"S-Stop it!"

I squealed as I felt fingers tickle my stomach, causing me into a fit of laughter. The sun was setting, causing the sky to turn into breathtaking shades of red and yellow.

I was being tickled by Adrian as we sat down on a red and white checkered mat that created a layer between us and the grass.

Time flew by since Adrian and I had confessed our love to each other. It felt beautiful to be in love, you could trust someone and share your problems and everything with them.

Earlier on, Adrian and I opted to spend the day at a park that was located nearby our house. We arrived at the park at noon and now it was the evening. We decided to situate ourselves in a desolate area of the park where voluminous bushes surrounded us.

Alora was with us and she sat right next to us, giggling as I squealed of laughter. "Addie I c-can't." I couldn't even finish my sentence without laughing. "S-stop!"

Adrian chuckled as he slowed his fingers, a mischievous grin resting upon his angelic face. "You want me to stop?" I nodded frantically while my chest heaved up and down as a result of losing my breath by Adrian's vicious tickles.

"Then you must kiss me, here." He pointed at his smooth lips that were puckered out. "Isn't that right, Alora?" He questioned as he twisted his face towards Alora. She clapped her hands feverishly and pointed at Adrian's lips. "Mama Da!"

Obviously, she would support Adrian more than me. I rolled my eyes playfully and sighed. I pecked Alora on her forehead, before leaning towards Adrian."Okay..." I said as I reached my palms up and cupped his cheeks. I placed a quick kiss on his lips and retreated away, heat rushing to my face.

Adrian didn't seem too content about my short lived kiss so he pouted. "Again." He grumpily ordered and pointed at his lips again.

I shook my head in disapproval whilst scooping Alora up in my arms and laying her on my lap. "You've had too many. No more kisses for you, only for Alora." I mumbled as I smothered Alora with kisses all over her face.

"That's not fair." I heard Adrian complain from beside me, his voice drenched in jealousy. I pretended as if I didn't hear his complaint and proceeded to cuddle Alora as she giggled.

All of a sudden, I felt myself being hauled backwards and onto a hard chest. There was no question that it was Adrian who pulled me but I still gasped in fright at his unexpected action. "A-Addie!"

In response I heard a deep laugh, vibrating my back. "Since you won't give me a kiss, I'll steal one instead." He murmured as he tilted my head to my side, using his hands he placed his lips on mine.

I felt an explosion of warmth consume me and butterflies in my stomach as I moved my lips against his. If this was what love is meant to feel like, then I was definitely satisfied. We both pulled away from the kiss we shared and leaned on each other, nature's breeze filling the silence.

I looked down to see Alora nesting her head in the space between my neck and shoulder, her hands fidgeting with my loose strands of hair.

The birds were chirping their evening tunes as they flew past us and into neighboring trees, bestowing the surroundings with a soothing sound. I noticed daisies sprouting out of the ground and roses decorated the bushes.

This moment was significantly important for me. Adrian's arms cuddling me as I cuddled Alora, and the life that revolved around our little chain of love.

I was happy that I had Adrian and Alora with me, and this was our moment to grace.

Is was just us.

I smiled at the thought of us, cause of how much we've been through together in order to get to where we were today. But either way, we ended falling in love with each other and formed a family. It's all I've ever wanted, a loving family.

Dada would've been very happy to find out that I was in a good place and was getting the love that I needed.

"Violet?" I heard Adrian ask, pulling me out of my procrastinating world. I slightly turned my head around to face him. "Yeah?" I made it aware to him that he had my full attention.

Adrian grimly smiled at me while displaying a bothered look on his face. "I'm sorry for everything that happened to you cause of me... I just can't cop-"

"Adrian." I sternly warned him, not understanding why he felt this way after we have been through an argument on this topic before. I placed my right palm on his cheek and caressed it as I stared into his sapphire blue eyes that I loved. "Whatever happened, happened. I'm alright now, Adrian, don't worry about it."

Adrian furrowed his eyebrows slowly, serving for a space of silence. "I still can't believe that you love me." When he completed his sentence I winced, thinking about how I should change his thought of mind.

"You made a mistake in the past, but it doesn't define who you are today, Adrian. I hated you for it but I don't anymore. You promised to show me the real you and I've fallen in love with the real you." I pecked his cheek and smiled at him, as if he were the most precious thing for me.

"I promise to love you, and Alora for the rest of our lives, don't forget that." He stated with determination painted across his face. I laughed as I nodded. "Mmm... and why wouldn't I fall in love with that handsome face of yours?" I added cheekily.

Adrian's mood had cured in an instant after I commented on his appearance. "Looks like I have a secret admirer." He closed the remaining distance between us so that his lips were touching mine. My heart, as usual flipped over in reaction to his sudden moves.

"Tell me Violet, what did you find handsome about me?" He whispered huskily, and I heard Alora giggling Da repeatedly. A blush crept up my neck and I dismissed my shy personality and instead, chose my challenging one.

"You." I whispered with a chuckle escaping my lips. Adrian joined in with me and so did Alora with his giggles. Our laughter synchronized together wonderfully, showing the world of our happiness as a family.

My family.

———

I jumped up to try and rip the pictures away from Adrian's hands but failed. "Addie!" I whined and held onto his hand which was in an upright position. "Give it to me!"

Adrian looked down at me with Alora on his hip and smirked. "No, I think I'll keep these." With that, he brushed past me and walked into my room. I followed his footsteps and saw that he was sitting on my bed with Alora on his lap, smiling down at the pictures in his hands before glancing at me. "You look so beautiful in these, doesn't she sweetheart?" He asked Alora as she smiled and giggled at the pictures muttering 'Mama'.

I couldn't help but blush in response to his heartwarming words. I rolled my eyes playfully and marched up to him. "Hand them over." I ordered and held my hand outwards, ready for capturing the pictures. Adrian shook his head and flicked through the other pictures. "I mean it, Adrian."

I sternly said and watched as he set Alora to his right side on the bed and lifted his head up to meet my eyes. Before I knew it, I was tugged at and found myself on the bed and being hugged by him from behind.

"Violet, you didn't even look at these pictures yet and you're banning me from seeing them." Adrian murmured in my ear and sighed. I turned my head around to his and pouted. "But... they're kinda embarrassing and I don't look good." I said and watched the frown appear upon his face. "That's not true, Violet. You're beautiful."

I hummed and felt redness coat my cheeks as I scanned the pictures within his hands. The first one was of me smiling at the camera in my red dress. "Well I still don't feel confident." I started and looked away from the pictures. "Why is that?" Adrian asked as if my statement was incorrect.

I pushed my hair to one side and pointed at my neck. "Cause of these scars." I fake chuckled and pulled a grinning Alora onto my lap, feeling a little moisture build up behind my eyes. It was true that I hated my scars and that they ruined my self confidence but there was nothing I could do about them.

Adrian stood up and placed the pictures on the bed and then kneeled down in front of me. He held my hands in his while Alora was looking between us in confusion. "Violet, these scars play a huge role in your and my life. While your's suffer of pain mine's suffer of guilt and I'm so sorry about what happened in the past. I can't describe to you how much beauty you have. I love everything about you. Your smiles, laughs and presence, they give me a sense of happiness. You are the most beautiful woman in the world and I love you."

I smiled when he finished his sentence. He was as sweet as always. I leaned forward and kissed his lips before whispering. "I love you too, Addie." Adrian grinned and sat back onto his seat in the bed hugged me close to him. I felt him trace the scar on my neck. "You are too beautiful to have these horrible scars outshine you." He kissed my scar delicately and smiled at me.

I smiled back at him and leaned over to pick up the pictures and put them before us. "Well, I think I've got my confidence back cause of you." Adrian chuckled and lowered his chin onto my shoulder and kissed my cheek. "Lets have a look at these amazing pictures then!" He murmured and I laughed at his comment as I flicked through the pictures with him and Alora beside me.

Even though it was embarrassing, I had two people I loved beside me.

And that was all I ever wanted.

———

Third person's POV

The streets were deserted as the sky darkened at the strike of midnight. Only the the wind could be heard shaking the leaves of trees that were planted at the borders of the pavements.

Cars were parked in driveways of their owners' houses and all lights inside the houses were shut off. It was like any normal night, some may say, but it wasn't.

A shaggy tree was situated at the edge of a pavement that ran alongside a particular house. The only good thing about this tree was that it stood opposite to this house, and could've hid anyone from other people's sight.

That was the reason why they had picked this tree. Three people, two female and one male were provided complete coverage by the tree's thick branches and leaves as they spied on the house, one of the many times that they had stalked it.

"Are they inside Mom?" A squeaking voice asked impatiently as she pushed away a fly that swarmed around her dirty hair. Her clothes consisted of a long murky rag and plastic bags for shoes. It would be unbelievable that this woman could've been linked to her real identity with this appearance.

The other female, turned around and glared at her daughter. "Why would we be here if they weren't, idiot?" Her face was marked with mud in various shades of brown. A disgusting sneer played on her face as she eyed the house in loathing.

Almost a year had passed by since Mark, Audrey and Christy Cherie had all gone missing after they committed such a sinister crime on their on family member that had caused them to go on the run to escape the authorities.

They were sick, hungry and tired of being on the run for all this time, moving from one place to another, trying to reach the destination of their victim. They found their victim's location by bribing one of the officers that worked on her case, after he was fired for poorly attending his work.

They wanted revenge. Revenge on the person that had brought them to this state, it was Violet Cherie.

"Audrey, stop insulting Christy." Mark hissed, as he leaned against the tree, his hair and beard were longer than he was last sighted a year ago. "What's the plan then?" He glimpsed at his wife, noticing her mood change in a flash. A wicked smile appeared on Audrey's face as she explained her vicious plan that she was planning for months.

"We kidnap her. Drag her to the location that we planned on and... end her." Just saying those terrible words had brought a chill of pleasure down her spine.

This was her dream, and it was about to be a reality. Christy frowned, a concerning doubt raising in her mind. "But how? Adrian and her friends that we saw before will be there. What if we get caught?" Audrey snapped her eyes shut and inhaled a deep breath, fire pumping through her veins.

Her patience was as thin as ice. How stupid she thought.

"I hired two hitman before, when we were on our way here, they were dealing with drugs. They'll help us by transporting us in their van." She replied and Christy nodded, but another question quickly arose in her mind and before she could even speak, her mom bet her to it.

"I promised to pay them after all of this is over. Fools, aren't they, we'll be outta this country by the time they realize that we're gone." Mark and Christy laughed at the same time, keeping their voices low so that they wouldn't provoke any unnecessary attention. They felt powerful thinking about their plan that was to be put into action soon.

"For years I've been tortured by that b*tch. She ruined my life as soon as she set her foot in this world." Audrey chuckled as she continued. "I want her to feel the wrath of me. I want her to feel the torture that I would inflict upon her soon. She needs to pay for what she did to us."

She spun around and walked out of the depths of the shadows that the tree provided her. Her eyes glinted as she stared at the house in front of her in hatred. "And she will, with her life." A smirk stood proudly on her face, as she visioned of finally getting what she wanted for her entire life.

Violet's life.