Cherish Love

CHARLES ALEXANDER's POV

I just took a deep breath for the nth time as I lay my back on my bed. I know that this will definitely happen sooner or later but I never thought that Christian still doesn't have any plans on going back here. Didn't Chloe told him about this crazy family tradition that we have? I took a deep breath once again as I look at the ceiling. What should I do now? If Christian didn't make it on time then Chloe will definitely marry that Martinez guy. Tsk. This is so frustrating. That Christian guy... He always prioritize his work above all which also makes me worry about Chloe's life in the future but Chloe loves him so I can't do anything about that either. To be honest, I already know that Christian and my sister does have a relationship long ago but I chose to stay silent and pretend to know nothing because Chloe herself didn't even mentioned anything to anyone about their relationship but today is a different case that's why without her consent, I tried to call him and planned to inform him about Chloe's engagement but I've been calling him as soon as after I talked to Chloe a while ago but I still can't reach him. I messed up my hair. This is so damn frustrating!

"Charles, you should calm down or else, you might just make things worse." I heard Lily said that made me frowned. What? I suddenly sat up on the bed as I look at her seriously.

"How am I supposed to make things worse? I'm trying to find ways to stop this marriage of convenience." I said that made her sighed while sitting her on the bed.

"But you told me that Chloe wants to keep their relationship a secret and if you suddenly calls me and tells him about all of this… What would you think Chloe will feel about this?" Lily said. But we're talking about Chloe's future here!

"But I don't want her to marry someone that she didn't even love just like what happened to me!" I said and was stopped when I suddenly realized what I've just said.

"I know that you don't love me, okay? But that doesn't mean I don't have feelings so please be careful on what you're saying, especially when we're in front of our parents to avoid misunderstandings." I heard Lily said in a very low voice that made me feel guilty. She's right.

"I'm sorry...for what I've just said but I can't let her marry that Martinez guy no matter what. She's my only sister and I only want her to be happy." I said that made Lily returned her attention to me. I just took a deep breath before I lean my back on the headboard of our bed and saw her nod at me slowly.

"Both of us are different, Lily. I can willingly follow that stupid tradition we have because I am a man. I can protect myself but Chloe is a girl and if ever Chloe gets married to someone who will sooner or later hurt her physically and emotionally…" I said as I closed my eyes, clenched my fists and calm myself down.

"I don't know what can I do that person even though he's the son of the ric.h.e.s.t guy in the whole world." I said while my eyes are still close. Just simply imagining something like that might happen to her makes me want to kill whoever that person is right here and right now.

"Chloe is strong, Charles. She will not allow anyone to hurt her that easily." I heard Lily said that made me opened my eyes and turned to look at her once again.

"Chloe may be strong on the outside but deep inside… She's just a fragile girl who needs a protection." I said because I know her. Chloe may look like she is strong enough to handle these things but when I look at her eyes while dad was telling us about her engagement with the Martinez's Heir… I can clearly see that Chloe in on the verge of crying that moment but she restrained herself from doing that in front of her family which makes me even more worried about her because ever since we were kids… Chloe has been hiding her true feelings from us, her own family.

"I'm sorry…" I heard Lily said that made me just shook my head.

"No, it's alright. After all, Chloe always pretend to be strong anyways but there's another thing that bothers me right now." I said that made Lily curious.

"What's that?" Lily asked that made me sighed.

"About dad disowning his own daughter." I said that made Lily silent for a while.

"Charles, I have a feeling that father is just threatening your sister a while ago because no matter what happens, Chloe is still his only daughter." Lily said that made me smile bitterly as I shook my head.

"You still don't know my dad, Lily. He can make things impossible possible." I said. Dad is someone who you can just messed up with. That's the closest that I could describe him or shall I say that, that's how the people around us describes him.

"But I still don't think that father will really do that Chloe." Lily said that made me just sighed and nodded. She really still don't know dad that well...

"I just hope so or else, I might also do something that will make my dad disown me as well." I said that made Lily chuckled and got closer to me.

"You're thinking too much, my dear. Fine, to make you feel a little bit more at ease. I'll try to talk to my father about that person and if ever we find something useful about him then let's just use it to cancel their engagement." I heard Lily said that brought my attention back at her.

"Lily…" I said while still looking at her. I saw her smiled at me before holding my hand.

"After all, we still have five more days before the family dinner, right?" Lily said while still smiling at me that made me smile as well.

"Thank you so much, Lily." I said. Lily is good...no, she is a great person even before I married her. Lily has always been supporting me in all the things that I wanted to do until now… Lily is every man's dream wife… I know in myself that I am lucky to have her because she's beautiful, understanding, loving and caring but for some reason… I really can't love her...

"You don't have to thank me, Charles. I'm your wife and I will always support you." Lily said before she hugs me and for some reason, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my c.h.e.s.t. From the very beginning until we got married two years ago… I know how Lily felt about me and I swear, I tried to love her but no matter how hard I tried to love her… There will only be one person in my heart and that's Daniella...

ANNE ALEXANDRIA CHLOE's POV

I am now walking along the streets while thinking of all the things that had happened to me today. I really never thought that I'm going to get married in a few months and what's worse… I'm going to get married to someone who I didn't even know or met before! I suddenly clenched my fists. This is so annoying… Why does our family need to have that crazy tradition in the first place? Why can't we just marry someone we love just like other people!? Out of frustration, I suddenly kicked the can here on the street. This is so annoying! I really can't believe that this is happening to me because honestly… I thought that if my brother got married then I can marry the person I love any time we want to but I was wrong because ever since I was born as their daughter, I am already bound to that crazy tradition we have… I suddenly messed up my hair that made other people looked at me but I don't even care! My goodness! Why is this happening to me? What did I do wrong!? My thoughts were interrupted when I suddenly feel that someone is following me that's why I turned around to look but I didn't see anyone suspicious. Maybe I was just too stressed with things that's why I'm feeling paranoid or something. I started to walk again but for some reason, I really could feel that someone is following me and when I turned around once again… I saw a man standing behind me, wearing a jacket with a hood and face mask. No way… Someone's really following me! And without even thinking twice, I started to walk faster to but I suddenly felt someone held my arms and when I turned to look at that person… It's that guy wearing a hooded jacket and a face mask!

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Chloe Ramirez." The guy said. N-no w-way… W-who is he? I… I should run! I was about to run when he suddenly cover my nose with a handkerchief that smelled so weird that made me dizzy.

"Hey, honey. Are you okay? Hey, can you stand up?" The guy who's following me said when I suddenly lost my balance and catch me. No… I should call for someone's help. I was about to speak when my sight starts to get blurry and the last thing I know is, he is already carrying me.

-----◆-----◆-----◆-----◆-----◆-----

"So, she's that girl? Isn't she beautiful?" I heard a man's voice said that. Wait… Who's that?

"You're right. So, what are you waiting for, Mr. Gin? You should go now. Your job ends here." I heard another man's voice said that. Wait, who are they? I slowly opened my eyes and see these three men standing not too far from me. W-who are they? I looked around and saw that we are at the rooftop of I don't know where and both of my hands are tied up on my back? Wait, w-what's happening!?

"For the record, you don't have no right to order me around. You're not my boss, Tim.." The guy wearing that hooded jacket said. Wait, he's that guy who covered my mouth just a while ago, right? So these two are his accomplice!?

"Tsk. Fine but how can we do our job if you're still here." The other man said that made me shiver. Oh no… I have a bad feeling about this. I closed my eyes once again while pretending to be asleep as I tried to untie the rope around my wrist but...I can't! It's too tight!

"Why? What kind of job did he assigned to the two of you anyway? Why can't I stay here and watch you guys do what he ordered you to do?" If I am not mistaken, that's the voice of the man wearing a hooded jacket.

"What kind you asked?" The man said that suddenly made my heart skip a beat. Wait… I have a bad feeling about this… And for some reason, my hands started to tremble as I tried to untie the rope. Come on… Please...

"Something like…scaring her." The other man said that suddenly gives me shiver. N-no…

"P-please… Somebody help me!" I said as loud as I could. I can't take this anymore… I'm starting to get scared...

"F***! She's awake…" I heard the other man said as he approaches me. No!

"P-please help me… I-i'm begging you, mister... Please help---hmmmmp!" I said when this man covered my mouth using a cloth. No! Please! Somebody, help me!!!!!!!!!!!!

"You're too noisy, young lady." The man said as he gets closer and whispered to me. I just closed my eyes as I tried to struggle from his hold but I couldn't. He's too strong! Please help me!!!!!!

"Mr. Gin, what are you waiting for? Leave us now." The other man said that made me opened my eyes once again but I was shocked when I saw the guy who kidnapped me looked at me as if he is starting to regret what he just did to me. No… Please, don't leave… Help me, mister. Please... I'm begging you!

"May I call on him first?" The who guy kidnapped me asked them. P-please help me! Somebody, please help me!

"What? Don't you trust us?" The man who covered my mouth with a cloth said as he stood up and walked towards them. No… Chloe, you have to calm down. I can't stay here and do nothing. I need to do something while they're busy talking with each other. I looked around to find something that can help me cut this rope and luckily, I found a broken glass not too far from me that's why, I slowly and carefully gets it and when I finally get it. I started to untie the rope.

"Unfortunately, I don't." I heard the guy who kidnapped me said to those two creepy men. Why is the rope so thick anyway!? I don't even know if this piece of glass is helping me but I don't have any more choice left! I need to cut this rope as fast as I could!

"Then… Anton, use it to him." I heard the other man said to his accomplice that made me returned my attention to them and I was stopped from what I'm doing when that other man suddenly brings out a stun gun and use it to the guy who kidnapped me. No!

"AH!" The guy who kidnapped me said as he falls down on the floor.

"Hmmmmmp!" I said as I saw him fall down on his knees while the other man beats him. My tears are now starting to flow down my cheeks. N-no way… I-i'm so scared… I-if they can do something so brutal to their accomplice… W-what about me?

"Hahaha! You really thought that you can defeat us, aren't you?" The man said to the guy that is now laying on the floor with lots of blood. Oh my goodness!

"Now that you're here… I think you should also watch, right?" The other man said before he turns to look at me.

"Hmmmp…" N-no… H-he's getting closer… He's getting closer! I don't know if the rope is starting to get loose or something but I just continue what I'm doing while hiding it from them.

"Hmmmmmp!" I said when I he finally reached my spot as he gave me a creepy smile that made me even more scared.

"Hmmmmp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I shouted when I saw this man was about to touch me when I suddenly saw this man fell down on the floor as he coughed blood. I slowly raised my head up and saw the guy who kidnapped me hit this man's back.

"Don't touch her!" He said before he walks towards me and was about to help me when he suddenly saw that I'm holding a broken glass.

"You should let go of this." He said before he gets it from me and freed my hands and after that, I immediately removed the cover on my mouth and turned around to look at him.

"M-mister, are you all right?" I asked but was caught off guard when I suddenly saw the man behind him holding a baseball bat.

"You two can't get away with this!" That man said before he hits it this person on his back.

"M-mister!" I said while my tears continues to fall down my cheeks. A-a lot… T-there's a lot of blood... A-and mister...

"R-run…" He said. W-what? B-but what about him?

"B-but---" I said but was interrupted when I saw these two men looking at me with such scary and creepy look that gives me shivers to my whole body.

"Just run!" This guy said that made me stood up and ran as fast as I could. I don't want to leave him but I don't have a choice but to run!

"P-please! Someone, help me! Help me!!!!" I shouted as loud as I could while running down the staircase. N-nobody's here… No one can hear me but still I can't give up… Not now! I just passed through the staircase when someone suddenly grabbed my hair.

"Kyaaaa!!!!!" I said as I fell down on the floor. W-what? I-it hurts! I raised my head up and saw the man who covered my mouth a while ago is looking at me in a very creepy way. N-no...

"Do you really think you can escape that easily?" I heard the other man said who used a stun gun to the person who kidnapped me. N-no... I flinch as they suddenly forced me to stand up while still holding my hair so tightly.

"No… P-please help!!!!" I said but the other man suddenly cover my mouth again using his hands and whispered to me.

"Don't worry. We'll take care of you." This man said that made me lose all of my strength. I'm begging you, God… Please help me… I'm willing to do anything in return… Just please… Help me… Please!!!!!!!

"Let her go!" Our attention was diverted when we suddenly heard another guy's voice.

"And who the hell are you?" The man who's still holding my hair tightly asked the guy who just appeared.

"Someone that you wouldn't want to mess with." I heard the guy said before these two men suddenly threw me on the other side that made me lose my consciousness.