FADED FAITH

"Boss, that woman is out of prison." Damien looked up from his table and took his glasses off his face. 

"She is out?" his voice came out rough. He cleared his throat and his assistant nodded his head.

"Yes, she is out." 

"But she was given seven years, and she has only spent three," Damien said, and the boy in front of him nodded. 

"She got out for good behaviour and being a model inmate," Gray explained. 

"Are you telling me that our system is so fucked up that they let a murderer leave because she acted like she was sorry?" Damien asked, slamming his fist to the table. "She was not even given the maximum punishment, and she was still let out early?" he was shaking furiously in his seat. 

Gray stood there anticipating whatever requests or orders he might want to give him. "What should I do?" Gray asked when Damien did not say anything but sat there in silence, probably thinking about his wife-to-be, who was killed by this woman who was now freely roaming the streets.

"I wanted her close to me." Damien's voice was low at first, but then it rose as he stood up, pushing his chair back. "I need her close to me; if the nation would not take care of her, then I should do so myself." 

"I am at your command," Gray declared like he was part of a gang. 

"Before then gather every piece of information about her that you can come across; I do not want anything left out. I want to know every single thing," Damien repeated himself because he wanted his assistant to know how important these orders were to him. 

"Yes, sir," Gray replied. "Do you want me to approach her first?"

"Get the information, then I will decide what method I need to use." 

Gray left the room; Damien stood up and walked to the island behind his desk. He had been working from home because it was getting closer to the death anniversary of Amber. He usually felt very sad and detached from life during these times, so he usually stayed at home.

He took up the picture frame and ran his finger across the lady smiling brightly in it. "I know you would have told me to let it go, but I just want you to know that I must avenge you even if it's the last thing I do," he whispered. 

MEANWHILE

Lila was standing out the gate; Gavin did not have any sense of decency and had asked her to leave, claiming that his wife would be opposed to the idea of her staying the night. He did not even care that she did not have a place to go. 

"Please, can I at least get a chance to see my child?" she asked as he shoved her out. 

"When I am ready for you to see him, I'll get you."

"But it's not even that hard for you to get him; just a few minutes and I would be out of your hair," she begged as he pushed her out. 

"You see, this was always my problem with you. You do not listen to anyone. You always just want to do what's best for you," he stopped pushing her and used his body to block the path. 

"Gavin, I understand that you do not want me in your life again. I get it, even though it hurts. I do get it. I was away for a while, and you fell in love with another woman; it is inevitable, but my child."

"What about him?" he cut her off before she could even finish talking. 

"See, you took him from me because he could not be with me in the practice, and I am happy about that. I am, and I know it would take a long process for me to get custody again, but for just a minute, please." 

"Lila," his voice was firm. It was like he was telling her not to argue again. 

"I don't even know what you named; can I just see him? Even if it is from a distance."

"Evangeline does not like it when I get Levi out of the house."

"But" Lila's statement was cut short by him slamming the door in her face. She stared at the door, pain surging through her veins. She did not like the way she was just treated. She could not believe she had to make her way back to Carson's residence. 

After leaving there ten years ago at eighteen, she had boasted so very much that she would make it out on her own without any of their help. Constantly, her brother had asked her to return home. He even offered to get her out of jail if she told the truth. He knew her too well; if she was driving, there was no way she was leaving the crime scene. 

"You dare walk back here?" Oliver said, standing by the door.

"Oh, come on, big brother, you are not that mad over something that happened ten years ago. Are you?" Lila said with a shrug as she walked to her brother. 

"And what are you doing here?" Oliver asked. He stood unmoveable, staring her down. 

"Come on, you knew that Gavin got married, and you didn't think it was important to tell me? I got there only to be humiliated by a supermodel," she said, air-quoting the word supermodel. 

Oliver pushed himself out of the door and stood straight so there was a way by both his sides. "Are you okay?" His tone was soft now. 

"Ugh! Couldn't be better," she exclaimed with tears lining her eyes. She had known for long that Gavin was not worth the hassle, but she had committed so much that she felt there was no going back. 

"You want to come in?" he asked, and she nodded, sniffing and blinking back the tears in her eyes. 

"You can come in under one condition."

"Really? You have a condition? At this time?"

"Of course I do."

"Let us hear it," she breathed out. 

"If you live here, you must listen to me." 

"Emphasis on Must Listen"