And he loved her (Phantom of the Opera Fanfiction)

Chapter 15

Hi guys!
I'm so really really sorry that the next chapter here took so long to be released. I know some of you all think that I might be quitting the story halfway... but note that I had already decided to finish this story. The only problem I have is time. There always isn't enough time. :'(  Though finally, I wrote Chapter 15. Hope you all will like it!
-Hannah Loh
(Once again, I do not own amy POTO characters.)

The ringing doorbell felt like wretched screaming in my ears.

I whipped around as I stared frightfully at the door.

My breathing ceased to a shallow, fearful one, and my face simply turned ghostly pale as I looked at the door in terror. Raoul. Raoul for sure, this time. My mind raced throbbingly as I fumbled in thoughts and even the possibilities of what was happening to Eric, Meg and the servants. In my despair, hot tears sprung out of my eyes as my lips did an ugly curve, and I stalked away across the other end of the hallway. Things were already a mess and Raoul had already gotten the upper hand, and now his arrival? There was a strong sense of horrible anguish thick in the air, with my salty tears choking my voice. Everything, simply everything, was going down the drain. My fingers crawled up to my face as I desperately tried to stop the tears from dripping down my face anymore. I was in a pit of despair, and my mind had gone blank. What was I just supposed to do now?

Eric… my mind pounded heavily at his name. Eric...

Yet still, I was doing a quiet sobbing, and just for a moment, actually admitting defeat.

The door was pounded rather heavily and impatiently now, and Sister Zhalia stared at me, waiting for my order.

I knew that although almost all of my closest and strongest supports were gone, yet I still could not just give up. My mind swirled painfully as I tried to get up. No matter where Eric was, that stubbornness of his would make him continue to fight Raoul to no end. And since I brought everyone to this horrible mess, I had to clear it all up. I had people depending on me, and I couldn’t just break down in a corner and cry. I had to stand up against Raoul.

I needed to execute my plan now… Plan A.

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“Sister Zhalia, I’m going to wash my face first. You’ll bring Raoul around for a bit, then make him settle down for tea. I’ll be back soon when I can,” I turned to meet Zhalia’s gaze, where she stood behind me carefully listening to my orders, then I turned my head back away from her.

“And be careful.”

With that, I took quick and fast strides across the hallway to the nearest bathroom where I proceeded to splash water on my face and dabbed off the bits of redness and puffiness from the earlier crying in my eyes. I could hear the clicking footsteps of Raoul and his men, and also the occasional whispers and gossips that slipped from their mouths.

When I could hear Raoul and his bodyguards had settled into one of the little sofa rooms, I stared at my mirrored reflection once more.

There was no turning back now.

I took a deep breath, then quickly I walked to the opposite end of the hallway and opened the door in front of me.

The room was filled with mostly men, and my nose twitched at a certain, low metallic smell that hung in the air lightly. It was definitely a little of a smell, for I could almost not get a whiff of it all.