Mercedes stared in shock at the man in front of her. Had he just called her Kagome? Her eyes went to Inuyasha who was glaring at Takashi.

"Inuyasha?" she asked, her voice trembling a little. Her hand found that of her lover, and squeezed it lightly, trying to attract his attention. He squeezed back but never detached his eyes from those of Takashi. "Inuyasha, why is he calling me kagome?" She asked again. Seeing his silent face, she decided to retrieve her hand when she noticed that he was shaking.

"Kagome, don't you remember me?" Hojo asked, inching towards her, oblivious to the state of the man in front of him. "It's me, Hojo."

Mercedes shook her head negatively, coming closer to Inuyasha as to protect herself from that oh so familiar stranger. Her mind throbbed a little, giving her a slight headache.

"I don't know you. I'm sorry, you're confusing me with someone else." She replied her other hand clenching Inuyasha's shoulder. She frowned: he was trembling. She took a deep breath, her head trying to understand what was going on. However, her thoughts were interrupted when Inuyasha's hold over her hand slipped while Hojo Takashi was still asking for her to remember him.

"Inuyasha?" She suddenly yelled, her heart thundering in her chest, attracting all the attention of the restaurant. The young business man didn't reply. He stood, mesmerized in place as his eyes half closed, his breath becoming heavier.

Sensing her panic, Hojo looked at the man in front of him, only to see him at the verge of passing away. He immediately caught him as Taisho's knees buckled under him and his eyes closed completely. Kagome looked at Inuyasha's body in desperation as their table suddenly crowded. She backed a few steps away, feeling herself suffocating each passing second.

"We need a doctor!" Hojo yelled to the gathering crowd.

Kagome felt tears rolling down her cheeks, watching one of the men around Inuyasha come forward, proclaiming he was a doctor. The crowd moved away as the man inspected his unconscious form. She wanted to approach him, to hold his weak body but all she could do was stand there and watch him lay there, his face pale, his breathing uneven, his body limp, all because of that girl, Kagome. Just her name was sufficient to send him in that state.

"Miss, Miss…"

She was startled as the doctor inspecting Inuyasha was standing in front of her.

"Yes." She breathed out, whipping the tears away from her eyes.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. He just had a little nervous breakdown. I believe this is not the first time, is it?"

Kagome shook her head negatively.

"Is he under medication?"

"Yes."

"He must rest and you have to contact his doctor."

Mercedes nodded again, her head drifting away. Did she somehow resemble Kagome? Was this the reason he was interested in her? She saw Hojo Takashi look at her from the other side of the restaurant before he left. Her blood boiled in her veins. Inuyasha didn't deserve this. He didn't.

Inuyasha opened his eyes, slowly and painfully. He was feeling so weak, ultimately weak. He took a deep breath and nearly screamed when he came face to face with his frowning doctor.

"You lied to me." The doctor simply said and Inuyasha made a quick work to survey his surroundings. He let a sigh of relief when he discovered that he was in his bedroom, only followed by a gasp. He tried to get out of bed, only to be blocked by another hand.

"Stop it Inuyasha!" Mercedes yelled, making her presence known. Her face was flushed, her eyes lightly puffy. His heart skipped a beat. Did she find out? Did Hojo Takashi tell her? Is she going to leave him? His breathing began to accelerate again as another wave of panic took hold of him. He remembered, back in the restaurant, the moment Hojo takashi pronounced her name, he felt that his whole universe had shattered in front of him. How could have he missed it? Kagome's fiancé was named Hojo. He was afraid that he will lose her again, that she will run and never return.

He winced when he felt something dig in his arm. His eyes snapped to the needle his doctor jut extracted.

"What happened to him?" Mercedes asked the doctor, her hand clutching that of Inuyasha as if she was afraid that he will slip away. "We were in the restaurant and he suddenly collapsed."

Tears welled in her eyes, but before she could continue, Inuyasha's voice interrupted her.

"I am fine. I was just tired that's all."

His doctor shook his head negatively.

"Miss Mercedes. Did Mr. Taisho go to work today?"

Kagome nodded silently.

"Fine!" The man said while glaring at Inuyasha. "Since I cannot trust him, I will trust you Mercedes. This man lying in this bed is not to go to work. He will not stress himself and he will not receive any disturbing news."

Inuyasha tried to sit, his face flushing with anger.

"I am not eighty years old for God's sake! You talk as if I will have a freaking heart attack! I am perfectly fine and I don't need a babysitter! I will go to work and I will do as I please because I am an adult and last time I checked, we are in a free country. So why don't you go to patients that are really sick instead of keeping on bugging me."

The two other adults stared at him before Mercedes got up and accompanied the doctor to the door. Once out of Inuyasha's hearing, Mercedes looked at the man in front of her, her eyes betraying her worry.

"He collapsed in the business meeting when Takashi mentioned a girl named Kagome." She admitted. The doctor took a deep breath, shaking his head negatively.

"Don't let him hear about that girl Mercedes." He warned his tone serious. "She's the source of all his depression. He acts as if he doesn't care but this is his forth breakdown. Don't let anyone annoy him about the subject."

Kagome was sitting on the sofa, reading a magazine while Inuyasha was watching her from the bed. Did Takashi talk to her after he collapsed? What was she thinking right now? She must be wondering why he called her Kagome! Was she avoiding the conversation because she suspects something or because she doesn't suspect anything?

Will Takashi back down now or will he track them down? His blood rushed to his face with anger and frustration. As he recalls, when Kagome dumped him for cheating on her, he kept calling her for months. The guy wasn't a quitter. He will not leave the matter alone. He will never leave them alone and if she ever finds out the truth! He put his head between his hands. Naraku had warned him that the truth will shock her. It is too risky. What is he going to do? Leave the country?

He took a deep breath. He cannot hide her forever. Even Naraku was not able to hide her forever. The truth will come out and even if she isn't shocked, will it be to his advantage if she recalls what happened? Will she forgive him or will she judge him for that night? Why? Why did he cause his own unhappiness by believing Kelly? How was he so gullible? So naïf? Why didn't he follow her? Stop her? Try to talk to her? No! He just had to believe Kelly.

He was brought back from his thoughts when he felt the bed next to him shift. His eyes snapped to those of Mercedes. She was looking at him as if trying to read him.

"What?" He snapped, feeling self-conscious under her gaze. She simply smiled and scooted next to him so that their faces were inches apart.

"What?" He repeated, this time much more gently. "What are you staring at?"

She bit her bottom lip, a flush forming on her cheeks.

"I was worried about you." She whispered, her hand playing with his silver strands. He shuddered, her touch melting his heart.

"You shouldn't." He whispered back. "It was just an accident okay? It will not happen again. At least look at the bright side. We got rid of a long boring dinner with Takashi."

Her smile widened, her arms hugging him, his face resting on her shoulder.

"I love you." She breathed out, her heart beating inside her chest, fearing his rejection. His eyes widened, his arms quickly enveloping her in his embrace. He felt that all his worries had just evaporated. However, he could not believe it; it was too good to be true.

"It's pity not love." He countered. Resultantly, he let her go, his eyes averting from her face. Mercedes stared at him for a second before replying.

"You could have told me 'I don't love you back' instead of that."

Surprised and angry, he looked at her eyes drowning in tears, her expression hurt.

"Please Mercedes, why would you love me? You are with me because I forced you to be with me! If this was your choice, you would be back there in France, happy and contented with one of your boyfriends. I bet my doctor told you that I need love so you decided to tell me that you loved me."

Kagome glared at him, her eyes going wild with frustration.

"Idiot! Tu me bats sur les nerfs!" she yelled. "I cannot believe that we will even argue about what I meant when I told you that I loved you. I love you. I love you. I am in love with you. Je suis amoureuse de toi. Je t'aime. Je t'adore! There, I said it and not because your doctor told me to say it!"

She took a breath, trying to hold the tears of rejection as he blankly stared at her.

"-You know what Taisho, I may feel anything for you except pity. I cannot believe you. I…"

"Come here." He whispered to her, his voice low and husky. She bit her lip, feeling a shiver coursing through her body. His eyes held an emotion she had not seen before.

"Why?" She argued, trying to focus on anything but him, her body burning with a sudden rush of fear and excitement.

"You know I am too weak to do anything to you Mercedes." He responded, his voice getting lower, his eyes darker. "Come here, I want to tell you something."

"Tell me from here."

His eyes stared back at hers and she finally gave up. She brought her body closer to his so that their arms were touching.

"Yes?" She asked and then suddenly yelped when he brought her to his lap, and she found herself straddling him, her face inches away from his. Her face flushed and her heart thundered in her chest.

"Do you really love me." He whispered, his breath caressing her skin. She fisted her hands in his shirt, his proximity sending her into a state of dizziness.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?" He insisted, his hands caressing her cheeks. She only nodded, leaning into his touch.

"Do you promise that you'll never ever leave me?" she nodded again.

"Do you promise that you will only be mine?"

Their eyes clashed for a second, and a smile appeared on Kagome's face.

"Only if you promise that you will be faithful to me."

Inuyasha crushed her to him, his hands fisting in her hair.

"I can never cheat on you Mercedes. I waited for you for so long."

Mercedes hugged him back, not analyzing his words. They both lay together, hands intertwined until he fell asleep. She closed her eyes, her decision taken. She loved him but she needed to make sure of something. Slowly, she left the bed and grabbed the box from under it. She found the key under her pillow and used it to open it.

She heard the soft click of the locker, her hands freezing. Should she open it? Should she? The internal battle finally won, she opened it, finding a mass of pictures inside. She smiled. She expected something more. There were only pictures, just pictures. She took one in her hand and looked at it.

Her smile fell and she felt the sudden need to throw up. Her head started spinning as she contemplated it again and again. She searched the other pictures and tears flew from her eyes. That girl, he was kissing her in one picture, holding her in another, smiling to her in the other one, holding her hand in the forth, kissing her again…

Her tears grew hotter when she flipped the picture and read what was written behind.

"Always mine always yours"

She quickly closed the box; her hands trembling while she locked it again then shoved it under the bed. He didn't love her. He never loved her. He saw that girl in her face. She just resembled to her, the other girl was even prettier. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing quietly. Why would she resemble that girl? Why was her luck so bad? Why was life so cruel with her?

Kagome, Kagome, always Kagome. Perhaps when he kissed her, he thought of her. When he made love to her, he thought of her. She had to admit that the resemblance was physically great but there it stopped. She was not her. She resembled her but she was nothing like her. She was not her. She would never be her. She was Mercedes, not Kagome, never Kagome.

"Mercedes?" Inuyasha whispered as he woke up from his sleep. Her back was facing him while she sat on the edge.

"Yes?" She answered and he noticed immediately that her voice was hoarse.

"Are you okay baby?"

She smiled bitterly. Was he saying that to her or to his dead girlfriend? Was he worried about her or about the face he saw in her? She hated him; she hated him because he loved Kagome, not her, never her.

"I am fine. Go back to sleep."

She felt his hand massage her own that was resting on the sheets and she forced the urge to withdraw from his hold. In the world, people could resemble each other but his girlfriend was dead and she lived most of her life in France. Maybe he was keeping her as a reminder, a reminder of his old dead love. A shadow. She would never be a shadow.

"No Mercedes, tell me."

She felt him shift behind her so that he was hugging her from behind, his head resting on her shoulder. It must be the way he used to hug Kagome.

"I want to go see Naraku tomorrow."

She felt him stiffen.

"No." He answered his voice strong and determined. "Ask me anything except for that."

She forced the new flow of tears back. Naraku was probably the only one who loved her sincerely. How was she able to fall in Taisho's trap? She always thought that she was cleverer than that. She wished, she wished she never opened that box. She wished she didn't resemble that girl to the point that even a stranger such Takashi would see the similarity. Her heart thundered in her chest, a deep feeling of betrayal coursing through her veins. Did everyone know how much she resembled Kagome? Were they all aware to that fact? Did they all notice that Taisho's interest for her was because of this similarity? Was it the reason why Naraku sent her there? The same reason why he didn't want her to stay later on?

Even Takashi was surprised when he saw her. She looked like Kagome. How odd would that be to look in someone's face, and see another one? But she was not that girl. Her anger got the best of her and she pushed Inuyasha off of her. He looked at her, his heart hurting for her rejection. Did she regret it? Did she regret what she said to him? He couldn't live without her. He just couldn't.

"Mercedes, please forgive me. You can go and see Naraku."

She looked away, trying to hide her face in the darkness. He was apologizing to Kagome. He didn't care about her. If she didn't look like that woman, he wouldn't have even cast her a look.

"Thank you Inuyasha."

Hojo was pacing Chris' office.

"I told you, she looked exactly like Kagome!" he yelled, glaring at the young lawyer."

"Would you cut it off?" Chris countered. "Mercedes resembles Kagome, but she is not her. You must be a fool to think that they are the same person."

Hojo snorted, rolling his eyes.

"So it is just a coincidence that a girl looking exactly like Kagome was with Taisho?"

"Yes it is."

"Bullshit. I am going to the police station. I will not let this just pass. To think that he collapsed during our meeting. I bet he used this as a distraction to find a solution to his problem."

He was about to leave the office when the two bodyguards standing at the door blocked his way.

"What the hell?" He asked, looking at Chris.

The young man smiled.

"Hojo Takashi. If you say one word about Mercedes to anyone, consider yourself dead."

Takashi's eyes widened as the two muscular men reached for a hidden pocket in their black coats. He gulped, taking a guess of what would be present inside.

"You wouldn't dare." He said, however his trembling voice betrayed him. Chris chuckled.

"Of course I would. Mercedes is off limits. You will not intervene with her business. For the last time I will warn you: angering Mercedes means angering Naraku. And Naraku doesn't like to be angered. Now, you will forget whatever happened in the restaurant. You blew your cover so I expect you to find another way to hurt Taisho. Taisho only. You will forget Mercedes. And I swear to God, if you tell anyone, I will know and you will only blame yourself, if you survive it."

Chris took a deep breath.

"Am I understood?" He finished, never breaking eye contact. Hojo nodded, earning a smirk from the man in front of him.

"Good boy. Now leave."

Once alone, Chris dialed Sesshumaru's number. He patiently waited until the latter answered.

"Hello Sesshumaru."

"What do you want Chris?"

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you that my sister was not able to sign the divorce papers tonight because she went on a date with a guy named Michel. I don't think she will be back tonight. you know, she's still young and she needs to have her fun. I think that they went to a night club or something. They talked about the Ocean's club. Anyway don't worry, she'll sign them tomorrow..."

And before he was finished, Taisho hung up. Chris smiled secretly. Sesshumaru must be boiling right now. He may even follow them and make a scene. His smile widened even more. Oh yes, he will make sure that the relationship between his sister and Sesshumaru Taisho is completely ruined. He was deep in thoughts when his office's door was opened, reveling his secretary.

"Mr. Chris. You're not going to believe it! Mr. Naraku woke up and he's asking for you!"