Madeline unlocked the door of her house, entered the dark room and switched on the lights. The smile never left her lips, as she rushed near the mirror, to get a proper look the necklace, Rex has given her. As, she looked up at her own reflection, her lips seized to smile. The happiness in her eyes got altered with worry. Suddenly, the loud ring of the phone, echoed through the silence, breaking her off her thoughts. She picked it up at once, and took a deep breath, keeping her eyes closed,

"I am home."

"Great!" Rex replied from the other side, "But, you never let me drop you home.

Madeline bit her lower lips and she looked up at her reflection in the mirror, "I can handle myself. I am acquainted."

"That's good though!"

Letting out a wary smile, "I'll call you back."

"Take care."

"Um..."

There was a closeness growing between Rex and her. Lately, they are meeting more, going out more. Enjoying each other's company more and opening up more. Even though, she couldn't deny the warmth she felt, but the closeness, scared her. It has been long she avoided being close to anyone and this sudden change was overwhelming.  She glided her fingers over the marvelous beauty of the necklace. The necklace. It wasn't shining because of the shining stone, but as the symbol of their growing bond. She remembered how, without a single word, he expressed all of himself, as he carefully placed the necklace over her collar bones.

It is true. A necklace. Just a simple necklace. It can make. It can break. It can hold a dream. It can hold a nightmare. The worst it can do, is aggravate it all.

Madeline bowed down, to reach the drawer, and pulled out a half broken blue carved angel wings hanging of a chain. She stood up and held it before her eyes, an enormous agony filled her heart.

That broken necklace too held a promise. A fake promise of a fake love.

(Past scenes)

At the hospital, 5 years ago,

As the door clicked open and Jacob entered the hospital room, Madeline snapped her head towards the direction of the sound. Within a split second, a hostility spread over her face. She jumped out of the bed and held a glass against Jacob. The equipments were attached to her and placed on the either side, almost toppled over the bed. But, nothing bothered her.

She kept a defensive posture intact, while the fear in her eyes was clear. Seeing her trepidated sight, Jacob pulled up his hands in an attempt to calm her down, "Hey, easy, I wont harm you. Trust me."

"Let me go." she warned in a dead yet quivering voice, "LET. ME. GO!"

" Listen, I.."  Jacob slowly and cautiously extended his hand towards her. But that ended up steering her anxiety. She pressed both her hands over her ears and let out shrieks. With a quick motion, Jacob stepped back, keeping a painful look locked on her. 

"JUST LET ME GO!, I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK! " As incoherent words started to escape her mouth, the intensity of her voice and her defense started to come down. She melted down on the floor, crying out loud, damping her bruises, on her face," I don't want to go backk.."

Jacob stood their frozen as she glided down and curled herself up on the floor, crying. He kept studying her till she cooled down. Maybe, the weakness was starting to overpower. Swallowing in a hard gulp, he took baby steps towards her.

As she realized, him walking closer to her, she snapped up at him and held back the glass towards him. Eyes red, voice rasp, "DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Staying where was seemed to be the best in his judgement. Taking in a deep breath, he composed himself and squatted on the floor. Madeline, in return, squeezed herself in, further. "I am Jacob Thompson." he started in a composed tone,  "I am a cop. I'm here to help you."

Her eyebrows creased at his words. She pondered his words and in a few moments, her eyes turned back defensive. She looked up and questioned, "He paid you."

"What?"

Madeline shook her head frantically, " Don't try to puddle me. He paid you, to take me to back. I know you would hand me over to him. I don't trust me!"

Jacob cocked his head and his look softened further,  "No one hired me. Trust me, I won't harm you. I brought you to the hospital. You fell sick on the streets."

Madeline kept staring at him, in disbelief.

He studied through her lost look and sighed,  "If I had to hand you over to him, you would not have been here."

"No,..."

"Trust me for once! Tell me about yourself, tell me who did this to you.I can take you back home."

After listening to his words, the glass fell of her hand. Her eyes softened and tears rolled down her cheeks. She shifted her eyes to the floor and broke down.

Jacob walked up to her and sat beside her, "Where is your home?"

Madeline slowly raised up her face and looked towards Jacob, now in a softer look, trying her best to trust someone.

Jacob nodded at her silent query, "I'll drop you."

Madeline shook her head, "I don't have a home. anymore."

His breath hitched at her confession, "What do you mean?"

"I can't go back, they'll find me. They...he killed her before my eyes."

Jacob frowned and turned his torso towards her, "He killed whom?"

She winced.

"He killed whom, dear?" he repeated in a gentler tone.

"My mother." She managed to reply in between wails, "He took away, everything from me. I'm left void."

"Where do you come from?"
She rubbed away her tears, "Savannah...."

"WHAT?"

His voice came out louder  and Madeline trembled in her place.

" I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Jacob looked down, as Madeline kept looking at him in a hopeful sight.

Jacob thought for a while, and held up his face, "Come with me."

Her eyes balled out at his words, She slipped through the floor, backwards trying to extend the gap between them, while she shook her head frantically

Jacob read through her hostility and assured, "I have my family at home. Come with me, to my home. I promise you, I won't let him reach you."

At Jacob's place,

Madeline finally accepted his offer and let him bring her to his place. She kept awkwardly seated at the corner of a sofa and kept looking around every detail in his house. Jacob extended her a glass of orange juice. She glanced at the juice and back at Jacob, who nodded at her, in return. She warily accepted the glass and fit it between her palm.

After she took a little sip, Jacob walked up to the opposite sofa and sat down. He kept a fair distance from her, so that he doesn't end up scaring her.

Jacob paused for a while and asked, "What's your name?"

Madeline looked up at Jacob, "M..Madeline."

"Madeline." leaning a bit towards her, "That's a beautiful name.

"He..he killed her." she spoke out of the blue.

He decided to respond, "Who?"

"Cor....Corvett. He killed my Mother."

"Oh No" as the exclamation escaped Jacob's mouth, Madeline started to cry, uncontrollably. 

" I was stupid. " she sobbed, "I was a bloody stupid."

Jacob rubbed his palm, "How did he reach you?"

Madeline stopped crying, as she looked down at the floor.

"Madeline?"

"He was my boyfriend."

Jacob whispered,"Oh F*ck!"

" He came to my house that day, just as any other day. He gifted me a dress, and we were about to go on a date, when mom tried to stop us." she looked down at her dress and started fidgeting with the hem of her top, " After, the worst already happened, I realized, everything was a joke. There were more men, waiting in a car. The next thing I know, I was inside the dark cell, where no one heard, as I screamed. One who did, were those paying heavy bucks.

Jacob let out a sharp exhale and closed his eyes. Blurred pictures backed by her explanation started to play in his mind. Thinking about everything that was done to a girl, who was just a kid, made his blood boil.

Jacob opened his eyes and looked at Madeline, "W...when did it happen?"

Madeline looked up at him and a coldness sheilded over her face, "an year, before I fled."

Jacob frowned, "How?"

Madeline kept looking at him with enlarged eyes, as he did the same.

"I did!"

(Past scenes end)

As the memories, rushed through her mind, tears fill up her cheeks.

She trusted the devil who was posed as an angel. She ended up loving and trusting a person, who wanted nothing from her but a price off her body. That one person from whom she expected warmth, kept her behind cold bars. He, who she expected would take her away from all odds, killed her mother in cold blood.

He mocked as she cried out in pain. Sufferings, till the moment, she seized to feel anything. Till she was left numb, as a living corpse.

Although, it's been five years, she still kept with herself, the broken piece of the necklace, which Corvett gave her, once. No! it was no where near a symbol of love. Rather it was a symbol of rage.

It was a fuel to her vengeance. An encouraging factor, for times she fell weak. A promise to self, to never stop till she witnessed the end game.