"He's in a very bad shape. I think that it is necessary that he rests. Don't let him be stressed and don't give him any startling news: it would kill him."

"What do you mean it would kill him?" Rubin asked his eyes wide. "Is it that bad?"

The doctor nodded, a frown settling on his forehead.

"He has been taking medicines more than allowed. I talked to him and he confessed. He didn't stick with the prescription his doctor gave him. He took more than he should have and now his heart is completely spent out."

"But how?" Rubin exclaimed. "If he doesn't have a prescription, he cannot have the drugs. How did he manage to get the pills?"

The doctor shook his head negatively.

"This is something I don't know. Just take this prescription and get him the medicines. And I don't think he can work with you anymore. He's not in shape. I believe that his heart condition is strongly related to his depression. Don't sadden him, at the contrary, try to brighten his mood; it will do wonders on his heart."

Inuyasha was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling when the door opened. He immediately looked, wishing it was Kagome but felt disappointed when he saw Rubin coming towards him.

"What do you want?" He snapped his voice low from the fatigue he was feeling. The singer ignored his rude tone and sat on the edge of the bed.

"How did you get the pills, Inuyasha?" He asked, staring at him. The businessman gulped and tried to divert the conversation.

"Does everyone know about my condition or is it just you?"

"Don't try to get away from my question." Rubin stated, still staring at him. "Where did you get the extra pills from?"

Inuyasha snorted, looking at the window. Silence stretched in the room, only the sound of Inuyasha's heavy breathing being heard. Rubin was about to give in and started to get up when he heard him speak.

"I needed the pills because I was in pain." He whispered his voice sad and broken, his eyes still glued on the window. "And the ones with me were not enough. I needed more, without her, I needed more."

Rubin looked at him in astonishment. The man he had learned to hate for his selfishness, for his arrogance, for his coldness, for his indifference, for his manipulation and hatred was anything but those. For the first time since he met Taisho, he saw the broken man hiding behind the arrogant façade.

"The pain was immense, my heart was ripped away from me, even my darkness was not enough. I felt dead and I needed to get away…I…I destroyed the necklace, I crushed the semi heart necklace because that was what happened to my heart, it got crushed…too much hate, love, sorrow, desperation…I don't care about my heart, I don't care if my heart is weak or if it is strong. I really don't care. I don't care if you took her away from me. I don't."

Rubin sat there, his face hidden behind his bangs. What should he say? As soon as he looked at Taisho, he saw the silent tears running down his cheeks, while his head was still turned towards the window in a desperate attempt to hide his weakness. Rubin felt suddenly guilty, guilty because he was seeing him crying, injuring the pride of the businessman. He had no idea that the man laying helpless was deeply hopelessly in love with Mercedes. He had no idea.

His eyes fell on the bandages covering Inuyasha's left arm. He must have had several injections there, maybe three or more. Maybe he should tell him that nothing happened between him and Mercedes, maybe he should tell him that she still loved him.

The thick silence was interrupted by Inuyasha's voice.

"I cannot continue being your manager. The doctor told me that I cannot work."

A bitter laugh escaped the businessman's lips.

"Apparently, you are right Rubin. I do rely on my father's wealth don't I? Look at me; I can do nothing without his influence. I cannot even perform my first job. I am nothing. That's why she doesn't want me. While you, you are a star. You're successful and you built yourself with your own hard work. You are good to her."

He turned his head and their eyes clashed together, his tears evident in his golden eyes.

"I will not fight anymore, I don't have the heart to. It's over. Anyway, it will be a shame if a woman marries me. She would be unlucky. I mean, what would you expect from a man who is worn out immediately like an old man? Every girl dreams of a husband who can swipe her up her feet, but me, I get worse with each passing day."

He closed his eyes.

"Kikyo likes you." Rubin protested, trying to fight off the guilt of being with the woman that that man loved. Inuyasha smiled.

"She likes the old me. She's still thinking that I am what everyone thinks I am: the arrogant selfish billionaire playboy. I won't lie, I used to be that…but I am not anymore. I am not a man, I cannot satisfy her anymore."

His expression darkened, his eyes opening to reveal more tears.

"Mercedes made it clear." He whispered. "She was disgusted, she said that she faked it all and it hurts…"

"Why are you telling me this?" Rubin asked, feeling uneasy. Having Inuyasha open his heart for him was the last thing he expected.

The businessman looked at him.

"Because I want you to make her happy. I want you to know how much I love her, and how much I expect you to love her. I want you to know that I never wanted to hurt Kagome neither Mercedes. I don't want to have enemies anymore. I don't want anything. I just want to be left alone. Just leave me alone."

Rubin slowly got up, his head still heavy from what he had heard. He opened the door and looked a last time before going out, firmly closing the door behind him. As soon as he left, Inuyasha reached for the drawer just next to his bed, his hand trembling.

Mercedes had remembered everything and from the look she gave him he knew she would never forgive him. His tears doubled in intensity and he felt his heart clench painfully in his chest. She would never forgive him and he didn't have the power to convince her that he never used her. He loved her with all his heart but that didn't seem to be enough anymore.

He opened the drawer and took the little bottle from inside. Slowly, he opened it and took two pills in his palm.

Why would he care about anything? When she was amnesiac, he always had the hope that she would remember and they would return to each other. Even after what happened between them, even after she crushed him and told him that he was only an entertaining factor for her, a small part of his heart still dreamt of Kagome.

His heart clenched again and he took one shaky breath.

He was alone, alone in this world. Even his father rejected him and never cared about him. Why would he continue living, why would he keep on with this comedy that was his life?

Slowly, he inched the pills to his lips, closing his eyes, trying to seek the comfort that they offered, even if it was the last comfort he could have.

"Inuyasha?" her voice rang in his ears as his eyes shot open, the pills slipping from his hand and falling on the mattress. "We need to talk."

They sat in silence, never looking at each other, searching their surroundings for something that even they didn't know. It was she who finally broke the tensed atmosphere.

"I remember." She whispered, gaining his attention, their eyes immediately clashing with each other. "I remember when you told me never to fool with your heart Inuyasha. I promised you that I wouldn't if you never fooled with mine either. Do you remember?"

He nodded, and she could see how pale and vulnerable he was.

"I also remember when you told me that you heart was selfish but he could learn to love me. You told me never to lose hope on you. And I promised that I won't. Do you remember?"

Again, he nodded, tears forming in his eyes. His heart gave him a painful tug that he tried to ignore.

"I loved you Inuyasha, you know that don't you? It must have been love because I cannot imagine another feeling that would be so intense. But love ends, you know that don't you? You cannot love someone forever. There is a point where you cannot stand it anymore, and love becomes something that you hate and fear."

He looked away.

"Trust." She started, her blue eyes searching his face. "I cannot trust you anymore. Not after what happened. My mind tells me that he hates you, that I should get my revenge from you, and that you disgust me to no end."

His hand slowly inched towards the pills on the mattress. He couldn't live without her and he wouldn't. He knew that he was sick; he knew that he was not stable but he didn't care. He would die without her. His heart hurt like hell but he didn't care. It would end soon.

"My mind wants to hurt you, showing me things that you did to me. You know that you blackmailed me to sleep with you when my memory was lost. You used me and my mind cannot forget."

He gulped, trying to restrain the tears that had already slipped down his cheeks. He could deal with Mercedes hating him but not Kagome, never Kagome.

His eyes flew to hers when he felt both her hands cup his face. Her eyes were filled with tears as she brushed his tears with her thumbs.

"But my heart doesn't care." She whispered. "Mercedes and Kagome have two different minds, two different perspectives, two different hearts. But there is one thing in common between the two of them: they both love you. I love you."

Inuyasha gasped, and then whimpered, moving her hands away from his face.

"Stop!" he cried. "Stop hurting me! Don't you lie!"

"I am not lying." She whimpered herself, scooting closer. "When I left you weeks ago, I was so desperate; I took those pills to end my suffering. I had to go to the hospital, I nearly died and I didn't care. All what I wanted was to be with you."

"Don't lie!" he yelled, and then winced when he felt an ache in his chest. "You left me." He continued with a whisper.

"No!" she protested, "I never wanted to leave you; I was forced to leave you! I can't tell you why! Please believe me, I loved you."

"That's pity!" he countered, staring at her desperately, his tears hot on his cheeks. "You pity me because I have a heart disease. Make the sick man happy right? You hate me! Just admit it, you hate me! I disgust you and you hate me! You don't even care about me. I bet Rubin told you to tell me all this because he felt sorry for me! Your perfect boyfriend acting like a perfect gentleman! Why don't you go to his room? I bet he misses you already doesn't he?"

"You're so stupid." She yelled, "You can't see the truth even if it is right under your nose! I told you that I loved you, that I nearly died for you twice, that I only love you. I didn't know how much I loved you until I saw you collapse in front of me and then I realized that I cannot live without you."

He shook his head negatively.

"I don't believe you. Just go away. I don't believe any of your words."

"Fine!" she sighed, looking at him. "If you don't believe my words, than believe this."

Before he could understand, her lips were on his. For a few seconds, his heart stopped.

"What is she doing inside?" Kikyo exclaimed, glaring at Rubin. "Why did you let her see him? Do you want her to finish him off?"

"That's enough Kikyo!" He responded, glaring at her. "Don't be selfish. He loves her and she loves him back. We should not interfere."

"Really?" The young girl mocked. "And since when do you care about Inuyasha's feelings? As far as I know, you were just interested into getting in her pants and let me tell you this: you were on the right track so why did you suddenly decide to ruin everything!"

"Because I cannot rival with a man who might die if he sees me kissing her while she is madly in love with him! I don't want to be the bad guy! I have tons of girls wanting just a wave form me and they are all free. Why would I ruin Taisho's and Mercedes' lives just because I desire her?"

"That's not fair!" she yelled, pacing in front of him. "She doesn't love him and yet you allowed her to go crush him again. She's a monster can't you see?"

The singer sighed.

"I just want her for my video clip kikyo, nothing more nothing less. She's not mine, she's his and I won't steal her away. She loves him, she wants him and she suffers for him. How can I sing for love and then go and ruin it? Now if you excuse me, I have a press conference to attend."

As soon as he left, Kikyo sat in her chair, her fingertips slowly playing with the edge of her skirt. She could not let them be together. Mercedes didn't love Inuyasha. She would just use him again.

She was deep in her thoughts when her cell phone rang. Picking up, she was startled when she heard that familiar voice from her past.

"What do you want?" she snapped, paying attention to her surroundings, making sure that no one was eavesdropping.

"Kikyo, that's not a way to greet your old lover, now is it?"

"What do you want Hojo? Why did you call me?"

He laughed, making her flinch.

"I just want to know a few things. For example, have you met Mercedes?"

"How do you know her?" she asked, a bit curious.

"Well, let us say that we ran into each other several times. Now tell me, did you know that she and Taisho were old friends?"

"Yes I know but what's your point?"

He laughed again.

"I am just calling to ask you if they were getting along?"

"Why are you asking these questions?" she asked, suspicious. "But to answer your question, as we speak, they are in the same room together."

The other line fell silent and she was thinking that he might actually have hung up when she heard his voice again.

"Together?" this time, he sounded really angry and she was almost scared, almost.

"Why are you so affected?"

He didn't answer. He simply hung up.

Anne paced her office, her eyes dark and angry.

"That bitch, that lowly, lowly bitch!" she shrieked, her face flaming with suppressed frustration. "So she didn't care about us, she took us lightly didn't she? That bitch!"

Hojo nodded, staring at her.

"They are together, now, as we speak, probably laughing about us, having a good time. He's enjoying himself while Kagome' body lies deep down the river. He's probably having a fucking good time with her, that asshole, enjoying her."

"I should have known!" she yelled, stopping in front of him. "I should have doubted the fact that they went to that same island together. That asshole probably planned the whole thing. They think I can't hurt them? Oh they're so wrong! I'll show them what a good time is. I'll show them!"

"What are you going to do?" Hojo asked, looking at her intently. "You cannot let them get away with this, both of them. Just imagining them together makes me sick. He made her a photocopy of Kagome, that sick bastard. I bet that he actually believes she's Kagome when he fucks her. He's defiling your daughter memory! He deserves the worst, that woman also!"

Anne's anger flared.

"I want to kill them! I just want to point my gun on their heads and blow them off!"

Hojo shook his head negatively.

"No! This is too merciful. I know what to do. We should hurt her, just in front of him, making sure that he watches us while she begs for mercy. His heart won't stand it."

Anne shook her head negatively.

"Don't kill the girl. Let her live so that she realizes her mistake and think about it over and over. Just hurt her."

Hojo nodded and got up.

"I swear to you Anne, Taisho will die as soon as he sees what we will do to his beloved. Sometimes, there are things worse than death."

"I love you." She whispered heatedly in his ear, her hands burying themselves in his hair. His lips pressed on her cheek then moved to her lips, capturing them in another heated kiss. Her lips immediately parted, accepting him, surrendering to his passion. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his embrace. A few seconds later, they parted and the young man laid his head on the pillow breathing deeply.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, gently stroking his hair. "Are you tired?"

"I am sorry." He whispered, looking at her. "I am just too weak right now and I hate that Kagome. I just want to take you in my arms and love you but my stupid body won't let me."

She smiled, still leaning over him.

"I don't want you to push yourself Inuyasha. Just tell me if you're tired. You're still hurt."

He looked away, his face darkening, a change she didn't miss.

"What's wrong?" she asked, stroking his cheek lovingly.

"I bet you're thinking about Rubin right now, how different he is from me, how stronger he is. I bet Rubin can kiss you senseless. You will soon regret your choice and crawl back in his bed."

As soon as he heard her laugh, his eyes flew to hers, angry and betrayed.

"You're laughing at me!" he exclaimed, hurt evident in his eyes. Willing her laugh to recede, Kagome looked at him, her smile evident.

"You're jealous aren't you?"

"Yes I am. How could I not be jealous when I know that you spent your nights with him? How could I not be jealous when I know that I was not the only one for you? When I know that he is healthier than I will ever be, that he has this voice…"

She cut him off by another kiss, effectively silencing him. When she withdrew from the kiss, she looked at him, her expressions serious. She took his hands in hers and slowly laid them on her shirt, her eyes never leaving his surprised ones.

"Inuyasha…." She whispered, moving his hands towards her chest. He gulped, still trying to figure her out.

"Those…" she said, pressing his hands on her breasts drawing a gasp from him "…were only touched by you."

She then moved them towards her neck.

"And this was only kissed by you."

His eyes misted but she continued trailing them down until they were on her legs.

"And here…" she whispered, fully aware that his hands were now moving on their own, "only knows your touch."

His hands moved up her legs to her knees and then higher until they reached her thighs from the inside of her dress.

"And here?" he asked in a whisper, "Did he touch you here?"

"No." she whispered back, her eyes closing as his fingers massaged her thighs than worked their way up.

He slowly sat up with her on his lap, feeling his heart go stronger and his body grows bolder. The entire ache, the tiredness, the hurt…it all seemed so far away.

"And here?" he whispered in her ear as she clutched his shoulders tightly, trying to hide her body's reactions. "Did any man touch you here other than me?"

"No." she whimpered as he slowly rubbed his fingers against her.

"I don't believe you. I saw you two together; you were wearing his shirt, just his shirt…"

"Nothing happened, I swear."

"You're lying Mercedes…" he whispered. "He touched you."

"No!" She whimpered again, her body bucking involuntary. "He didn't! No one did but you."

"Then why did you leave me?" he asked, his fingers pressing more insistently against her, causing her to moan.

"I can't tell you…not yet."

"Because you're lying." He countered. "You're just having fun with me and then you will leave me again."

"No!" She protested, her breath coming in short pants, her cheeks flushed from what he was doing to her. "I love you Inuyasha."

Her arms gripped his shoulders more tightly. She could feel it, the power slowly returning to his body. His heart was recovering and so was he. She buried her head in his neck, pressing herself closer to him. She would help him heal. At that moment, she didn't care if he hid her true identity from her, she didn't care if he used her or not, she didn't care if he once betrayed her. All what she knew was that he needed her and as long as he wanted her she would stay. Her heart has won the battle with her mind.

She felt him kiss her shoulders, her neck, her arms, all what he could reach while his hands inched her dress upward, revealing her to him, but she didn't care. At that moment, she was ready to give him everything he wanted. She almost lost him ad she wouldn't go into that again. While trying to protect him, she hurt him the most.

"Don't pressure your heart." She whispered against his neck, her arms tightening around his shoulders, her eyes closed.

She felt one of his hands settle on her thigh, slowly massaging it. She relaxed in his embrace and gently kissed his neck. If he died, she wouldn't survive him.

"My blood boils in my veins when I think about you and Rubin." He whispered in her ear. She gasped loudly, her head falling back when he thrust one finger into her. "When I think about his kisses for you…his touches…" he continued, his words followed by quick thrusts that made her gasp, her arms tightening around his shoulders. "But it's not only him…it's all the others that touched you." He added another finger, causing her to cry out, her eyes flying open, staring into his. "For days I followed you, watched you in those clubs you went to, dancing with men, letting them touch you were they shouldn't…"

"Please…I was…desperate…." She whimpered. She buried her face into his neck, breathing deeply before her world came crushing down, her body shuddering involuntary. She felt him embrace her tenderly, his arms tightening around her waist.

"I am obsessed with you Kagome." He finally whispered, his body trembling slightly. "I think that I need some help."

She laughed, caressing his hair.

"I like it that you're obsessed with me Taisho."

"Please don't call me Taisho." He whined, clutching her tighter. "I hate that."

She laughed and kissed his neck.

"You're amazing." She whispered and she could feel him bury his face deeper into her hair.

"I am sorry Kagome, I know that I am hard to deal with, I know also that you must have some remorse. You see, intimately, I cannot do what other men do. I mean, I can but not like them. I am tired easily."

Gradually, she pulled away from him and forced him to look into her eyes.

"You just gave me the best experience I had for weeks and you apologize?"

"You know what I mean Kagome. This was foreplay but as soon as we go to the real thing, you'll see that I get tired really easily."

"That's good to hear." She responded and he looked at her in terror.

"Are you crazy?" he asked staring at her. She laughed, patting his nose playfully.

"Yep, that's for the best. Now you will have to store your entire energy just for me. No other women will have you. You'll be all mine."

They smiled together before sharing a sweet kiss.

The hotel room's phone suddenly rang. Making her way out of Inuyasha's embrace, Kagome answered, laughing when Inuyasha crawled towards her, gently kissing her neck.

"Yes, it's me Mercedes. Okay, I'll wait."

She pushed Inuyasha lightly away.

"Someone wants to talk to me." She explained before she heard a voice coming from the phone.

"Yes?" she asked. A deep masculine voice resonated on the other side.

"We told you to stay away from Taisho. We see that you don't care."

Kagome immediately blanched.

"What do you want?" she finally asked. To her terror, the voice laughed.

"You." He said before hanging up.

Slowly she put the phone away, her eyes filled with worry.

"Who was that?" Inuyasha asked from behind her. She closed her eyes. She could not leave him, his heart won't stand it. She swallowed hard before replying.

"It was the wrong number. I'll go find Rubin. We'll start filming today."

With that, she stormed out of the room. Once outside, she leaned against the door, her breathing heavy. What would she do?