Chapter 15

I was feeling a little shaky as Lincoln led me to the forest. I thought of how the huntsman had led Snowhite into the forest and cut out her heart.

It made me nervous.

But still, I walked with him. We were side by side. He kept a firm grip on my wrist as we walked.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him, finally breaking the dead silence.

He glanced at me and sighed, saying nothing.

I swallowed, my throat is now dry, kicking myself for agreeing to this. How more stupid could I be?

He finally stopped and let me go.

We were sorrounded by flowers. All of them are swaying gently in the breeze, seemingly radiant in the moonlight.

I looked around the sorroundings, awed by the view, it was single handly the most beautiful place I'd ever seen.

"What is this place?" I gasped, gaping at the scenery.

"This," -his deep voice spoke from behind me- "is where I fell in love for the first time."

I looked at him and found him watching me. His gaze was intense, unwavering.

"What do you mean?" I was pleased that my voice didn't shake.

Lincoln gestured me to sit down on the grass. It would ruin the dress though and Layla and Shain will kill me and grill about ruining a custom made dress from Louis Vuitton, but I am now in the forest with the man who's trying to kill me- this dress was the least of my worries.

I took off the gold and diamond encrusted headpiece I was wearing and sat down on the cool grass. He sat down beside me. I felt a little scared because I don't know if I'll be coming back at the party alive or not.

"I wasn't really a killer," he began softly, closing his eyes. "I was just once a normal guy, living a normal life and is in love."

He chuckled slowly, a far away looks in his eyes.

"Her name was Agatha and she was so beautiful, just like you. The most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my entire life." He looked at me sadly.

"Was?" I asked quietly.

He was quite for a moment before he spoke again.

"This is the place where I first met her, she was crying. She was sitting right where you are now. I asked her what's wrong but she told me it was nothing." He said.

She even told me, "I just find it cleansing for the sould to cry every once in a while. To let all the things that holds you go down."

He smiled fondly. "And from that moment, I knew for myself that I love her. We went here every day just to see each other. And every time I saw her, I always fell deeply in love with her,"

"And then it happened, she had been talking to me about how she felt that she was being followed. So I let her stayed with me, to keep an eye on her. Months went by and she was safe, but she still stayed with me. We then preffered to live together and I love waking up beside her every morning. " He continued. I can feel through his words how he really love the girl named Agatha. Like he was her life.

"But one day I came home from work and I called out for her, she didn't responded. I thought she just took a shower but when I started knocking at the door, no one was answering. That's when I started to get worried. She was always at home by the time I would come in. So I tried calling her phone, thinking maybe she just went out to buy something and maybe lost track of the time." He closed his eyes, swallowing hard. When he spoke again, he voice was so low that I had to lean forward and close to him just to hear what he was saying.

"I suddenly heard a rustling from our bedroom, and I smiled thinking she was there and everything was fine. I slipped my hand in my pocket, making sure that the box containing the engagement ring that I was gonna give her is there. I was planning to propose to her that time. I wanted to surprised her," his hand suddenly form a fist. A hard one. I can still even saw the veins on his hands even though it was so dark.

"I was the one who got surprised by what I saw when I switched on the lights," he continued. "I was standing in blood, not just anyone's blood, but her blood. Her body was crumpled on the floor. Her eyes which once full of wonder and light were lifeless."

He hung his head, my hand hover above his shoulder. I was torn. How should I comfort him?

He raised his head and I quickly let my hand fall, listening quietly as he continued.

"Written in her blood on the wall were the words, "Gregorio always get what he wants."

"Gregorio," I whispered the name, nodding to myself. Is he the famous mobster here? But he got killed last year...." I tried off and looked at Lincoln who was smiling his signature smile of sadness.

"You did that? You're the one who killed him?" I gasped.

"I had to avenge Agatha's death. I made that bastard suffer. He's a motherfucker," he spat, rage on his face. "After her death, my world collapsed. I felt like I fell into a dark place. Never loved anyone else. I kill people in the reason of Agatha's death. So what? The one that mattered to me the most was no longer living, no longer able to laugh and smile. If a woman who was gentle and kind like Agatha could be killed, then so could everyone else." He took a deep breath. Letting it fill his lungs completely, before finally exhaling.

"Evil isn't born, Raszhiel, it's being made."

I swallowed. I suddenly felt bad for this man. Now I knew why he always looks so sad. The nervousness that I'm feeling the whole time suddenly left away. All that was left was pity for him.

That woman-Agatha- she had meant the world for him. I could see through his eyes when he spoke her name. And to suddenly snatch her away from him.....

I put my hand on his arm. He whipped his around and looked at me, shocked replacing the sadness in his features.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. There was nothing more I could say just to lessen the burden that he is feeling right now. I fell bad for him, but I don't know how to comfort him.

He looked at me for a long time with a strange expression.

"What?" I asked, getting rather uncomfortable.

"Nothing." He turned away. "Now you know why the lives of others means no value to me."

"Then why did you change your mind. Why didn't you kill me?" Those words suddenly slipped in my mouth, he then turned to looked at me. And I wanted to kill myself for always being so stupid and ask questions which could out my life on the line.

"Because," he finally said before staring at my eyes for a long line. "You remind me of her."

I quickly turn my gaze at him.

I reminded him of Agatha? That's why he hadn't killed me? I blinked at him and turned my gaze away.

"I know it's something.... Odd. It's odd for me too. The first time I saw you, I hope against hope that maybe she hadn't really died. That maybe somehow, it was all a terrible, twisted nightmare." His English accent was soothing as he spoke.

I was quite, a little creeped out at being told I looked like the dead woman who he was once madly in love with.

"Won't Anica throw a temper tantrum if you don't kill me?" I wondered looking at him. "She'll kill you for sure."

"You know I wasn't supposed to bring you out here. The plan was to bring you somewhere else. She doesn't care if where it is, as long as you were gone and couldn't stand between her and Cayne."

It was her hard to miss the bitterness and quiet rage in his voice and face when he said Cayne's name.

"However, you'd hate me if I did and....." he looked at me. "I don't want you to hate me."

His voice was to low, barely even a whisper.

I stood up, barely picking up my headpiece.

"You should probably take me back," I said, looking down at him. "Cayne is probably going out of his mind with worry."

Lincoln's mouth turned downward in a bitter scowl, but he nodded. He stoop up and led the way back.

I think my life is save now huh. Thanks to Agatha. I owe her my life.