Chapter 42: Chapter 42

It was an empty ride heading back to the house. None of us were saying anything as I was just looking at the window beside me. The two were also minding their own business, but I knew someone was looking at me from time to time, and I had an idea who it was.

I have been avoiding him ever since this morning. He attempted to talk to me every chance but failed to do so. Only Steve I was talking with. And now, I don't have the spirit to go out, not wearing anything that would cover my face. It's better to be safe than sorry.

I didn't throw a look at him when I noticed someone was looking at me through the rear view mirror. I remained immobilized and steady as stone until we reached our destination. Once the car stopped, I cursorily opened the door and escalated out of the vehicle. I slammed the door but stopped when I saw Rena and the other maids waiting for our arrival. They must have sensed my mood since Rena's smile disappeared, but it seems it is for a different reason.

I excused myself before she could ask something and walked past them, strolling towards the entryway.

"Natasha-" he called my name, but it faded as if something had caught him. Since my vision was fixated on the ground, I didn't realize someone else was there. I happened to bump with someone and stumble but caught my balance.

"Shit…" I heard Steve mumble behind me, and fear was evident in his tone. I slowly looked up to see who it was, and my breathing hitched when I saw who it was.

"What are you doing here?" Harry's voice echoed throughout the front yard, and I sensed his presence running my way. I couldn't move when I saw her cloying flagitious smile plastered on her face. I felt like all the colors of my face drained when she took a step forward as if she had something under her sleeves.

"S-sir, I'm sorry if we didn't report this, but…."

"Ma'am, Jessica is here," Rena announced, and something tells me her arrival here is something we should worry about.

I bit my lower lip, taking a step back, staring at Jessica's face. She's still the same old Jessica who looks beauteous as ever, but something is uncanny in how she looks at me. She's towering over me, minding she's wearing heels that made me look up at her. She took a step forward, leaning her face.

"What a pleasant surprise to see all of you returning," Jessica said, clapping her hands slowly. Her presence gave me off vibes I had to swallow hard to remove the tension I was feeling.

"Natasha." someone pulled my hand, and someone was blocking me from seeing Jessica's face before I knew it. I blink, processing what just happened, when I notice a broad-brimmed back was shutting off my vision to see what's in the front. I tried to peek, but Steve held my elbow. I looked up, and he shook his head, pursing his lips and motioning that it was not a good idea and that I should let Harry handle this.

"Jessica, why are you here? We already broke up. I have nothing to do with you anymore!" Harry exclaimed, snapping his fingers. In just a spurn moment, many guards circle Jessica, but she doesn't look fazed. Instead, her smile grew bigger. I gulped, and my heart started to beat painfully against my chest. I held on to Steve's hand, hiding between him and Harry.

"You're seriously protecting that woman?" Jessica asked, making my hands sweat like a river. My eyes widened, and suddenly something was whispering in my head to run.

"What?" Harry was confounded, taking a step forward. The guards made way for him until he was closer to his ex. Steve's grip tightened, and I could feel the tension seeping through the atmosphere. Even the workers here are too speechless, and some hide behind the curtains.

"What are you talking about, Jessica? Can you just fuck off?" Steve was gravely and perilously mad. It's the second time I saw him this out of control, and he's just suppressing himself not to throw hands because Jessica is a woman and respects women.

Jessica's laugh echoed, but something was off with her laughter. You could tell she knows something that most of us don't know here, except me. I took a step back, looking around the area by not moving my head, when something stuck in my mind.

"I'm just saying I wouldn't stand close to her if I were you…" she taunted, circling Harry with her cat-like eyes. As if Harry was the potential prey and she was the predator.

The question mark was hanging on his head, and you could tell that Harry wasn't buying anything with this whole charade Jessica was putting into.

"Go straight to the point and tell us why you are here!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs, making us take a step back when the ground vibrated with his thunderous voice. Tears formed in my eyes when Jessica slowly turned her attention to me before throwing off her following words.

"Oh, I just visited someone dear to her."

My body shivered…

"Someone famous." Jessica raised her hand, and for a moment, everything around me faded, and I couldn't move an inch when she threw something at Harry. It was as if the time had slowed down, and the only thing moving at an average speed was the poster that dropped on the floor. Harry bent his knees, reaching the sign to look at what it was, when I slapped my hand and ran toward their way, stretching my hands to get the poster.

"No!"

It was already too late when Harry saw what was on the poster. My breathing hitched, and my eyes widened. Everything is falling apart. I could feel my heart shattered into pieces like broken glass smashed repeatedly. Harry's eyes narrowed, and his brows furrowed in a straight line, reading carefully what the context said about the poster.

"What is this? Natasha?" he looked at me, and everything went back to its normal speed in just a snap. Steve was confused beside me when he let go of my hand to see what the poster said. I took Steve's hand, causing him to stop. He looked at me from his shoulder, but I shook my head, begging him. He needed to listen to me first, but Steve snatched his hands away and went to Harry's side, peeking from his shoulder to see it.

The day had finally come. Fear struck me when I saw how horrified they looked while reading what's the poster. I took a step back, shaking my head violently when Jessica spoke.

"You have been living with murderers all this time, Harry!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, making everyone look at her with baffled, fearful and shameful looks.

It was a poster of Ethan and me, wanted criminals in this country.

"N-Natasha…is that true?" Rena asked. Tears were swelling up, pushing to stream down her cheeks. I shook my head, controlling my sobs when all of their attention was turned my way.

"I-it's not like that! Please listen to me!" I screamed, begging them, but Harry dropped the poster.

"How can you explain this, Natasha?" Steve asked, horrified as he took a step forward closer to me. My heart skipped a beat, clasping my palms together. The buzzing of whispers echoed throughout the air, and everyone threw me a revolted look.

"Please, listen!" I dropped to my knees when Jessica pointed her fingers at me.

"She married a monster! She's been living with a hideous beast all this time, which is why she's so aghast to everyone!"

"J-Jessica…" I implored, but she didn't listen. Instead, she walked faster before she stopped in front of me.

"Both of you are wanted criminals hiding under Harry's sleeve. You are seducing Steve and planning to kill him to take everything he owned! Too bad I caught you!" she pulled my hair and dragged me. I cried and yelled for help but what was even more frustrating was that everyone here was afraid to interfere. Even Rena was looking away when I tried to grab her hands.

"Everyone! Listen to me! My husband is a good man-"

Jessica slapped me so hard I dropped to the floor, my face hitting the cold, thick cement. I coughed and tried to crawl away when she pulled my hair again and forced me to look at Harry and Steve, perplexed the whole time, not knowing what to do. It was as if their entire life tattered when they discovered what I was hiding from them.

"Your husband is a serial killer and a monster that kills off innocent lives!" Jessica looked up, pointing at Rena.

"You! Unplug the machine that's keeping him alive!"

My whole body froze when Jessica dropped a bomb. Rena wasn't sure of what to do when Jessica scolded her, which made Rena sprint towards the mansion.

I shook my head. Tears fell endlessly while watching Rena's back run to Ethan's room. I opened my mouth and let a roaring yell that shook the ground beneath.

"ETHAN!" I elbowed Jessica on her stomach, and that took her off guard. She dropped to the ground, wincing in pain. I didn't waste any more time. I trailed behind Rena to get to Ethan's room when someone caught my hand; this time, it was the last person I expected to be there.

Allen...

"You're under arrest, Natasha."

I kicked and yelled to let go of his grip, but his troops hurriedly circled me and dragged me away from everyone's sight. My vision was blurred from the tears. They pushed me and pinned my face on the ground, enough for me to see Harry looking down at me. No hint of emotion can be seen in his eyes.

"H-help..me…"