Sophie's pov

When I decided to narrate this story, trust me guys. Even I didn't knew that events will unfold like this.

I never expected to come face to face with him.

I thought...they will not let me as I was dead for this world.

They will kill me before I get to see them again.

That they won't even find my corpse after death.

But I guessed wrong, James never does things without a plan.

And I was always a part of his plan.
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I don't know how I am still surviving after all the torture I went through. I guess I am just breathing.

Because emotions, were long dead inside me.

The grip on my scalp is hurting like sh**! But I was oblivious to it. My eyes only fixed at those brown orbs of my best friend which I have wished to see in last 7 years.

Fate plays a twisted game.

Each second, each whip, each scar, each cry has only made me regret. I regretted my decision of falling for Elijah and hurting my two best friends for it.

I thought these pains to be my retribution.

But I was again wrong.

The pains till now were just the beginning. Facing Ethan after him knowing about the sick games that I played was worse.

I couldn't look him in the eye.

I didn't deserved a best friend like him.

The best friend that I realised was more than that......all the time in captivity.

His eyes..his words..his confronting touch were my only salvation.

And that's when I revert back from my own statement.

I may have been the biggest fool to reject the love of a man who loved me like no one ever could.

I was a fool as much of a fool he was.

Stupid to not realise, he was the one I couldn't live without.

Stupid to not know, how fast my heart beated in his presence.
And how void I felt in his absence.

But I will be a bigger fool to tell this to him now, to pull him back to my unworthy love when he was falling for the girl that loved him.

I didn't deserved his love, I never did.

And I will never let him know , what remained in my heart for him.

I was a stigma on the word best friend.

"Soph?"

I close my eyes. No...I can't...I just can't.
Tears leave my eyes and I could feel their salty taste on my lips.

James chuckles, tightening his grip on my scalp. Making a sharp pain to shoot in my head.

"Bravo! Isn't this a reunion!"

My body feels too weak to resist, I try moving my hands to pry of his disgusting hands off me.

But I am exhausted like always.

Breathing itself a task for my broken ribs.

"Ethan? How was my surprise. See I am not that heartless. Am I?"

I manage to look up from the pool of tears on the cemented floor. Taking in his bandaged thigh to his torso.

He was hurt badly. But thankfully there was no permanent damage.

He survived it.

Just like me here, just like Vivian in Prison.

He survived as well.

My eyes meet his and that's when a sharp pain hits my chest.

Sadness, relief, betrayal, hope

They were all evident there. But the one thing that made James chuckle next to me was coming to surface now.

Vulnerable.

He was vulnerable. Just where James wanted him to me. Because of just one thing.

Me.

I was his weakness.

After all these years, my best friends were finally going to find love again. When again my cursed self had to interfere in their happiness.

But maybe it was not me, it was him always.

James and his sick games.

Maybe I was not the villain, he was. He always was. The mastermind behind every bad thing that ever happened to us.

I open my lips to speak...but the voice.

It doesn't come out.

Something heavy settling in my chest , as I again try. To only find disappointment.

More tears stream down my eyes as only a low cry emerges from my broken chords.

You guessed right.
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I was mute now.
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Deprived of the gift of words and voice. James made sure I couldn't tell anyone the truth. To silence the truth of my death, he silenced me.

Creases appear on Ethan's forehead as his eyes flicker to my lips struggling to speak, to only stop back at my eyes.

"What happened my dear Soph? Wouldn't you greet your best friend with a hello atleast?"

He was rubbing salt on my open wounds.Enjoying this game to the best.
I look up at him with my pleading voice, begging him to stop this.

To only have him grab my chin and pull up my face.

"You want to speak something?"

I close my eyes. It's the best way to hide my vulnerability. And he pushes me back to make me land near Ethan's feet.

"This bitc* is no fun. Let's get the game started."

I breathe heavily, my cheek pressed on the floor as I wish to become invisible. Sweat covering my body as I try again to move myself.

My frail arms, unable to take my weight. As I again fall down in the pool of my own tears.

"What the fuc* have you done to her?"

Ethan speak's for the first time. And I will be lying if I said I didn't miss his voice. Even after everything I did to seperate him from Vivian, he still cared for me.

His voice, it said it all.

It was strained, anger evident in it as he clenches his fist.

"Aren't you too soft boy? Have you forgotten what the girl did to you?"

My eyes met his and I again lower my eyes. To only have him speak still looking at me.

"I know."

"You know? I am afraid you only the half truth. Let me enlighten you to your best friends reality."

"She lied to you that my Son took advantage of her."

"She lied to you that your wife slept with Elijah!"

"She lied to me that the baby in Vivian's womb was Elijah's! So I don't hurt Vivian's child!!"

"If only she knew I would do the opposite. If only she knew that I was so heartless that I could even hurt my own grandchild.....if it was anyway related to that fuc*er Edwards bloodline!"

James screams, kicking my stomach to have my body roll over. I spit out blood, convulsing in pain. To have him kick me again.

My teary eyes met Ethan's who just stared.

His brown eyes softening.

"Stop it."

"You still care for her Ethan. Damn. I knew you were just like your mother."

"What's her name....hmmm Elle... isn't she?"

No....James stop Please... don't go there. Ethan's mom means so much for him.... don't say anything about her.

"A altruistic women. A rare one indeed. Even after how your father gave her away to her aunt when you were still in her womb. She still forgave him."

"What was that....yaa crippled...she was crippled for 5 years after that."

"How did they lie about it? A car accident. Wasn't this what you were told?"

Ethan looks at James in disbelief. And I knew James was succeeding in his plan...no...Ethan no... please don't fall for it.

Please...he is trying to make you hate your father....he is trying to take you away from your loved ones.

"What...what the hell are you saying! You are lying!"

James chuckles.

"I don't need to lie Ethan. Your father is the Mafia King. And one knows, no one can enter this world without getting their hands dirty."

"He married your mother to get her property initially. You think it started at a love at first sight?"

"He called her ugly, he disgraced her. He made her hate herself. And then calling it his selfless love? He gave her away in name of saving this world! He made her aunt take her...who drugged her nearly killing you!"

"You were born immature Ethan. You barely survived then. "

"And it was all because of your mother's kind heart that your parents stayed together."

Ethan was too shocked to say anything. The true love story of his parents was never disclosed to him.

And now he was questioning the reasons.

"No.. you...you are lying"

James scoffs, looking at him bored.

"I knew you would say that. Why don't you ask your father about it?"

"Now coming to the main point. I wouldn't behave like a true villain and ask you to get your dearest Vivian to me in exchange of this bitc*."

"Instead.......I will say the opposite."

Leaning closer to him, James whispers in his ear.

"Go back to your wife and forget about Sophie. Don't do the mistakes your father did."

Ethan looks at him shocked.

"I agree to not interfere in your married life, provided you and and your dad don't interfere in mine."

"I want your father to not cover Edward. To stay away from him and I promise to stay away from you."

Ethan looks down at me....I don't know what James said to him in his ear , but James can no way be trusted.

I move my head in a no...to get no reaction from him.

He just stared.

"What will you do with her?"

He asks James, who chuckles to look back at me. Coming towards me and lifting me up by grabbing my hair.

"Well this bitc* is having a comfortable stay here."

"Aren't you?"

I don't say anything, making his grip to tighten. A low groan leaving my lips.

"She is like a mute useless damaged good anyways. I don't think that you will be able to repair her, even if you spent your entire life mending her."

"So choose wisely."

He is true, I can't refute that.

It will be better if he chooses Vivian.

There is no hope on me.

James motions the guards and they come forward looking at me.
Holding my arms, they were going to drag me inside.

When I hear his voice.

"Stop"

No... please no....Ethan no ...you can't... please....

James looks back at him over his shoulder.

"Decided so fast? I thought it was a difficult one."

While Ethan's eyes were fixed on my teary ones. I move my head in a no, telling him not to make a foolish decision.

When his next words made me close my eyes, a tear sliding down my cheek.

"What do you want in exchange of her life?"

And that's when James chuckles, smiling to himself.

"Well isn't history repeating itself?"

"I thought you were not like your father Ethan?"

Ethan's eyes shift to James, as he says coldly.

"I am not. I am worse than him."

James raises an eyebrow, impressed. To only clap his hands, enjoying the game.

"Let's test it then."

The traces of mischief disappears from James face as he speaks with coldness,and I fear the worst.

Already knowing where this is going.

"All love stories don't have a happy ending my boy.

"And those which do, are just fairytales not reality.
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"My love story was one of then, and I will make sure Edwards story is too."
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Motioning his guards to open Ethan's chains, he approaches him. Placing his hand on Ethan's shoulder.

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"I am sorry for your loss, but true love requires a sacrifice and in this story."

"The sacrifice will be yours"

Turning around and pulling me along, James stops near the threshold.
To give his final words to Ethan, which I knew all along.

"Get me the bastard's daughter and you can have your bitc* back."

I am dragged harshly, as I look at him over my shoulder. His frame growing smaller as the distance between us kept on increasing.

Our eyes longing.

To only get sadness in return as I mouth to him, my last words before he does a blunder which finishes everything.

Choose her

Leave and never come back Ethan. Because the world I live in is hell and I will die before I will drag you to it with me again.

And maybe that's when true love will win.

Maybe that's when your Soph's heart that has betrayed you, will find it's peace again.

And I will forever remain silent to , how much I have always loved my best friend.

Yes..

I had loved you, do love him and will forever love you Ethan.

I will die before.

Your beauty is to be scarred again.

And that's a best friends promise to you.