"What?" He whispered, his eyes desperately searching hers for the truth. "What do you mean?"

Mercedes stared at him; her heart breaking with every word she said, however, her eyes remained calm, cold, and indifferent.

"I am sick of you." she whispered back, a small smile making its way towards the corner of her lips slightly lifting them up. "I am sick of…"

"Stop!" he murmured, his hands clenching into fists, his face getting paler and paler. "Don't…" He couldn't continue, his voice breaking with sadness, hurt and betrayal. "Why?"He finally managed to breathe out.

Kagome looked at him, trying her best to keep her emotions under control while her heart was screaming in protest for her harshness. She couldn't believe…she couldn't believe that she just broke his trust, his love for her, her chance with him. She took a deep breath and willed her body to obey, caging her emotions deep down her broken heart.

"Why?" She repeated with sarcasm, her heart bleeding with every syllable. "You are a silly man Taisho. You are truly a silly man. Did you really think I loved you?"

His eyes widened, her small laugh echoing in his ears, making him back away from her. He stared at her in panic, his gaze begging, pleading for her mercy. Her heart clenched but her face still held the mocking façade.

"What's the matter Taisho? You asked a question and you cannot handle the answer?"

"Please Mercedes…" He begged and she could swear she saw shadows of tears welling in his eyes. She took a sharp breath, her body trembling slightly with suppressed emotions. "Please, I don't want to hear it…Please."

"Why not?" She countered, her blue eyes staring back at his with brutal amusement. "I really want to tell you how stupid you are that you believed I loved you. How stupid you are that you thought I would actually marry you. How stupid you are that you assumed I enjoyed your company."

She let out a small laugh and he visibly winced, however remained silent, staring at her, his eyes pleading again. She silenced her heart again and went on, her desire to protect him reasoning her love to him. She would lose him but he would not lose himself.

"I used you." She continued, pacing a little in front of him. She couldn't stay still; watch him hate her second by second. She needed to break this eye contact that was killing her, destroying her…breaking her. "I used you because yes, I was attracted to you at some point but that was it, simple attraction. You see Taisho, you can give a woman great pleasure but that's where your role ends, just there. We had a great time but then you became all serious and you wanted to marry me."

"You agreed Mercedes…" He murmured from where he stood, away from her, his face breaking with sadness, his eyes moist. She noticed that his hands where firmly clutching the necklace he always wore. Kagome's necklace. Jealousy rushed through her veins. Kagome, it was Kagome's fault. Even after her death, she was breaking them apart. Unfair, life was unfair. She loved him, she needed him but she would not be with him.

"I agreed because Naraku pushed me to do so. He told me that it would be best for both of us. He told me that you were my best option. But now, you are all broken, you have nothing to offer, you're poor Taisho, and I do not care about inferior men."

She heard his sharp intake of breath. Her eyes immediately flew to his and now she could clearly see the tears accumulating in his beautiful eyes.

"Money?!" he growled taking a step towards her but he was no threat, his face desperate, his body weak with her words, his eyes trying to blink the tears away. In her eyes, he seemed broken, and she never loved him more. "It was all about the money!" he yelled and in a sudden motion, he removed the necklace form around his neck and flung it towards the nearest wall. Kagome gasped as the beautiful half hear shattered in front of their eyes, the sound of the broken pieces rolling on the floor. Silence filled the living room of her apartment as Mercedes stared at the shattered piece of jewelry that held such a sentimental meaning to Inuyasha lying on the floor, broken…

Inuyasha stared at the necklace with hate before his eyes averted to Kagome's.

"You were after my money weren't you?" he yelled, his face twisting, his facial expressions going from hurt and desperate to angry and rebel. "It was all a lie, from the beginning! Just a big lie to tell Inuyasha in order to take as much as possible out from his wealth! It was all a lie! You never loved me! There was never love! There is no love! It doesn't exist! I was just so stupid to realize it before!"

Kagome backed away, hearing and seeing the consequences of what she had done. Had she truly damaged him that much? To the point that he destroyed that necklace he held so dear next to his heart? Had she truly done that?

"Love!" He spat out as if the word disgusted him to no end. "What a stupid thing to believe in! Love is a way to hide malice, hate, treachery, lust…It's a sin!" he cried out, glaring at the shattered necklace, his tears rolling down his cheeks. As soon as he felt them, he whipped them away, looking at his wet digits as if he was looking at a foreign object.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome murmured, not sure what to do. She couldn't, she couldn't watch him break in front of her. He looked at her and she could feel the little hope that began to form in his eyes. She could still have him back; she could still be selfish, take the risk of being with him. She could tell him the truth and tell him to forgive her, explain that she was forced to say what she said. She could escape this pain, this hurt, this stupid drama that only occurred in the cheesiest movies.

As her silence stretched, hope began to build again in the golden orbs of her lover. Slowly, he made his way towards her, his anger giving place to his hurt.

"Tell me you didn't mean it…" He whispered, his body standing a few inches away from hers. She shivered, feeling him so close. She could succumb to him; forget everything, run with him to the ends of the earth. She could love him…let him love her. Wasn't love supposed to be selfish?

"Tell me you love me…" he continued, the new emotions in her eyes encouraging him further as he made a few steps towards her. Gently, lovingly, his hand went to caress her cheek, their eyes clashing. "Tell me and we will be happy again."

The pleading in his voice, the love in his eyes, the string that was still attaching her to him and that was threatening to fail at any time were shattering her from the inside, her heart begging for some mercy, begging for the warmth of the male in front of her.

"Inuyasha…" she murmured, her hands clenching in the fabric of his shirt. A shy smile was her only response. She closed her eyes, a few seconds passing before being interrupted by his voice.

"Tell me…" He begged. "That you love me as much as I love you."

She bit her lower lip, suppressing her tears. How she loved that man.

"Tell me that this was just a stupid joke. Heal my heart Mercedes before it scars for good. I need to know…please."

She felt his hands cup her cheeks, his hot breath against her lips and then, he kissed her. It was tender but desperate, passionate but loving, short but enough. She opened her eyes when he broke away, staring at her, waiting for her to speak. Her decision was made, there was no going back. She loved him more than love itself. And if love was selfish then her love for him was beyond love. She could not let him die. She could not imagine a world without him in it and for that, she needed to pay, a small price in exchange of his life: his love.

She stared at him, her face becoming cold again.

"Maybe those words would have affected Kagome but not me, never me."

His hands froze on her face, his eyes wide, his face shocked. It took him a few moments to understand what she just said. Slowly, he withdrew his hands from her, staring at her with disbelief.

"Who told you about Kagome?" He asked his voice steady and low.

Mercedes chuckled, taking a few steps back.

"you thought that some words from you will make me have you back? What, you thought I would kill myself without you? Let us say, jump from a bridge for you?"

He gulped, his eyes widening even more.

"Let me tell you that the girl was naïve. You know why? You are not worth dying for!" 'Though I would die for you' she bitterly thought. "In fact, you are not worth a thing at all."

Inuyasha seemed dazed, staring at her as if he was waiting to wake up from the strange nightmare he was in.

"You knew about Kagome?" He asked again.

"Of course I knew. You ask me as if I should care or something! She was just a poor girl in a fancy college. You used her, had your fun with her and then dumped her."

"Shut up!" He shouted his face livid. "Don't you talk about her like that! You know nothing about her! You don't know anything about me either!

"Oh yeah?" she shouted back, backing away even more. The need to hug him, to kiss him was overwhelming. She needed to stay away from him as much as possible. "I know that Kagome was just a little poor girl in college who you fucked like a common whore and then you dumped her to go to another woman. She didn't understand it; she couldn't understand that you lost your interest in her. She killed herself. That commoner!"

"No!" he yelled, making his way towards her, grabbing her by her wrists. She winced, the soreness of being tied there making her in a deep pain but he didn't seem to notice as he violently shook her, his eyes murderous.

"Don't say that! Don't say that! I loved Kagome! I never dumped her! Stop hurting me Mercedes! What have I done to deserve this!"

"Let me go!" She yelled, getting away from him, rubbing her sore wrists. "I don't give a damn about that Kagome you fucked in college! I was attracted to you, I had my fill from you and that's it. I only stayed after because of your money! Now you don't have it anymore. I just got sick of you the same way you got sick of Kagome! Just understand this: I am not that girl you manipulated, I am not that innocent girl you took to your bed years ago. I am a woman, a woman with a charged past."

His eyes widened and she bit her bottom lip. She hated herself, she hated herself. She despised everything that was her.

"You…you told me that you did not bed those men. You told me that you had amnesia and since then you didn't…"

She hugged herself, his broken voice sending her into a guilt trip.

"Well, I lied." She simply stated. "Remember the day you called me to tell me that Naraku had an accident. You remember that there was a man with me right? Well, take a guess Taisho, what were we doing?"

He gulped, his hands shaking a little.

"No…You…you swore that you didn't…."

"I lied for God's sake! I lied! Je ne suis pas parfaite ! J'ai menti ! Est-ce que tu me comprends ? huh ? Tu n'as jamais été le seul homme dans ma vie. Il y a eu d'autres…hommes. There were others…"

Silence stretched again. What had she done?

"I am sorry." Inuyasha murmured.

She looked at him, surprised, shocked, hurt and in love.

"I am sorry that I loved you. I am sorry that I believed in love. I am sorry that I thought that you were the right one for me, my other half."

His eyes suddenly turned cold, uncaring, the light that once shone in them dimmed away into nothing but darkness.

"I don't blame you, I really don't. I was the one who imposed me on you. I was the one who was foolish enough to think that you could actually think more of me than just a source of luxury. I am sorry that I willingly left my father's company to be with you. I am sorry that I gave up my wealth for you."

Kagome gasped. He gave his company away for her?

"I am sorry that I kept this necklace around my neck to remind me of love, I am sorry that I put my vengeance against Naraku aside just top please you. I am sorry that I worried about you when you were late tonight. But you know what, I may be sorry, but I don't regret it, because you healed me Mercedes; you healed me from the fire of love. Now, I will not suffer anymore because I know that love is just an illusion. I was living in an illusion, behind my dark glasses. I don't need to hide anymore, I have no shame, and I have no regret. I tried love and I failed miserably but I will take the full blow. I will never bother you again. I will never look at you again. I will never hear of you again."

Her heart clenched in her chest, sending waves of agony and desperation through her blood.

"I hope you enjoy crushing the others Mercedes. I hope you enjoy playing with other people's feelings. I hope that one day you would fall in love with someone and I hope that this someone would be as heartless as you are. I hope that love crushes you so badly that you wouldn't be able to breathe, just like me. Just like me."

She closed her eyes. He didn't know that her pain was the double of his. The weight of the sacrifice slaughtering her again and again and again and again.

"Go away…" she breathed out, her arms slightly shaking. "Get out of my life Taisho and never return." 'Get out of my heart'

"I hate you Mercedes." He stated his voice calm. She didn't look at him; instead, she stared at the window. Strange, it was raining. She watched as a droplet of water fell onto the glass and made its way to the bottom. The cycle of water, life in death and death in life.

"I hate you from the bottom of my heart." He repeated. "I wish you never know happiness. I wish you suffer just like me."

'I am suffering', she thought, her eyes still glued at the window. She sank on the floor as soon as she heard the soft click of the door, signaling his departure. Her eyes wandered everywhere. She could practically see him standing where he was standing a few seconds ago. She could smell him; hear him state over and over again how much he hated her. She got up, her body lifeless, her mind partially dead. Slowly, she made her way towards her bed and collapsed on it. She buried her nose in the pillow, taking his scent. He had spent the night here; she could feel his warmth still radiating with energy, love...

"I love you." she sobbed, her hands clenching the pillow tightly. "Dammit, I love you! I love you! I love you!"

Her heart ached in her chest. She tried to sleep, she commanded her exhausted body to sleep but it wouldn't obey her. She needed to sleep; she needed to stop thinking of him. She needed to succumb to the rest that sleep would provide her.

Again and again she tossed in the bed, hot tears pouring down her cheeks. Seconds into minutes and minutes into hours. She finally got up and went to the bathroom. She stared at the mirror, disgusted with her refection. She envied Kagome, she envied her. At least, she found a way to escape the pain. Her eyes suddenly fell on the little bottle of pills that Inuyasha usually took. It usually calmed him, sent him to sleep. It should work with her. She would sleep and stop thinking of him. Yes, it would work. She sat on the bed and opened the bottle. She eyed the little grain shaped pieces that she poured in her hand. Funny how such a little thing was able to calm Inuyasha.

She suddenly snapped from her reverie when she heard the door's bell ringing. Was it Inuyasha? Did he come back? Did he still love her? Her enthusiasm died when she heard Naraku's voice coming from there, from behind the door. He was shouting. Good thing she only had the key. She didn't want to deal with him. He would soon get bored and leave her alone. She just wanted to sleep, to sleep and forget. She laughed in her tears. Another funny fact, she always wanted to remember and now she wanted to forget.

"Mercedes! I know that you are in there! Open the door! Open the door!"

She blocked the sound away. She needed to relax, just to relax. One would not be enough to make her slip. She took three and quickly gulped. She winced at the bitter taste.

Suddenly, she felt her muscles begin to relax and she fell on the bed. In the distance, she could hear Naraku's voice fading away. She couldn't care less. She just destroyed the man she loved and she knew that she would never be happy again. She could not be with him in the real world but she hoped she would dream of him.

Sesshumaru was still sleeping in his apartment when he heard knocks on the door. Alarmed, he quickly got up and opened the door, only to come face to face with a very livid Inuyasha.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned. His younger brother shrugged but Sesshumaru could see how red and puffy his eyes were. He must have been crying.

"Can I come in?" Inuyasha finally asked. His brother stepped away, allowing him in before closing the door. He was about to ask what happened when Inuyasha spoke first.

"I came to tell you that I am leaving."

"Leaving?" Sesshumaru asked, his brows knotting in confusion. "Where to?"

"Away."

"And Mercedes, is she going with you?"

"No." Inuyasha cut him immediately, his eyes hardening. "And don't say that name again. Father was right, that bitch was after my money. It's a good thing that I discovered the truth before making the greatest mistake of my life and marrying her. I hate her, I hate her with passion and I will never forgive her! I hope she dies!"

Sesshumaru stood there, stunned and worried.

"Why? What happened Inuyasha?"

"I don't want to talk about it okay?" the younger man shouted, making his way towards the door. "I just came to tell you that I am leaving."

"Where?" Sesshuamru snapped back. "Where are you going to go? You have no money, no sources, no…"

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"No you won't! You cannot just run away! Dammit Inuyasha, you always run away from your problems instead of facing them! If Mercedes hurt you, you should stay strong, not shy away."

Inuyasha stared at him before a cruel smile made its way towards his face.

"You talk too much Sessh, but you do nothing. Maybe that's why Rin left you for that man, maybe because you never showed her how you really feel. Lectures lectures and lectures but no actions. You are the last one to give me lessons of life. You, the one left by his wife. You don't even have the guts to drag her here and make her explain herself. Instead, you drink and work."

And with that he left, leaving his older brother standing in shock, Inuyasha's words still replaying in his mind.

"Do you think she'll do it?" Hojo asked, staring at Anne who was sitting in her luxurious apartment. "She seems to love him, really love him."

"Of course she will."

"And what do you think Taisho will do?"

Anne smiled, leaning on her sofa, her eyes sparkling.

"He will hate her of course. He will be torn from the inside but he will not show it. He will pretend to be powerful and cold. But I know him better. He will suffer."

"But what if he discovers?" Hojo insisted. "…the truth behind her actions?"

Anne laughed.

"Don't worry. An old friend of mine helped me by giving Taisho, just this morning, an opportunity to work in his company as the advertisement manager. It seems that one of the clients of my friend, a singer, has made a contract with this company, Rubin I guess. He needs someone smart and clever enough to run the whole thing. Rubin is going to make a video clip and things are hectic. So, I recommended Taisho and my friend who has complete faith in me accepted the offer. Now you will ask me: where is the catch?"

Hojo laughed, already liking what he was hearing.

"Well, first of all, the singer wants to make the video clip in one of those islands far from here. He said that he had already chosen the girl and he just needs her approval. This means that Inuyasha and our dear Mercedes will not only be separated by us but by geographic distance as well. He will not have the satisfaction of seeing her, I will not allow it."

"That's brilliant Anne. But will Inuyasha accept the offer? I mean, she just left him."

"Exactly! Hojo, think about it: she left him, so he has to prove himself for her; he has to prove that he is not weak, that he could work without his father's interference. He will definitely take the job without even thinking about it twice. I bet he already agreed."

They were interrupted when the phone rang. Anne picked it up and smiled.

"Hello to you too. So tell me, did Taisho accept the job?"

Her smile widened.

"I see, he didn't even look at the contract did he? Uhum, I told you he was desperate. So he signed without looking? Great! Just imagine my friend, Taisho working for you. How much publicity would that bring you?"

She stayed silent for a few seconds before laughing.

"Oh no, you don't need to thank me. What are friends for? I'll talk to you later."

She hung up and looked at Hojo who was staring at her.

"Congratulations Hojo. Taisho is the new advertising manager of Solaris. He didn't even look at the contract. He just signed it."

Rubin sat in his chair while his manager was pacing in front of him.

"Listen to me well, Rubin. Why do you always like to make things hard for all of us? There are millions of girls who would die to star 'princess of my heart' in a video clip and you just chose this girl Mercedes who doesn't even care about it!"

"You don't understand!" Rubin sighed in his chair. "Mercedes is the only girl I can envision in this video clip. I cannot do it unless she is the heroine. Please, I just want this condition."

His manager huffed.

"Why don't you choose Karla instead? She's very beautiful."

"I want Mercedes to star with me." Rubin simply stated. "You know that I have a thing for Karla but I like to be professional so I will choose the girl who best fits and it is Mercedes. And I want it to be in an Island. I want to show her blue eyes in contrast with the sea."

"Fine! But listen to me well! The production company 'Solaris' is going to appoint a new manager just for you. He will be very experienced and professional. You will obey him. Do you promise?"

Rubin stood up, his eyes holding all the determination he could master.

"I promise that if you allow me to have Mercedes, I will obey this man. I will not object."

"Deal."