A tear slid down Madison's cheek, as she stared at her apartment.
Her eyes roaming around the small room, she'd come to call home for the past few months, she couldn't help but feel emotional and downcast all of a sudden.
Finally, she was leaving.
Leaving London, leaving her past and leaving all her worries behind, hoping she would be able to get a fresh start.
Taking a step towards her small bed, her hand touching the soft mattress, another tear slid down her cheeks, as she held herself from sobbing so heavily.
Just yesterday she'd been here with her mother, on this soft foam and as they'd cuddled together, soaking each other's warmth, Madison had wished to stay at that position forever.
She didn't want morning to come, and she wanted time to just freeze. For a second she had wanted to just be her mother's daughter, and feel so carefree and happy.
But wishes weren't horses, and even if it was she couldn't ride.
Her mind wandering back to the previous night again, Madison closed her eyes briefly as different memories assailed her.
Different memories and revelations too, and she recalled all the things her mother had told her about Damien's late father, the first man she'd loved.
With her mother blaming herself for the strained relationship Madison had with Damien, even wondering if it was a curse of some sort, Madison had been been duly confused and she'd pestered for answers. Answers her mother had obligingly given her.
The late Mr Daniels, had been her mother's first love, and they'd had the most beautiful relationship. Madison could note that because even as her mother talked, her eyes shone so bright in the dim lighting of the room, and she'd never seen the old woman so happy.
Not even when she talked about her own husband, not at all.
Madison had never doubted the love her parents had for each other, but last night she'd been so uncertain that even when her mother assured her that she later grew to love her father, she just couldn't believe it wholeheartedly.
She was more than stunned and angry that her mother didn't get the happy ending she deserved, but well it was now all in the past, and the both of them had moved on.
But just as if fate wanted to play the most cruelest games between the poor tragic couple, it had brought their children together into what could only be termed as the worst kind of love story.
A love story that was filled with heartaches, betrayal, denials, cheating and even blood... Their unborn child. The 5 months old child she'd miscarried.
Brief flashes of that fateful night filled her head. How she'd been living under the bridge, and that particular night she'd been almost sexually assaulted by four grown men.
She had fought so hard, and despite avoiding their advances and begging that she was pregnant, they'd not only molested her, but they'd landed heavy blows and beat the living daylights out of her.
She'd fainted, only to awaken in the morning to a small crowd of passers by gathered around, staring at her bloodied battered body.
Some good samaritans had rushed her poor young self back then to the hospital and there she'd gotten the most devastating news of her life.
A lump forming in Madison's throat all of a sudden, she couldn't help but cry softly again. Her knees trembling as she plopped her ass on the bed, grabbing the pillow as she buried her head into the soft foam.
She hated this part, the part where she cried like a baby. The part where she remembered all she'd gone through, and then she'd shed bloody fucking tears.
Anytime she remembered how she'd almost been raped, and how she'd lost her baby, she felt gutted.
It hurt so much, and the feeling was so raw. Like someone had ripped open her chest, and there was nothing inside. Not any emotion or any feeling. Nothing more than an empty void that existed between her heart and lungs.
All these years she'd always blamed herself for the loss of her child and the surrounding factors that led to her anguish, but now she was going to stop feeling that way. She hadn't done any wrong.
She'd just fallen blindly in love back then, and if she could go back in time to relive those memories, maybe she would or she had no idea.
She wasn't going to blame herself anymore, instead she was going to accept that this was her fate, and this was her own life story.
Again Madison knew that she needed to try her hardest to get rid of any memory that might remind her of Damien or their past, if not she'd never felt better.
However, she couldn't deny that part of her still held onto the image of the carefree handsome teen she'd fallen in love with back then, and it was forever stuck in her head. But she had to forget just that good part of him.
There was also the case of betrayed feeling and shattered hopes she had every time she thought of him, and as it gnawed deep within her bones, it scared the hell out of her.
This was just why she had to leave. Why she had to leave this place, this environment, this city and every single thing that would remind her of him.
Getting up from her bed, Madison sniffed and wiped at the tears flowing down her face freely.
She shot a glance at her packed luggage waiting for her, and straightening herself she walked towards it, and grabbed the handle of one of the box.
She was now standing at the door, ready to go out and meet her mother, Gina and her neighbors who were already waiting to wave her goodbye.
A smile flickered her lips, when she recalled how her mother had gone from house to house last night, telling the neighbors about her journey and they'd all promised to come see her off today, and now they were here.
Breathing heavily and composing herself again for the umpteenth time, Madison turned back and spared her small room one last glance.
Muttering some incorrigible words and a prayer, she bowed her head solemnly, lit her face up with a warm smile and then she turned the door knob, her luggage already in hand.
It was time to bid her goodbyes!
.......
Damien could barely think straight as he paced around his suit.
He'd just taken his bath, and eaten but still he felt so restless with unprecedented guilt eating up at him.
He didn't know why he was feeling this way, but he knew what could put him at ease. Madison... Now his idea of giving her space, sounded like a bad thing to do and he just wanted to see her again.
He wanted to talk to her again, and see if he could beg her and get her to listen to him still.
'She's done with you man. She doesn't want you anymore. You've hurt her so much and...'
"Arghhh, fuck! Just shut it!" Damien yelled, his fists clenching as he motioned his inner mind to keep quiet.
The voices in his head had already termed him a failure, and every single second they kept on reminding him of the fact that he could never get Madison back.
She was not his anymore, and he should just give up everything. He'd given up the revenge plans he had against the Connors already because of her, but he just couldn't let his love for her go like that.
He wanted her, no he needed her! She was his life, the bane of his existence and even though it had taken him so long to see the truth, there was just no way he was going to let her go so easily.
He closed his eyes, and flashes of that night they'd kissed accosted his mind. The lapping of their tongues together, and that sweet scent of hers clouding his senses had him smiling wearily.
Only if he could back to the past, or if he could even change the hands of time and make everything right.
He didn't even know when he began to cry, but he felt tears streaming down his face as he thought aimlessly and he cursed inaudibly.
He'd caused this himself. He'd humiliated her, just like she'd told him that night, with tears and hurt in her eyes and Damien's chest tightened again.
Could he even blame her? He couldn't. She had every right to feel this way. Even worser. He'd brought nothing but pain and anguish to her.
The shrill ringing of his cell phone brought him out of his thoughts and back to the present, and for a second he felt like ignoring the sound but he just couldn't.
Dragging his feets to the bed, and picking the device up, he swiftly swiped the answer button when he saw it was Alvarez calling.
Did his best friend have any news for him? Had he spoken to Madison, just like he said he would?
"What's up man?" Alvarez voice cut in, and ignoring the pleasantries, and ruffling his hair with his left hands Damien replied in kind by asking, "Did you talk to Madison? Have you called her and did she say anything to you?"
"Woah man, easy." Alvarez said after a while, but Damien just couldn't go easy at all.
He was damn restless now, and he was barely holding himself.
The urge to go see Madison, was stronger now than ever. He wanted to see her, hold her in his arms and stroke her beautiful strawberry blonde hair.
He would tell her just how much he loved her and...
"Just tell me, did you talk to her. I'm trying to give us some space just like you said. It's been two days since we talked last, and I was on my knees begging and now I'm more than anxious to know if she has thought about everything again. I know I hurt her, but the fact that she doesn't even want to speak to me is killing me and I..."
"I understand man." Alvarez chimed in, cutting through his speech as he dropped a rather bad news, "I've been trying her line too all through yesterday night, but it isn't going through at all."
"What!"
"Yes man. It's switched off, and that's just what I wanted to tell you. That's why I called. I have no idea why her phone is suddenly dead all through, and this is not like her. Permit me to say, but I feel like something is wrong somewhere. I..."
"You know what?" Damien began, and after he got a positive response from his best friend he continued, "You just continue trying, and when you get through to her, then you get back to me okay."
"Sure thing man. I'll make sure to tell you. How are you doing though? Hope you're patching fine? You're not sounding so well and..."
"I'm okay man. I just..." Damien trailed off, at a loss of words already
He didn't know how to continue his sentence or what to even say again. He wasn't in a good state mentally at all, and not wanting to bother Alvarez much he said after a while, "I'm fine man. I think we should talk some other time. Preferably when you've gotten across to her."
"Okay man, if you say so."
"Yeah. Send my regards to Ivy and your wife."
"I will man, I will." Without saying anything else, Damien hung up and as he threw his phone in his pocket, he rubbed his palms together as different thoughts ran through his head.
He looked around the empty suite, the room closing in on him, and instantly he started to feel uncomfortable.
He needed to leave. He had to leave. He should get out, get some fresh air, maybe then his head could cool off.
But as the saying goes - There was no peace of the wicked - At least not for someone like him, and without thinking twice Damien grabbed his jacket, room card and car keys as he began to leave the suite.
He hadn't told Alvarez this, nor did he even think he would be doing it anytime soon, but here he was already - thinking of going to Madison's house and talking to her again.
He'd be damned, if he didn't fight for what was his! No matter what happened.
And this was exactly why he had to see her. Madison could yell and scream all she wanted, she could curse him, beat him, and rage at him, but again he'd be damned if she thought he was letting her go without making more than enough attempt to fix things once and for all.
Damien left the hotel and getting outside the sunny atmosphere started to dampen, and it looked like rainy clouds were beginning to hover just atop the skies.
For a second, as he looked up, the grey cloudy skies almost calmed him, and he lost himself for a moment until he heard the first few cars honking behind him and it made him start to walk again to where his car was parked.
Today was going to be a long day. He could already sense it.
.......
Thanks for reading. 💕