The third point of view:

Cecil didn't want to leave - which was surprising - but she had no choice. Her heart was hurting at the thought of it and she knew it was because of a certain person.

She had told herself that it was a simulation and now it was time to go back to real life. Emerald was a good lover, but then she wasn't chasing after a partner nor a relationship and that must be kept that way. She wasn't ready for heartbreak plus he deserves someone better.

Take a look at her, what was so special about her? She was nothing but a single mother messed up by her intended fiancée. Emerald needed a woman - definitely not Juliet - who would love him indefinitely and give him a family while accommodating his type of work.

That was another one of the many reasons she couldn't be with him. It wasn't that Cecil could not handle that level of violence, but Emerald's work was risky - his life was always hanging on the line. She was not ready to lose her heart as soon as she gave it nor become a widow - that is if they were able to come to that level.

In conclusion, there was more than one reason not to be with Emerald and she had to keep to it. It was for his well-being and her well-being too. She would treasure their time together and one day she would look back at the memories with a grateful smile, Cecil comforted herself.

However, the instant she made it to the corridor leading outside and didn't see him there, her heart sank. Didn't he want to see her off? Had they gone back to level one of being silent at each other?

"What is it, mother?"

"Huh?" She was roused back to reality by Pedro's question.

"Is anything the matter?"

"What?"

"You keep glancing back,"

"No. It's nothing," She told him, exhaling a deep breath as she faced the door.

Yeah, this was it. She had to bravely cross it and return to her old life where her emotions weren't a rollercoaster ride, and optimistic each day she woke up. Yeah, her comfortable and predictable life.

"What is it?" Pedro asked his mother when she stopped abruptly in her tracks.

"I don't know," Cecil replied sincerely. Why did she even stop?

"Look," Pedro turned to her, scratching the spot below his left brow, "I know I'm your son and that I'm young and probably don't know anything about love, in your perspective - why do older people like to think that way when we know much more than you all probably think we know. But trust me, you don't want to leave here without saying goodbye. This might be your last chance to summarize whatever it is between the both of you and you might regret it later if you don't grasp it now, " He said to her.

Cecil gulped, "You knew?"

Pedro rolled his eyes towards heaven, "I'm eighteen, not ten. I'm not a kid anymore, mother,"

He added beneath his breath, "I can even get a girl pregnant," but he dares not say that out loud else Cecil would roast him alive

Cecil didn't know what to do anymore, she simply pulled her son into her arms and showered him with kisses on his face.

"I love you,"

"Eww, but I love you too. Now go," He broke away from the embarrassing hug. He was no longer ten for Christ's sake.

She tossed her bag to him and took off, heading in the direction of Emerald's room and when she got there, began to bang on his door.

"Open up Emerald!"

As if he was waiting for her arrival, the door snapped open. For a minute there, Cecil was speechless as she stared at his face. What the hell was wrong with her? She had been seeing this face for days but today he seemed exceptionally handsome or maybe he always seemed handsome to her? Her prince in shining armor...

Seriously?! The woman shook the foolishness out of her head. She needed to call her hormones to order.

"I was about to leave," Cecil breathed, chest heaving from the little sprint here.

"I know," Emerald answered and she sensed nonchalance in his tone which kind of pissed her.

Her brows arched, "You weren't even going to say goodbye?"

"I don't want to," he frowned.

"Oh," It dawned on her. Their simulation was over and so was their brief loving relationship. What was she even thinking? That they would become one, just like Adam and Eve? How pathetic. Everything they did was just to cure her phobia of intimacy, nothing else, and she's okay with it. Really. she was not affected at all. Trust her.

"Because if I had gone out, it would be to stop you and drag you back to my bed,"

"Huh?" Cecil was stunned by that sudden revelation. Here she was, thinking the opposite.

"Wait a minute," she tried to comprehend his words, "Are you trying to say-"

"I'm not trying to say, I'm doing it," He closed down on her lips, the suddenness tipped her back as she leaned back on the door, closing it in the process.

Emerald didn't give her breathing space, he kissed her as if tomorrow was not going to come and she couldn't even catch up with him until they came up for air.

With that chance, Cecil stared into his eyes and the emotions she saw there made her heart squeeze; she swore she could see affection in those eyes. This time, as if they were under the influence of a magnet, they leaned in at the same time and kissed with blazing intensity.

Cecil was hot, more like she was being scorched by his touch, by the way his lips moved against hers. The kiss deepened, their tongues playing chase and fighting for dominance. Both knew it was their last time together and had to give it their all.

Emerald lifted her, her legs came up around his waist for support while his hands went to her ass, squeezing and rubbing her against his erection. She moaned.

Since she was wearing a dress, Emerald easily sensed her wetness and that felt extremely good. This was paradise and he would give everything to get it everyday - if only she would let him, everything would be easy. Her being with him was a dream come true.

She didn't know how he did it but Emerald walked across the room with their lips still attached and found the bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed with her astride him.

Cecil loved his strength, her hands trailed down his muscular arm that could squeeze the air out of her lungs and send her packing to Hades. And that he was doing, but Emerald was careful enough not to hurt her.

"Your shirt needs to go off, I need to touch you," Cecil said to him in the middle of taking it off already. She needed to imprint every little detail of him into her head since this was their last time together.

However the instant the shirt was off, she froze. Those scars.