Lifeline

Chapter 50; Deal.

Nothing, was stopping me from heading into the New York Central Prison.

"Trust me on this okay..." I pleaded.

He sighed and nodded, placing his hand on my lower back and leading me in.

Our visit had been made known to the officials already.

So as we stepped in, after a brief salutation, mostly to Ethan of course, we were led to a room.

"I am not letting you go in there alone." Ethan yelled.

He was to wait outside of the four  walled glass room, watching as I conversed with Olivia.

"In fact, thank you for your time, we would take our leave now." he glared at the officers and grabbed my arm.

"Ethan... Ethan...  Please..." he stopped moving. "Please, babe. Just trust me on this, I need this." I stressed on the word 'need'.

He looked at me again.

And then, he sagged his shoulders, accepting defeat.

It really is true that actions speak louder than words.

So, without another word, I took my arm out of his hold and walked into the aforementioned room.

Just a few seconds later, a shadow of what was once Olivia, walked in.

She had her head bent.

"Liv..." I whispered.

She still didn't look up.

"I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for everything you did for me, from our days in college, till the day I thought you destroyed my life." I lightly chuckled. "I'm grateful because when I thought you destroyed my life, you actually placed the first building block for my recovery. I am sorry you felt the way you did all through the years. I'm sorry about that guy you liked, I had no idea. And if it helps, I didn't go out with him."

I was freeing myself.

"You were and still are a part of my life Olivia. A very huge part. We may never be the same as we once were, God knows I don't think I can trust you after you took away lives," I took a deep breath, "but, what I do know is, I have forgiven you. Dan was a good man Liv, he was like a brother to me, and what you did to him... It..." I didn't need to think of that now.

I stood up, ready to leave.

But I turned back, trying to offer her some redemption.

"Regardless of what you did to him, wherever Dan is right now, I know he has forgiven you."

That. That got her attention.

But even when she looked at me, her hatred was still very evident.

"You can go to hell." she screamed at me.

I smiled and walked out.

That really went well.

"That sucked." Ethan spoke as we walked back to the car.

"I thought it went well." I said in a sing song voice while putting on my seat belt.

He laughed.

"You went ahead to visit someone who didn't want you happy, just to thank her for the happiness you have now."

Huh! Was that how it sounded?

Well, that was all behind me.

I got my closure.

"You know, in most romantic novels, there's always this action, or kidnapping or something that causes the male lead to either risk his life or all his wealth. But, in our case, we just got a confrontation of sorts." I laughed.

"I remember the day I met you in that restroom, you mentioned reading novels too." he joined me.

Yes. Yes, I did.

And as I watched him drive while he laughed, feeling so carefree, weightless, I couldn't help fall even more in love.

So, here's the thing.

Remember when we started this story.

I used to think it was funny that celebrities got paid for their jobs whereas the fans that stalked them day and night didn't get paid.

Now that I think of it, it wasn't funny.

Ethan suffered because he was a celebrity. He suffered because these fans judged his every move. The fame gave him nothing but hypocrites as friends.

And even though those circumstances brought us together, I couldn't help think of how things would have been different if he didn't have to fear people using him.

But, I was grateful.

Grateful I had him by my side now.

Grateful we were off to our cake tasting.

Grateful we were to be married within the next month.

I couldn't be happier.

This man was my rock.

He was my world.

And after I learnt a different way to define the word,

I called him my lifeline.

Mine.

My own lifeline.

The End.

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