-The Inner Child-

Verena stood by Louis's car, her gaze fixed on the expanse of the blue, cloudy sky above. The soft whispers of the breeze played with her hair as she lost herself in the tranquil moment. It was a brief respite from the whirlwind of emotions that had defined her life lately.

As she watched the shifting clouds, her mind drifted back to a time when her life had taken a drastically different turn, a time when she had been on a very different path.

Suddenly, her reverie was shattered by a voice calling her name. She turned, her eyes narrowing slightly in surprise, to see Vincent approaching. Vincent, one of her rivals from school, had always been quick with biting remarks and a sarcastic edge.

He walked up to her with a smirk and a glint of amusement in his eyes. He couldn't resist the urge to bring up her past, the part of her life she was desperately trying to leave behind.

"Well, well, if it isn't Verena," Vincent remarked, his tone oozing with sarcasm. "I heard you took a little vacation, didn't you? A cosy stay in the big house?"

Verena's expression tightened, a mixture of irritation and resignation flickering across her face. She hadn't expected to encounter Vincent here, of all places, and she braced herself for what was coming next.

But she wasn't the same person she once was. Her past, though shadowed by mistakes, was a part of her journey. She had paid her dues and was determined to move forward.

She met Vincent's gaze squarely, her voice measured and firm. "Yes, I had my share of challenges, and I've learned from them. But I've moved on, Vincent, and I'm focused on building a better future."

Her response carried a quiet strength, a reflection of her determination to leave behind the shadows of her past and step into the light of her new life with Louis. 

Vincent might have known about her time in jail, but she was determined to prove that she had emerged from that experience stronger and wiser.

Verena sighed in resignation and reluctantly moved aside to go inside. However, her moment of reprieve was short-lived as he suddenly clasped her hand, his touch sending a wave of revulsion through her. Her expression soured at the unwanted contact.

Instead of succumbing to fear or tears, she met his gaze with a defiant glare. For a brief moment, he considered releasing her hand, but the weight of their shared history and his own internal struggles held him back. His expression shifted from hesitation to determination.

"Let's go. We need to be somewhere," he declared, his tone brisk and businesslike.

Verena's patience wore thin as she demanded, "Let go of me; otherwise, you will regret it!" Her words held a hint of anger and frustration. 

His grip remained firm, neither scared nor intimidated but rather stunned by her newfound assertiveness. He turned to look at her and was met with the fierce gaze of a determined woman.

"What? Will you shout for help? Haha... like anybody has ever step to help you ever?" 

"Don't worry. I will not let Ariana take you. I promise," he assured her, his voice tinged with sincerity as he pulled her towards his car. Verena tried everything to stop him, but her efforts proved futile.

As a last resort, she decided to shout for help. Without hesitation, she opened her mouth and began to scream, "HELP ME! HE—"

Before she could utter another word, he swiftly silenced her by placing his hand over her mouth, preventing any further outburst. 

Panic gripped her, but she was unable to move or say anything as his firm hold kept her in check.

His eyes darted anxiously around the surroundings, ensuring no one had heard her cries for help. The realisation struck him that she had changed. 

No longer the scared, crying child she once was, she now stood her ground, her heart racing but unwavering in the face of his touch.

The tension in the air thickened as he kept a vice-like grip on Verena, a cruel smirk curling his lips. His eyes scanned the surroundings, ensuring there were no witnesses to their encounter. In his twisted mind, he relished the fear he saw in Verena's eyes.

Verena, feeling trapped and powerless, struggled against his hold. Her eyes pleaded with anyone who might come to her aid, but they were alone in this unsettling situation.

He leaned in closer to Verena, his voice dripping with malevolence. "Verena, you should know by now that there's no one here to save you. You're mine to do with as I please."

Verena's heart raced, and her eyes darted around, searching for any chance to escape his clutches. She despised Vincent before her, her anger and fear fueling a desperate desire for freedom.

As he continued to maintain his grip on her, he revelled in the feeling of power and control. He relished her vulnerability and the torment he was inflicting on her.

Verena knew she had to act fast. With a surge of adrenaline, she gathered her strength and managed to break free from his grasp, stumbling backward, her expression a mixture of fear and determination.

Verena, her voice quivering with a mix of fear and defiance, turned to face the villain who had tormented her for far too long.

"You may have caught me off guard this time, but you'll never break me. I'll fight you every step of the way, and one day I will be free of your darkness."

Her brave words hung in the air, a testament to her unwavering spirit and determination to escape the clutches of these monsters, who had haunted her life. 

Vincent's cruel words sliced through the air, followed by the sharp sting of his slap. Verena's cheek burned from the impact, and though she couldn't move or complain, her eyes blazed with defiance as she stared at him.

"Now look how I will punish you because you deserve—"

Before he could finish his sentence, someone yanked him from behind. He tumbled to the ground, disoriented, and as he tried to regain his bearings, he was met with the unexpected sight of Louis standing before Verena.

Verena, taken aback by Louis's sudden appearance, couldn't help but hope that he hadn't misinterpreted the situation. She knew they were soon to be married, but she also harboured her own ambitions—the desire for power that drove her.

"Who do you think you are to push me, you bastard?" Vincent spat, clearly unimpressed by Louis's presence.

Louis offered a brief, confident reply that brought a subtle smile to Verena's face. Her faith in him was bolstered.

"What are you smiling at? Come on, we have to go home now. We will talk on the way," Vincent said, seemingly unfazed by the circumstances. However, both Verena and Louis wore expressions of disgust.

"What are you saying, you lunatic?" Verena retorted.

"What did you say? Don't make me repeat myself," Vincent snapped back, lunging forward to grab her wrist as if she were his disgruntled girlfriend, attempting to drag her away.

Louis's authoritative voice cut through the tension, making it clear that he wasn't about to let this situation escalate.

"Take another step closer to her, and I will make sure you're lying on the ground all night," Louis warned with a steely firmness, his anger apparent.

"What are you saying? I'm taking my girl home. She's just angry. Can't you stay out of this?" Vincent turned to face Louis, unaware of the change that had come over him.

Louis couldn't help but laugh heartily at this man's words, much to Verena's amusement.

She observed Louis closely, noticing a side of him she had never seen before. She wondered if he had seen her getting slapped? How embarrassed it would be?

He appeared entirely different from the calm, composed person she knew. With furrowed brows and an angry scowl, he looked undeniably attractive.

"What are you laughing at, you psycho?"  Vincent snapped at Louis, and Verena widened her eyes in disbelief at the unfolding confrontation.

Louis, his patience wearing thin in the face of Vincent's arrogance, responded with a biting sarcasm that dripped with condescension.

Louis said it with a sardonic smile. "Oh, I'm just revelling in the pleasure of your charming company. It's not every day I encounter such a fine specimen of misguided determination."

Vincent was taken aback by Louis's cool sarcasm, blinking in surprise, but was quickly irked.

"You think you're so smart, don't you?" Vincent retorted, his voice tinged with annoyance. "Well, let me tell you, intelligence isn't measured by your ability to spew venomous words. It's about actually accomplishing something worthwhile in life." 

The tension between them escalated as the two men locked eyes, each refusing to back down from the verbal battle.

"It's either that or resort to your level of intelligence, and frankly, I'd rather not stoop." Louis smirked. 

Verena watched the exchange with a mixture of amusement and admiration for Louis's ability to handle the situation with wit and sarcasm.

She watched as he walked towards her, held her hand, and closed his fingers with hers as he pulled her out from there. 

She watched their hands, which had intervened. This time, she didn't feel anything bad; instead, she felt safe around him. 

She grinned, turned her head away from Vincent, and stuck her tongue and middle finger out to him like a little kid.