Maya's POV

"Fine, I'll tell you why you're here " He wiped the side of his mouth with the red table napkin and continued, "You're here because Niklaus took a life from me and you are going to pay with yours "

There was a loud ringing in my ears, I seem to have heard wrong. Niklaus killed someone? He must be lying.

"Excuse me? "

"You heard me right buttercup, you're paying for my son's life with your own life "

I froze while his words kept playing in a loop in my mind; I tried to make sense of what I just heard.

Okay, Niklaus killed his son and now he's trying to say I'll be killed in turn as compensation for his loss? What the fuck, what kind of bullshit logic was that !

Alright, I'm done being a doll . I had been scared for my life earlier and held my tongue but since it's apparent I'm going to die, why don't I gush out my emotions.

"Romans 5:8 - But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." I said making sure to emphasize on the "Christ to die for us " part.

My gaze hardened and my brows lifted. "Why would I f*cking die for someone I have no clue about, neither for a crime I didn't commit? Just so you know, I'm not the messiah neither am I God his father, so get that into that demented brain of yours "

There was a flicker of surprise on his face, I guess he wasn't expecting the sudden change in my attitude.

I'm done being a good girl, since I was doomed to die I might as well say what's on my mind.

"Numbers 14:18 - The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation "

Sakuzi replied to me while emphasizing on the " Visiting the iniquity of the fathers " part.

To be truthful, I was impressed - mob leaders do read the Bible? Yet he still was kidnapping people and probably doing numerous shady deals.

" Well too bad " I purred, flashing a smirk "I'm not his daughter, so screw you "

He laughed briefly " I like you "

I lifted a questioning brow. Alright, anymore weird confession and I swear Emerald or not, I'm hightailing it out of here.

"You're like a Tiger "

"Oh " I shifted in my seat, a bit Surprised. Niklaus calls me - scratch that - called me that too.

"A paper Tiger, " he clarified and my face fell. " You have the powerful jaws and teeth, the sharp claws and the roar….." he faltered and looked at me intensely.

"But you know what? They're all fake and you know deep down, that's the truth "

I frowned, why was his comment getting increasingly close to home. I couldn't help but feel he was talking a bit about my personality.

I rubbed my face with my palm and asked him, "I don't know what happened between you and Niklaus but what I can't understand is why you involved me? "

He answered curtly "You're his woman"

"Women " I corrected. "I'm just one of the many women he fooled around with "

"Trust me, you're the most special of them all "

"Trust me, I wish I was " I countered and the side of his mouth quirked up.

He slowly leaned back into his seat, then he laughed - I wonder what's amusing him.

"I'm sensing some rage in you "

I grabbed the glass of water that was beside and gulped it down, I didn't care about the drug issue, I was going to die anyway.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I answered "I'm more than angry and I'm sure you wouldn't care to know why "

"Try me, I have all the time in the world " Sakuzi offered and my brows shot up in surprise.

"Listening to my sob story, wouldn't it make it harder to kill me? " I asked, hopefully.

He replied "I'm not sentimental "

Yeah, kill that thought of surviving Maya.

But still I was genuinely surprised, I never expected I would be schmoozing with my soon to be murderer - at least there's someone to tell my heartache before I die.

I took a deep breath " Well, it's the usual poor girl meet rich guy story "I told him sarcastically.

A maid walked in, filled his glass with wine and he took a sip.

"I'm all ears "

"I need a glass of wine too, " I said to him and he glanced up at me surprised.

I blew out air noisily through my mouth and began to explain "I'm quite an emotional person, so there's quite a hundred percent chance I would literally shed a bucket of tears halfway through my story "

"So? "

"So when I'm drunk, my alter ego come to light "

Sakuzi stared at me with a captivated expression, he asked once more "What's your alternative self like? "

"My alter ego is the exact polar opposite of me cause I always remember my drunken episodes " I took a deep breath and went on.

"She's daring,strong, bold, bitchy, rude and totally different from the real me " I bite the inside of my mouth and add.

"Moreover if you plan to kill me, do it while I'm drunk. It would be less painful and noticeable since I would lose my inhibitions "

There was a short silence as sakuzi regarded me intensely and I had to lower my eyes from embarrassment.

He snapped his fingers and gestured to the maid who had been standing at attention beside him, she moved and served me.

"I can't wait to meet your altar ego " He said with a hint of anticipation.

I took my half filled wine glass and downed the whole content

"That sure tastes good! " I exclaimed and signalled for my glass to be refilled.

"Our differences apart, you have a good taste in wine " I complimented him and brought the wine to my lips.

Sakuzi said indifferently " That is Cheval Blanc 1947 Saint-Emilion wine and a single bottle cost about

one hundred thirty-five thousand, one hundred twenty-five dollars "

I spouted out the wine in my mouth from shock, choking and coughing in the process .

"I-I sorry " I choked .

The maid handed Sakuzi a handkerchief which he used to wipe away the wine I spilled on him.

I grabbed the table napkin and wiped my lips, jaw and the front of my bodice clean - though the stain still remained

Seriously, what's with these rich people? I couldn't believe it, I just drank $135,125 ? Why?!

Still I made a fool of myself but seriously, for someone with such a scary background, he sure has a lot of patience .

Or maybe he's just counting and pocketing all my bad deeds awaiting the moment when he would kill me.

I saw Sakuzi rub his forehead as he pleaded exasperatedly "Can we go to the storytelling now? "

"Sure " I replied and quickly gulped down another glass " Well " I licked my lips and began.

"Just like most romance begins, I'm the lucky female lead who gets to meet her prince charming - without the help of a fairy Godmother by the way.

But my Prince Charming is a bit different in the sense he is a chronic player and just like they would say "Fate brought the two of us together "

I ended up being his daughter's nanny and though I knew he was bad for me, I still got involved with him.

He promised me the world and I totally believed it….I mean he was really sweet to m-me…." I choked back a tears but more began to flow

incessantly.

Sakuzi with an apathetic look stretched a handkerchief towards me which I took - not the one he used by the way.

It took me a good five minutes to calm myself down and during that period he didn't say a word to me, just slipped his wine slowly and quietly.

"He promised me the world " I sniffed and continued my story "But I guess I was just a dumb barbie who believed happily ever after was a thing .

Maybe, he did like me - Not love by the way, Niklaus is not capable of loving - but sometimes such feelings alone are just not enough …."

Sakuzi interrupted me with what I would refer to as a " mocking laugh ", my brows raised up questioningly .

"I'm sorry, go on " he apologized, a hint of laughter still playing at the corner of his lips.

I pursed my lips " Unknown to me, he had other plans. He finally proposed to me tonight but his ex-girlfriend intercepted the whole thing and now, the whole world thinks Tina is his fiancee "

"And you did nothing? " Sakuzi asked.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?!" I mistakenly snapped at him.

I saw the sharp glint in his eyes, realizing my mistake, I calmed myself and continued

"What do you want me to do? Start a cat fight? Scream to the whole audience that she's lying when everyone saw her kissing Niklaus right after the proposal? "

"Well that's none of my business " Sakuzi brushed it off "I already got you, that's all that matters "

"I'm telling you you're just wasting your breath, there is no way Niklaus would come all this way just to - "

The sound of gunshots interrupted me.

A hint of apprehension, confusion and fear crossed my features "What's going on? "

"Your beloved ex-fiancé Is here "