Chapter 35 - Reminder Of Betrayal And Regret

Persephone was possessive of her Santiago's memory. She believed that those memories were meant to be only cherished by her because no one could ever deserve his goodness and kind heart. Thus, she would never share him or his memories with anyone. Santiago was an integral part of her life. She could live him through his memories. And this tattoo was a tribute to the moments that she had spent with him. 

She would never tell anyone that once upon a time a weak looking boy with the most warm pale blue eyes and a strong heart had made home inside her heart. 

"You have my rings, don't you?" Persephone suddenly asked the Villain. She wanted to ask him about her rings for a long time but never dared to.

"I do," Santiago indifferently replied. It appeared as if the talk about Nico's ring wasn't affecting him at all. And why would it affect him?

"Can I have them?" Persephone asked him with a little hesitation. 

"Why?" Santiago retorted with a mocking smirk "Can't bear to live away from Nico's ring?"

"I'm not talking about engagement ring," Pesephone replied with a sigh. Why was this man so hot and cold? Couldn't he just reply with a yes or no. She wished she could tell him Nico was her sore point. She hated him and cared about him at the same time. "I'm talking about another one."

"The cheap one?" Santiago asked with a raised brow. 

What was so special in that ring? It wasn't anything special. Her engagement ring was an heirloom and he was aware of that. Shouldn't be she worried about the one which was worth a few million dollars?

"The one which is not my engagement ring," Persephone replied. She refused to call that ring cheap. She knew what price she had to pay for that moment. 

"What does that signify?"Santiago asked with an evil grin.Did he just discovered his Red's weak spot?Interesting. 

"A reminder of betrayal and regret." The words left Persephone's mouth before she could control it. 

"You are a woman full of secrets, Red," Santigao whispered in her ear. "Does Marino know about it? Is that the reason why he is giving you to Nicolas?"

Persephone's expressions were that of confusion and grimace. She pondered about what Villain just called him. A woman full of secrets. Yes, she was. But why was this the reason why her father was hellbent on forcing her to marry Nicolas. This marriage would do none of them any good. She was tired of making Nicolas see her point of view. It was as if he was obsessed with marrying her. 

"Lord knows why Nicolas wants to marry me," Persephone confessed with a sigh. 

"It seems you care for him," Santiagao said without thinking. Why did it affect him if she cared for her would be husband or not? She could marry him all he wanted after fifteen days. 

"Maybe,"Persephone replied.

"Isn't it enough for Alessandro Marino to make you marry Nicolas scuderi?"

"What do you mean?"Persephone's eyes found Villain's as soon as the words left his mouth. What did he mean by those words?

"Oh, Red, you are so naive sometimes," Santiago said with a shake of head as if he was disappointed with her intelligence." Your father is more cunning than you. He knows you better. You know why?"She shook her head because she didn't know what goes on inside her father's head. Santiago continue,"Because he shares the same blood as you. "

Santiago didn't just stop here, he was going to shatter all the hope of running away from him or her father which Persephone had formed inside her heart. " He knows if he forces you to marry anyone other than Nicolas Scuderi, you will not stop until you are free from the unwanted marriage. " He paused for a brief moment before adding,"You have a thing for blood and chaos, Red, no matter how much you claim that you hate your father and what his name signifies. You so hate the blood on his hand. But let me tell you, Red. You will not shy away from killing your husband if you have to."

"But Nicolas Scuderi. You can't bear to hurt him. You care for him for whatever reason. You father as a cunning man made Nicolas scuderi a shackle for you. You can't kill him and he will not hurt you physically which will make both of you bound to each other through your marriage. Your father is smarter than you give him credit." 

"You are lying. I can't hurt anyone. I'm not like you.

"I hate bloodshed. I'm not like what you say…."

"You will never be free until you accept who you are. They haven't imprisoned you. Your false notion of righteousness has imprisoned you. You will never be free, Red. You will never be free until you accept the real you." 

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The next chapters are still in editing process.