"Why can't I we just drop you over before we get to my apartment?" Rhea Azaan asked.
"Actually, for now I want to keep my place of residence a secret because your parents not only threatened my parents' life but my life. For the sake of my parents' peace, I'll like to be safe." Kiaan Tilden said. He was dropped at the junction where he left for his apartment.
Today, Rhea Azaan was too happy she decided to go straight home. After a talk with her parents which went well because she was in a good mood, Rhea Azaan retired to bed.
MORNING…
Rhea Azaan received an envelope from Helium Prime. The lord in business there was requesting for her visit. Well, that starts her day.
Rhea Azaan prepared, entered her car and the convoy left for State Azaan company before she would drive to the airport.
Same morning…
Kiaan Tilden took a taxi home. He knew after all his parents must have read the news and knew he was around but didn't visit them. So, he arrived home earlier that day.
"Son… where are you hiding? We need you back home." Briella was emotional when she saw her son back.
"Mom, am doing this to keep you two safe. At least, if I have to look for trouble, I have to keep the two of you out of it." Kiaan said.
Mr. Austin Finlay observed his son. Earlier, he always knew his son would be mysterious and not even him or his wife would be able to hold him down. Just few days ago, Kiaan proved him right. Just now he looked like a visitor here after spending two days in a place no one knew and he wasn't willing to disclose his place of residence.
"Son, wherever you go, make sure you are safe. Take good care of yourself." Mr. Austin Finlay said.
"of course, I will father. Another thing, I'll like to borrow the car for today. I have an urgent issue I need to take care of." Kiaan said.
"We can take I taxi to work. You can have it." Briella said.
That's how Kiaan Tilden left that day with his adoptive parents' car and no one knew he wouldn't come back that day or even the next day. No one knew his life would change permanently from that day. Briella and Austin waved him a good bye and as a good boy that he was, he promised to come back earlier.
Same time…
Rhea Azaan got out of her office and matched into her car. In company of her guards, Rhea Azaan headed to the airport, a journey that was never meant to be.
"Some reckless driver on the way."
On the narrow road which the party decided to take as a short cut to the airport, Huston groaned. A car was speeding towards them and there was no way he could evade on the narrow road. Even if he came to a stop, that didn't mean the other driver would stop.
Just now, they were staring right in the face of death.
"Fuck! What do we do?"
Rhea Azaan was too frightened to look. She closed her eyes to wait for the collision which never came.
The car came speeding towards them and the noise was deafening.
"Is this how am doing to die?" Rhea Azaan cried inwardly.
Only one option. The guards would risk their lives to save their boss and that's what happened. The cars that came behind and were full of guards sped past Rhea Azaan's car and blocked the coming car. But something else happened.
A car sped past the front cars and cut across the road, blocking the collision squarely with its body. The two cars crashed and blood sprayed all over. Rhea Azaan, who had her eyes closed opened them and looked out.
"Someone risked their lives to save us." Hutson sighed heavily.
How could Rhea Azaan forget that old car…
"Kiaan!" Hutson was startled by the scream and he looked back to see Rhea Azaan, the goddess in business jumped out of the car and run to the wretched car before them. That's when reality hit him, the person inside the car was probably Kiaan Tilden and he had risked his life to save Rhea Azaan.
"Kiaan!" forgetting she was an honorable and significant figure, Rhea Azaan ran to the car. What concerned her right now was the life of her one and only friend Kiaan Tilden.
There on the driver's wheel seat was Kiaan, his head bend on the driver's wheel. Blood dripped form the corner of his mouth. Rhea Azaan could see that the metals dug deep into his flesh. The smell of fresh blood made her want to vomit.
"Am fine… are you ok?" forcing a smile, Kiaan Tilden looked up at Rhea Azaan.
"How can you say you are fine?" Rhea Azaan wanted to cry. He really promised to protect her, and he had gone as far as risking his life to save her. This touched her inner heart, making her to swallow hard and try holding back her tears.
Kiaan Tilden staggered out of the car and stood before her, holding her from the shoulders.
"Remember to be more careful next time." He smiled. His bloody hands soaked her scarf. She looked at him with horrified eyes.
"Call the ambulance!" Rhea Azaan shouted to Hutson who held out his phone immediately.
Kiaan was already moving away, holding on the body of the cars for support. The guards went over to support him but he pushed them away. He wasn't willing to let anyone touch him even in his last moment.
Kiaan wobbled over and tried hard to gain balance. A few steps from where Rhea Azaan stood with eyes full of tears, Kiaan finally lost balance.
Who knew Rhea Azaan would be that quick?
Rhea Azaan rushed over and his weight weighed her down. Kiaan Tilden collapsed on her, bringing her down with him.
His blood soaked her. Rhea Azaan pulled the scarf off her and tried wrapping it around his open wounds but within seconds, it was soaked in blood.
"Do something, don't just look at me!" Rhea Azaan shouted to the guards who were pulling a stretcher over and some first aids kits that were always carried in the car. Supporting his head on her lap, her first drop of tears finally dropped on his bloody face. And more and more, Rhea Azaan cried hard seated on the road with his head on her lap.
"In my next life, please remember me." Kiaan Tilden looked up at Rhea Azaan, those black eyes.
"I love you…" She managed to say it amidst tears.
One naughty drop of tears hung dangerously on her eye lid and finally dropped right into Kiaan Tilden's eyes.
"Say that again." He closed his eyes and his body stiffened but with a soft smile.
"I love you… do you hear me now?" Rhea Azaan was not just crazy, she was mad.
"Nooo…. You can't die." Rhea Azaan was all tears, shaking him crazily and crying.
She felt her world stand still, nothing moved, nothing else existed. No one was there with her except for the dying man on her lap, a man she realized she loved him just at his last breath. A man who managed to befriend her in a matter of few hours. A man who promised to protect her and had fulfilled his promise.
"Madam, we need to get him on the stretcher." Hutson said tried to reach for Kiaan. He was shocked that Rhea Azaan held tight and didn't want to let got.
He can't be, he can't just go that was. No… no.
Rhea Azaan shook her head hard. The sound of a siren brought her out of her lamentation, making loosen her grip and Hutson carrying the body on the stretcher. But she wouldn't go far. She followed the stretcher to the ambulance, staggering all the way.
The guards were on both her sided to help her walk with balance which was close to impossibility.
"The twins need you… remember that day when Carly and Camila welcomed me?" Rhea Azaan was talking alone in the ambulance as it headed to the hospital and the doctors had already started attending to Kiaan.