83
-Don Jones-
As I was typed on the laptop, I suddenly felt bad for the way I'd treated Eri.
Maybe I'd been too busy these days, and wasn't given her enough time.
She was human after all, and obviously needed attention.
It wasn't nice to not give her that.
But one should also see things from my point of view.
It was obvious she thought I'd forgotten about our anniversary, but I hadn't (that would be the dumbest thing if I actually had).
The only reason I didn't pay too much attention to it was because I'd planned a surprise on that day.
And knowing the person I was, if I was to spend a lot of time with her, I might break and ruin the surprise one way or another (I wasn't too good at keeping secrets).
The vibrations from my phone on the desk beside my laptop, interrupted my thoughts.
My initial thought was to ignore it as there were lots of unfinished works I had to attend to and didn't want any interruptions.
But I realized it wasn't nice to ignore messages (it could be a business one), so I reached for the phone, expecting a client or something.
The moment I unlocked the phone, my brows pulled as Eri's name flashed on the screen.
She barely ever texted me. Why would she do so all of a sudden?
I clicked on the message, and my heart stopped at what it read.
‘Dom, I sense danger. I'm heading on a straight pathj frpm tge cimpany. Pkease srbd helo'
The words didn't need to be clear to make me jump to my feet.
Eri. She was in danger (obviously).
Without a second thought, I hurried out of my office, sending the location to the police, as I walked into the elevator whose door opened after I pressed the button.
Before the doors closed, I hurled a glare at the bodyguards, then pushed the button to the first floors.
They were her guards and sdre supposed to be with her every second of the day.
What fhs fuck were they doing there.
Stupid useless people.
My heart raced as I hoped with everything in me that nothing had happened to Eri.
Oh gosh, she must not be in trouble.
The moment the elevator dinged and the doors separated, I rushed out of it, shambling out of the company and ignoring Dina's tired expression.
“Eri, where are you?” I muttered, reading the message again.
She'd said she was heading in a straight path.
Straight path.
At the moment, my mind raced in millions of directions, and my body seemed to tremble.
But I needed to calm down.
Eri needed me.
So, I followed her direction, walking in a straight path.
Why the heck was she walking alone in such a silent street.
For what I knew, she could be anywhere. Anywhere.
Was she alright? In trouble? Or—
Oh no, June.
Had June met with her.
The possibilities seemed high, and just thinking about that sent my heart on a marathon.
With trembling hands, I wanted to dial Eri's number, but because of the fear in me, the phone fell out of my grip, the screen shattering on the ground.
There was no fixing to that.
But my phone was the least on my mind. Eri was somewhere in trouble and I needed to find her.
Before anything happened to her.
Before June—
Through the night light, I sighted two figures at the far end of the street.
One was sitting helpless on the floor and the other pointed a gun at the helpless one.
My breath hitched when I recognized the helpless one.
It was Eri.
Oh fuck, and the other person was June.
And she was with a fucking gun.
Adrenaline picked up in my blood as I increased my stride, ensuring to stay as silent as possible so June wouldn't be alarmed by my presence.
My plan was to reach her without her awareness, then kick the gun off her hand and pin her pin her to the ground.
Oh gosh, but she was pregnant. I shouldn't forget that.
But how was that easy to remember when the pregnant female was pointing a fucking gun at your wife.
My heart rate further increased and my feet moved faster but still maintained the silent steps.
Eri turned to my direction, the color drained from her skin.
She was scared. Very if I was to be sincere.
Oh goodness.
June must've noticed Eri's gaze as she turned to me too, a small smile planted on her lips.
“Babe, you're here.”
My gaze was only directed to the gun.
Shit. This wasn't good.
“June, please drop the gun.” I stretched forth both hands, taking slow steps closer to her so I could snatch the gun at any possible chance.
“Oh no no,” she didn't seem to notice my plan as she turned back to Eri, “she's the problem to our marriage, if she's gone, we'd be happy together love.”
A psychopathic smile took over her lips, as she directed the gun to Eri.
And oh my did my heart beat stop when I realized she was going to pull the trigger.
She would do it, but there was no way for me to stop her.
No.
I had to do something.
Nothing must happen to Eri.
If anything, I should be the one to die because I was the reason for all this.
I was the one who met June.
Not her.
No longer taking slow steps, I ran as fast as I could when she pulled the trigger.
With as much force in me, I pushed Eri, ignoring her scream.
Then it came.
A sharp, white hot pain cut through my stomach.
It felt like I'd been punched with an hammer, but instead of just my breath leaving my body, I felt my life moving.
A wave of nauser washed over me as bile rise to the back of my throat.
My stomach felt on fire. It burned so much, I felt the breath leave my body.
And worse of all, the pain seemed to spread through my entire torso.
I tried moving, but my body felt heavy and unresponsive.
All that ran through my thoughts was ‘This is it. This is the end’.
So many things I couldn't do.
So many things that wouldn't happen.
I would never have a child.
I never got to tell Eri I loved her for the last time.
“Don!” Her voice. That sweet and loving voice that became mine in such a short period of time.
She scurried towards me, crouching so she could face me. “No Don No.” Tears were pouring freely from her eyes.
Her skin had turned completely pale with chest rising and falling too rapidly.
The sound of the siren from a far distance filled my ears.
June had turned pale too, staring at the gun in her hand like she didn't know how it got there.
I turned back to Eri. “Please Don, keep your eyes open. Please!”
She looked like she'd faint anytime soon.
The pain in my stomach was enough to let me know this was it. The end.
But I wasn't going to leave before telling Eri my last three words.
I felt my eyes shutting. My body was giving up.
“Eri, I—” before I could say the last two words, blood splashed out of my mouth, leaving my throat with a burning sensation.
“No Don, please don't say anything. Just don't leave me.” She gently raised my head, laying it on her lap.
This was going to be the last time I'd feel that laps of hers so I needed to cherish the moment.
The sound of the siren was getting closer, but I knew my life was drifting farther.
With the last energy in me, I pulled my blood-filled hand to her cheeks, wiping a tear out of it. “I love you.”
“No!” She was shaking more than I'd ever seen her shake before.
Agsinst my will, my hand fell from her face to the ground and my eyes betrayed me, shutting.
Still slightly conscious, I heard Eri's screams and tears.
“No Don! Please! For Christ's sake open your eyes!”
But they wouldn't listen.
Her scream began to fade and so was the siren sound.
Soon, no sound was heard and I knew it. My end had come.
I was greeted by pure darkness.
Eri, I love you.