The Risen HODWII

Chapter 48 : Speechless

**Xenon's POV**

I was speechless, so many emotions creeping in that I couldn't think straight.

Am I dreaming!? I couldn't even believe this was real.

First, Bryan... my longtime friend betrayed me. He died, and the person who killed him is the girl I love the most. My angel... but known as the infamous terrible monster!

Am I dead!? Did I die!? I want this to be a nightmare; I want to wake up and be with my Claire... my angel.

Who am I kidding!? This is the reality.

*The Silencer is a monster; it doesn't have a heart, and it listens to no one.*

*It is the only person who got out of the Morounes Cave alive... it's absolutely a monster!*

*You are being guarded by a monster.*

The girl I've been protecting all this time... is the person who keeps saving my life.

The day she got stabbed... if she was the Silencer... it shouldn't have happened. If she's the Silencer, then lying in my room for days was...

"Was it all a lie?" I asked, out of breath. But if a monster doesn't have a heart, why did she choose me? Of all people... even after the accident seven years ago, why did she save me then? "Why me, Claire? What do you want from me?"

Her eyes... they're too cold. This is not the girl I used to love... she is too dark. *The monster fears no one; it's numb,* I remember Daddy Derif's words. I felt my feet losing strength. Claire ignored me as she looked at Blue and Blake, gesturing for them to stand up.

*Okay, just don't forget to say my name. Tell them I asked for it.*

Now I know the reason why the Blue Fire Gang accepted to join our battle; it was because... their Heiress ordered it.

A sudden rise of anger crept over me... I felt played by the girl I love.

She stepped closer toward me. "I'm sorry," she said, but her face was blank. I did not sense her sincerity.

"Why did you hide it from me?" I realized my voice was laced with anger.

Claire stopped in front of me. "I... I can't let you know." She looked away.

"Don't you trust me, Claire?" I asked in almost a whisper. Was everything real? Her sweetness... the way she showed her affection towards me—did I just assume? Or... was it all fake?

---

**Venice Claire's POV**

"Don't you trust me, Claire?" He asked in almost a whisper.

"I do, but... not entirely." I looked away but not at him.

I trusted Xenon; I really did... but I was afraid that his love was not enough to accept the reality of my identity.

I was born in the Dark World and created as a monster.

I sensed him close his eyes and take a deep breath, calming himself. When he opened them, he asked, "Do you love me, Claire? Did you ever love me?" His eyes glistened with hope.

Love... do I love him? Hell yeah! Is this the right time to tell him?

*I just wanted to remind you, my dearest cousin, that you're the Heiress; you should set aside your feelings or... you might lose him. Be careful; Mr. Giovanni is keeping an eye on you.*

Lose him. Zoey is right—if I tell him about my true feelings for him...

*... you can't avoid your destiny; it's in our blood!*

Dad will do everything to destroy it. Worse... he might kill him.

*Are you really letting her out of your hold? You don't know what will happen! She is a monster! She can't adapt to another world!* I remembered every word clearly that came from Uncle Dos.

I am a monster... but I have fallen for this man. However, Dad is controlling me, and I have no power against him. Even if I did... I can't guard Xenon every second, every minute.

He will be in great danger because of me... and I couldn't take that. I can't just follow my heart and let the man I love... suffer. It would be better if I were the only one to suffer.

"Look at me, Claire," he asked, sadness washing over his face.

I slowly looked at him and saw his red, watery eyes full of sadness and pain... Oh, Xenon, why did you love me this much?

I do not deserve it.

"Do you... love me?" he asked once again.

"I... I'm sorry." I suddenly looked down.

He chuckled weakly. "That's not what I wanted to hear. I'll ask you again: do you love me?" He tried to calm his voice.

I took a deep breath, composing myself. I needed to be strong and not let my emotions consume me.

I looked straight into his eyes. "I did not love you, and I never will." LIE. I could see a tear fall from his eyes. It hurt, lying to the person I dearly loved... it hurt so much. He laughed, but it was not genuine. "Hah, right. How could a cold-hearted monster like you ever love me? I was fooling myself." He shook his head. "All this time... you..." He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself.

Monster. His words felt like a bucket of cold water thrown on me, waking me up from reality. He's right; everyone is right... I am a monster. I killed countless people, and I could never be a real human. I do not deserve happiness.

I sensed Lucas walking toward him, but I ignored everyone and focused solely on Xenon.

"You killed my friend, and now you just killed my heart. I don't want to see you; leave." His voice... it was too cold.

I felt awful; what am I doing!?

"Xen—" I aimed to get closer, but—

"I said leave!" he yelled, which I never expected he would do to me. Yet this day had come.

"Xenon, please think carefully—" Lucas said behind him, but Xenon raised his hand to shut him up.

"Go, Claire... now, I set you free." He said and turned his back on me. Words that were killing me, hurting me a million times over.

Love... it could really kill. I sighed.

"Any moment Marco will come. Do whatever you want to do to him," I said and turned my back.

Gazing at Uno, I ordered, "Stay," and walked away... away from him.

When I got out of the gym, I didn’t realize a tear had fallen from my eyes for the first time in so many years.

The moment I left the school... the Silencer dominated my essence.