I ran across the dark alleyway, my steps slipping on the stone below as tears blinded my vision. I hid in a corner, attempting to catch my breath but a pair of arms grabbed me forcefully.

"Where are going to go, little bird?", The hazel eyed man said, before taking out a gun and placing it against my forehead.

"Please don't kill me.",I begged him but to no avail.

He pulled the trigger and my body went limp, my mind blank.

My eyes flew open as I gasped for air.

Was I dead? Was I dreaming?

I squinted to get adjusted to the bright light and took in the surrounding. Slowly the incident from last night creeped its way back into my head again.

I reached out for the wine bottle kept at the edge of my bathtub but my grip was unsteady and I accidentally tipped it over into the tub.

The red tinge of the wine slowly pervaded the water, giving an eerie reminder that had the police been a second late, had Blake pulled the trigger, the red pool of liquid around me wouldn't have been wine.

I wrung the soaked hair clinging to the nape of my neck and got up. I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my head and then stood before the mirror, examining my bruises.

My wrists had turned slightly blue and one of my cheeks was pinker than the other. My knees were bruised too but thankfully I was wearing jeans so they didn't get scraped. Atleast my neck looked better now but still, I pretty much looked like shit.

However, this was not the part that hurt the most, the fear, pain and vulnerability that came with the bruises did and the worst part was that I couldn't express them. I bottled up my emotions, thinking that if I didn't show them, I wouldn't feel them but I was wrong. I felt it, I felt it all.

Last night, Blake pulled me out of the car and pushed me onto the road, placing the metal gun against my head. I remembered the feeling of suffocation as well as that of helplessness and how I closed my eyes shut, waiting for it all to get over, wishing it was all just a dream but that didn't happen. I heard him pull the hammer of the gun and I clenched my fists, my nails digging painfully into my palms but the gun was never fired.

I opened my eyes to look at blue and red lights coming from what I assumed to be police vans, I saw Blake throwing the gun away and raising his hands up in the air with three officers yelling and tackling him to handcuff him.

It was over. I was safe now but why didn't I feel that? Why did I have that unsettling feeling in my stomach that Blake was going to haunt me in my nightmares, over and over again.

I placed my shaking hands firmly on the washbasin as I repeatedly drew in deep breaths. It was sick but the pain from the bruises made me feel better for it distracted me from the mental anguish.

I went out of the bathroom wearing the bathrobe and unlocked my room's door. I remembered Adrian knocking repeatedly, apologizing and requesting me to see the doctor but I didn't listen. After everything, how could I?

I didn't want to see him. No, it wasn't because I hated him, it was because I hated myself. I hated myself for getting used over and over again, by Jennifer, Jacob, Blake and now Adrian.

Perhaps I know why dad always wanted Nate to be the next CEO. Nate was shrewd and a person like him was fit for the corporate world. I on the other hand, couldn't even expose my brother's fraud and use it to my benefit. Why? Because no matter whatever my family had done to me, I couldn't help but care.

I went outside the room only to see Adrian, sleeping on a couch, beside my door.

I had taken a leap of faith with him but I think I should have looked first. It frightened me, when I wondered how much of what we had was a lie. We're all those conversations that we had when he said, he saw a future CEO in me, was that all a lie? Did he even care about me at all? Did I feel so deeply about a man who was lying to me this entire time?

I looked away, clenching my jaw and made my way to the steps until a voice stopped me.

"Vanessa?", A heard a familiar blonde say.

"Hey!", I smiled sadly, recalling how bitter our previous conversation had been.

"Bryan told me what happened.", Charlotte said, a frown marring her perfect features.

"Oh! So you know now why I didn't break up with Blake.", I grinned.

"I'm sorry. I really am.", She said, walking upto me.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said all those things that I said.", I looked down at my feet.

"Most of it was true though, unlike my accusations.",she said, holding my hands.

"Well it's in the past so let's let it be there, what do you say?",I asked hopefully.

"Friends?", Charlotte smiled.

"Best friends.",I said, before hugging her.

"You are really cold.", Charlotte said, breaking the hug.

"I kind of fell asleep in the bathtub."

"What? Oh god! Let me check your temperature and get you some warm clothes. Go back to your room.", Charlotte instructed me.

Well, of all the things going south, I was glad that atleast one thing was looking up.

■■■

"Hello, Blake.", I gave a sickly sweet smile, looking at the hazel eyed man standing in the cell.

He looked at me and sneered.

I examined his face, one of his eyes were black and he had a tape across the bridge of his nose.

"One night in and you already got beat up?"

"Oh! Don't act as if you aren't aware of Adrian's early morning visit."

"What?",my eyes widened.

He came here?

Of course, he did!

He must be frustrated that I found out about his lie and who better to make a punching bag, than the one who truly deserves it.

"What do you want.", Blake ignored me, barking,"Are you here to gloat?"

"I wouldn't really put it like that but yes, I am here to gloat."

"So you got out but how are you going to prove that I am guilty of...you know what."

"Well, you are already getting booked for domestic violence and attempt to murder and they are reopening the accident's files. Once they find that, you can spend your days behind metal bars."

"With my money, I can get out of all of this and also stop the investigation before they find anything.", He smirked.

"Too bad you don't have money anymore.",I stated.

"Excuse me?", Blake frowned.

"Oh! Don't worry. Your lawyers will tell you everything when...if they arrive."

"What the hell did you do?", Blake said, tightly holding the bars of his cell, his eyes filled with rage.

"A few hours and it will be on TV. Why don't you be a little patience. Oh...and meanwhile, you could apply bandages to your wounded ego... questioning yourself about how you lost to an amateur.",I smirked.

"I will ruin you.",Blake said, through gritted teeth.

"You should never make threats that you can't carry out. Just accept it...empires rise, empires fall and Blake Walters, this is the end of yours.", I said and then turned around to walk out of the police station.

I had to see Blake one last time, to see him locked up and to remind myself that I was safe, that nothing like last night would ever happen again and to tell him that I might be new to this game but I was going to last here, much longer than him.

I drove back to the Grey's Mansion. I was on my way in when I got a call from Dorris Walters.

"Hello?", I asked.

"Vanessa. It's done. It's on the news, everywhere. Go look.", Dorris said.

"I'm on it. Meanwhile, you better get started to fulfil your end of our bargain."

"You will get the papers by tomorrow."

"I'm looking forward to it.", I said, cutting the call.

I saw the entire Grey's family sitting on the dining table, with an exception of Matthew, who was being given food in his room as he was on bedrest.

"I have news.", I announced to them as I began looking for the TV remote.

"Vanessa? When did you come back!", Casey asked, eagerly walking up to me.

"Last night.", I smiled, picking up the remote and switching on the TV.

Soon everyone was standing around me, along with a blue-eyed liar.

"What is it?", He asked.

"True justice.", I said with utter satisfaction, putting on the news channel.

The TV blared,"BREAKING NEWS: The Golden Boy has been dethroned. Blake Walters, the businessman of the year, has been voted out from the position of the CEO of Walters Pacific by the company's board. Rumour has it that the new CEO will be his cousin, Dorris Walters. To know more...stay tuned."

"What? How? Oh god!", Paula said, her mouth agape in shock.

Adrian frowned,"Why do I have a feeling you have something to do with this, Vanessa?"

"Hmm...who wants to listen to a story?", I asked.

"Me!", Kevin raised his hand.

"Well then! Once upon a time..."