Spade!'" she explained, still avoiding my gaze.

"You didn't try to go in?" I asked, frowning.

"No, sir. She told us not to interfere."

"Bring me the keys!" I ordered.

The maids scrambled to get the key, and the moment it was in my hand, I unlocked the door and pushed it open. My breath hitched at the sight before me. The room was a mess—shattered objects littered the floor. In the middle of the chaos, Xyrine sat at the edge of the bed, crying, her expression empty.

"Xyrine…" I called out hesitantly.

As I stepped closer, my eyes landed on the blood staining the sheets. My stomach dropped.

"You… you cut yourself?" I asked in disbelief, my voice barely a whisper.

She lifted her gaze, her eyes clouded with pain. "Spade?" she mumbled, dazed.

"Spade!" she repeated, her voice breaking as she reached out to embrace me.

But I stepped back.

"Spade, I thought you weren't coming back," she whispered.

I averted my gaze, distancing myself further. Then, I looked at her—really looked at her.

"Are you really Xyrine?" I asked, my voice firm.

She blinked, stunned by my words. Then, suddenly, she laughed bitterly before breaking into tears once more.

"Why? What does your mind believe, and who do your eyes keeps seeking for?" she asked, forcing a smile. "Isn't it me?"

A part of me agreed. But deep inside, I knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

"Then explain this to me," I said, pulling out my old phone and showing her a picture—one of me and Monique, locked in an embrace.

Her face paled at the sight, but she quickly masked it with a laugh.

"Spade, are you seriously going to believe that?" she scoffed. "You know how cunning Monique is. She once hurt herself in the bathroom just to play the victim. She's ruined my life before, even though I am the real Montreal. Do you really think it's that hard for her to fabricate a lie like this?"

She clutched my arms tightly. "And more than anything, who do you remember? Isn't it me?"

I ran a hand down my face, overwhelmed. I pushed her hands away and stepped back.

"Do you remember the day I confessed to you?" I asked seriously.

I knew there was no way she could forget—it was one of the most traumatic days of our lives.

"Do you remember where I confessed my feelings to you?" I pressed, my eyes locked onto hers.

She lowered her gaze. Then, out of nowhere, she laughed. And cried.

That was it.

"Enough of this madness, Xyrine. This ends here," I declared.

She didn't move. She didn't say a word. So I turned to leave.

"In an abandoned building."

I froze.

"What… what did you just say?"

She lifted her head, meeting my gaze.

"You confessed in an old building," she said, her voice eerily calm. "While there was a bomb under the chair I was sitting on, Spade."

A cold chill ran down my spine.

How?

How could she know that?

"Are you still going to leave me?" she asked, her voice breaking, tears still falling.

"My heart and my mind are telling me two different things," I muttered, clenching my fists.

"But I am the one your eyes are searching for! I am the one your mind recognizes!" she screamed, her voice echoing throughout the room.

"Fine! Go ahead and leave!" she sobbed. "But if you walk away now and later realize that I am the real Xyrine, while the one your heart believes in is nothing but a fraud—then I just hope it won't be too late."

I snapped my head toward her. "What are you saying?"

She held my gaze firmly. "If you walk away now…" She inhaled deeply, her expression hardening. "I will take my own life."

I stood frozen.

No…

Impossible…

I knew something wasn't right.

But…

What if she is the real Xyrine? What if I go to Monique right now and she fails to prove that she's the true one?

What will happen to the Xyrine standing before me?

"We've been through so much, Spade. So much," she sobbed. "And now? Now, you're giving up? When we're already here, when we already have each other?"

Her words struck something deep within me.

Then, I remembered my journal.

Yes. We have been through so much.

I can't just walk away because my heart suddenly wavered.

No matter how confused I was, there was only one thing I could do—trust my memories.

And the Xyrine standing before me… was the one my mind remembered.

I stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry, Xyrine," I whispered. "I promise, I will never leave you."

Xyrine Jean's Pov

Blue Moon Park

"Please, let me go."

I felt like I had gone deaf upon hearing those words, and not a single sound escaped my lips.

I must have misheard, right?

"What are you saying? Why are you joking like that?" I forced a laugh, even as tears threatened to spill from my eyes. "Come on, don't scare me like that. My heart is so happy right now."

He held my hand tighter and pressed it against his chest, his head bowed. "Xyrine and I are happy now. We've been through so much together, and finally, I can say that we're truly happy. But because of you..." He paused for a few seconds before continuing, his voice breaking.

"I'll admit it—there's a part of my heart that wants to love you. But no matter how much I think about it, no matter how hard I try to remember, I can't recall a single good thing about us—only the pain you caused me and Xyrine."

Tears streamed down his face as he continued, "I know you're strong, Monique. I know you can handle anything. But Xyrine… she's been through so much. She's cried countless times. She's been hurt over and over again. It's time for her to be happy. So please..." He lowered his head further.

"If you truly love me, please let us go and walk away from our lives."

Let him go? Walk away?

I felt the tears slipping down my cheeks as I yanked my hand from his grasp and turned away, trying to process everything he had just said.

"Monique!" He reached for my arm, but I pulled away.

"I'm already leaving, can't you see?" My voice came out in a whisper, hollow and broken as the tears kept falling.

I kept walking, dazed, but then he grabbed me again. "It's late, and you're—you're pregnant. Let me—"

"I'm what?" My voice cracked, my vision blurring with the tears clouding my eyes. "I'm pregnant, and this is what you're doing to me? This is how you choose to hurt me? Again and again?" I screamed, the pain in my chest unbearable.

I struggled to calm myself, even as it felt like I was suffocating. I looked at him once more—only to avert my gaze immediately. I couldn't bear it. "Spade, enough. Please." I clutched my stomach, my voice trembling. "If you have even an ounce of mercy left for me—for us—just let me go!"

I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to hold back the sobs. Without waiting for his response, I turned away and walked off. Slowly at first, but then I started running. Running away from him. Away from everything.

I didn't care that it was dark. I didn't care that I was in heels. I just ran.

Spade, how many times will you break me? How many times will you let me go? How many times will you crush my heart?

["I know you're strong, but Xyrine… she's suffered so much. She's cried too many times. It's her turn to be happy. So please…"]

But what if the person you're trying to protect and the person you're pushing away… are the same?

You want Monique to be happy?

Then what about me, Spade?

What about me?

What about our child?

I kept running, my thoughts a storm of pain and betrayal, when suddenly, I tripped. I tumbled down a rough patch of the park, the impact jarring my body. Pain shot through my stomach, sharp and unbearable.

But I couldn't stop.

"Baby, I'm sorry," I sobbed, clutching my stomach tightly. "I have to keep going. We have to get away. I have to run. If I don't, I'll die from this pain."

Despite the agony twisting through me, I forced myself to stand. I had to move. I had to escape.

Reaching the roadside, I kept crying, my breaths ragged. And then I saw it.

Spade's car.

I froze.

Was he really leaving me?

Was he really abandoning us?

Panic gripped my chest. The thought of him never coming back sent me into a frenzy, and without thinking, I ran after his car. My stomach felt numb from the pain, but I didn't stop.

I sprinted with all my strength just to follow his car. "Spade, I'm Xyrine! I'm the real Xyrine. Please, don't leave us! I am begging you, I'm the real Xyrine. Spade, please come back to us! Spadeeee!" I kept running, desperation fueling my every step, until a sharp, searing pain shot through me.

My breath hitched as I looked down, watching a crimson trail streak down my leg.

There's a Blood.

I wanted to keep running, but my body gave out, and I collapsed onto the pavement.

"Baby, I'm sorry," I whispered weakly. "Please, don't leave me too. Your father already did. Please, I beg you."

The sobs wracked my body, but the pain in my stomach only grew worse. I felt my strength slipping away.

I tried to stand.

I fell.

I tried again.

I fell again.

"K-Keep holding on," I murmured, my voice barely a whisper. "Please... I can't bear to lose you too."

My vision blurred, the world spinning, but just as the darkness was about to take me, I saw it—a car pulling up in front of me.

Three men stepped out.

I wanted to say their names.

But before I could, my body finally gave out.

And everything faded to black.

Louren's POV

I paced back and forth in the waiting room, restless, while Ren, Ten, and I sat in silence. My fists clenched as the image of Xyrine from earlier flashed in my mind—the way she looked when we found her on the street. She was unrecognizable, a mere shadow of the person she was before we left her. I could barely bring myself to look at her. She was in such a miserable state.

"Spade, the moment Xyrine walks out of this hospital, I swear—you will never get near her again!" I spat through gritted teeth.

I couldn't stay still, anxiety clawing at me, until I finally saw the doctor step out.

"Who is the father of the child?" he asked, his tone serious.

"I am," I answered without hesitation.

"Please come with me."

Without wasting a second, I followed him into the emergency room.

The moment I stepped inside, my breath caught. Xyrine lay unconscious on the hospital bed, looking so fragile. I averted my gaze, unable to bear the sight of her. Damn it.

I turned to the doctor, and for some reason, my heart pounded in my chest when I saw him sigh deeply.

"I need you to prepare yourself before I say this," he said gravely.

"Just tell me," I replied, though dread curled in my gut.

"Due to excessive blood loss, her condition has become critical. I'm sorry to say this, but…" He met my eyes, his expression unyielding. "We can only save one. The baby is still premature, but we can keep it alive—if you choose the child over the mother."

It felt like a bucket of ice had been dumped over me.

"E-excuse me?" My voice came out hoarse.

"I understand this is a shock—it's normal. But this is the reality we're facing, and we need an answer now. I'll say it again: only one of them can be saved, and the decision is entirely yours." He patted my shoulder before turning away. "I'll give you a moment to decide."

As soon as he walked out, I sank onto a chair, staring blankly ahead.

Did I hear him right? Do I really have to choose between Xyrine and the child?

I shot to my feet and slammed my fist against the wall as the weight of the situation crashed down on me.

This is all your fault, Spade! You put them in danger! You ruined everything!

"Ahhh, bullshit!" I punched the wall again, frustration clawing at my chest.

"What's going on, Louren?" Ren and Ten rushed into the emergency room.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. "It's Xyrine and the baby..."

"What about them?"

I clenched my fists, struggling to say the words. "Only one of them can survive."

Ren kicked a chair across the room while Ten ran a hand over his face in frustration.

"This is all Spade's fault!" Ren seethed.

"That bastard! How could he let this happen to them?" Ten shouted, turning away.

"Now that we're here, what do we do? Are we telling Spade about this?" I looked directly at Ren.

"The moment he abandoned Xyrine, he gave up any rights to them," I said firmly.

"Then what's your decision?" Ten asked.

"Save Xyrine."

"W-wait..."

We all turned toward the weak voice that spoke.

It's Xyrine.

I rushed to her side, grabbing her hand. "You shouldn't be awake. Just rest, everything will be okay," I told her, forcing a smile even as my chest tightened.

"Louren, I heard everything," she said, smiling faintly.

"Xyrine, don't—"

"I'm so tired, Louren." A tear slipped down her cheek.

I looked away, my jaw tightening. "Xyrine, you're going to get through this. Please, hold on, just a little bit more..." I pleaded, my voice shaking.

She shook her head weakly. "Louren… my whole life, I've lived in loneliness. I always felt like I was walking the wrong path, all by myself. When I found out I was pregnant, I was scared… I didn't want my child to grow up without a father, just like I did. But, Louren…" Her voice broke as more tears fell. "The moment I felt my baby inside me, I knew—I finally had something of my own. Something that belonged to me and no one else. That child is mine."

I took a deep breath, already knowing what she was going to say. And yet, I still asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"What do you want me to do?"

With trembling hands, she reached for mine, her tear-filled eyes locking onto mine.

And as she spoke, my heart shattered.

"Louren… save my baby."