The Love Affair(Good Wife Better Mistress)

If I Die She Dies With Me

Chanel shakes her head in horror. She looks down at Conrad and wonders how he can look so calm although she doesn't know for sure that Conrad' doesn't have someone watching Nicole, she heartbeats to take the risk.

Conrads's bodyguards pull their guns from their holsters and point them at Alexandro. Alex's men draw their pistols and point them at Conrads's men. They look evenly matched, and Chanel doesn't know who will win. Either way, one thing's for sure, the battle will be bloody.

Are you afraid?" Alex asks. "Or you just played me in one of your games?"           

Chanel's face pales, and she subconsciously draws her hand back. She can see the disappointment in Alex's eyes.

"If you're afraid, I can help you," Alex said, raising his gun toward Conrad.

"No!" she screams, rushing in front of Conrad and shielding his body with her own. "Alex, I beg you, don't do this."

"No?" Alex asks, "Why not?"

"Can't you see, Mr. Romano?" Conrad asks with a malicious smirk. "They love me, and she and Nicole can't bear to give me up."

"Shut up!" Chanel hisses. She turns her head to glare at him and sees his deliberately provoking expression. She looks back at Alexandro and sees he's on the verge of losing control. His breathing is ragged, and blue veins stand out on his hand. "Alex, I swear, he's lying to you," she says.

"Darling, why are you telling him this story?" Conrad asks. "Are you afraid that he'll shoot me? Even I think it's cruel to string him along like this."

Alex looks like a vengeful devil. His entire aura radiates rage and bloodl.u.s.t. He tightens his grip on the pistol's trigger. He looks warningly at Chanel, "If you want me to trust you, get out of the way."

"No, you can't kill him," Chanel begs.

I don't know if the poison he gives nicole  really will need the antidote or how fast it kill her or the baby he is the only one who can save Nicole, Chanel thinks. I have no idea if Nicole can survive if he dies , and if he's dies, I have no idea how we can find the antidote. But I'll find out the truth one day. For now, I can't risk letting Alex shoot Conrad. Besides, Conrad is a powerful and famous man. I couldn't bear to see Alex locked away for murder.

"Are you protecting him?" Alex asks.

"Don't believe anything he says," Chanel pleads.

"And I should believe you instead?" Alex asks sarcastically.

"Alex, please put your gun away," she says. She tries to smile reassuringly, but it seems to have the opposite effect.

He waves the gun and jabs it into her chest. "Get out of the way," he orders, punctuating each word with another jab of the gun.

Chanel shakes her head. Her face is deathly pale, and tears streak her cheeks.

"Would you really sacrifice yourself to protect him?" Alex asks.

I don't know how to explain, Chanel thinks. I can't say I'm protecting Nicole from the poison —that would make Evan just as angry.

Alex fingers the trigger of the gun. If he pulls the trigger, the bullet will slice through Chanel's body on its way to Conrad. Chanel stares at him and wonders if he'll actually do it .

A loud gunshot echoed through the room. Through the padded doors, Chanel can hear the shop assistants screaming outside. The bodyguards shift uneasily and c.o.c.k their guns. Chane looks around the room, wondering who's been shot.

Everyone is staring at her feet. When she looks down, she sees the bullet from Alex's gun embedded in the floor next to her left foot. She looks up at Alex, and his expression devastates her. He throws the gun onto the floor, turns on his heel, and walks out of the room — Chanel bursts into tears.

"Wow, he really shot at you," Conrad says, slowly approaching her.

"Shut up!" Chanel snaps, "Get out of here!" In a rage, she slaps him hard across the cheek. Her hand stings, but Conrad caresses his face calmly.

"Are you done with your shopping here?" Conrad asks as if nothing has happened, "Shall I accompany you to other shops?"

"Conrad, you better not be lying to me," Chanel warns, "If you don't give Nicole the antidote when i bring her to you' I will be the first one to shoot you." She jabs her finger into his chest to emphasize her point.

Conrad looks at her quietly. His face is still red from the slap, but he rubs his heart as if she's hit him there. As he looks at her, his face pales with pain, and his featuresseem to twist and contort.

"What's wrong with you?" Chanel asks, suddenly worried. She wants him to die a thousand painless deaths, but she doesn't want the truth to die with him.

"Aww, you still care about me," Conrad says. He smiles weakly and gestures to his bodyguards. One of the men brings him a bottle of water and a small white pill.

"No, I don't give a damn if you live or die," Chanel says. 

"If I die, the antidote will die," Conrad warns. "Are you willing to see that happen?"

"I'll dig it out!"

"What? You think if you get the antidote , you can can save Nicole ?" Conrad asks with cruel amus.e.m.e.nt.

Chanel looks away from him. She doesn't want to talk to him anymore. She wants to forget his very existence.