Onika's pov.....

I was holding tight on Jacob's shirt and crying for last half an hour, for what? I have no idea and he was just patting my back soothingly with one hand and his other hand was wrapped around my head plastering me to his chest. He didn't say anything, but just the way he was holding me spoke it all.

I can feel a bubble of peace surrounding my heart after an eternity. I feel alive like I have some existence of my own. It was all bottled up in me for how long I don't even remember it feels so good to finally let everything out.

Finally I gathered myself and pulled away from Jacob, his hands a bit reluctant to let go off me.

I looked him into the eyes, purposely avoiding the view of his bruised jaw, once again because of me. Though that didn't stop the pang of guilt stabbing at me in the gut.

"I..I...am..sorry for landing both of us into this situation, I should have been more careful knowing it's Agustin I am dealing with. You must be thinking how stupid of me to pull the stunt I just did" I asked him a bit apologiticaly, after all whether he admits it or not, he had put equal effort in the plan as much as I have.

He just looked at me as if not able to comprehend the language I was speaking in, his eyes screaming at me 'have you lost it.'

"I don't know how your brain works, but for me what you had done have just compelled me to think, that's the Onika I fell in lov...I..I mean..I am proud of more than I can ever express in words. Fighting for your own self respect is something I can never consider stupid, damn the consequence. Standing up for yourself is the most important thing you can ever do for yourself, nothing else matters."

Lord in heaven, Is this man for real? I wonder how long will it take for him to finally realise, I am not worth the trouble.

I deliberately let his slip of tongue go unnoticed. It's his decision when he wants to confess. I am rather afraid to face that inevitable day. I don't know what my decision will be, when he finally confess his feelings for me. I am afraid of loosing everything. But I know I have to keep myself prepared for that, the more you run away from something, the faster it will get at you.

Things are so complicated, he is Agustin's childhood best friend. I just feel like even if I simply think of any future with Jacob, I will be betraying Agustin at some level, even though I know, I don't owe Agustin anything and there is nothing left between us to betray, it still doesn't feel right.

It will be like taking everything away from him at once, both Jacob and me, and not just that, the pain of seeing us both together, his own wife and best friend, I don't know whether I have in me to do that to Agustin or not, no matter what he did to me.

If I had lost everything, then so had Agustin, but at least I have Alex with me, Agustin has no one. I don't want to snatch his only friend away.

Even the thought of it churn my heart in dismay. Why does it has to be like this.

I can't help but think what would have been the scenario if Jacob would have confessed his feeling for me before I fell for Agustin. If only it would have been the case....

How just one wrong decision can ruin your life.

Jacob's was not acting on his feelings on the right time, untill it was too late.

Mine was giving Agustin the way to enter my heart, and leave me ruined in the wake of it.

Agustin's was not trusting me even after the beautiful relationship we build together.

If only anyone of us wouldn't have done the mistake we did, things would  have been different. Our lifes would have been different.

Life. That reminds me of John.

"Onika? You alright?" Jacob was looking at me, worry marring his features. I don't know what my face looked like at that moment to make Jacob so worried all of a sudden.

I was betting on whether to tell him the truth or not, after thinking for few moments, I finally said, " I owe John my so much, you know." My voice came out a bit scratchy as I was still trying to get a control over my raging emotions.

He looked at me in confusion, with furrowed brows, not expecting the abrupt turn in the direction of our conversation, and asked "John? How does he came into the picture?"

I took a deep breath and finally decided to tell him the truth,  I guess I can trust him, I hope I am not wrong this time " whatever I am going to tell you right now is something so important to me that I haven't told any living soul, but I guess I can trust you with it." I waited for his affirmation, though it was not needed.

He didn't say anything verbally, just gave me a stiff nod, but the sincerity in his eyes speaks volume.

"You remember John Cadalo, my friend Anita's brother?"

He gave me a small nod, looking intently at me.

I took a deep breath again, as if going to reveal the biggest secret of my life and said, "he helped me escape."

I waited for an astonished expression to take over his features, and the train of questions that will follow...and waited...and waited, but it never came, instead of looking surprised, he just stiffened at that, what is wrong with him?

He gave me an encouraging nod to continue.

I just let out a heavy sigh and continued.

"I don't exactly know how he managed to do that, he just said he know someone with very strong connections who is helping him." I noticed Jacob's  jugular vein bulging out of his neck as if stressed over something.

"The day I escaped Agustin, I was just like a souless being, I had so many doubt whether I should run away or just wait for my impending death, it was like even if I run away there was nothing to live for, I was not afraid of dying, it only matters if there is someone to care if you don't wake up. It was okay, you know,if I didn't wake up because there was no one to care.

I have seen many bad things in my life after I spend countless days on Street after the death of my family, I had to struggle so much before I was able to stand on my own feet, after never ending sleepless nights, but nothing comes close to how I felt that day, no where near it, that was the worst kind of feeling one could ever feel.

The feeling of being unwanted,  taking your last breath when you know the fact that their is no one who is going to miss you, their is no one who is going to cry for you after you are gone..." I immediately wiped away the tear that had escaped my eyes.

Jacob's gaze was hard as steel, hands fisted so tight that it was looking white as a sheet, and he was looking  at me with so much intensity that I could feel a shiver run down my spine, but he didn't say anything, he knows I need to let it out, it is like I am sharing a very personal moment or rather a piece of my heart with Jacob.

"I was just like some souless being for three months, I gradually lost all my capacity to fight back and I just gave in. I thought it is never going to get better. I thought death will be easier than the fight I put.

But I was wrong, I am happy John helped me escape and I am alive today, I owe him my life, I will forever be indebt to him."

I heard Jacob sharp intake of breath, Something unknown clouding his features.

But I continued speaking.

"The satisfaction I feel right now is worth the fight I put to make out alive of the hell hole Agustin put me in.

You remember once you told me that 'you need to be strong and fight back to reach till the end because you never know what the future holds for you,  If you don't keep fighting to reach the end you will never know what the ending holds for you....' 

I may still not know what the future holds for me, but at least now I know there is someone who cares, and that is the only thing I am gonna look back at while I take my last breath."

After I poured my heart out to him, we just started at each other, no more words where spoken, but the moment was so intemate that I knew deep in my heart this is one of those rare moments that will always occupy a special place in my heart, till my last breath, the one I will take to my grave.

Then my trance broke suddenly, as I remembered something, I  looked at the time." Oh my god! You have a flight to catch. You better hurry up. " He opened his mouth to say something but I beat him to it.

"No you are not canceling it after all the trouble we went through to buy the gift for the bride" I deadpanned, leaving no space for arguments.
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After coming back to home, or I better say Agustin's mansion, I directly headed towards my room, ignoring the hunger pangs, as I want to do nothing more then just retire to my bed. I am already very much tired because of all the ordeal and I just don't want to give it any more thought.

The door of my room was slightly ajar and the lights where on. Strange. I clearly remember putting Alex to bed and switching off the lights.

I opened the door, and the site infront of me boiled my blood in rage.

Alex was resting his head on Agustin's lap, sleeping peacefully and Agustin was patting Alex's head gently, looking completely lost in what he was doing.

When is this fucktarded person going to understand that he needs to leave Alex the fuck out of this. I am done with his rubbish tactic. I just want to bang his head on the nearby wall, to knock some sense into his thick impenetrable skull.

I cleared my throat to make my presence known. His head snapped in my direction and his eyes widened as it landed on me. I glared at him hard, throwing daggers through my eyes.

I signalled him to come out of the room to have a talk. He gently placed Alex's head on a pillow, taking care so that he doesn't disturb his sleep in the process and followed me out of the room, looking somewhat nervous.

As soon as he came out, I snapped at him.

" Who the fuck gave you the right to enter my room without my permission and how the fuck did you dare to get anywhere near Alex, one more time you try to use..." He interrupted me in between.

"It's not what you think..I was just waiting for you in the room.. I just wanted to talk to you. I saw Alex was awake and he was searching for you I was just comforting him and he fell asleep" He explained.

I don't know whether to believe him or not. Wait a minute what the fuck for was he waiting for me? Haven't he ruined my day enough already?

This time I voiced my thoughts.

"We have talked thousand of times and it is not taking us anywhere. I am already very much tired so just..."

"Please just for once, I know you are tired, I will not take much of your time." He said in a desperate tone, then what he did next came like a direct blow aimed at my heart, he joined both of his hands infront of me.

"Please." He said once again, in a broken voice.

It was like all the fibres in my heart just ceased it's activity, making my heart just stop beating for a moment, making something snap inside of me. I tried hard to hold back the tears. I don't want to show him any sign of vulnerability, I don't want him to think that he has any emotional influence on me. Because the decision I take from now on will be far from emotional, no matter how hard it is going to be. Once fooled never again.

Not that I haven't done the same thing to make him hear what I had to say, but he never cared when it mattered. But I don't want to be another Agustin, so I said "Okay, let's get into your room." my tone never loosing it's sharp edge.

....................................
Hello, lovely readers...:)

Yeah, I know you all figured it out, I just can't control myself whether it's exam or tsunami. But this update is on special demand from some of my very dear readers, and yes your all's comment is the only thing that keeps me motivated to write further.

So, Please vote, comment and share, if you like the chapter.

Have a nice day.
Until next.
Ricky❤❤