Chapter 181 - Saving Both Of You

"He is your brother?" Valencia questioned as she had heard Killian calling Nash 'dear brother'. She just couldn't see sophisticated Killian as wild Nash's brother. They were like earth and sky. Their temperament was too different. Hell, they were even different in looks. Killian looked like a handsome scholar and Nash had a hint of roguishness even in his looks. 

"Something like that…" Nash didn't know what to say. He could narrate the whole story of Dark horses to her, could he? 

"You paid your bill?" Valencia asked Nash with a furrowed brow. Sensing that her words might have sounded weird, she immediately added, "Oh, I went to pay for the pill. But the receptionist said your bill is paid and you will be getting discharged tomorrow. Isn't it too soon?"

Her last sentence was filled with suppressed insecurities and fear. 

"I'm leaving tomorrow." Nash finally mustered up the courage to say. 

"Leaving the hospital?" She inquired. 

Nash smiled sadly at her. "Leaving the country."

"What do you mean Nash?" Valencia raised her voice. She couldn't understand this melancholic Nash. This wasn't the man she knew." I'm not in the mood for a joke."

"I'm serious," Nash calmly said. 

"Like hell, you are," For the first time, he saw her brown eyes shining with rage. 

"I'm really leaving," He once again said. And not coming back."

"Nash, stop this. This is not funny at all." Does this man think it was fine to torment her like this? But when she saw his serious and calm gaze, she understood everything. "Oh, God, you are serious. What did you get by playing with me and my heart?"

"I'm sorry, Valencia. I never meant to hurt you. However, I found just now how we both belong to two different worlds. My feelings for you are not fake. I like you for real. Hell, I feel more than just like. But you have to understand, I dare not drag you to my life filled with chaos. You and your son don't belong there. I can't commit a sin of destroying your goodness and your son's innocence." 

"Damn you, Nash," Valencia cried. "Why did you not think about all these things before? I will not forgive you!"

… 

Santiago had just returned from the hospital and was in his study when he heard knocking on his story door. Who in the house didn't know that no one was allowed her except for himself? 

When he opened the door, he found a seething Valencia standing on the door. She looked as if she had cried. 

"What happened, Val?" He couldn't help but ask.

Valencia pushed him and walked inside. She threw the files placed on his table on the ground in anger. Turning to him, she growled, "What did you say to Nash?!"

"What did he tell you?" He took a deep breath and asked. 

He could more or less understand what might have happened. He was aware of his sister's feelings for Nash. Initially, he was pleased to hear that she was finally moving on in her life. Jack was such a crucial part of her life that until this day she wasn't able to leave him behind. And how could she? Her youth was spent with that man. She had loved him more than anything else in this world and then suddenly, he was taken away from her one day. 

"Santiago, why are you doing this to me?" She asked him while suppressing a cry. Her red eyes filled with tears once again and they rolled down on her cheek slowly. "Why are you tormenting me?"

"Do you think I don't know who you are?" She sniffled as she continued," Dad always had his suspicions about your death but he never said them out loud because he was afraid of breaking her heart."

Santiago closed his eyes as he pictured his father. 

"I don't know what might have caused you to stay hidden and away from us and neither do I have any intention of judging you because somewhere I believe that all the sufferings you experienced so far were because of me," She told him. " It was I who was supposed to be taken away or killed, not you."

Valencia's voice wasn't accusing but self blaming. "I don't blame you for anything but what did you say to Nash today? Why is hellbent on leaving? He is breaking my heart as well as his own?"

She hates Nash for leaving without fighting for them. How could he do this? It wasn't easy to find people who shared the connection like both of them did. 

"I was finally moving on with my life. Eight years ago, I lost Jack and my son lost his father even before he could see him," She smiled sadly. " Finally, happiness knocked on my door after so long. Why are you taking them away from me?"

"Valencia, I am not taking your happiness away from you," Santiago gripped her shoulder and said. "I'm protecting them. You may hate me today for what I am doing but one day you will look back and thank me for saving you from the hell this love of yours will put you in."

He had experienced how painful love could be. And how could he let her suffer what Persephone was doing? 

Valencia and Persephone were too similar. They both saw the world from the mirror of black and white. And which was the reason why Nash was bad for her. 

"If you don't believe me, look at Persephone. She wasn't a confused, depressed and unhappy woman like she is now," He told her. "She was like a ray of light that burned brighter than any fire but her fire is now extinguished, some by her father and some by me."

He further said, "I don't want you to lose your fire unless Nash is willing to protect it. He is an emotionally damaged man just like me. He will bring more harm to you than happiness. I am saving both of you from hurting each other. I care about you as much as I care about Nash. You both meant the world to me.. Don't ever doubt it."