Chapter 6

Tinashe had been sitting in the same spot since after the hyenas left and Jin watched her wishing he knew how to comfort her. He had tried talking to her to get her mind off what had happened but she didn't seem to be in the mood. After that incident she seemed more distant and upset with him which he didn't get at all.

"What happened to you?" Ash asked taking a seat next to him, "You seem to be struggling. You are worried about her?"

"I hate seeing her like that." He let out a strangled laugh, "Do you remember when I told you that she seduced me? I was annoyed so much because I knew she was succeeding even after I challenged her and told her she will never have me. That day you told me to get a divorce."

Ash nodded and laughed, "You refused as if it could kill you."

The man smiled, "Yea, a few day before we went to Cape Town for the honeymoon. I think I started falling for her that time I told you about. I just didn't know all this time and only realised now why I was always bothered whenever I thought of her." He paused for a while then added, "Last night she was changing in front of me and I lost all control and kissed her. I felt the kind of passion I have never felt for a woman before and it took me everything to not go all the way, you know." He laughed self derisively, "Do you know what she said after that? She changed from wanting a divorce and now she wants an annulment."

"What?" he turned to look at Tinashe's distant back, "You got her convinced that you love Amy. You even told her that you were going to Amy's on your wedding night."

"I was forced to marry her. I just wanted to torture her but it's different now." He said, "You know that I don't feel that way for Amy otherwise I wouldn't have married Tinashe in first place."

"If I didn't know any better I'd also think you're crazy for Amy." He said, "Tinashe is stubborn. Kylie thinks she is serious about the divorce."

Jin scoffed, "What does your wife even know?" he frowned slightly when he saw Gavriel going to sit next to his wife, "That guy really gets on my nerves. That day even though Tinashe had a dagger on his neck his eyes were right on her chest."

"He seems convinced about your divorce." Said Ash, "Be careful of him, he seems too close to her. I didn't want you to know this but he also served in the military, probably in the special forces too and his crush on her seems to run deep and for long too."

"And you only tell me now?" he got up and walked to Tinashe, "Let's talk."

Tinashe looked up at him then at Gavriel, "About what?"

The man took her hand and pulled her up, "Come." He took her a distance away from the others and stopped under a tree, "I want to talk about us." He said.

"What about?" she suddenly felt too weak to fight him, "Don't worry, I won't change my mind about the annulment. Even if I do it will just be a divorce. Serves the same purpose.".

Jin stepped closer to her and said in a low voice, "That's what I'm worried about right now. Why are you talking about the divorce when I just told you about my feelings?"

"What?" her eyes reddened, "You what?"

"I'm in love with you." He looked intently at her but she only seemed more confused , "I mean it."

This time Tinashe scoffed then shook her head. She obviously didn't believe that he could just change from that man who hated her so much and whom she had spend months loving while he hated her could just start loving her for no reason like that. "You are going crazy, Mr Han. You should get yourself checked when we return home."

Hearing the words we and home in the same sentence made him smile, "I agree, you make me go crazy." He raised his hand to pat her hair gently, "I'm serious though."

The woman clicked her tongue in total disbelief then took out the blue diamond ring from her pocket then took his hand and put it inside. "I think that belongs on Amy's finger. I'm done being stubborn."

"Aren't you so proud to own that?" Jin looked a bit agitated, "The ring will always belong to you. You aren't allowed to forget me."

"It doesn't, Han." She shrugged, "Or at least I don't want to own it anymore."

Looking panicked he held her upper arms and lowered his head so that he looked right into her eyes, "Call me Jin Nan. You are the only one in this world who calls me that." He saw the confusion in her eyes, "I know I'm the one who said not to but I..."

"You and Ash were supposed to be on your double date and I stubbornly tagged along where I was not even wanted." Her eyes turned bloodshot, "My parents only have one child, me. After the plane crashed I was stuck. I called for help, I don't know if anyone heard but that's when I realised that I really was too stupid." She laughed sadly, "I'll never forget that moment when I thought I'd die and there was no one to help me."

"I thought you had left already, Amy told me that you had left when I was about to look for you. I was also upset that you didn't even look for me or wake me up before you left." He said, "I really didn't know until I helped her till we were far enough and I didn't see you when she said she was probably seeing things after the shock. I came back for you, didn't I?"

"What?" she scoffed, "Am I Amy's iPad then? Han, I don't know if you're telling the truth and I honestly don't care right now. I just know that if things had gone sideways that day I would have been blasted inside." She said. "I accept defeat. You can freely be with her now."

"I don't want to be with Amelia!" he said, "Tinashe, I don't love her that way and I never did."

"Oh come on now." She rolled her eyes, "You clearly called me while making love to her on our wedding night. Now you are saying she isn't your girlfriend?"

A deep frown appeared on the man's forehead and he shook his head, "That story again? Are you serious?"

"Could I joke about it?"

Jin shrugged in complete confusion, "I don't know, I was with all my friends at Ash and Kylie's house on our wedding night. Amy mistook my phone for hers and..." he frowned as of realizing something, "Wait, she called you?"

Tinashe scoffed and rolled her eyes then looked at him unbelievably, "She confirmed your relationship like a million times. Don't tell me it was her plan all along."

"She did?" the man turned to look the direction where the others were and shook his head, "No wonder she always found a way to keep me from talking to you." His voice was low as if he was talking to himself, "No wonder she appeared into my arms out of nowhere last night to cause a misunderstanding."

"Whatever." She turned around and was about to walk away when Jin held her back, "What?"

"Hey, I told you to stay close to me." he pulled her back to him, "Stay where I see you. Don't you dare get hurt. Capeesh?" she swayed on his arms and he held her upper arms, "Hey, are you alright?"

"I just feel weird." She said weakly, "My mouth is super dry, maybe it's because I'm thirsty." She tried to free herself from him but the world around her started blurring and turning around. She felt dizzy and weak that her legs suddenly gave and she fell into Jin's arms.

"Hey!" Jin held her lifeless body and tried to wake her up but she was too weak to respond, "Tinashe, wake up."

While he was still calling her when Gavriel appeared next to them and the first thing he did was take off her boot revealing her swollen foot. "Shoot, the poison must have started spreading already." He whispered studying her leg oblivious of Jin's shock. "Damn it, I thought it could have been a copperhead but now it seems not." He looked at Jin, "The herb I put on her will only help for so long. She needs medical attention.'

"When did this happen?" his eyes had turned red and sombre, "Are you kidding me? I'm her husband so why on earth wouldn't you tell me that my wife was bitten by a snake?" when he finished screaming he heard the woman in his arms whining and patted her cheek gently, "Sorry, you'll be fine." He said gently to her and then glared at Gavriel.

"She told me when she found out early this morning and I found this herb. It could help suck out or at least slow down the poison." He explained, "I'm sorry but she didn't think it was serious and didn't think you'd care about it."

A sombre expression passed his face, "What? Why wouldn't I?" he laughed self derisively thinking that he had done it himself. His wife would rather share her problems with a stranger than with him. Everything just had to happen when he had fallen for her. Seeing her in this lifeless state he just could not think properly and held the woman in his arms. "You guys said it would be at least three days until we get to the village..." He looked at Tinashe whose eyes had opened but was still unfocused, "Let's go. We need to get her some medical attention as soon as possible."

"I'm fine, I just need to rest a little and we can go." Said Tinashe weakly and then fainted.

"Tinashe?" Jin was panicking and he gestured for Gavriel, "Put her on my back. We need to go." He said.

The others had just realised that something was wrong when they came running, "Jin, what happened? Did you two fight?" asked Kylie looking at Tinashe.

"Tinashe was bitten by a snake." Answered Gavriel when he saw that Jin was definitely not in the mood to speak at all, "We have to go." He placed Tinashe on Jin's back.

"But how can you carry her? She..." Amy said bitterly but stopped when Jin directed a glare at her and she had to swallow her words and watch Jin carry Tinashe on his back.

*****

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