———

Third person's POV

The narrow street etched into darkness. It was past midnight and the street was desolate, only some rats swarming in and out of sight on the damp and cold floor. The street smelt of garbage and the shops that surrounded the street were poverty stricken.

A figure appeared in the slightest bit of light at the street which came from a light bulb of a shop that hung on its last wire. She glided across the street and scoffed at the rats that crossed the paths, fearing the figure's movements.

Her black raincoat that seemed oversized was completely covering her face from recognition.

She walked down the street and it turned to the right where large stacks of barrels laid untouched for years. Fungus coated the rotted wood and it smelt disgusting, a stone wall connected itself to the barrels on either side.

She looked around her surroundings and then moved one barrel aside with one of her gloved hands to reveal a crawl space.

She crouched and wrinkled up her nose whilst crawling into the space and out the secret other end, not forgetting to replace the barrel. The secret end was unknown by the cops but was an amazing find for the criminals to hide in. Jumping out of the crawl space, she rose to her feet.

Another figure lay in the corner of this secret space where a springy and tarnished mattress was left abandoned. He scrambled to his feet anxiously when he saw her. "Any luck for food?" Mark asked.

The figure took down her raincoat and snarled. "No father, I found this sh*t!" Christy yelled and pulled out a wet crumpled up poster that stated 'WANTED' with her and her parents' pictures on it, from her raincoat's pocket.

"You brat! You need to understand that we are criminals, and people are hunting us." Audrey stepped out of the shade and yelled as she confronted her stepdaughter with an evil glare. Audrey had on a cheap rag for a dress, it was torn on the shoulders and had an ugly odor to it, and she had dirt covering her face.

"Don't yell at my child like that." Mark seethed at Audrey as he confiscated the poster from Christy's hand and threw it on the concrete ground. "Do we have any leftovers from lunch?" Mark questioned with a hopeful face, his head was completely shaved and sweat beaded at his forehead. The space was so confined and compressed that it generated heat from the 3 people living in it.

"No you f*cking idiot. This child of yours failed to do a simple task and for that," Audrey got ahold of Christy's hair and brought her face up close to Christy. Christy smelled the stench of Audrey's mouth and squirmed away. "I'll make this little brat pay." Mark was quick in pulling Christy away from Audrey's rage.

"Audrey stop! You could alert someone of our location if you keep yelling." Mark whisper yelled at Audrey who glared at him like a nemesis. Christy clutched onto her father's hand. "When will we get out of here?" She whined as she observed a giant spider curling itself on its freshly spun web in a corner.

Audrey walked over to the mattress and sat on it whilst shaking with vengeance. Silence cascaded throughout the room. Abandoned wheels of a bicycle sat in a corner of the room and ruffled up paper was littered amongst the ground.

"That b*tch that I mistakenly conceived is the reason behind this." Audrey seethed and spit on the ground thinking of Violet, of whom she despised. "Once we catch her," Mark smirked and paused, "Once we put our plan to action, we'll be free." He said and licked his lips hungrily thinking of their plan for freedom.

Christy moved away from her father and chuckled manically. "We'll get her." Christy giggled and Audrey snarled. "How are we meant to catch her? She's in a different place now." Christy turned back around and giggled. "Actually mom, I know where our princess is."

Audrey smirked wickedly as she thought of the many ways to torture Violet. "Where?" Christy sighed and picked up the poster off the ground and straightened it. "Here, it's a number for the authorities. We just need to call them anonymously and then find out her whereabouts."

Mark was ecstatic and clapped his hands whilst laughing loudly. "Amazing! I knew you would do something smart." Christy and Audrey joined Mark too. Their sinister laughs were sounding throughout the room.

They were successfully hidden.

———

Violet's POV

My body rested on the smooth cushions that embraced my back. The sun was high up in the clear sky and I felt the feels of summer shining upon my face. I was in the backyard where I took some time alone with the sun. It was a blissful afternoon, no interruptions.

I held a glass up to my lips that was filled with lemonade and sipped it, my throat felt refreshed in the heat wave. The ring on my left hand glimmered in the sunlight, reflecting itself. I set the glass back on the wooden table and sighed. Adrian was upstairs in his room, his health was getting better for the past few days.

Adrian also moved the schedule for his photoshoot two months from now. He was also attending the gym again but Mr and Mrs Hayes told him not to stress over it too much.

Adrian started to talk to me more often and I felt more comfortable around him then I had since we met a few months back. Our relationship was still awkward but at least we weren't hating on one another.

I just couldn't seem to understand how I felt about him. I didn't trust him before but now I partly trusted him.

A breeze of wind caused a few strands of my hair to fly around in different directions. I pushed a strand behind my ear and stood up from my seat. I was wearing a white summer dress which reached just above my knees and covered my shoulders.

I grabbed my finished lemonade glass and walked back inside the house through the backdoor. I placed the glass in the sink and grabbed a cookie from the cookie jar that was situated in one of the cabinets.

Taking a bite out of the cookie, I turned around to head back outside but stopped when I heard Adrian's voice coming from the living room. "Now?... Yeah, that'll be great... thanks, we'll be there in an hour."

He must've been taking someone over the phone. I shrugged and set my foot outside but I heard his voice again, this time it was closer to me. "Violet?" I jumped feeling startled and slowly turned around. Adrian stood a meter away from me, wearing his shorts and t-shirt.

His face was hard to comprehend, I could say he was nervous. He was scratching the back of his neck and smiling breathtakingly. "We need to go somewhere. I'll change in a couple of minutes, I think you wouldn't need to anyway." I was confused.

Where do we need to go?

I wanted to ask, but I knew better than to speak. I wanted to stay and enjoy the sun but I shook my disapproving thoughts away and looked into his eyes.

I nodded hesitantly and walked past him into the entrance hall with him following me. "I'll take a few minutes." I nodded to his statement and leaned over the shoe rack and took my time wearing my shoes as I waited for Adrian to get ready.

When I heard footsteps, I realized he was finished and I turned to face him. He switched his clothes for black jeans and a blue and black checkered flannel. His blond hair was pushed back and he was smiling widely. My heart fluttered cause his smile was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen.

Adrian stepped down the last step and quickly reached into the shoe rack and pulled on his black colored shoes. He fidgeted his hand in his jeans pocket for his car keys. "Ready to go?" He asked when he found them. I nodded and followed him to his car after he locked the front door shut.

My forehead was burning by the sun's hot shine. I sat in the front seat and strapped myself in it before leaning my head against the seat and away from the sun's penetrating flare. A moment later Adrian took a seat in the driver seat and started the engine.

Once we were on the road I tried to figure out where we were going. I could've asked Adrian but I was too scared to voice my opinions since I didn't feel entirely safe around Adrian. I wouldn't have gone on this mystery trip with him if it weren't for keeping my promise with Mrs Hayes. Questions were flowing throughout my mind impatiently for answers but I would have to shut them out.

I wasn't scared of Adrian anymore. I had seen him in one of his weakest moments. He was just like anyone, like me. He suffered through helplessness and stress. And I suffered from feeling out of place like a burden.

I glanced at Adrian from the corner of my eyes. His hair was ruffled due to the wind and eyes intensely stared at the road. I remembered the photo album Mrs Hayes showed me of her family, and I clearly remembered Adrian's pictures. I let out a little laugh that caught Adrian's attention. I quickly averted my eyes back to the window before his own eyes caught mine red handed.

———

After an hour, Adrian pulled into a carpark of a large building. He aligned his car into a car slot and halted the car. I spun around in my seat and stared at the building through my window, but I could only see the back of it. I turned back around when I felt a warm hand being placed on mine.

"Violet?" My breath hitched and I slowly turned around to come face to face with Adrian, his soft blue eyes bored into mine.

"For the past few days, you took care of me when I was sick and I," He gulped before continuing. "I'm sincerely grateful. I know that I would be the last person that you would want to deal with but thank you."

I looked away from his eyes and to his hand which was on mine. "Today is a special day for me and you and I just want you to be happy Violet." His voice flattered away and I began to feel curious. Adrian was so nervous that I could feel his hand shaking on mine. This might have been good or bad news but I couldn't figure it out.

Adrian removed his hand off mine and unbuckled his seatbelt. "Let's go in." I also undid my seatbelt and hopped out the door and closed it afterwards.

I walked over to Adrian's side and glanced around the area. There were trees and bushes surrounding a plot of land beside the car park. I sighted two benches as two young girls sat on it and were chatting and laughing.

Where was I?

Adrian walked ahead of me and I followed his steps. We made our way past a set of bronze gates and onto a footpath that curved around the edge of the building to its entrance.

My fingers brushed the delicate petals of the flowers that sprouted within bushes surrounding the path in numerous colors.

Upon approaching the front of the building, I realized that there was a name scripted onto a metal display board withheld above the large brown door. Steps led up to the grand front door.

Unfortunately the sun was shining directly onto the metal for which I needed to squint my eyes to see the name that represented this building. I placed a hand to my forehead and tried to make out the letters.

Children's adoption agency.

An... adoption agency?

I stopped in my tracks as I gazed at the letters again to make sure that my mind was understanding the right information. I concluded the letters were correctly understood by me and my heart stopped. I snapped my head to my side where Adrian stood silently, staring at me.

He said nothing but reached out for my hand and interlocked his fingers with mine. I was too stunned to protest and I could feel my eyes tearing up. Adrian walked forward and up the stairs whilst pulling me with him. He climbed the last stair and opened the door using the handle to unlock it.

We both stepped into the silent reception. Curtains draped behind the long windows situated on either side of the door. We walked past a couch and an armchair with an elegant cream colored table before them.

The receptionist was a middle aged man with greying hair and round rimmed glasses too big for him. He was reading a document that laid on his desk and when he noticed our presence, he lifted his head up.

"What is your name?" He asked when Adrian neared the desk. "Adrian Hayes." I heard him reply as my eyes wandered around the beige wallpaper and black marble floor in the reception. Sounds of muddled laughter and chatter filled the atmosphere of this agency.

The receptionist and Adrian discussed in hushed voices too quiet for me to hear. Then I saw the receptionist hand Adrian a red colored file. "First left, take the stairs and the second door on the left." He directed and smiled, leaning his head forward so we could only see his balding head and diverted his attention back to his documents.

Adrian muttered thanks and pulled me into a staircase hall to the left of the building. The room was occupied only by a metal stair case and a long window separating the first and second set of stairs.

Our footsteps echoed together as we walked up the stairs. The higher level of the building was more busier than the lower level since I could hear the transition of silence to noise as we ambled up the stairs.

I felt like I was about fall onto my knees. This seemed like a dream that was just unrealistic. But it was true and it was happening. I observed my surroundings as we stepped up the last stair onto the second floor.

Gray bathed the walls of the corridor and the ceiling stood in a high range. A rectangular window covered the wall at the end of the corridor. I also noticed that there were four dark oak doors on the left of the corridor and two on the right.

Adrian slowed his speed as I felt anxiousness radiating off of him. It wasn't any different for me either. I was just too surprised to even decipher the event that is taking place.

Goosebumps rose upon the back of my neck as Adrian lead me to the second door to the left of the corridor. A black rug was situated before the door and a vintage oil lamp was hung beside it. I gazed at the nameplate on the door.

The nursery room.

I smiled, uncontrollable to keep myself from doing so. I turned my head to face Adrian and noticed his cheeks heat up. "I just want to ask well, do you still want this?"

I nodded without hesitation, a feeling of confidence blew over me. I could do it, I wanted it before but now I needed it. Adrian grinned joyously and let go of my hands.

I watched as he lifted his right hand to the door's handle and opened it slowly. I followed him inside the room and felt a sense of nervousness wash over me again.

The yellow wall to the right of the room was plastered with giant cartoon stickers of monkeys, elephants, butterflies and the entire alphabet was recited on the wall. Four caretakers roamed around the room and chatted with each other whilst carrying baby bottles and clothes.

To the opposite of the door which we entered from, five giant windows were spaced out in the wall and ten cribs sat in front them.

One of the caretakers noticed and approached us. "You'll have to excuse us, we didn't realize you both." The caretaker had auburn hair that was tied into a neat bun. Her clothes consisted of a pink shirt and pants which I assumed was her uniform as other caretakers also wore the same clothes. "Are you just visiting or adopting?"

My heart leaped when she said adopting. Adrian shifted on his feet and walked forward. "Adopting, this is the file." He handed the caretaker the file to which she opened it and flicked through. "I see," She hummed as her eyes wandered to the cribs. She waved at us enthusiastically. "Follow me."

All I could hear was my heart beating rapidly against my chest as we both trailed after the caretaker to one of the cribs located at the far right corner of the room. We stopped before a single crib and a window was placed behind, which illuminated a delicate glow onto the crib.

"Here we are, this is the baby that you've decided to adopt." The caretaker pointed at the label on the crib's edge that had several letters and numbers scrolled upon it.

I stood planted in my spot as I examined the crib that held her. I felt a little nudge on my right shoulder. "You can see her now." Adrian whispered gently and pushed me forward. My feet were numbly brushing past the ground and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. I inched near the crib's edge and I finally caught a sight of her.

A baby of almost two years sat on perfectly in the middle of a mattress. Her big brown eyes sparkled in the yellow light casted from the window as she watched me carefully. I held onto the edge of the crib with both hands and leaned forward towards her, or else I would have lost control over my legs.

I didn't even realize the droplets of tears that dribbled down my cheeks. I was at a state where my thoughts and emotions were not corresponding to my body. I smiled brightly at the petite baby that stared at me quietly.

My hand unknowingly reached for the baby's cheek and surprisingly, she didn't flinch or cry. She stared at me as I caressed her smooth cheeks.

My memories of first discovering this precious baby had me comparing her then to now. The baby had a tear stricken face and weak body before but now she was healthy and happy.

Before I could even stop myself, I whispered to her. "Hey." The baby suddenly giggled and clutched her small hand onto one of my fingers that caressed her cheek. My heart fluttered with happiness. This was all that I needed.

From the corner of my eyes, I noticed a shadow on the other side of the crib. Looking up, I faced Adrian who stared at me from the other side.

I looked back down at the baby and retreated my hand from her and stood straight up, still keeping my hands on the edge of the crib. "She's very cute isn't she? I visited her earlier, but she seems to like you more. Isn't that right little one?" Adrian said to the baby and she reached her hand high and tried to grasp Adrian's hair but failed.

I smiled at the baby and wanted nothing more than to hug her and kiss her. The caretaker from earlier who had been watching us, walked to the front of the crib and grinned widely at us. "I didn't want to interrupt your moment there." She held forward the file that Adrian handed her.

"To finalize this adoption, you'll both just need to sign these adoption papers as the other documents have been already taken care of by Mr Hayes."

I nodded and so did Adrian. He took the file from the caretaker first and signed the papers with a pen he borrowed from her. After he was done, Adrian passed the file and pen over to me.

My hands quaked as I feebly held the pen in my hand. All it took was a sign and then she would be mine forever. A moment of excitement and fear crossed my mind and I couldn't sign the papers.

Would I be a good guardian? A mother? The one I've known all my life was evil and I was worried that I'll suffer this baby the same way my mom did to me.

What if turned out like my mom?

My tears doubled and poured down my cheeks tremendously. "Aren't you signing it?" Adrian asked me with a slight frown settled upon his face.

I'll be a good mom. Nothing like my own mom.

I'll take care of this baby.

A breath escaped my lips and I caught ahold of the pen in my hand firmly. I could do this. I signed my name in the space provided right beside Adrian's name.