“Michael!”“Michael!”“Michael, wake up… please wake up.., I beg you, please.. MICHAEL!”“Michael, open your eyes”Michael gasped, his eyes opened but his head hurt like hell. He groaned and shut his eyes again to reboot himself.“Michael? Michael'' he heard his name in the background. The voice sounded familiar but his head kept ringing. Whatever Charles had dropped into the wine was working, having a crazy after-effect“What the fuck did you drug him with!”He heard a background nagging and conversation. He took a deep breath and pulled himself together. He opened his eyes and he looked around.His eyes parted as they landed on Karina, she looked messy and tired, her eye bag was heavy, and the dark circles around her eyes were crazy. She was tied to a chair with tears rolling down her eyes as she gazed at him.“Karina” he called her name softly and he gazed at her, his heart breaking from watching her look so stressed and tied up like a criminal.“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Did he

“Breaking news, Zain Claw, a renowned businessman, was revealed to be a corrupt businessman, creating power companies to squander money and keeping his shareholders in the dark. It has also been revealed that he is dangerous and only wears a mask whenever he is in public. Last night his body was found alongside the leader of the Cauldron group, Don Salvadore. They seem to have fought to the death, the reason behind their fight is yet to be known”Michael turned off the TV and sat next to Karina, who lay next to him, with bandage and plaster around her body and fluids inserted in her hands.Michael, with his fingers crossed, sat next to her, watching her every second of the day. Although she was safe and in his care, Michael could not bring himself to stay away from her, fear of losing her, fear of her being carried away engulfed him.“You should get some sleep, she is safe right here with you” Charles muttered, standing by the door, with his hands bandaged while holding a walking stic

Michael knew the words but could not bring himself to say them, admitting his feelings for Karina meant he was making himself vulnerable and putting Karina in harm's way.There were too many risks and even if it ended badly for him, he didn't want Karina to face any problems, he didn't want to hurt her or let anyone hurt her.“I can’t.. I can’t” He stuttered“You can’t ,what?” Karina spat.“I can’t say what I don't feel! Karina, so please leave and never return” he thundered“Do you mean that?” She asked, tears finally flowing down her cheeks.Michael’s heart broke watching her cry, and being the reason for her tears made it harder for him.He clenched his fist and tried hard to look away but he could not be himself too.“Please stop crying and leave Karina, if you keep doing this to me, I will not be able to fight it again, please just leave Karina,” he said to himself while trying hard to keep himself under control.Karina gulped down “Is this because of what happened?” She asked“W

“I can't go this week, I’m busy” Michael blurted, walking away into his room to avoid eye contact with Karina.Karina dropped her bag “You said that last week and the week before.. Do you not want to meet my parents?” She asked, slightly offended and sad.Michael halted and turned to her “That’s not true, of course I want to meet your parents but I am currently busy, Karina.” he paused and walked closer to her “You know how Salvadore destroyed everything that I worked on for years, if I want to find the cure to that illness I have to exert myself” he muffled.“Are you sure? Or you’re just making up excuses” she blurted, glaring at him.Michael gulped down, not sure what to say.Karina pulled away from him “I don't need to force you to see my parents if you don't want to, '' she muttered and walked away, returning to her room.“Karina?”“Karina” he called her name softly but she walked without sparing a glance.Michael buried his face to the ground and he returned to his lab. He began

Karina paced around the room, calling Lara over and over and over but no one was answering. Karina was beginning to get scared.Michael stood by her side all night, watching her pace around restlessly while calling Lara.“She is not taking my calls, Michael, she is not answering.. What should I do?” she whimpered, stomping her feet on the ground.Michael got closer to her, he placed his hands on her shoulder “She might be asleep, you know her line of work, they are always busy, too busy that they don't have time for their personal life, Lara might also be very busy or probably asleep, let's wait until morning if she doesn't answer her calls, we will go to her house, or your friends and see what is going on.. But for now, please relax okay, take a deep breath and relax, please” he muffled, stroking her shoulders gently.Karina took a deep breath, placed her head on his chest, and tried to put her mind at rest. After the long day, Karina and Michael took a shower and lay next to each ot