Take My Breath Away

The saleswoman nodded her head repeatedly in fear. Debbie tidied her clothes and looked down at Blanche, who was now lying on the floor, gasping for air. "Carlos used to protect me. Although he's gone, I'm still here. Don't get in my way again," she warned coldly.

Blanche wanted to shout abuse at Debbie, but when she caught a glimpse of her weapon—the mobile rack—she swallowed her pride and simply said, "Get away from me, you psycho bitch. You'll pay for this!"

Debbie snorted in derision. After everything she'd been through, she wasn't afraid of anything now. Ignoring Blanche's weak warning, Debbie turned around and walked towards the door.

When Jared had almost passed Blanche, he looked down at her and smiled playfully. "How does it feel, slut? Want one more kick?" Without waiting for a reply, Jared kicked her stomach right off. The playful smile on his face faded and he warned her ferociously, "Carlos isn't here, but we are! I dare you to lay a finger on her again. If I come back, Hell's riding with me!"

Blanche held her aching stomach, groaning in pain, unable to utter a single word. Her face went pale. Pointing at Jared's receding figure with her trembling finger, she finally squeezed out a few words between gritted teeth. "You assholes... Just wait!"

Jared turned around, dug his finger in his ear and said casually, "I'll wait. Bring your son as backup. Bring it!"

Blanche was at a loss for words.

Hayden was still busy taking care of the chaos Carlos engineered. He wasn't even in the mood to hold an engagement party for his fiancee. Besides, he warned Blanche and Portia several times not to mess with Debbie.

Thus, Blanche knew quite well that Hayden wouldn't back her up on this.

On the day of Carlos' funeral, Debbie got up at the crack of dawn. She hadn't slept well. She put on the new dress that she had bought the previous night and applied a light dusting of make-up to her face. She put some conservative lipstick on, as well, just enough to bring out her natural color.

The dress was the same style and color as one of the dresses Carlos had bought her. He said she looked good in that dress.

Sebastian and Lucinda had gone to work that morning. Gail and Sasha needed to go back to school, so Debbie struck out for the cemetery on her own.

Above the graveyard, a mass of thick and dark clouds gathered; lightning lanced through the sky, and the rumble of thunder was deafening. It definitely looked like rain. With a heavy heart, Debbie felt nothing else but sorrow. She hadn't even brought an umbrella.

She remembered how terrified she was last time when Carlos sent her to a cemetery as a punishment. Now without fear, she slowly walked in the direction she was told and looked for Carlos' gravesite.

From a distance, she saw James and Tabitha, as well as a few bodyguards, standing around the headstone. When they saw her approaching, Tabitha pulled a long face and yelled, "Happy now? My son died for you!"

Debbie didn't dignify that with a response. Tabitha was no longer the amiable mother-in-law. Somehow, Tabitha thought of her as an enemy.

Holding a bouquet of Louis XIV roses in her hand, Debbie stared silently at Carlos' black and white picture on the gravestone.

She put the roses in front of it and forced a smile. "Hey Mr. Handsome, I came to see you. Remember the Louis XIV roses you sent to me in England? I gave them to a bodyguard, but actually...I loved them very much... I bought some for you now. Do you like them?"

James instructed a bodyguard to escort Tabitha back to the car. Then, he faced Debbie and said in a contemptuous voice, "You know why almost no one's here?"

Pin-drop silence filled the cemetery.

"Because we already had his body cremated and buried him here. To avoid any more drama, I asked my men to tell you the funeral was today."

'So...Carlos' real funeral was held yesterday...' Debbie realized.

"You didn't show up yesterday to pay your respects, so Wesley and Damon were both disappointed in you. I told them that you said, you had nothing to say to Carlos and you didn't even need to say goodbye. Thanks to me, they hate you. When your name's brought up, they get extremely pissed," James added, voice full of smug satisfaction.

Debbie smirked coldly. Instead of responding to his evil remark, she suddenly asked sarcastically, "So tell me, James Huo, is Megan your biological daughter?"

"What?" James was confused by her odd question.

"You heard me! You two are so fake, it's not even funny. So get a paternity test. Who knows? You might be related."

"You..." James was planning on venting his rage, but decided better of it. She'd be gone soon, out of Y City and out of his life.

Debbie suddenly balled her fists and turned to look at the malicious man, flames of rage burning in her eyes. "I swear on Carlos' grave that we will be enemies forever. One day, I'll send you to hell with my bare hands!"

James wasn't intimidated by her words. He didn't believe that a woman could do anything to him. Besides, she'd have to leave the city soon. So he let out a cold hum and said nonchalantly, "Go ahead. But ask yourself this: whose fault is it? If you hadn't married him, you wouldn't have to go through all this. You have no one to blame but yourself!"

Debbie sneered, "James, you'll get yours! Get used to looking over your shoulder. One of these days, I'll be there. Don't expect to see much after that."

"Come get some. Right in front of Carlos' grave!" With that, James turned on his heel and left.

Debbie was left alone in the cemetery.

After what felt like an eternity, Debbie sat down next to the gravestone and muttered to herself, "Carlos, you told me as time turned the page, our love wouldn't age at all; you swore by the moon and the stars in the sky that you'd be there...

You promised me that you'd give me everything and build my dreams with your bare hands. But why did you break your word now? Why..."

Her weeping grew into hysterical cries.

"You promised to let me follow you around like a shadow. Why have you left me...forever? Carlos, answer me! Come to me now. Tell me!" She cried in increasing sorrow and passion. Her sad wails echoed around the silent cemetery.

"How can I live without you? Who will protect me? Who will make sure everyone pays? Carlos, they're all bullying me. Wake up now. Help me take revenge... Carlos...please..."

As if God had felt her sadness, lightning raced across the sky. Thunder boomed. Then it began to rain. Debbie didn't feel the raindrops, but just sat, hugging Carlos' gravestone and cried out all her love for him...

The day Dixon came back from America, Jared went to great lengths to find Debbie and ask her to get together with her old friends.

Kristina knew Dixon would be there so she turned him down.

In the end, the four old friends got together and had their reunion. Debbie and Kasie cried the whole night. They hugged each other and cried endless tears. They swapped stories about each other's one true loves, and how they would love them forever. They drank together, to try and dull the pain.

Dixon looked up at the sky, remembering what Kristina had told him. She said he was poor and even needed Mr. Huo to sponsor him abroad. His eyes reddened at the thought.

That year, Debbie lost Carlos and Kasie lost Emmett.

That year, Kristina broke up with Dixon and hooked up with a rich guy.

That year, Jared decided to strive for a brighter future for Sasha's sake.

That year, the five old friends had made their own fates and went their separate ways.

The day after their reunion, Debbie went missing.

No one knew where she was.

On the third day of her disappearance, some news outlets reported that she left Y City with a man. People suspected that she had run away with her lover, taking the alimony payment that the Huo family had given her.

Since then, Debbie Nian had become an infamous figure in Y City.