CHAPTER 54: 54

"Who are you, Nix or Nathan?" I asked, my voice trembling as his lips curled into a knowing smile.

"Who am I?" he repeated, stepping back from me. "I’m your enemy."

The words hung in the air like a curse, and in that moment, the room seemed to darken around me. The atmosphere shifted, morphing from calm to something far more sinister. It felt as if a storm had descended, choking the air, making it thick and oppressive. Shadows twisted on the walls, coming alive with a malevolent energy, and the temperature dropped, leaving a chill in its wake. Every beat of my heart echoed in my ears, a relentless drum of panic, as if the room itself was suffocating under the weight of the enmity that had suddenly filled the space.

"I should be grateful," he continued, his voice laced with contempt. "Through you, I got my existence. But damn you for meddling with my plans." His words sent a shiver down my spine, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this was the real him or if he was possessed or if this was simply his true nature revealed.

"I’m not your husband," he sneered. "No... I’m not Nix. I am his demon, as he likes to call me. And I have no intention of keeping you alive, but this human in darkness inside of me won’t let me harm you." His eyes widened with a dangerous glint as he slammed his hand on the table, the sound reverberating through the room, making me jump as fear gripped my heart.

He approached me with deliberate steps, unbinding my hands and dragging me toward the bow of the cruise. I swallowed hard, seeing nothing but the endless expanse of the sea before us. "Since he won’t let me kill you," he said, his voice a low growl, "I’ll let you go."

"Go...?" I stammered, shivering as the cold sea breeze brushed against my skin.

"Yes. Get out and never return!" he shouted, the suddenness of it startling me. I couldn’t comprehend his twisted logic how he could hate me so much yet refuse to kill me. He was giving me my freedom, but it felt like he was sentencing me to death instead.

"One... two..."

"Wait! Hold on, let’s talk this through," I pleaded, stepping back as I frantically searched for something anything to defend myself with. But all I found were ropes, anchor chains, and a fire extinguisher.

"Give me that ring," he demanded, pointing to my finger. I hesitated, raising an eyebrow in confusion, but he ignored me, rubbing his forehead as if in frustration. "And the leg chain too. I don’t want him finding you after I get rid of you," he sighed, exasperated.

Reluctantly, I took off my wedding ring and handed it to him. Without a second thought, he tossed it into the sea. I moved closer to the fire extinguisher, crouching down as if to remove the leg chain, but instead, I grabbed the extinguisher and swung it at his head, hoping to jolt Nix back to consciousness. But instead of retreating, he cursed at me, his fury reignited.

In that moment, I realized that my only option was the sea.

I prepared to flee, but before I could move, he yanked me by my hair, dragging me closer as he fumbled with something in his other hand.

"Change of heart, huh? How about a taste of your own medicine?" he hissed, struggling to remove the cap from an injection one I had prepared with my own hands for the old Delton. Panic surged through me as I fought to free myself, kicking the injection out of his hand and scrambling to grab it.

"Are you planning to kill me?" I panted, raising the injection defensively.

"You didn’t think twice before using this same drug on Nix, so why should I?" he shot back, his eyes locking with mine in a battle of wills.

He was right at least partially. I hadn’t hesitated to use it on the man I knew as my husband who had kept secrets from me. But then if I knew he was Alpha one would I have hesitated? The question gnawed at me as we stared each other down, the seconds stretching into an eternity before I tossed the injection into the sea.

"Kill me if you dare," I scoffed, challenging him, and I saw the rage in his eyes flare to new heights as he stormed toward me. But then, suddenly, he halted, clutching his head with both hands.

Was the drug finally taking effect?

"Shit!" he cursed, and all I could think about was my own safety. I turned to flee into the room, but his coughing stopped me in my tracks. I turned back to see blood dripping from his hands.

"Nix," I whispered, barely audible, taking a hesitant step toward him. But he staggered back, shaking his head.

"Run... he’ll kill you once he’s back. I can’t hold him for long," he rasped, and before I could react, he lunged toward the sea, disappearing over the edge.

I pressed a hand to my mouth, paralyzed with indecision.

Save him or...?

Let him drown

"Carmela, you can’t repay kindness with evil," I scolded myself, my mind racing. "Even if he had ulterior motives and hasn’t been the kindest, he’s still kind..or at least his pretense of being kind is worth saving him" I sigh convincing myself.

As the sun set over the horizon, casting the sea in a golden glow, I stood at the edge of the cruise ship, my eyes scanning the waves for any sign of Nix. Without a second thought, I stripped off my elegant gown, revealing the sleek black underwear beneath. The wind whipped through my hair as I took a deep breath, then with a fierce cry, I leaped off the ship’s railing, my body arcing gracefully through the air before plunging into the turquoise sea below.

The water rushed up to meet me, cool and enveloping. I sliced through the surface with powerful strokes, my arms propelling me toward Nix with a singular focus,to save him from the waves. The sea spray glistened on my skin as I swam with all my might, my heart pounding in my chest as I searched desperately for him.

"Will I reach him in time?" The thought gnawed at me as I dove deeper into the sea, the water darkening around me. My eyes scanned the murky depths until, finally, I spotted him his body limp, his eyes closed as if surrendering to the abyss.

Fear surged through me, but I pushed it aside, forcing my arms to move faster, stronger. I reached him, grabbing his arm and pulling him upwards with all my strength. He was heavy, unresponsive, but I refused to give up. Wrapping an arm around his waist, I swam toward the surface, my lungs burning from the effort. The water pressure built in my ears, but I focused on the light above, willing us to reach it.

Finally, we broke through the surface, gasping for air. Nix coughed, his eyes fluttering open, and I pulled him close, holding him afloat. The cruise ship loomed nearby, and with every ounce of strength I had left, I swam toward it, dragging Nix along.

My muscles ached, my body screaming for rest, but I pushed on, my eyes fixed on the ship’s ladder until we finally reached it.

As I held Nix, I felt his warmth, his life returning to him, and it was as if a surge of energy coursed through me. I helped him back into the room, guiding him to the bed where he sat, still dazed.

"Let me grab a towel," I said, hurrying into the bathroom. I found one and returned, watching him strip off his wet clothes. There was so much I wanted to say, but I held my tongue, knowing that blame could still find its way back to me.

The room was silent as I dried his hair with the towel, my thoughts racing with questions what would have happened if I hadn’t reached him in time? Why hadn’t he tried to survive? My thoughts were interrupted by his cough.

"I’ll get you some water," I murmured, excusing myself as I made my way to the kitchen.

The cruise ship has actually turned out to be luxurious and not as cranky as I imagined.

The kitchen unveiled to being as a culinary paradise, its sleek, high-gloss finishes gleaming under the soft lighting. The air was filled with a sweet aroma that promised indulgence, but I had no time to savor it. As I reached for a glass, I felt familiar hands wrap around my waist, and I turned to find Nix behind me. Before I could say a word, his lips crashed into mine like a stormy wave rough and unrelenting.

The intensity of his fury, his passion, overwhelmed me as our mouths collided in a fiery explosion. The luxurious kitchen around us melted away, leaving only the two of us, lost in this tempestuous embrace.

His hands grasped my face, holding me in place as he devoured me with his kiss. I felt the scratch of his stubble, the pressure of his teeth, and the warmth of his breath. It was as if he was trying to consume me whole, to claim me as his own.

I met his ferocity with my own, our lips battling for dominance. The world around us faded into the background, leaving only the sound of our ragged breathing and the soft moans that escaped our lips.

The marble countertop pressed against my back, cool and unyielding, as Nix’s body pinned me against it. His hands roamed my skin, leaving trails of fire in their wake. I felt the heat building between us, a spark ready to ignite into a blazing