Betrayal by Love

Serena..."

"Serena," her father Blackwood's voice, was calm and urgent, outside the cabin door. He tapped his right hand, lightly on the polished wood. "Serena, Come on, dear. It's time. Everyone is waiting for you."

No response.

He tried again, a little hard this time; the sound echoed too loudly in the empty hallway. "Serena? Are you alright?

"It's Dad; please open the door."

Still Silent...

He gripped the doorknob tighter to unlock it, but it remained locked, and panic clawed at his throat. He glanced around the silent hallway. Where had she gone? Or did something happen inside? he doubted. He folded his sleeve edge and pulled out his phone from his lower pants. He searched for Damien's number.

He hesitated to make a call, then finally pressed the call button, holding the phone to his ear, the dial ring cut through the air, his eyes were restless constantly scanning the surroundings, frown lines etched around his eyes. "Son," he said, his voice crackling with static. "Serena's room door is locked, and she's not answering."

Damien (Black Wood's son) pressed a hand tighter against his ear. "Dad... Dad... I couldn't hear you!" The sound of waves was sustained, Static snapped in his earpiece, a harsh sound against his eardrum.

Blackwood paced in front of the door; his eyes remained on the signal bar on his phone "Son, Is that I am audible? Can you hear me now?"

"Dad..." Damien snapped, cutting off the call. "Shit, signal dead." He raced towards the entrance of the deck.

Emiko watched her husband, his back to her, as he spoke intently into his phone. Who was he talking to? Why did he seem tensed? she wondered, she quietly followed him.

It was already getting late; they were supposed to be at the altar, Damien raced as his shoes clicked loudly on the wooden stairs. He checked each hallway before moving to the next level.

"Honey, wait...." her voice called out from upstairs, facing down Damien "What's wrong? You seem tense. Where are you going?"

Damien paused, one foot on the bottom step looking back at her.

Emiko hair bouncing, flew down the remaining stairs and into his arms.

"It's Dad," he said, his voice unclear. "The signal's awful on top of the deck while talking to him. Dad went to get Serena for the wedding, but they're still not back."

Emiko nodded, then glanced at him, "I hope everything is okay" she said, and they walked together down the steps.

Damien's footsteps echoed on the fifth floor, he approached his father, who stood like a statue outside the cabin door, still checking his phone.

"Dad, what's wrong? Why are you outside, where is Serena?" he asked, his voice strained.

Blackwood turned; his face was covered with worry. "Serena's not answering. She won't open the door."

"Have you tried calling her phone, Dad?"

"I did," Blackwood replied, his voice worried. "It's ringing inside, but she's not answering."

"Okay Dad, I check once again."

Damien knocked sharply on the door; the sound echoed in the hallway. "Serena? It's Damien. Open the door!" He pounded on the door, his anxiety rising.

Still no response.

Emiko's fingers flew to her lips, her eyes widening with sudden fear. "Dami.... What if she's collapsed inside?"

Damien looked at Emiko, sweating on his forehead, and raked his hand through his hair, growing frustrated. His mind raced as watching the floor how do we unlock the door? After a brief pause, he added, "We need a spare key." He turned to Emiko. "Quickly, get the spare key from the management office!"

She shook her head up and down fast. "Okay... ok... Where is the management office?"

"On the ground floor," he pressed his words. Fastly

Emiko grabbed her long pinkish gown and ran towards the stairs, her footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

She burst through the management office door, her breath heavy. "Officer... I need a spare key for room no 505!"

The officer paused, glancing at the other officer near him, raising an eyebrow. "May I ask what purpose, ma'am?"

Her breath hitched; she tried to steady her voice, and tiny droplets of sweat flowed on her brow, her makeup smudged a little bit. "The bride... is locked inside, and she's not responding. We need to check on her immediately."

The officer understood her urgency, and he searched the rack one by one; finally, he found the 505-room key, and the officer handed her the key.

Without wasting a second, she runs back upstairs to room 505. "I've got it! I've got it!" she exclaimed, as she handed it to Damien. She gripped the wall for support.

Damien's hands trembled, he loosened his collar button, nervousness ran over his whole body, and finally, he unlocked the door. He grabbed the handle hard and pushed it open; the room was quiet and empty.

They stepped inside, their eyes darting around and the air in the room felt heavy and warm. Everything things were neat and orderly, almost too perfect.

Damien's gaze fell on the near bathroom door, slightly ajar. His heart pounded in his chest. He moved towards the door slowly.

He pushed the door open slightly. His pupils dilated, his breath catching in his throat. He saw the open window... and the rope dangling from it, the window glasses were placed on the floor. Damien lay frozen, unable to process what he had been seeing. His mind went completely blank, and his body refused to move.

Emiko had just entered the same spot and spotted a rope through the window. Her hands flew to her mouth in shock.

But her memory flashed through her mind.

Early Morning.

Time 3:45 AM. Emiko felt the weight of the hour and the icy wind whipped around the room, the waves crashed against the rocks, the silence pressing in as she stepped closer to the window where Serena was tying the last piece of her dress to the rope.

"Have to done, Serena?" Emiko whispered silently.

Serena looked up her eyes were red, and her face was tear-streaked. Her hands shook in fear, and her lower lip trembled slightly as she couldn't open her mouth, after a few seconds pause, she replied. "Yes... almost."

Emiko's eye shifted to the nearby dressing table where a letter lay, picked it up, feeling her heart tighten in her chest. She read the letter Serena had written. Her eyes narrowed; she took in the hastily scribbled note.

"Serena, don't mess up," she whispered, looking at her, her voice barely audible. She took Serena's hands in hers, her grip tightening. "After tonight, you're on your own. You have to live with your... family." The word felt like ash in her mouth. Inside, Emiko felt a sharp pang of guilt towards Damien.

Serena looked back at Emiko, her eyes with vision blurred by tears and a tear-stained face. "I just want to die, but... Emiko," she whispered, her voice breaking like a cracking glass. "But... Emiko... I have no choice; everything I do is just... for my baby. I don't want to cheat someone for my fault... because I can't...."

Emiko stepped closer and gently wiped Serena's tears away. "I understand, Serena. I do. But... this path you've chosen won't be easy. Just promise me you'll stay safe."

Serena shook her head slowly. "Damien will never forgive me," she murmured, her voice trembling. "He was the best brother and mother to me. I can't even think how he can... accept this."

Emiko pulled her into a tight hug. "I have never had a sister in my life. I always think of you as a sister," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I can manage your brother, but once you leave here, keep your life hidden. Please... Don't let anyone find you. Go somewhere they won't be able to find you."

Serena nodded against her shoulder, whispering, "Um...I won't."

Emiko watched the clock at nearly 3:58 AM, and she realized there were only two minutes left before the shift change.

"Okay... we have only two minutes. Just go..."

Serena wiped her tears, a fleeting, bittersweet smile touching her lips. She walked to the window, glancing back at Emiko one last time.

.

"Don't burn the kitchen like here. Let Ethan handle the cooking for some days. We will meet one day no matter what," Emiko teased, attempting to lighten the mood.

Serena chuckled faintly and shook her head up and down, her smile a fleeting glimpse of the person she used to be. "Goodbye, Emiko."

"Go, Serena. It's time," Emiko said, her voice barely holding together as she watched her friend climb out the window and into the unknown.

Emiko shifted her imagination at 8:00 AM; the ship buzzed with activity as the wedding preparations reached their peak.

William's mother approached Emiko in the rushed hallway, and her concern was evident. "Is the bride ready?"

Emiko stood tall and managed a small smile formed on her lips, her fingers clasped tightly in her dress. "Yeah... I think she is."

William's (Groom) mother looks at her up and down, a skeptical arch to her brows, "What she is... What do you mean?"

Oh! Shit! I almost forgot to tell you. Serena wants to get ready by herself. She didn't want to bother anyone." Emiko leaned closer to her face, lowering her voice. "She said... she wanted to surprise William. Don't tell him."

William's mother nodded, eyes widened, mouth opened slightly. "Really... she's so thoughtful. It makes me more eager... how she looks in a bride dress." Then, she hurried off while talking to someone on the phone.

Emiko exhaled a relieved breath. "Shit, I have unlocked a new talent!" she murmured, a spark igniting in her chest. "I think I'm good at acting now! I want to go audition!" But the second thought crashed down like a bucket of ice water: her smile faded, her brows narrowed, Audition...or jail? Emiko thought, the two words echoing in her mind.

"Emiko...." Damien's voice cut through her thoughts.

"This man is my problem; even I can't daydream." "Tawagoto..."

The morning illusion shattered when Damien burst into anger, his voice raw with disbelief. "She's gone," he growled. "What the f*ck did she do?"

The clang of metal on metal made Emiko jump. Damien had punched the door hard in rage. His knuckles were slowly bleeding from where he'd punched the steel door.

"Dami!" she screamed, tears flowing down her cheeks, her heart pounding against her rib. "What are you doing, Dami? You're hurting yourself! Please stop doing this... She grabbed his injured hand, but he flinched away.

Then, he paused to process everything, he turned to her side, his jaw clenched, his eyes blazing in fury. He gripped her neck towards the wall, lifting her upwards. Her toes brushed the floor. She struggled against his hold, her eyes wide with fear.

"How did this happen? You're the one who is always with her."

"Tell me, Emiko..." he shouted, looking at her face, his neck veins popping out while he talked.

"Dami... Please...."

"Do you know about this already? Right? You seem suspicious from the start."

His hand tightened on her neck, another hand balanced on the wall. "You two already planned everything, right?"

"Dami..." she strangled against his grip, her voice barely a whisper. The pressure was intense, her throat tighter, and everything was starting to blur.

"Dami...please... I can't breathe...." Her vision blurred, his anger merging with the throbbing pain in her head.

Suddenly, there was another shrewd voice: "What the hell are you doing?!"

Damien's came to reality; his grip loosened slowly, his fingers trembling. He pulled his hand away from Emiko's throat, his eyes widening in horror as he looked at the marks he had left on Emiko's neck. "What...what the fuck...did I just do?" he stammered.

Emiko coughed too heavily, struggling to regain her breath.

Blackwood's voice crashed through the room, cutting through the silence. "For your sister's sake, you're going to kill your wife?!" He glared at Damien, his face contorted with rage.

"Dad..." Damien ran a hand through his hair. "How can I explain this to James? The bride just ran away through the damn window!" His voice was wobbly.

"How could she betray her own family?"

The sound of footsteps broke the silence in the hallway as William's parents arrived, their faces filled with concern. Damien and Blackwood stood frozen, hearing William's voice from outside, but he didn't express it.

Emiko's mind reeled. William's parents...they're coming. The thought sent a shiver of fear down her spine. How could I face them? How could Dami face them? Tears welled in her eyes. I'm so sorry, Dami. I've failed as a wife. I'm the reason for all of this. The weight of her mistake pressed down on her, suffocating her inside.

William's mother looked around the room nervously and asked, "Where's the bride? Everyone is waiting."

The room remains silent, with no expression on their faces.

Blackwood stepped forward, holding a folded piece of paper he'd found on the mirror table. "There's a letter," he said quietly glancing at everyone, unfolding it.

"A letter?" James repeated, his voice tight.

Everyone fell silent as he opened it and began reading.

Dami,

This is Serena. I hope you're the one who finds this, Dami.

I can't marry William. Even though I respect him and his family, my heart belongs to someone else. I'm in love with your friend, Ethan. I... I'm already six weeks pregnant. I know you'll understand my situation, and I apologize for doing this to you and everyone. Please don't try to find me, because I left last night.

- Serena

William's mother gasped, her eyes welling with tears. "What... Pregnant? "With Ethan's child?" She breathed heavily, her voice shaking with shock.

James's face became scarlet as his rage blew up. "You guys are kidding me. How did no one notice she was gone?!"

Blackwood stepped forward, his face pale, and he opened his mouth. "I am sorry, James, we didn't expect this to... But... we can..."

Before saying another word, James crumpled the letter from his hand. He grabbed Blackwood's shirt collar. "What the hell is this, Blackwood?" he roared.

"We planned this marriage with her permission! Right? She also agreed to it! Then... what is this nonsense?!" He shouted very loudly, his voice rocking the room.

Before Blackwood could answer, Damien stepped forward and yanked James' hand from his father's collar. "Show some respect! James," Damien snapped, his voice severing the tension like a blade.

James's anger was a living thing, radiating from him in waves. "Respect????????"

"You guys are asking for fucking respect from me, uh..."

"Your daughter humiliated me and my son. How can I explain this to my son? How can he accept this shit? He loves her..." His hand moved to his jacket; James pulled out a gun. His grip was tight, and he pointed at everyone in the room, his eyes wild with fury. "Damien, your family going to pay for what your bitch sister did."

Everyone in the room froze, their faces pale with shock as they caught sight of the gun in James's hands.

Damien's thoughts raced to watch a gun in James' hand. Shit!! Things are totally out of control; he won't hesitate to pull the trigger. Do something, Dami.

Even James's wife, standing a few steps away, trembled with fear, her eyes wide and filled with doubtfulness at her husband's actions. "Honey... it's okay, don't do anything wrong... she doesn't deserve our son. It's made even worse if you do something wrong."

Emiko, standing off to the side, was in shock and immediately covered her mouth with her hands. "Please, James, stop! It's not the way! Simply put down the rifle." Her voice shakes with urgency as she begs.

Tension enveloped the whole room, stretching the silence to a breaking point, and each moment seemed to drag on forever.

"James, please stop! We can fix this. I know... my daughter made a huge mistake, but this is not helping us..." Blackwood pleaded, his hand outstretched.

Damien intended to attempt to obtain the weapon of his choice. He moved closer to James.

"You think this is just about humiliation?" James's finger tightened on the trigger as he growled. "It's about justice for my son!"

Every sound remained silent when the air was hit by the thundering crack of a gunshot, which echoed like a bomb.

Damien's mind struggled to process what had happened. His gaze was drawn to the smoking gun in James's hand. A high-pitched whine filled his ears, drowning out everything else. He saw the spreading pool of blood, a dark red stain creeping across the wooden floor.

Now, the smell of sea air mingled with blood and gunpowder.