She looked from the window, her eyes distant, and her mind swimming in the darkness that always surrounded her. It has been one month. One entire month since that day and every single moment she thought that the pain will finally disappear, it reappeared, greater and more overwhelming than ever. That kiss was still imprinted on her lips and nothing will ever be able to erase it. Everything about him still hung up in the air around her and she could do nothing but remember his passion that moment, the intensity of those eyes, of those hands…

"Mercedes?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at the direction of the voice. She saw the young man sitting in front of her smile. She smiled back. Who knew that they will reform their relationship? Since that day she ditched him, made fun of him when he said he loved her and left him alone just to anger her friend Grace who had a secret crush on him, she thought that she would never see him again. And there they were, having dinner together in one of the fanciest restaurants in Paris and she was simply miserable.

"Where are you Mercedes?" He asked his French accent showing as he grabbed her hand and kissed it softly. She looked at him, still smiling.

"I am here." She murmured but he continued to stare at her, a little smile making his way to his lips.

"You know, a month ago, I hated you with all my heart. I hated you for leaving me like that. I was broken. But now, I am happy, I am happy you gave me another chance. A présent, je suis l'homme le plus heureux de toute la planète, grâce à vous Mercedes."

He kissed her hand again. Why? Why didn't his touch bring life in her body like that of Taisho did? Why didn't she feel her blood burning, yearning for him, for his taste? Why didn't she feel that same attraction Taisho triggered in her. She hated Taisho; she hated him with all her heart.

"You're drifting away again." Her companion noted, making her look at him, desperation in her eyes.

"Michel, I am sorry, I was just thinking." She apologized before retrieving her hand from his hold.

"The Mercedes I knew doesn't think. You changed so much. What happened to you during your travel? What changed you?"

She laughed a little, taking a zip of her wine. Here she was, all dressed up, looking beautiful like always, accompanied by one of the richest and most handsome bachelors and she was drifting away because of a stupid man who doesn't even know who she really worked for. Pathetic, she thought. But she didn't know to whom she should attribute this adjective. To herself or to the man who haunted her dreams.

"I realized things." She simply answered, smiling seductively and she could easily feel him melt in her eyes. Like she melted in those of Inuyasha, her mind nodded. Alerted, she shrugged the idea away, and focused on the man in front of her who was trying oh so desperately to get her attention.

"Like what?" He countered, leaning back in his chair. She looked away for a few seconds before returning her blue gaze to his.

"I realized that I was not the person I thought I was. I realized that I was not a coldhearted girl. At the contrary, I have feelings and thus I should respect the other ones as much as I need to be respected and…"

She stopped when she saw him laughing lightly. Angry, she clamped her lips together as he continued to mock her. When he was able to hold out his laughter, he looked at her, his eyes suddenly serious. She was taken aback by this sudden change in his facial expressions.

"If this is another game of yours Mercedes, I swear that I will destroy you."

She gulped, looking at him.

"I am not a toy Mercedes. I may love you but I am not your toy. I'll never be."

"I am not toying with you Michel. I swear."

His expression calmed.

"And how is Naraku doing?" He suddenly asked her. She looked at her still full plate and sighed, recalling the last time she spoke to him, one month ago.

She had just returned from the demon's club, but instead of going back to her apartment, she went to that of Naraku. She was too depressed to think, too depressed to even realize what she was saying. His golden eyes were still playing tricks in her mind. When she entered his office, she saw him with Chris. He got up as soon as he noticed her and made his way towards her but her hand stopped him.

"Don't!" she warned and she could see the slight dilatation in his eyes because of her angry voice.

"Mercedes…"he started calmly."Is there anything wrong sweetheart?"

She could not believe her ears. He was coldly asking her if there was anything wrong. Suppressed anger, frustration and agony bubbled in her chest. She could not contain her feelings anymore so for the first time since she remembers, she yelled at him.

"Are you crazy? Everything is wrong!"

"What do you mean?" He asked again, this time his voice soothing. For a few seconds, she thought that she would back off but his eyes that held so much pain because of her fueled her anger back to the highest level.

"What do I mean? I want to know what you did to Taisho tonight. No, I want to know what you made me do to Taisho tonight!"

His face scowled in anger, his hands slightly trembling but she would not let him take the upper hand.

"I need answers!" She shouted. His eyes darkened and she almost felt intimidated by him.

"We did not do anything to that man! I want to know what you're implying Mercedes. Don't you trust me?"

His question resonated in her empty memory. She trusted him, but she did not want to cause suffering, not for Inuyasha, especially not to Inuyasha.

"I don't know anymore." Was her simple answer and then all hell broke loose.

Chris stood up and walked away as Naraku exploded with anger. That was the first time she saw him like that and it still hurt her to remember.

"You ungrateful girl!" He spat, and his words went like daggers in her heart. "I helped you, I raised you, I procured everything for you, I loved you, cherished you, took care of you, protected you from all threats, even from yourself. And when I ask you a simple favor, no, when you volunteer to do me a little favor, you start doubting me, questioning me. If you lost your trust in me because of that man than you do not deserve my love for you!"

Hot tears gathered in her eyes. When was the last time she cried? The idea suddenly hit her. She never really cried before.

"I did not lose my trust in you. It's just so weird!" She yelled, frustrated by the sudden darkness in his eyes. "Please don't shut me out from you like that!"

He turned his back to her, his hands still trembling from rage.

"Damn him!" He suddenly cursed, throwing the vase that was in front of him on the wall, shattering it to pieces. Mercedes started to sob as she saw him destroy things in his office, his rage never witnessed by her before. "Damn him!" He yelled again. "I wish his death. I hate him so much!"

She continued to cry until he stopped, exhausted, his office shattered and destroyed. His deep intakes of breath were the only thing she could hear.

"Why do you hate him so much? What did he do to you?" She asked in the silence. He looked at her, and she felt like dying when she saw the hurt in his eyes.

"He turned you against me didn't he?" He asked a bitter smile on his lips. "I thought you belonged with me but I was strongly mistaking. Here you are questioning me, judging me, askingme things that you would have never asked before meeting him."

"No!" she cried. "I am with you, but I don't want to hurt him! Can't you understand? I am human, I have feelings. I cannot just hurt him and then move on. I am not like that, I am not…"

"Like me?" he continued, making her eyes widen.

"No! I didn't mean it like this!"

He smiled, turning fully towards her.

"Then help me destroy him." He whispered. She took a few steps back, shaking her head negatively.

"I love you. You are everything to me but I cannot hurt him. I simply cannot. I cannot tell you why because I don't even know why. It's like a part of me wants to protect him."

"Then where does this leave us?" Naraku asked while looking at her. She looked away. It was a very difficult decision but she did not want to be torn between the two men.

"I want to be out of this." She whispered. "Out of your life and out of this. I don't want to see you again, both of you."

He simply stood in front of her for a few long agonizing minutes before he replied.

"You cannot survive on your own. You have no money, nowhere to live. You need me."

She dried her tears with the back of her hand.

"I have paid my debt with my heart. We are even now. Goodbye."

And with that she left. He didn't try to stop her; he didn't try to convince her to stay. He simply stared from the window as she got into a taxi and returned to her old life.

And there she was, having dinner with Michel.

"I have not seen Naraku since awhile." She answered the still suspended question. Michel nodded before asking again.

"I heard you're working in your old university?"

She nodded, smiling happily.

"Yes, my professor managed to find me a job as his assistant. I like it there."

"Are you well paid?" He asked again. He knew that she was used to a fancier life but as he heard, she was now living with her friend Grace and working in an average salary job, depriving herself from all luxury.

"The salary is fine." She added.

Michel looked at her.

"Move in with me." He suddenly stated and she looked at him, surprise in her eyes.

"W…what?" she hesitated.

"Move in with me Mercedes. I promise that I will give you the style of life you deserve princess. I love you."

"Michel, I cannot, I…"

She looked at her hands. If she accepted, everything will be easy again. Michel was rich, very rich, and maybe as wealthy as Taisho is. He is young, handsome and certainly in love with her. What was wrong in moving in with him? However, her heart panged. Why did she feel like as if she was betraying herself by that?

"Mercedes…" he stressed, his eyes boring into hers."Give me a chance to love you. I will give you anything you want, I'll buy you jewelry, cars, and I'll take you around the world. Why not? Why to stay like that in your little university while you can do things much more interesting? Come on."

She looked at him, her throat suddenly dry. What was stopping her? Yes, she should certainly say yes. Yes to everything and no to the one who would not let her get sleep at night. He was nothing to her and she will forget the things he awakened in her. That was the perfect thing to do. Move on with a different man, with Michel. She would put everything behind her and start fresh.

She smiled and the man in front of her smiled back. Taisho was simply a delusion, nothing more, nothing less. They only kissed once. She felt her cheeks grow hot. That kiss was divine. She was certainly kissed by a lot of guys before but not like that, never like that. What was that feeling inside of her heart? That warmth that was spreading into her entire being, triggered by the only thought of him. Her heat skipped a few beats.

"Mercedes, will you accept?"

"Yes!" she stated rapidly, her heart beating faster than it should. She was not in love with Taisho. She could not be in love with Taisho.

The young man in front of her smiled and kissed her hands again, his eyes sparkling. How she missed his golden orbs, looking at her, cold, uncaring, hot and passionate.

"Thank you! Thank you my love. You will not regret it. Vous serez contente avec moi, je vous le promets. Je vous adore!"

She smiled, trying to match his enthusiasm. He quickly paid the expensive bill and after a few minutes, they were both walking down the street, snuggled in each other warmth. She sighed deeply. She chose this life and she will not look back to her old one. Michel stopped and kissed her. His lips were cold against hers and it took her an effort to respond to that kiss. It was dead, artificial but he seemed to enjoy it as he deepened it, thrusting his tongue inside of her hot cavern. She closed her eyes, trying to comply with him but her whole body was aching to get away. He pulled her to him and she felt like crying.

Her blood froze in her veins and her heart fell from her chest. He finally broke away the kiss and smiled down at her. She forced a smile on her face. Why? Why was life against her? It could have been him. Caressing her, kissing her, loving her, her body against his, his lips bruising hers with shear passion.

"You're wonderful." The man in front of her said and she nodded, not able to return the compliment. They stayed in silence when her cell phone suddenly rang inside her purse. Relieved, she detached herself from her companion and flipped it open.

"Allo?" she answered, a genuine smile on her face. When no reply came, she asked again. "Oui? Qui êtes vous? Allo?"

She looked at Michel who was staring back at her. She gave him a shrug before talking.

"Fine, if you do not want to say who you are, I will simply end this conversation."

Laughter came from the other line followed by a little sigh before the person on the phone spoke, his masculine voice shaking her to the core.

"You simply end things don't you, Mercedes?"

She gulped, her knees suddenly weak.

"Who's that?"

"You don't recognize your old boss anymore Mercedes?" he asked, his voice perturbing her with its calmness. She eyed Michel from the corner of her eye before talking again.

"Oh, Mr. Taisho." She faked a happy voice while her interiors were playing tricks at her. "How did you get my number?"

He laughed again and she decided that she liked his laugh. She mentally kicked herself for her thoughts and focused on the unexpected phone call.

"You'll be amazed by the things I can do Mercedes. For me, your phone number was a piece of cake."

She paced a little in the street, trying to keep herself away from Michel. She didn't want him to hear the conversation. For a strange reason, she wanted to talk to him, alone.

"May I ask what the reason behind this phone call is, Mr. Taisho? I don't think it is because you missed me."

How she hoped it was because he missed her. Could it be possible that he missed her?

"So you don't know huh?" he asked, his voice surprisingly happy.

"What should I know?" She questioned, a little bit disoriented.

"I know everything." He whispered and his words shook her violently. His voice was having its effect on her while his words were alerting her to possible dangers.

"What do you mean? I don't know…"

"Shh." He responded from the other line. "Don't insult my intelligence Mercedes. Did you really think that you could get away with what you did?" his voice dropped to a lower volume and she knew that he was mad. "Did you think that I was an idiot? That your little trick will actually work?"

"But…"

"You played with fire Mercedes and now it will burn you."

She felt air leave her system.

"Are you threatening me?" she questioned, thousands of thoughts racing through her mind.

"Who's that?" Michel asked from behind her. She looked at him while Inuyasha's voice was still heard.

"I advise you to return Mercedes. Things will get really ugly if you don't."

She swallowed hard, the coldness of the weather reflecting in her own heart. Michel eyed her suspiciously as she shivered.

"Please, I can explain…"

"By the way." He interrupted her. "I think that Naraku would really need you now. He had a little… accident."

"A…accident?" she murmured but could not continue as her boyfriend snatched the phone from her trembling hands.

"Who's that?" he growled into the phone.

Inuyasha stayed silent for a few seconds. She was with a man, he should have doubt it. However, he concealed his jealousy.

"Tell Mercedes to take the earliest flight." He responded calmly. "I am not the patient type."

And then he hung up. Kagome looked at her boyfriend. She felt a terrible headache, like if her head was going to explode then, she saw nothing.