I was lucky enough, there wasn't anyone, who would stop me, from going near him. Although, I planned on just checking on him, but instead I impulsively walked in.

As I crossed the threshold of the room, my body chilled and I froze in my place. What I witnessing was colder than the temperature of the room. I took steps back till my back hit the wall.

I found him at the end of the day but I wasn't sure if I could ever see him so vulnerable- fighting with his life. Gathering my strength, I sucked in my dwelling tears and tip toed my way towards his bed.

The room was silent only broken by the beeping monitors. And every such beep seemed to test my strength every minute. The fluctuating blood pressure and heartbeat count in the monitor was steering in a storm inside me.

Even though, this silence was the most chaotic but he on the other hand was looking peaceful than ever. For a moment I found myself staring at him without thinking about any forces that might have effected me.

I should be hating him, right? He cheated on me!

But, seeing him in this state felt like someone senselessly stabbing me. Maybe that stinging sensation would be less than the pain I was feeling at this moment.

A bluriness spread over my vision and a lump choked inside my throat. A tear streamed down my cheeks. One after the other. I was crying.

A sudden low groan, jolted me out of my thoughts. I  hastily rubbed off my tears and pulled up my best to put a stoic expression. I looked down, to see him open his eyes half way. He looked up to me, through half-open eyes, and creased his eyebrows.

"You!!" he spoke in a raspier tone, with a crease in his eyebrows"Your next bounty is over me? Hah! Bloody opportunist!"

"No!"

He scoffed, "Look at me.....I...am failing to trust your no."

"The feeling would be mutual, Claros."

This time, he took a proper look at my face. Maybe, trying to study, me. But, I dare not put down the shield of coldness, off my face. He is not the person, who would ever understand sh*t about it.

"Why are you here?" he demanded.

"Why am I here?'" I should be asking myself too. I fought through the odds, to reach here, but here I am failing to answer, one simple question, "Why am I here?"

"To see me in a pathetic state?" he added and let out an unhumorous chuckle, "Good for you. At least now you know that I can't be destroyed. Now that you have seen me, woman..." struggling in a sharp breath, "I suggest you be a wise one and get the hell out of here because my target doesn't miss everyday."

"You think I am scared of you?"

Supporting his elbow over the bed he sat up in his place and titled his head over the headboard panting out.

"Careful!"

"More than you are at this point of time!" He shot his head up and snapped at her. Get out from my sight, before you regret."

My blood was boiling at that point of time. It was like some kind of force pushing me to act the most reckless way, but I was calm. I had to be.

I chuckled, pretty sure making him more pissed off. "What would you do? Shoot me?" Crossing my hands, "You can't kill me because you already killed me that day."

"Your words won't affect me, anymore. So save those words for someone who...... Who would be stupid to not read through your facade."

"I can't believe... I fell for you?"

He shut his eyes close at the utter of my words. Just a simple expression by him was enough to pull me out of my safe walls and leave me naked in the storm of emotions where I wont be able to stand still. Impulsively, my hand reached out for the board of the bed and I gripped it tight.

He shot his eyes towards it and the coldness was back.

"Madeline..." He struggled to speak and he called me 'Madeline' after addressing me by my pseudo name for maybe 100th time now. "Just... Go before my men come back!"

"Now you care?" My voice was quivering and he sensed it. His subtle shift in expressions was the proof.

"No!" He replied in a dead voice, "You are not someone my men should deal with and stoop themselves down to your level. Lizzie!" Gritting his teeth, "You are freaking mine to destroy. I. Will. Ruin you."

"And you think I will stay calm?" I snorted.

"And that exactly will be the death of you."

"Calm down, Claros" I scoffed, "Before that f*cks up your blood pressure."

"Why would you care?"

"Because I am still a human."

"And, I am not..now get the f*ck out of here."

"I knew. Else, you would not have kicked out someone, who have traveled across to see you."

He craned his neck and stared dead into my eyes, "To check whether I am dead? Let me guess, your...boss...has ordered you to check, whether Jackson Claros is already dead, and you like a loyal dog, is here. And, then you thought, why not put up that soft act. You are good at that, anyways. and Voila! But, you know what? I am not the man, who can be destroyed, within a click of a finger, neither I am a man, who can be puddled."

"You are nothing, but a spineless beast. You never cared about anyone. You always did what you fancied, let it be, playing with emotions."

"Lizzie..!! I, neither have the time, nor the energy that I can effort to waste on such fine bullsh*t..!! Least, from you."

"I have a lot of questions stacked for you, Claros. You surely have to face them, once you are out of here."

"The deal would be mutual. And now, stop chewing my head, just go, before anyone sees you."

"Just keep that imprinted in that filthy brain of yours. I dread you. I hate you. I hate you from that core of my heart. And I won't stop until I see your pathetic ass going through the same shit you made me go through. You...you will never be in peace. You are freaking worse than an animal. You are threatening me that you would kill me? Go ahead!! Because that's what you are good at. Destroying."

He let out a chuckle. Nothing I said seemed to effect. I stood there like a stupid, gawking at his response, "Looks like someone is talking about herself and passing it off over others." Seizing his smile he stared straight into my eye. There was nothing but hatred, "Trying hard to get into my skin, I see. You know what? I got that stuff, on the left side, below my shoulder, turned stone cold. I feel nothing. Neither a guilt, nor love,...nor the fear to die. And about you." he smirked, "You ain't getting an easy death, miss. I will make you regret your birth, every such decision you ever made. You ain't going through this, easy. Your part of victory is over. Now, it's mine. I hope, I said you everything, that you needed to know for now. Now, get your ass out of here."

Jackson's Pov;

After, the cold conversation we had, I could see her eyes glistening. A hatred different from that, of a rival. A hatred that triggered a turmoil in me, maybe the hatred a part in me, never wanted to face. After, that I know every detail about this girl, she seems nothing less than a puzzle. She isn't someone to be trusted, but there is something in her, which stops me from hating her. She does have an undeniable effect on me, she did built that fucking connection, which I can't despoil. But, right now, I just want her to be gone, from before my eyes, before she strips me off my armor. Within which I have locked up, all the love, I once bestowed on her. She gave me a last look, never daring to express her emotions. But, they were transparent enough to me.

"Had only I had to kill you, you would not have been here, bringing up a useless chit-chat with me, Lizzie!"

I sensed from the corner of my eye, as she turned her heel and took some time, to shower me with disgust and silent complaints, before she left the room and banged the door, behind her.

This could have been the best thing happening to me. Opening my eyes to her. All my soul wanted was to drag her close, hold her tight and never let her go. But, nothing can change the fact. She is a killer, who double crossed me and killed my best friend, took my naked soul for granted to pierce through the shield saving my men and I will hate her till eternity. She, who once was a potion to my sanity, is now a poison to my well-being.