Chemical Poison . Howard Stark

Chapter 38

Passion was what made diamonds, truly. It was the heat, the power and the energy that made an individual sparkle and shine. It was what made humanity a gem and the sharpest blade. Passion was both the maker and the destroyer.

So it was no surprise that Howard slipped a diamond ring onto her finger once they arrived back at their accomodation later that night.

It was far too big for an engagement ring, but Anneliese couldn't deny that it was the prettiest little thing she had ever seen. Nor had she ever seen such a quality one either - it shined and sparkles in all the right ways. The diamond on her finger caught her attention the second she laid eyes on it - it was controlling, it was cold to the touch and it screamed collected.

All the smaller diamonds around it was meticulously placed and even the gold band didn't take the spotlight from the diamond. It was completely and utterly addicting.

"Diamonds suit you."

Howard's words rang across the room - transporting her back into the room. They stood alone. All the security personal were absent, they were completely alone.

But Anneliese could not speak.

There was a diamond ring on her finger.

Glancing her eyes back down to the diamond, she knew they were alike. Made by flames and unrelenting pressure. There has always a great level of fire from within. Sizzling, burning and begging for release. It was both passion and love.

She's kept it locked up but Anneliese could argue that she was just never given the key. That there was a great big lock in her body that prohibited her from giving herself completely to love.

That perhaps this flame was forced into a corner so dark that there was no shadows or smoke, that it was simply just red. Was it passion or anger? Love or fear? Maybe, just maybe, they were exactly the same. That passion felt exactly like anger; that the thumping of the heart was both falling in love and fear. They were the same, completely the same.

But no gate kept this closed as the key was found, probably a long time ago, but the gate had been open for a long time. So long that vines grew over the door frame: swirling, growing, and breathing.. It was the final defence that kept love from throughly claiming Anneliese as its own. A sense of duty to family, a contract of love and a level of fear. An undescriable word- no, it was a word better left unsaid.

After all diamonds were made from heat and pressure and Anneliese has always been under a great deal of pressure.

But a single glance back up at Howard threw her entire axis off balance. His lips were smiling but his eyes was something else. No longer there vivid hazel; no vodka or flames to be seen.

It was dilute and the colour of olden paper. It was parchment stained with tea spills and years of reading. A whole story could be seen within his eyes. Even as his smile remained and his comment echoed still - the tragedy written within his eyes explained it all.

There was regret and adoration in those eyes controlled by a sense of duty and a longing for undying dreams. She's seen these eyes before, just never in his.

The tragedy of forbidden love, the type that could never be, always stared back at her in the mirror. And if they shared this same understanding, that even after a year or so of this fake dating ploy. Maybe, just maybe, Howard had a heart of diamonds like Anneliese's. That this type of love was created by pressure and heat.

Now, they had thrown themselves into a new environment where the pressures were darker and the heat was so much more dangerous. Fake dating was child's play, but a fake engagement?

The two were certain to be burned alive.

With this, Anneliese could come to two conclusions:
1. Diamonds were indeed made from heat and passion.
2. They probably wouldn't be able to withstand the consequences.

She just never expected these consequences to come from a diamond ring on her left finger.

A short and sweet chapter has always be my preferred type. Get ready for the real action to begin. ;) the world building and setting up has concluded.