Lock You In My Heart

Holly had always thought of Gabrielle as a scheming woman, who was good at disguising herself. If she wanted to,

she could think of underhanded plans to get her way. She could even confuse a person that he or she would find it

hard to distinguish black from white. This would have to change.

Today, she would expose this woman's true colors so Westley would know what she was really like.

"Are you saying that it's not true? So what's the truth then?" asked Westley as he gathered Gabrielle in his arms.

His eyes were deep and cold, with a hint of ruthless warning falling on Holly..

Holly got startled that she even had no courage to look into his eyes.

"Westley, I was... I'm just not feeling so good. My vision is a bit blurry and I didn't see the stone under my feet. Of

course, it's not the fault of Miss Jones," Holly explained.

In spite of her plan to expose Gabrielle, she couldn't tell Westley what actually happened.

Holly had learned two things that day. Firstly, it was important to take things one step at a time. Secondly and more

importantly, she had to think things more carefully before taking any actions. So she was in no hurry. Knowing what

kind of person Gabrielle was, she had to be more prudent in handling these matters.

"Is that true?" said Westley, his expression had now softened.

Holly could tell that Westley had become calm. She knew it was because Gabrielle was already in his arms.

That was how important Gabrielle was to him.

Holly knew that it was unwise to speak ill of her in front of Westley. She didn't want to risk his wrath. "Westley...it's just... Well, I don't feel good right now..."

Westley called Alexis and told him, "Come here and help Holly. I'll take care of Gabrielle. She must have been exhausted so I'll carry her down."

If Alexis had a choice, he wouldn't lift a finger to help Holly. But it was Westley who asked him, so he had to obey his bidding without question.

Holly, on the other hand, wouldn't want to be assisted by Alexis. She didn't even want him to touch her.

She and Alexis had known each other for a long time but she didn't have romantic feelings for him.

"Holly, let me help you," said Alexis nonchalantly.

"Thank you, Alexis." Holly's attitude was not any better but she had to keep her cool.

It was obvious she was not happy about Alexis helping her.

But Alexis didn't want to say anything about it. He didn't care how Holly saw him.

"You don't have to be nice,to me. We are friends. It's not a big deal. It's not like I'm carrying you like the way Westley did Gabrielle," Alexis finally said. He then turned his eyes to Westley and Gabrielle who were in front of them. Westley was carrying his wife on his back. He was very careful in his every step. He didn't want her to fall or get hurt by the thorny bushes along their way.

Seeing the couple was a warming scene. But it would also drive certain people crazy.

"They look like they're doing well together, don't they, Holly?" Alexis asked Holly stonily.

"How do you want me to answer your question?" Holly said, knowing that Alexis was on Gabrielle's side. She had no one on her side. She would only embarrass herself should she say the wrong thing.

"You really don't have to say anything. And I tell you, it's best that you don't say anything at all," Alexis told her, maintaining the coldness in his voice.

"So, there's something that you don't want me to say. wonder what it is," sneered Holly. She was also in a bad mood.

"You do not ever again mention Helena in front af Westley and Gabrielle," Alexis warned her sternly. "I know that you miss her terribly but just keep the feeling to yourself. You don't need to talk about her around other people."

He had already warned Holly about this. He didn't want to do it again. The problem with Holly was she didn't heed his warning after he first told her. She had just mentioned Helena again-and in front of Gabrielle. This made Alexis a bit angry.

"Alexis, you were good friends with Helena. Now that she's gone, why can't I even mention her name? Is that how

you should regard your dear friend? You, of course, know how she died, don't you?" Holly hissed angrily. She was feeling weak and tired. Her voice sounded feeble.

"Of course, I know. Everybody else does," Alexis said intelligibly.

"So you know that Helena died because she took a bullet for Westley," Holly said seethingly.

"You don't have to say it over and over. We all remember that," Alexis said, equally angry at Holly. "All this time, Westley has been living in guilt. He has done so much for the Collins family, trying to make it up to them. Can't you see that? And now that he's finally out of it, here you are trying to pull him back to the guilt zone. Are you happy seeing him in that deplorable place?" His face was livid. If he could only leave her that instant, he would.

Holly didn't expect that Alexis would be so furiously angry. The look on his face frightened her out of her wits.

"I didn't mean that. I just..."

"You are jealous. You can't accept Westley marrying Gabrielle because it was Nellie that you want for him. Or will you be appeased if the woman that Westley married was you?" Alexis asked relentlessly.

Holly wanted to say something-maybe affirm, counter, or dismiss what she just heard. Yet, she couldn't say anything.

In her mind, Holly acceded to what Alexis had said. It was true that she wanted to be with Westley. It was true that she wished she was the one Westley had married.

There was nothing else that she would want to have had she been able to marry the man she loved.

"You have nothing to say?" Alexis said as he raised his eyebrows at Holly. Judging from her silence, he knew that his assumptions had been correct all along.

Holly was already in a bad mood. Now, her emotions were going wild after hearing Alexis. She was feeling overwhelmed that she passed out.

"Holly! Will you stop acting?" Alexis was stunned to see Holly fainting. For a while, he thought that she was just

pretending and this was just another one of her tricks.

Certain that she had passed out, Alexis called Remy. "Look at what happened to her," he said in a tone that seemed to be putting the blame on him.

Alexis thought that Remy would be the perfect scapegoat. Holly was sick and she was his patient.

"Alexis," curtly said Remy. "Carry Holly down to the resort. I'll check her over." After examining Holly, he said,

"There's nothing to worry about. She just fainted."

Alexis didn't like it when he was told to carry Holly. So, he had been hard on her, saying harsh words to her. His seething resentment toward her made her reach the tipping point where she fainted. Feeling guilty, Alexis carried her on his back.