Stranged

3rd P.O.V.

Beatrix felt a knot form in her stomach as she watched Charis walk away with the group of men. She knew she had to talk to her friend, but she also didn't want to make a scene in front of the strangers.

Taking a deep breath, she approached Charis once the men had disappeared from sight. "Charis, can we talk?"

Charis stopped in her tracks and turned to face Beatrix. "What do you want to talk about?"

Beatrix hesitated, unsure of how to broach the subject. "I just wanted to check in on you. Are you okay?"

Charis rolled her eyes again. "Of course, I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"

Beatrix frowned. She could tell that something was off about Charis, but she didn't want to push too hard. "Well, you just seemed...distant lately. Is everything going alright with you and Harley?"

Charis scoffed. "Harley? He's the least of my problems right now."

Beatrix was taken aback by Charis' sudden bitterness towards her husband. "What do you mean?"

Charis hesitated before finally speaking. "I just feel like I've lost myself, you know? I used to be so full of life and adventure, but now...now I feel like I'm just going through the motions."

Beatrix nodded sympathetically. "I understand. But you know, you don't have to feel that way. You can always talk to me about anything. We're friends, right?"

Charis smiled softly, her eyes filling with tears. "Thank you, Beatrix. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Beatrix hugged her friend tightly, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. Maybe things would be okay after all.

Beatrix gasped in pain as she stumbled back from Charis' embrace. She looked down and saw the hilt of a knife sticking out from her abdomen. Blood gushed out of the wound, staining her clothes and the sand beneath her feet.

"Why...why did you do this?" Beatrix managed to utter, her voice strained with pain and confusion.

Charis only sneered in response, her eyes cold and unfeeling. "Because I'm sick of being in your shadow, Beatrix. Sick of always being second best. I should have been the one getting loved by Harley, not you."

Beatrix could hardly believe what she was hearing. All this time, Charis had been jealous of her. She had never even suspected it. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Charis' footsteps as she walked away, leaving Beatrix bleeding and alone on the shore.

Panic set in as Beatrix struggled to stay conscious. She knew she had to get help, but the nearest village was miles away. She stumbled toward her hut, each step sending a fresh wave of pain through her body.

She managed to reach her hut and collapsed onto the floor, her vision growing blurry as she tried to keep herself awake. She knew she was running out of time. She had to find a way to stop the bleeding.

As she lay there, helpless and alone, she thought of all the things she wished she had done differently. She wished she had seen the signs of Charis' jealousy earlier. She wished she had been more careful. She wished she could go back and do it all over again.

But it was too late for regrets now. All she could do was hope that someone would find her before it was too late.

Apollo saw them, and he came running toward Beatrix.

As Apollo rushed Beatrix to the hospital, Charis and Harley followed closely behind. Harley kept insisting that he was Beatrix's husband and needed to be with her, but Apollo was having none of it. He didn't trust Harley and he knew Beatrix wouldn't want him there.

In the car, Beatrix was losing consciousness, and Apollo was trying his best to keep her awake. Charis was frantically looking for a phone to call for help. They finally arrived at the hospital, and the staff immediately took Beatrix to the emergency room.

Apollo was pacing back and forth in the waiting room, while Charis and Harley sat quietly beside him. Apollo couldn't shake the feeling that Harley had something to do with what happened to Beatrix, but he didn't have any proof. He kept his eye on Harley, making sure he didn't make any sudden movements.

Finally, the doctor came out of the emergency room, and Apollo rushed to him. The doctor said that Beatrix had been stabbed and was in critical condition. Apollo was devastated, and Charis started crying uncontrollably. Harley tried to console Charis, but Apollo was having none of it.

Apollo punched Harley in the face, and the two started fighting. The hospital security had to intervene, and they separated the two men. Apollo was furious, and Harley was bleeding from his nose. Charis was screaming at Apollo, telling him that he was out of line. But Apollo didn't care; he just wanted to make sure Beatrix was okay.

After a few hours, the doctor came out again and said that Beatrix was out of surgery and was in stable condition. Apollo breathed a sigh of relief, and Charis hugged him tightly. Harley left the hospital quietly, knowing he was no longer welcome.

As Beatrix slowly woke up from her surgery, she saw Apollo and Charis sitting beside her bed. She asked them what had happened, and they told her everything. Beatrix was shocked that someone would want to hurt her, and she couldn't understand why.

Apollo promised Beatrix that he would find out who did this and bring them to justice. Charis held Beatrix's hand, telling her that everything would be okay. For now, Beatrix just wanted to rest and recover.

—

Beatrix slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the bright lights of the hospital room. She tried to move, but the pain in her stomach stopped her. Memories of what happened flooded her mind, and she turned her head to see Apollo sitting beside her bed, his eyes red from crying.

"What happened?" Apollo asked, his voice shaking.

Beatrix took a deep breath and began to recount everything. She told him about Charis and how she stabbed her, about the pack of men that were with her, and about how she had been struggling to keep everything together for so long.

As Beatrix spoke, Apollo's expression changed from confusion to anger. His hands were balled into fists, and his jaw was tight.

"I can't believe she did this to you," he said through gritted teeth. "I won't let her get away with it."

Beatrix could see the anger in Apollo's eyes, and she knew he would do anything to protect her. She reached out to take his hand, and he squeezed it tightly.

"Thank you," Beatrix whispered, grateful for his support.

Apollo leaned in to kiss her forehead gently, and Beatrix closed her eyes, feeling safe in his embrace. They sat in silence for a while, holding onto each other tightly.

"I'm here for you," Apollo said softly. "Whatever you need, I'll be here for you."

Beatrix nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. She knew that she had someone who loved her, someone who would protect her no matter what.

—

Beatrix sat in the hospital bed with a big smile on her face as Donny and Yuna walked in. Donny was Beatrix's son, and Yuna was Charis's daughter, but the two had grown close over the years, almost like sisters.

"Hi, Mom!" Donny said, giving her a big hug.

"Hi, Aunt Beatrix!" Yuna chimed in, giving her a hug as well.

"So, how's everything going, Mom?" Donny asked.

"Great! I've been keeping busy with the fish trade," Beatrix replied.

"Of course, you're the queen of the sea," Donny joked.

Beatrix laughed, "Well, someone has to keep the business going."

Yuna spoke up, "Aunt Beatrix, did you hear about my latest exhibition? It was a huge success!"

"That's fantastic, Yuna! I knew you would make it big one day," Beatrix replied, beaming with pride.

As they continued to chat, Beatrix couldn't help but feel grateful for her family. Despite the ups and downs they had gone through, they always managed to come back together and support each other. She couldn't imagine life without them.

The conversation turned to memories from the past, and they all laughed and reminisced about old times. It was moments like these that Beatrix cherished the most, surrounded by loved ones and filled with laughter.

After that, Beatrix fell asleep.

—

Apollo's fists clenched and his breathing quickened as he saw Harley's face. Rage consumed him, and without a second thought, he charged forward, pummeling Harley with a flurry of punches. Apollo's mind was clouded with fury, and all he could see was the man who had hurt the woman he loved.

He barely registered the sound of bones cracking and the sickening thuds of his fists hitting flesh. All he knew was the overwhelming need to make Harley pay for what he had done.

Harley lay on the ground, battered and bruised from the beating he received from Apollo. Apollo was standing over him, breathing heavily and still seething with anger.

"What the hell were you thinking, Harley?" Apollo demanded, his voice filled with venom. "How could you do that to Beatrix?"

Harley struggled to sit up, wincing in pain as he moved. "I didn't do anything to her," he protested weakly. "I swear, Apollo."

"Then why did she end up in the hospital with a knife wound in her stomach?" Apollo shot back, his fists clenching at his sides.

Harley's eyes widened in shock. "What? A knife? Wait, I thought she had an ulcer? What really happened to her?"

"You know damn well what happened," Apollo growled. "You and your wife, Charis, are responsible for this."

Harley shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about, man. Charis and I had nothing to do with this."

Apollo snarled in frustration. "I don't believe you. Beatrix said she saw Charis with a pack of men just before she was stabbed."

Harley's face twisted in anger. "Charis wouldn't do something like that," he spat. "You don't know anything about her."

Apollo glared down at him. "I know she's been causing trouble since the day she arrived here. And I know you've been enabling her."

Harley pushed himself up onto his elbows, his breathing heavy. "I love her, man," he said, his voice low and fierce. "I'll do anything for her."

Apollo shook his head in disgust. "You're blinded by your feelings, Harley. You can't see the truth. But mark my words, I will get to the bottom of this. And if it turns out that you and Charis had anything to do with what happened to Beatrix, I'll make sure you both pay for it." With that, he turned and stalked away, leaving Harley alone on the ground.

As the chaos unfolded, nurses and doctors rushed in, trying to pull Apollo away from Harley. But Apollo's rage was too great, and it took several security guards to finally subdue him.

As they dragged him away, Apollo's eyes were still locked on Harley's battered body. He knew he had gone too far, but he didn't care. All that mattered was that he had avenged Beatrix's pain.

Apollo stood alone on the rooftop, the cool night air calming his raging emotions. He took deep breaths, trying to center himself and clear his mind. The sound of the city below was distant and muffled, as if it were miles away instead of just a few floors below.

He replayed the events of the past few days in his mind, from the attack on Beatrix to his confrontation with Harley. The anger inside him burned bright, but he knew he needed to quell it before it consumed him.

As he gazed out at the darkened skyline, he thought about Beatrix and how she was doing. He knew she was strong, but he couldn't help worrying about her. He made a mental note to check on her as soon as he felt more in control.

Apollo closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, trying to release the tension from his body. He leaned against the railing and looked up at the starry sky. The twinkling lights above gave him a sense of calm and peace.

He took a few more deep breaths and let his mind drift, allowing his thoughts to wander without judgment. As he did, he realized that he needed to find a way to deal with his anger and frustration in a healthier way. He couldn't keep lashing out at those around him.

With that realization, Apollo made a promise to himself to work on his emotions and find a better way to manage his feelings. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was determined to try.

As he turned to head back inside, his phone beeped with a text message. It was from Beatrix, thanking him for everything he had done for her. Apollo smiled and texted her back, telling her to get some rest and that he would see her soon.

Feeling a little lighter, Apollo made his way back down to the apartment, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

—

While Apollo was staying on the rooftop alone, Beatrix was alone in her hospital room, her thoughts racing as she tried to process everything that had happened. She couldn't believe that Charis, her closest friend, had betrayed her in such a brutal way. As she was lost in thought, the door creaked open and Charis walked in.

Beatrix felt a knot form in her stomach as she looked at Charis. She didn't know what to say, how to react. Was Charis here to apologize? Or was this another one of her twisted games?

Charis looked at Beatrix with a solemn expression. "I'm sorry, Beatrix. I really am," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

Beatrix was surprised by Charis' words. Maybe she was genuinely sorry. Maybe there was still some hope for their friendship.

But as Beatrix opened her mouth to respond, Charis suddenly burst out laughing. "Did you really think I was sorry? That I felt bad for what I did?" she sneered.

Beatrix felt a surge of anger and betrayal wash over her. How could Charis be so callous? How could she laugh after what she had done?

"You're sick, Charis," Beatrix spat, her voice shaking with rage.

Charis just grinned, clearly enjoying Beatrix's distress. "You should have seen the look on your face. It was priceless," she said, her laughter echoing through the empty hospital room.

Beatrix felt a wave of nausea wash over her. She couldn't believe that she had ever been friends with someone so cruel and heartless.

"I don't want to see you again, Charis. Ever," Beatrix said, her voice firm and resolute.

Charis shrugged, still smirking. "Suit yourself. But don't worry, Beatrix. I'll always be watching you," she said before turning and walking out of the room.

Beatrix was left alone with her thoughts once again, her mind racing with anger and confusion. She couldn't understand how Charis could have changed so much, how their friendship could have turned into something so toxic and twisted. All she knew was that she never wanted to see Charis again.

As Beatrix lay in her hospital bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, she was lost in thought. Charis, her best friend of years, had suddenly become so cold towards her. Beatrix couldn't understand why. Was it something she had done? Had Charis simply grown tired of their friendship? Or was there something more sinister at play?

Beatrix closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to push the thoughts out of her mind. She didn't want to dwell on the negative, not when she was still recovering from her injuries.

But the more Beatrix tried to suppress her thoughts, the more they swirled around in her head, like a tornado of doubts and fears. She had always thought that her friendship with Charis was unbreakable, that they would always be there for each other no matter what.

But now Beatrix wondered if she had been wrong. Was Charis never really her friend to begin with? Had Beatrix been too naive to see the truth all along?

Beatrix sighed and sat up, wincing slightly as she felt a twinge of pain in her stomach. She glanced over at the door, half-expecting Charis to walk in at any moment, but the room remained empty.

Suddenly, Beatrix felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She missed her friend, missed the laughter and the good times they had shared. But more than anything, Beatrix wanted answers. She wanted to know why Charis had turned on her so suddenly, why she had hurt her in such a brutal way.

With a determined look in her eyes, Beatrix picked up her phone and began to type out a message to Charis. It was time to get to the bottom of things, no matter how painful it might be.

When Apollo came inside her room, Beatrix told him about what happened earlier before he came.

Apollo was struggling to know as well how everything drastically changes in a blink of an eye.

It seems like someone just pushed her to do things like this although it was not what she really wants.

But if someone is really just ordering Charis, why does it seem so real for Beatrix?