Chapter 176 - Let's Fight Our Own Battles

Salvatore raised his eyes and found Emma standing near the refrigerator, staring at him and Emy with those brown eyes of hers. He offered her a smile and she answered back him in the same manner but her smile seemed stiff. 

"I didn't know you were so good with children, " Emma said when she had nothing to say. 

Salvatore scratched his head not knowing how to reply to her. 

She came to Emy and touched her tender and chubby cheek. "Emy, we called your mommy. She will come to take you soon." 

Emmy offered her a toothy grin. 

"She is really an adorable child," Emma told Salvatore, who still didn't know how to reply to her. She was telling him as if Emy was her kid. 

When Emma was leaving the kitchen, she heard Salvatore say, "I'm sorry, Emma." 

"Ah, don't mention it. I brought it upon myself." Emma didn't look back because she didn't know what kind of emotions Salvatore might find on her face. She still had some complicated feelings about him in his heart. 

… 

When Persephone opened her eyes, she found Santiago sitting beside her. She didn't know where she was but it surely wasn't a hospital room. Blinking her eyes at him, she asked, "Why are you here?"

Of course, she wouldn't tell him that she was a tiny bit happy seeing him beside her after that huge episode that day. But she didn't show anything on her face. 

"Persephone, what do you think you were doing?" Santiago didn't answer her question but rather questioned her in return. 

"I'm just lying like a patient. What else can a sick woman like me do?" She raised a question to him in a defiant tone. 

Santiago took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Do you know how dangerous the stunt you pulled was? You could have gotten injured. If not for yourself, at least think about the baby in your belly? What if Killian had not found you? What if you have gotten hurt?"

"I didn't know you were so close to Emma's question," Persephone muttered as she moved to sit. 

"This is not the answer I want," Santiago told her. 

"Too bad, this is the only answer you will be given," Persephone countered. 

Santiago narrowed his eyes at her and she narrowed her eyes at him in answer, lifting her chin arrogantly. Sighing, he looked away first. "Can we stop fighting? I don't want to fight with you." 

"Why do you think I wish to fight with you?" Persephone questioned arrogantly. 

If she could, she would rather question a certain woman in her dreams. When she was unconscious, she saw the same woman in her dreams once again. There were many scenes she vividly saw this time too but she couldn't see the faces of protagonists in her dream. Every scene she watched she could say that both of them were so in love. It was a perfect life; the kind of life that almost appeared euphoric. Perhaps, it was the reason why she always saw those two figures in her dreams recently. 

Santiago sighed once again as he had no answer to give him. He held her wrist in his hand and pulled her into his arms. 

For a few seconds, Persephone didn't understand what just happened. Her heart shuddered feeling the familiar warmth in his embrace. He still smells like the way he did a month ago. Unwelcomed sweetness and a sense of security seeped into her heart. 

"Persephone, I know our situation is different from other couples. I know what I did is unforgivable. But you must believe me that I will not dare to hurt you," Santiago said in a low voice. "Our future is unforeseen but I want to assure you that the house we live in belongs to you. In the future, if you can't bear to see my face, just throw me out and set my things on fire. I will not complain. But please, don't leave the house. I'm afraid that if you left the house without letting anyone know, you might get hurt and I might not be able to protect you. I don't want you and baby to get hurt at any cost." 

Persephone didn't know what to say. The words were stuck in her throat as she felt a caress of his soft lips on her temple and then she was free of his arms. 

"I want nothing but your safety," She heard him say then. 

Meeting his gaze, she asked him, "Why should I believe you?"

Santiago smiled. "If not anything, just believe that I can't seem to see my own blood and flesh in danger." 

Hearing this Persephone had no way to retort, he was telling her that if she didn't believe that he would keep her safe then she should at least believe that he would go to any extent to keep his child safe. She knew prideful Italian men. They gave too much importance to their children. And the baby in her belly was, in the end, his own flesh and blood. So, he had more reasons to keep her safe. 

She wished her own father was like him. But it was just wishful thinking. 

Santiago saw that Persephone wanted to ask more questions but the knock on the door prevented her from doing so. 

Valencia arrived with Emma with a tray of food. They instructed her to have some food first as it was dangerous for her to have an empty stomach for too long. She pursed her lips as she realized that Santiago was right. She had indeed pulled a big stunt unknowingly and caused everyone worry. 

"I'm sorry for causing you unnecessary worry," Persephone said to Emma. "Thank you for taking care of Emy. I know she can be a handful just like her mama." Obviously, she said the last sentence in a whisper as Salvatore appeared with Emy. 

It was Valencia who replied to her with a roll of eyes, "Are you still talking about this Emy? You should have seen a calm and sensible version of Emy earlier. I was shocked that Ellison's daughter can be quiet." 

Unknowingly a chuckle escaped Salvatore's throat hearing Valencia. Looking at her, he murmured a sorry but his eyes still carried indescribable warmth for the kid in his arms. He walked ahead under the scrutiny of everyone's eyes and gave Emy to Valencia. "Would it be alright for you to send Emy back to her mom? You seem family with her mother." 

Obviously, Valencia agreed and went out with Emma as she was getting a call from Ellison, who was waiting for them outside the house. Santiago too left Persephone's side to look for Killian regarding Nash. 

Only Persephone and Salvatore were left in the room. She was quietly eating her food when she saw Salvatore sitting next to her. 

"Don't do something stupid like this again," Salvatore told him. 

"Was it really stupid, Sal?" Persephone asked him, eyes narrowed at him. There was something in her eyes that was challenging her to refute her words. 

Salvatore sighed and rubbed her head while saying, "Don't overthink, okay. Everything is alright." He paused for a moment before saying, "I will ask someone to pack a bag for you. You finish your food and then we will leave."

Persephone blinked her eyes at him. "What do you mean? I'm not going back to Marino house ever again. I don't want to be imprisoned."

"Persephone," Salvatore called her name in. a ton that she couldn't decipher. "I'm not Alessandro Marino. I might not be more powerful than him but I am not weak either. He married you to this man for his greed. You don't deserve to suffer more. You are coming with me. And we are not going back to Marino house. This place is no longer safe for you."

Persephone swallowed back her emotions. "Sal, you know papa tried to kill me?"

Her question shocked Salvatore. "How…"

Persephone smiled bitterly at him. "How do I know?" She took a deep breath as she placed the food tray aside and leaned against the bed wall. "I learned a lot. All from you. To pretend to be weak to survive. I know many things. Actually a lot of things that no one knows about. The day I married Santiago, I knew my papa would soon try to kill me." Looking at him, she whispered, "I'm scared, Sal. He won't stop at all. He doesn't care if his own blood and flesh die at his own hand."

"Trust me once, I will keep you safe," Salvatore told her. Gripping her wrist, he tried to ask her to come with him but she shook her head at him. "I can't come with you. Let's fight our own wars."

...

Author Note: I apologize sincerely for all the unedited chapters. But please try to understand my circumstances. I'm stuck in a place where I can't do anything but to apologize and feel bad. I'm in the last year of the college and swamped by examination. Plus, this winter, it's making me sick. I can't go out without shivering and dying.... 

I will try to edit the book from the beginning. There are many mistakes and I am aware of them. I really really need a vacation to complete it. 

Wish me luck and give me courage to fight against this winter.. If this winter didn't freeze me to death, I will upload chapters daily.