She could see that his face had fallen. She could clearly see him flinching in pain.

"Please say something Raymond. Please."

She knew that he was hurt. She knew that he was bleeding deep inside because not only someone insulted his fiance but also because of the fact that the person who insulted her was none the other than his father.

He hated his father, he truly did, but after her hearing out, he felt like his heart had been seared because of his actions. He closed his eyes and started taking deep breaths to find reasons not to kill him off.

Akira embraced him quickly with her arms and said,

"Forget what I said, Raymond. Just forget it."

He opened his eyes and looked at her for a moment. Then, taking a deep breath, he asked her,

"Did he dare to touch you?"

"What?"

"Did he try to touch you anywhere inappropriately Akira? Answer me honestly."

"No, he didn't Raymond. He didn't do anything like that. He just asked for it. That's all? Trust me. He isn't that rotten."

"I would have killed him with my bare hands Akira if he would have dared to do anything wrong with you", and saying that he pinched the space between his brows as he was disgusted with the fact that his girl had to listen to those words and that too from his father.

"No need to have all this anger inside of you Raymond. I guess, he was probably trying to test my integrity? Maybe he was just trying to see if I was caving in. As a parent, he might be just trying to test my morals. Who knows?"

"Do you believe in what you are saying just now Akira? Even you know that he is the son of Satan himself. Nothing, I mean nothing in this world can justify that lewd question or rather return that he had asked for."

"I don't know Raymond and neither do I want to know. But I don't think my denial can be a reason why he is after me. I think there is something else that I am not aware of. Maybe you are and you are hiding it from me."

Getting all impatient after hearing her words, Raymond said,

"The point here is, he doesn't want to kill you. He wants me to stay away from you and if I don't, then he will do anything to keep you away from me, and one of the ways is eliminating you from the scene altogether. He probably wanted to make you his trophy, or I don't know what he wanted."

"It's ok Raymond, do not overthink and punish yourself."

"The thing is, if he would have wanted, he could have finished you off way earlier Akira. For him, everything happens with just a snap of his fingers."

Then holding her face in his palms he said,

"I don't know what is his reason, but I am going to find it. But in the meantime, we have to stay low and pretend that we are drifting apart."

"But I just got together with you. I can't do this anymore. I am sick of acting this way. First, when we had to fight against Vikram and now your dad. I can't do this again Raymond. I have got you back after a miracle by the heavens and I don't want to lose you again. I can't even dare to fake to lose you in my life right now."

"This will be just for a few days until I figure out what the reason is. Maybe I can do something to change his opinion about you Akira."

"Why are you so scared of him? Do you really think that he will kill me off?"

Raymond chuckled and said,

"Do not underestimate my father. He never gives blank threats. Like never."

Akira looked at him all worried and then said,

"Then tell me what I have to do?"

"Keep talking with me with our medium", saying that he gently rested his hand on her chest, enclosing the locket with his fingers.

She looked down at his fingers resting on her bare skin and then looked back at him and said,

"Why we have to be like this Raymond? Why I have to hide? I want to scream in front of the whole world and tell them that we are together. I want to tell them how awesome we are together", saying that she lifted her hand and placed it over his hand.

Raymond took a deep breath and said,

"We will. We have fought so many battles together Akira. Fight this last final one with me and trust me, I will not let anything happen to you."

"I am not worried about anything happening to me Raymond, that's the least of my concerns. All I want is to be with you."