The Heir

Chapter Nineteen

MICHAEL TURNED TO Phyllis with a forced depressed face after ending the call with Richard. "You made me do this to you, Phyllis", he said and bent down close in front of her. "I didn't mean to hurt you", he tried raising a hand to touch her cheek but she moved her face away.

"Don't touch me", she said.

He sighed and stood up. "Shouldn't Richard be here right now?" He asked, gently thrusting his hands into his pockets. "Could he have changed his mind?"

"Oh, maybe he just sat down and thought, 'Why on earth should I waste my life for a woman I'm in bad terms with?'"

He scoffed. "Nice try". Before he could say another word, noises came from outside and he sent two of him men to go out and check.

Just then, the front door tore open with a man glued to it. Richard emerged through and paused abruptly. His eyes caught Phyllis' suddenly. He held the stare for a while until Michael spoke up.

"Welcome, Brother", he said, "I never imagined you'd come with such force. And violence".

Richard glared at him sharply. "You promised not to hurt her", he said.

"Did I? You only told me not to but I didn't say I won't".

Richard clenched his fist and began to move towards him but he was held down by three men.

"I know I told you we had a conversation to do, Richard", Michael started, "But in reality, I kinda brought you to your death". He slowly brought out a pistol from his pocket and pointed it at him. "Let's do this quick, so any last words?"

"Please, stop!" Phyllis cried from where she was.

"Take her away", Michael told his men who began to untie her quickly to take her away as she struggled.

Richard took a step as Michael pulled the trigger, lodging the bullet in his tummy. Phyllis paused and turned to see Richard landing on his knees, pain emblazoned all over his face. Michael turned to smile at her as he raised the gun to Richard's head.

"No...", she whispered as she wrung herself free. She began to run towards Richard as Michael pulled the trigger again. She had the bullet under her right shoulder blade and fell in front of Richard.

Michael dropped the gun immediately in a trembling manner and began to run off.

Phyllis looked at Richard who seemed to be trying to get to her with a hand on his tummy. The last words she heard before her eyes shut close were, "NYPD, freeze!"

**************-*************

Phyllis opened her eyes slowly and turned around, trying to know where she was. She realized she was in a hospital. She turned and found a brown skinned nurse setting her drip beside her. The nurse looked at her and smiled.

"You're finally awake", she said as she helped her to sit up.

"Where's Richard?" Phyllis asked.

"He..., um, he actually finished his surgery a few hours ago and has been waiting for you. We first thought he was gonna die. The bullet almost hit his —"