"Love is like a lightning.

Terrifying yet enlightening.

But you know what's the worst thing about it?

It never strikes the same place again.

That one...............

Never learns to love again."

.....................................................

Elijah stares at the girl sitting in front of him, sipping on her coffee.
Lost in thoughts.

"You can't be serious Viv."

Her eyes met his and she lowers her eyes. Staring at the wooden table of the restaurant they came to dine at.

"I have to Elijah. I don't have a choice."

"Fuc* Viv! Everyone has a choice! No way in hell are you going to marry that bast***! Do you hear me!"

Vivian chuckles a dejected broken laugh, helplessness evident in her eyes.

"Choice? I never got a choice Elijah. I have to do it."

"I am out on probation...if Roman wants he can throw me back into the cells any minute. Nothing can be done."

"I will give your bail...I..I will fight your case. I know one of the top lawyer firms in the country-"

Vivian places her hand on his. Stopping him.
Her beautiful green eyes looking at his anxious blue ones.

"It's no use Elijah. My father...he tried everything. All the evidences are against me... it's not possible to prove me innocent."

"This freedom I have right now....this is all that I can afford in this lifetime."

Her hands leaving his as she continues.

"And I can do anything for it. Even if it means marrying him."

Elijah moves his hand through his hair, leaning back on his seat. Sighing and cursing at this.

"He is gonna make your life a living hell Vivian. I hope you know how much he hates you."

Vivian just nods, a sad smile on her lips.

"I know. And maybe I deserve it Elijah. After all no matter what I say....I was still there when Soph died......I caused that accident...."

"Just shut it Vivian! You know what she did to you....how she played us all...how she used Ethan-"

"And yet after everything she begged for forgiveness Elijah...."

"........yet after everything she layed her life to save me."

There is silence for next few minutes. As both tried to calm themselves down.
The reality was like a bad dream that made then nostalgic....and they were always running from it.

"We all did mistakes Elijah. Soph was not the only one. "

"But death? No one deserved it. "

Elijah nods, looking lost.

"You are right maybe we all were wrong somewhere. But I just hope it doesn't has to be like this."

"I just hope Ethan looks beyond the layers of his hatred for you ....to see the real you."

Elijah says looking at her and she nods. Tears brimming her eyes.
His next question making her heart to thud.

"Do you still love him Vivian?"

And her answer made him clench his fist and curse his situation. Making him weak for himself yet strong for her.

"I wish I didn't."

..................................................

He leans on the bonnet of his car, arms folded in front of his chest and eyes fixed at the couple sitting on the corner table... chatting.

He didn't interrupt.

Just waited sitting there.Staring at them.

Few minutes later, they get up hugging each other , smiling and holding hands.
Making a nerve on tick on his forehead but he doesn't do anything.

Still staring .

They walk out of the restaurant to only make Vivian's step halt as her eyes met his. Making Elijah's gaze to follow.

"What are you doing here Ethan?"

She asks ,with irritation and he couldn't help straighten up and approach her. His eyes stared a bit longer on their intervined hands and as a clue Vivian immediately leaves Elijah's hand, making Elijah to feel hurt for a second.

Satisfied Ethan look back at her again.

"Why? Do I need an appointment to meet my future wife now?

She doesn't say anything. While Elijah clenches his fist. Pulling Vivian behind him, he steps in front of her.

"I swear to god Ethan. If you dare to hurt her..I promise to make your life a living nightmare."

Ethan chuckles a fake laugh, to only step forward and give Elijah his attention for the first time.
Their chests almost touching.

"Well then let me make a promise as well."

"I Ethan Lockwood swear to God that all those who hurted my Soph and played a part in killing her...I swear to take them to hell and back."

They just stare at each other in hatred and Vivian couldn't help feel afraid of his threat.
She knew how much he loved Soph...his hatred for her being hundred times worse.

"You are going to regret big time my friend."

Elijah says, knowing a glimpse of what the future holds.
His eyes staring into his brown ones which were veiled in hate.

"And that day Ethan. You will beg for forgiveness but no one will give it to you."

"You will beg for death but you won't get it."

Vivian's grip on Elijah's arm tightened asking him to stop it . And he does, stepping back from Ethan.

"Remember it."

Ethan clenches his jaw but doesn't say anything.While Elijah just walks from there silently, listening to Vivian's request.

Before Elijah and Vivian could leave. Ethan holds Vivian's wrist, stopping her.

"I wish to talk to you."

Was all he said and Vivian thinks for few seconds to finally nod at him.
Asking Elijah to leave.

"But-"

"I will be fine Elijah."

He reluctantly nods and leaves, not before giving Ethan one last cold stare.
Daring her to do anything to hurt her.

Once alone, Vivian stares at his tight grip on her wrist and back at his eyes.
And he leaves her immediately, getting the signal.

"Speak. What do you wish to say now?"

"Not here"

Was all he says, walking towards his car and she follows him. Sitting inside his car.

The silence stretches for next few minutes untill he finally decides to speak.

"I know what Roman did to you. How he disowned you and left you to feed yourselves."

She clenches her fists. The fact that he knew how vulnerable she was not settling well with her.

"I don't need your sympathy Mr Lockwood. Is this why you call me? "

He scoffs moving his head in disbelief.

"Don't think to high of yourself. I would never sympathise with a murderer like you of all the people out there."

She looks outside the window, expecting his hatred filled words yet again.

"I am here to just offer you a proposal. Something which benefits both of us."

"What your father did with you was not something I support. Considering you lived the life of a princess back then to only live in a slum like a beggar now."

"So to make sure you get what actually belongs to you ...we can marry for temporarily like maybe 6 months and then when the properties are transferred in your name we can file for a divorce."

She stares at him blankly. Is this man serious? Is this marriage a joke to him?
But the idea was not bad, can it be done so easily?

"What's the catch? What will you get in it?"

He smiles at her. The glint in them not going unnoticed by her.

"The fall of Klein Empire. Your father promised to hand over the management of all his businesses in my name if I agree to marry you. "

"You aren't that worthless after all "

He says the last line lowly to himself, but she heard him.

"And you plan to ruin them?"

"No. Actually the opposite. I wish to merge them with my estate. It will make our company a leader in its segment in the entire country then. We will have a monopoly."

"And what happens when he comes to know about your plan? He is doing this for Aliza....if you have forgotten."

"He will be dead by then."

Vivian's eyes widen a bit. Yes she hated Roman but since when did Ethan turn so heartless and cold.He is talking of someone's death like it's a joke for him.

"No matter how tempting your plan seems . It has flaws."

She continues , taking in a long breath.

"The legal case is still on. And I am out only on probation. If Roman gets to know, he will take back his bail and...."

"I will have to go back to jail for the rest of my life."

Ethan's clenches his fist and hardens his eyes at the steering wheel. Breathing heavily in the silence of the car.

"You don't have to-"

She chuckles. Moving her head in a no.

"It's judiciary Mr Lockwood. Not something you can order around with the flick of your finger. You can fabricate a lie...but truth...it's raw."

"Yet unseen to the majority of beings "

She says the last line meeting his stare and he feels innocence pouring from them... telling him she was innocent.

Telling him that she didn't kill his Soph.

"Now that it's settled. I would suggest you to say no to the proposal. Marriage is not a joke Mr Lockwood.....not for me atleast."

"Have a nice da-"

She was going to leave, opening the door of his car. When his firm grip on her wrist stopped him.

She looks back to see him sighing with eyes closed. Opening then ,he looks back at her continuing

"What's the cost of your freedom Vivian?"

Her mouth opens and closes in shock.

"Excuse me? What do you mean?"

"I asked what can you give to breathe this air of freedom. Without the fear of you going to jail any second?"

She couldn't meet his stare. Lowering her eyes,she replies with sadness filling her insides.

"Anything. I can do anything for it."

He simply nods. Starting the car while taking something out from his coat pocket .

"Then go and prepare for a wedding Vivian."

Throwing a red velvet box in her lap,he stares in front.

"We are getting married tomorrow."

She couldn't believe, opening the box she found a beautiful pink diamond ring in it and her breathing hitched for a second.

She stared back at him in suprise. Closing the box and offering it back to him.

"I can't....it's too expensive...plus I can't marry you..."

" The case it's still on....Roman will-"

"Leave it on me."

He said and she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.
Why doesnt he understand that it's not that easy.

She opens her mouth to speak again when he beats her to it.
Taking the box from her hands he turns around in his seat giving her his full attention.

"You don't have to worry about that case anymore. You are free now."

Holding her hand and sliding the ring in her ring finger. He looks at her.

"But ...how..?"

"I will take back the case."

"And provided I think you have suffered enough already."

And that's when she looked at the man she once loved in disbelief. A lone tear leaving her eyes....as all the tortures she suffered there came back in full throttle... freezing her senses.
Pulling her hand back from him she asks stuttering.

"You....it was you who....?"

And he answers looking back at her in coldness. Not afraid to speak the truth to her.

"Yes. I was the one who placed the charges of murder on you."
.
.
.
.

"I was the plaintiff."