Vivian's pov

Flashback-

The voices...the laughs...the looks are again shrouding me.
I fold my arms on my legs, pressing my knees to my chest.

Trying to block them.

Slowly counting in my mind, rocking my cold frame in a corner of the big canteen in the cell.
Trying to be invisible.

45000022....45000023...

"Hey ugly bit**. Wanna try?'

Someone's interrupts my count and I look up ,afraid at the intruder.

To see the same girl who has been persistently being too friendly.

With tattoos all the way down her arms.
Piercings, almost everywhere on.
Her lip, eyebrow...
A cigarette in her between her fingers, as she offers it to me.

I gulp and move my head in a no, ignoring her and lowering my head back in my arms.

Continuing my count.

45000024.....45000025......

"Your loss. Anyways I have an inside information for you."

Her voice is low as she moves closer , the smell of smoke making me cringe.
Tightening my hands grip on my arms. I fasten my counting.

45000026....45000027.....45000028

"I believe that you are innocent...."

My eyes immediately shot up. The word... innocent......how much I have tried making them believe me.
But no one listens...they all call me a murderer.

Yet here this girl...she said she believed me?

"Wh...y?"

I manage to say in my strained voice. My lips dry and chapped.

She smirks, looking around to make sure that no one was looking at us.
Once verified, she lowers herself to whisper in my ear.

"The doctors. They were paid by someone to keep their trap shut."

Furrowing  my eyebrows. I ask her in confusion.

"Wh...at....for?"

She rolls her eyes. Her next words making my eyes to widen.

"The night after the muder. You were taken to the hospital....after it you don't remember what happened at the cliff.  It's like you have lost a fragment of your memory."

I lower my eyes, I know. That's why I have no evidence to prove myself.... because I can't remember.

"It's...post traumatic amnesia..."

I say lowly, looking at the grey old floor.
To only have her exclaim.

"Bullshit!"

My confused eyes met her and she gritted her teeth.

"I checked your report girl. There is no amnesia. They are all fraudulent."

"But...I....can't remember...."

"That's because you were drugged. That night you were drugged with something that fuc*** with your memory."

"But...why? Why will anyone?"

"That's for you to find out scar. But remember the truth is not what always look like."

Her next words, making my mind go blank.

"You were framed Scar."

"And I hate to say this. But you and your little secret are not safe in this place."

She says, looking at my belly and I fold my hands in front.
Gulping.

"How...how do you know all this?"

And that's when she takes a long whiff of the cigarette and leans her head back on the wall.
Smirking.

"Sources girl. Sources. Medical record of each prisoner is kept in the lockers in room G7. I just happen to have a good fuc* with the guard and sneak in."

My mouth opens and closes in shock.
She doesn't even know me...why will she help me?

"Why....why are you helping me?"

I ask to only make her exhale the smoke and look up at the ceiling.
My eyes fixed at the tattoos on her fingers...which looked like Roman numbers.

"I know a criminal when I look at one Scar."

She lowers her face to my level. Staring into my eyes.

"And when I look at you?'

I hold her stare to only have tears fill my eyes as she exhales the smoke at my face, smirking again.

"I see a victim."

And that's when she leaves, leaving me alone to my thoughts.
I stare at her back, not able to understand much.

Framed?

But why? Who will do it? Was there someone else on the cliff other than us that night?

Why can't I remember!!

I hold my head, to only have a sharp pain hit my temple and I hold in a scream.

Dammit!

I can't remember. No matter how much I try.I just can't!
But the witnesses...they said I pushed Soph from the cliff....they say I murdered her.

I see her scared eyes looking at me... asking me to stop...but I can't remember pushing her from the cliff.

No! I can never push her! Never!

I know myself, no matter how angry I was. I just can't push her.

I didn't kill her! I am not a murderer!

And that's when the girls words, seem real. Framed? It's possible. But why? Who did it?
Her warning rewinding in my mind.

You and your secret are not safe here.......

I cover my stomach with my arms looking around to see everyone busy... it's been 4 months...I have been able to hide my baby from everyone.

But it seems...the authorities already know.

My medical records must have mentioned it... and that's how this girl knew.

But why will anyone try to hurt me and my child?

How can we be safe anywhere in this world.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Few days later.....

I was standing in a line with other prisoner...it was a usual inspection.

Our hands behind our back as the head leader was speaking something...I guess allocating duties for the next week.

Too bored, I was just staring at the floor like usual. Too lost in my counting again

48000671.....48000672.....48000673.....48000674

When suddenly I hear footsteps approaching. I look up to see an old man....dressed in a brown sweeper clothes pulling a cleaning cart.

A cap covering his face and eyes lowered to stare at the floor.

I ignore him to continue my counting...when I see him stop in front of me.

The tyre of the cart seemed to have been stuck in something and the man struggled....sweat running down his forehead.

I decide to help.

Moving forward, I gently smile at him.

"Let me help Sir"

I say and he nods in acknowledgment. Returning my smile. I hold the cart to only have him come behind me.

Afraid of his closeness...I try to step back when his smile gets replaced by an evil smirk.

And next I know, a sharp pain enters my abdomen and my hands retreat from the cart.

I couldn't scream...too numb to do or say anything.

He steps back from me....running in a sprint.
Pushing aside everyone who were yet to decipher his reason .

My body falls down on the floor as I see the world moving.
My shaking hands, move onto my abdomen to feel something wet touch my fingers.

No...no...this can't be happening!

"Scar! Scar!"

I hear the tattoo girl and others screaming, but I was too lost to hear or say anything.
The thought of loosing my child mind numbing.

No...it has to be a dream....it has to be.

I lost everything...I can't loose my miracle.

My vision goes blurry as I see everyone shouting and medical staff running.
But it was too late.

"Scar! Don't close your eyes! You are fine!"

The tattoo girl screams at me, worry covering her features as she looks at the doctor's.
To only have one of them speak.

His words being the last thing I hear as I surrender to the darkness.

"We have lost the child"

No ..I wanted to scream....they are lying.....it can't.....

They have to be...this is a dream....a bad dream

I will wake up from it...

Won't I?"

.........

I wake up with sweat covering my forehead and breathing heavily.

My eyes taking in my surrounding to see a hospital room and panic fills in.

On an instinct, I move my hand to my stomach to only find it held in a warm embrace.

Confused ,I look down to see Ethan asleep beside my bed..his hands holding mine.

I am fine.It was just a dream Vivian.

Calm down.

I move my other free hand on my stomach and a tear leaves my eyes .
Leaning back on the bed,I stare up at the ceiling.

It felt like yesterday....it was just like this....the day when they told me I had lost my miracle.

And so many years later, I still feel that void.
The void which Ethan was trying to fill.

Pulling my hand back from his grip, I see him move.
His sleepy tired eyes, look up at me.

To only widen in surprise.

While I recollect my memories seeing him....the shoot...the bar...the alley...the pervert....and then the hero.

The man with green eyes.

Was it a dream? I remember Ethan finding me after it.
But what about the green eyed man...why did he left me when he heard Ethan's footsteps.

I can still feel his warm embrace and trust me....I have never felt like home before.

Except in the embrace of that stranger.

Who was he? Why did he save me? And why did he left?

"Vivian?"

I hear a voice , making me come out of my thoughts. My green eyes met his brown ones that looked lost and vulnerable.

"How are you feeling? Wait..I will call the doctor! Does it hurt somewhere?"

I just stare at him, as he looks too confused and tired. Dark circles visible under his eyes...his shirt covered in blood

My blood.

His usual cold eyes, pools of concern today.

Don't tell me even he pities me now. Fuc* Vivian! Why do you have to be so stupid?
Drinking and then.... walking alone in an ally at midnight.

You brought this sh** to yourself.

A sharp pain shoots in my temple as I try moving . My hand moves up to feel bandages covering my head.

"Sh**!"

I curse. To have him rush towards me. Holding my shoulders.

"Don't. Just lay back down."

He says and I didn't had it in me to argue with him right now. Laying back, I exhale to again find his concerned eyes again staring at me.

I hate that look....I always did.

"Stop looking at me like that"

He narrows his eyes in confusion

"Like what?"

I stare at him before replying.

"Like you pity me."

My reply startled him. Opening and closing his mouth, he was unable to say something.

To only have him take a deep sigh.

"Stop it Vivian. You need to rest. Just lay down for a while till I call the doctor."

He says getting up to leave. But not before stopping at the threshold and looking above his shoulders to answer my previous question.

"I don't pity you Vivian. I may have in the past.....but not anymore "

What does he mean by that? What changed....people don't change on their own.
Do they?

Yah...oh I forgot. You don't have a heart to pity...Soph took it along as well it seems.
What a manipulate bast****

The way he made me model for that shoot...made my blood boil.
He is still playing with me...I should have known it already.

If he thinks he can play with my body like it's a fuc* toy? And then leave me like that.

He is damn wrong.

I can't be wooed by his tricks anymore. Plus wasn't he who said, he will never forgive me even if I repent my entire life?
News flash Ethan Lockwood.

I don't want your damned forgiveness because I did nothing wrong.

I have had enough of playing the damsel in distress.

I have had enough of people playing with my body, my mind, my freedom, my life.

It was time to take reins in my hands

It was time to find the truth I have been running from all my life.

It was time to find my child's murderer.

"Doctor she is awake "

Ethan and the doctor enter. The doctor assessed my injury and checked my vitals.
Telling Ethan something.

.
.
.
"Your wife is fine now Mr Lockwood. Don't worry. Just keep in mind to give this medicine twice a day and this........."

I blocked out their conversation. But I could still feel that same stare again.

Ethan.

What is wrong with him?Why is he staring at me weirdly? And that's when I see his eyes flickering lower to my lips every few seconds.

And I ignore it...no wait a second...that look.

Those eyes were not focussed at my lips but at my....no! It can't be happening!

Was it guilt? No....no...sh**!

Now I know why he looked at me like that earlier.

My hand lifts to my scar and that's when I feel blood freeze in my veins.

He clenches his fist when he noticed my action and my doubt just got confirmed.

Fuc*!

He knew!

Before I go unveiling others truths, I guess it was time to first unveil myself to him .

It was time to show him why I refused to model.

It was time to show him the insecurities I harboured and pains I subdued.

It was time to accept my scar and embrace it as a token of my strength.

   It was time to unveil the

        "The Scarred Beauty"