Page 146 of Capuleto

"Why am I still alive?" She forced a smile.

"I suppose because your brother doesn't want you dead and because you haven't put my life in danger. If you did, I wouldn't hesitate to kill you regardless of the consequences."

It was a logical reasoning.

"You said a doctor visited me."

"Yes, you fell from a second floor into a dumpster. The impact was considerable; if it hadn't been for the cushion of trash, you might not have survived."

"Saved by garbage," I noted.

"Also, you had a nasty infection, a high fever, and with the baby, we didn't know what to give you, so we had no choice but to bring in a doctor."

"Am I still pregnant?"

"It seems so. You haven't bled, so initially, baby Capulet is still in your womb. The doctor recommended rest due to the fall. He examined you and didn't think you'd broken anything. We bought what he prescribed and have been giving it to you. You've been unconscious for three and a half days."

"And you've been taking care of me?"

"Your brother has also helped."

"Where is he?"

"I suppose he's figuring out how to make everything make sense again. Our plans have fallen apart."

"And that's exactly why it's impossible for you to put it back together. By now, Romeo and his family must know your intentions; they aren't fools."

"Our intentions? You mean our intentions."

"I'm not with you in this."

"Yuri told me you were."

"Did you believe him? My brother isn't with anyone in anything," I muttered, disappointed. "He just uses everyone around him to get what he wants. He's a leech, a parasite who doesn't hesitate to fake his death or force his sister to marry the enemy to get his way. He pointed a gun at me to make me climb down a window against my will. If he could do that, do you really think he will share any of his glory with you? Neither you nor I are important to him. The sooner you accept that he's using you, the better." Her head moved from side to side, and she set the cup down on the table.

"He said this might happen."

"What?"

"That you'd try to convince me he was going to betray me because you've fallen into Capulet's net." I laughed.

"Do I look like an anchovy? I don't fall into anyone's net; I'm not a damn fish. It took me a while to realize who my brother is, but nothing more."

"Koroleva, you're a smart woman; your arguments are very weak."

"Rather, they are real. Yuri told me why you allied with him, to escape an arranged marriage and avoid having your rightful place taken from you. Deep down, you and I are very similar. We were born into a world dominated by men where gender matters more than worth. Our president doesn't want to look bad with your father. Yuri will betray you because my brother can't partner with anyone. He wants it all and won't settle for half."

Cheng stared at me in silence, evaluating whether what I was saying was true or not. It was hard to believe she would trust me. The only time we had met, I tortured her, and now I was asking for her trust and to break her alliance with the person protecting her.

"I can't take that risk. Besides, I don't know what you expect me to do. We're trapped."

"Do you have a phone? Let me make a call; we'll be out in half an hour."

"I don't have a phone."

"I don't believe you. A woman like you wouldn't risk being locked up with no way to escape."

"Do you seriously think I'm going to make a deal with you? Why?"

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