I was walking back to the penthouse though I never felt scared walking alone at night whenever I used to sneak out from my old house but today, I don't know why I was scared. After what happened yesterday of course I should be scared.

What if Rafael wouldn't have been there with me?

And why are those people even trying to kill me? Does Simon have any connection with them?

Fucking hell! This shit is complicated.

"Shall I be your bodyguard for the night?" Came a voice from behind making me jump in horror. I turned around with one hand placed on my chest.

"Jesus Connor! You scared me!" I said breathing heavily.

He chuckled then made his way towards me "Sorry for that dear lady."

I rested both my hands on my waist suspiciously scanning his face "You know sometimes I really wonder if you are stalking me, wherever I go, you are always there."

"Stalking? Oh I am so hurt. It's just I was walking back home after a dinner date which didn't go well, when I saw my friend so I thought why not walk her home."

"Oh Mr. Campbell that's so nice of you. I didn't know I have such a caring friend."

He bowed down in front of me making me laugh.

"You're funny."

He looked back trying to see someone, I tried to peek over his shoulder to see who was he looking at. But where he was looking it was really dark so I wasn't able to see anyone.

"Who's there?" I asked still trying peek.

He turned towards me then said "N-No one at all."

"Then why are you looking there?"

"Oh I heard something that's why I turned around."

My brows furrowed "What? I didn't hear anything."

"Then maybe I heard something wrong." He shrugged "Anyways let's leave."

I nodded but maybe he was really suspicious about what was that sound he kept turning back looking extremely distracted.

We walked down the streets talking and laughing about how his dinner date was a big failure. He was describing the whole date situation to me making me laugh more and more.

Suddenly he went quiet after few moments out of nowhere he asked "So tell me why are you sad now?"

I gave him a surprised look "How did you even know that?"

He chuckled "It's clearly visible on your face, something is definitely bothering you."

I wrapped my arms around myself feeling the cold wind, looking straight where we were walking.

"If you want, you can share it with me. I won't tell anyone."

"I know I can tell it to you."

"So what is it?"

"Rafael."

He chuckled once more hearing his name "Martinez?"

I nodded sadly "He doesn't want to understand anything, all he wants is for me to follow his orders."

"About what?"

I sighed "You follow the news?" he nodded. "There was an attack on my event after you left, some people are trying to kill me, Rafael saved me from them and since then he's being really protective about me."

"He should be. I mean someone is trying to kill you of course anyone would be worried."

How do I put this for him to understand? I can't tell him that my husband is blaming you for trying to kill me.

"It's not like that. T-There is someone who is really close to me and Rafael thinks he is the one who is trying to hurt me."

"Someone who is close to you?"

I nodded "Like really close to me and I know he can't do anything to hurt me in fact he saved me once."

"I see Martinez is being cruel. So whom do you trust more?" He asked.

"What?"

"If you trust that someone more than Martinez then I don't think you should doubt that someone but if you trust Martinez more, then I think you should stay away from that someone."

"So are you trying to say Rafael can't be wrong."

"I never said that. What I am trying to say is who matters to you more, is it that someone or is it Martinez? Then you can decide who you want to choose among them."

"I don't want to choose in this. Both are important to me."

"But if the situation is so cruel you have to choose Haze."

I began to think.

I don't want to choose between Rafael and Connor.

"Or, I have another idea."

"What?"

"If you can't choose between them, you can just act like you are doing what Martinez wants."

"You want me to lie to him."

"I never said that, I am asking you to pretend."

I rolled my eyes.

"For now that's the only way out of this situation sweetheart."

In a way he is right, if I want both in my life I have to agree to Rafael or he's not gonna talk to me, I know that man and his ego too well.

"You cold?" He asked suddenly.

I nodded. The weather was really cool.

"Will you allow me to take you somewhere?"

"Where?"

He smiled and held my hand pulling me with himself, he started running making me do the same. He finally stopped when we were somewhere, some really weird place. All I could see around were just tall trees, grasses, in short it was some forest kind of place.

"Where are we going Connor?" I asked while walking.

"Just a bit more."

"Are there any wild animals?" I asked looking around really scared.

Connor chuckled "Of course not. Don't be scared."

We finally stopped in front of a small tent-like thing. It was a decorated place with lights hanging making the place more exciting. There was a bed, the place looked luxurious, two chairs to sit, a fan and a refrigerator. It had logs for lighting up the fire too.

"Have a seat." Connor said.

I sat there scanning the place "This is beautiful Connor."

He smiled and then focused on lighting the logs "I know. I come here when I am sad or I am in some really messed up shit."

I chuckled.

He took out a can of beer from the small refrigerator that was at one corner of the tent and gave it to me and he himself took a seat beside me.

"It's nice right."

I took a sip of my drink and nodded "Really beautiful."

"Glad you liked it. You know it took so much hardwork to make this place this beautiful."

"So tell me."

"Tell you what?" I asked.

"I know Haze that someone you were talking about is me."

I bit my lips looking down.

He chuckled "I don't feel bad about it if you want to know."

"I didn't ask you anything." I replied avoiding eye contact with him.

He shrugged "Just saying."

"I trust you both. I know you can never do anything to hurt me. My problem is, I don't want Rafael to ignore me or stay angry with me."

"Then I think my pretend suggestion should work."

I nodded "Yeah I too was thinking the same."

"Great."

Rafael is definitely wrong about Connor. He is so nice to me all the time, I don't believe he is bad. I know he can never do anything to me.

This time you are so wrong Rafael.

After talking for some more time, Connor dropped me back to the penthouse. As I was about to enter the house, I saw the gatekeeper looking at me with a shocked look.

How is he awake? When I went he was sleeping.

"Ma'am you?"

Am I been forgotten already?

"Yeah me. I stay here."

"Did something happen to you?" He asked worriedly.

"No. Why would you ask?"

"Sir has been trying to reach you but couldn't, everyone is really worried."

Fuck! I thought he was sleeping and I would return before he wakes up.

I fucked up... AGAIN!

Scared af, I made my way inside the house on the way everyone was staring at me like they have witnessed a ghost. When I entered, I found Dad sitting on the couch looking worried while Rafael was shouting at someone on his phone walking impatiently in the living room.

"Haze?" Dad said as he saw me. As soon as Rafael heard my name, he stopped walking and yelling looked at the direction where Dad was looking, that was towards me. He sighed in relief on seeing me, I made my way towards them completely scared of how Rafael was going to react.

"Haze, where have you been?" Dad asked.

"I-I just needed to clear my mind. I needed some fresh air so I thought I should go out for a while."

"1 in the morning?" Came Rafael's extremely irritated voice. I looked at him then looked down instantly, why? Because he seemed really mad which scared the shit out of me. He came closer to me "You wanted to clear your mind or went to get some fresh air I really don't care, why the fuck didn't you inform anyone?"

"I-I t-thought I c-can r-return before you wake up."

He scoffed "You didn't even carry your phone with you. Let's say you were dead how did you expect me to get you on the streets?" I stared at him in disbelief. I know he is mad at me but how can he say something this horrible.

"Rafael." Dad scolded asking him to stop.

"No Dad. I think you should stay away from this." He looked back at me "Are you really this immature? You fucking didn't tell anyone before leaving the house at night."

"I said I thought I would be back. I really didn't mean to worry anyone."

"You don't know the current situation you are in? Someone is trying to kill you, you yourself said that then how can you roam around the streets alone at night?"

"I-"

"Shut up Hazel. You yourself know, whatever you did today was wrong. Don't try to explain yourself because whatever you are saying right now is making me angrier. Just accept your mistake."

I remained quiet not replying to him.

"This is not your old house Hazel where no one ever cared about what you do. People here do give a damn about the person they are staying with and if you want to stay here then stop being the spoiled brat you were before."

Did he just call me a spoiled brat?

"You don't know anything about me stop calling me with names."

"Of course I don't know anything about you because when I married you I thought you were innocent which surely you aren't."

I was about to say something but he left the room without even giving me a chance to explain myself. I stared at the way he just went with teary eyes.

Dad patted my back "It's okay dear. Don't feel bad about what he said, he has no control in himself when he is angry."

I tried to give him a smile and ran to my room. Closing the door, I threw myself on the bed.

"Why? Why he has to be so rude? He could've said that calmly too, why he has to hurt me by bringing my family in between."

I hate you Rafael.