Previously on Love and Distrust

This was now a one-sided game of Russian Roulette. I was bound to die.

Chamber after chamber, the trigger was pulled but no bullets were actually fired. The fact that it was now the 6th time symbolizes the arrival of my death.

"BANG!"

Chapter 11~ Gratitude is Received by Those Who Deserve

"BANG!"

The trigger was pulled and the shot was fired, but there were no bullets.

"What? How could this be?" Lisanna shrieked in disbelief.

We were both completely bewildered until I figured it out. In Russian Roulette, only 1 chamber is loaded with a bullet, making it bound to fire on either one of the six times the gun is fired. However due to gravity, in a properly maintained revolver with a single bullet inside the one of the chambers, the filled chamber, which weighs more than the empty chambers, will usually end up near the bottom of the cylinder, altering the odds in favor of the "player".

As I suspected after my observation and speculation, since the entire cylinder was not loaded fully with 6 bullets, all the empty chambers were the ones on top to be fired while the ones with the bullets stayed on the bottom, thus causing it to not fire.

In the midst of my hypothesizing, the door was swiftly taken down by a strong kick.

"CRASH!"

"Let her go Lisanna!" a familiar voice with a heroic tone declares my right to be freed.

"Natsu! You selfish ingrate! Is this how you show me your gratitude after all I've done for you?"

"Gratitude is received by those who deserve it."

You really came for me. My savior, my rescuer, my Hero.

A wave of relief washes over me as I realize our little lethal game was put to a halt.

"You were the one who asked me for help Natsu! I'm just helping you finish the job you were too incompetent to do!"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Natsu replied coolly as he brought a dagger up to my bound limbs and set me free.

"Are you hurt Lucy?" He questioned, his tone full of worry, it's either because of guilt or he's faking it to ingratiate himself to me.

"I'm fine."

I stood up, dusting the dirt off my clothes and we both left Lisanna, who stood there, eyes wide with shock and disbelief.

In the Car

"How did you know I was there?"

"I-I followed you here from the hospital."

Followed me? He knew I was at the hospital? Was he genuinely concerned about my whereabouts? I constantly remind myself that the reason for this is very clear and has nothing to do about love. It was simply guilt and the remorse he felt for the mistakes he has committed in the past. He was truly a person worthy to be called detestable.

"I see." Came my blunt reply.

"Are you displeased at my arrival?" He innocently asked with a bewildered look.

"N-no it's not that, t-thanks for saving me." I stuttered in between my words as I was caught off guard.

At Home

After a rough day, I decided to take a nice, relaxing bath. The fragrant scent of roses wafted throughout the bathroom as I lit a scented candle. I dimmed the lights and submerged myself in the bathtub. All my worries and conflicted feelings were immediately washed away by the soothing effect of my little spa.

I closed my eyes, trying to indulge and enjoy my bath when it was abruptly interrupted by the strident voice of a lady barging into my humble abode.

"Natsu! Come out here! I know you're here! Come out before I-"

I was taken aback by the owner of the voice, Lisanna's that is.

Her sentence was cut midway as someone covered her mouth, silencing her temporarily.

It seems that they went to a room because the living room was now silent.

Curious about where this conversation was going, I had to cut my relaxation time short and crept out of the bathroom but left the shower running, trying to mask my absence from the bathroom.

They were in the study/ Natsu's bedroom as they were discussing something that would prove crucial to the future.

I quietly placed my ear against the door, trying to grasp a hold of their conversation.

"Is this how you betray me after all I've done for you? If that's so I'll just report you to th-"

"Be quiet Lisanna! Lucy's in the room next door, if we're not careful she might hea-"

"So what if she does? Good for her then. She should be aware of her husband's personal affairs."

"…"

"Oh? It seems you haven't told her about us yet am I correct? Is that why you've been giving me the cold shoulder lately? If that's the case I'll get rid of her here and now!"

I heard the sound of Lisanna thrashing and flailing her limbs in different directions trying to escape the room, only to be suppressed and held back by Natsu.

That's it. I've had enough of this already. I'm tired of hiding, tired of always fleeing the scene where I have done clearly nothing wrong.

With my strengthened resolve, I firmly grab the doorknob and barge into the room.

What? I looked about the room in utter shock.

"Slam"

An excruciating surge of pain pierces through my head.

I blacked out.

Next on Love and Distrust

Chapter 12~Inescapable Fate

Run.

I was running as fast as I could, the harsh winds opposing me struggles to suppress me, but I persevere and continue to run.

Not turning back, I finally saw the sight of the story-high skyscrapers penetrating through the sky.

"Are you Mrs. Dragneel?" Men in black suits suddenly approached me out of nowhere as I arrived in the outskirts of the city.

"We need you to come with us."

"We work for Mr. Laxus Dreyar."