Elijah Scavo loved his wife Mia to no bounds, at first it was an affection that ran too deep for the minds of the common couples who had limits and restrictions but then as the time passed by, Mia realized there was a name to that kind of love- obsession. A psychopathic possession of one's soul.

When they were newly married it was almost perceived as Elijah did not wish for her to leave him even for a minute but as the frost and snow melted to lakes and puddles the woman realized he had caged her.

Mia had no friends, no family left by the time she realized what was truly happening, earlier the people she thought were enemies to her love now looking from their perspective she knew that they had foreseen her horror-filled future.

When Roxanne was born as the eldest daughter with those glimmering greens of the valley reflecting in her irises, even the cruelest of the beings could not help but love her and Elijah Scavo was no exception. Born as the ruby-haired princess the girl was given the best of the world but there is always a cost to such grandeur.

Roxanne was born a phoenix but the one who had her wings clamped with iron claws. When the girl was admitted to the best school in the city Mia had thought her daughter would live differently than her but an illusion is sooner or later meant to break.

Roxanne had no friends, people avoided her like a plague due to the man constantly looming over the girl threatening to kill them. Once the girl brought a friend home and instead of laughter and joy she hoped, Elijah was so raged that his palm hit the girl with such force that it knocked her out with blood pouring down her nose.

Elijah had looked like he did not believe what he did, and the woman he loved in his own twisted way, the first time in her life looked at him with so much disgust and disdain, her heart pouring venom until there was only hatred left behind. She had taken many such punches and kicks from him when he was blind in rage but never in her harshest nightmares thought that he would do that to his own daughter.

Roxanne did not remembered any such an incident from childhood but what she did remember was that she never lived with her father. She always have known who he was and everything but they did not stayed in his mansion.

He had his eyes everywhere and thus the girl avoided going out as much as she could. Mia had told Roxanne the truth and if there was something that the red haired beauty did not understood was how can someone hurt her mother.

There was a point where Roxanne hated Elijah but then came a point when she felt nothing. Hatred bound them, signified that she accepted her relationship with him even as a daughter who despised him but then the moment she felt numb all ties were broken between them.

Mia was an elder version of Roxanne with more mature and sharper features, one of the most beautiful souls. She was filled with so much kindness and care but her destiny was unfortunate. When Roxanne turned sixteen she lost her mother to breast cancer and that was the day her doom began.

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"What is y-your name?" She saw Darius nod to one man and the café was vacated soon enough, she might have shouted and became terrorized but there were cops both male and female standing some distance away from them as if giving privacy. How come she did not noticed them guarding the man infront of her since the very beginning.

The brooding Alpha male who was deep in thought. His eyes filled with turmoil for a moment as he looked at Roxanne who had her cute face morphed in a frown somewhat getting that he was a man of authority but why did they vacate?

Her fingers ceased drawing Cupcake as she felt the man looking at her very soul.

"Before I tell you my name and you say that you hate me I just want to say that I genuinely am thankful to you. I have absolutely nothing that I want from you and maybe we are never going to meet regarding the......circumstances but thankyou for treating me with so much of your kindness and compassion."

When Darius' deep voice called Roxanne she could not understand the disappointment surging through her. It felt like loosing something you were not even bestowed with to begin.

"I am the man who gave your father fifteen years in prison."

Silence ceased as Roxanne stiffened, her eyes widening when she realized who she was sitting infront of.

"W-would you k-keep me in prison too?" She asked her voice cracking at the end as she tried her best to not let her eyes water. She read stories of how not everyone can survive in there. There were people who were cruel and mean, they hurt others, there were murderers, rapists....pedophiles.

"Sweetheart....god, why would you think that! Why would I?"

"My f-father is a t-terrible man. Will I have to p-pay for his deeds?" she sniffed, her nose getting cherry as Darius did his best to comprehend why was she so afraid, children of such clans were usually rude and haughty, they feared nothing but when he saw the eyes of the princess filled with horror he realized she feared everything

Everytime he smiled she would look down seemingly afraid of the very idea of people coming close to her, she expected people to hurt her.....in her heart she looked at him the same way, that he had some motive to harm.

When Darius said nothing the lingering fright intensified.

"I-I promise I w-will........I will never c-come out again. I s-swear I will l-lock myself up." She looked down at her lap fidgeting, pearl droplets falling down her eyes as she closed it tightly as if expecting bad to happen.

"Sir, Elijah Scavo is inside." The cops outside the door parted to let Darius enter a hallway with rooms on both sides. Although it was absolutely prohibited in terms of the law for a judge to meet a prisoner but Darius allowed the prison officer and the chief secretariat to record their meeting and thus permission was granted.

It has been seven weeks since he had met Roxanne and to his dismay, she disappeared just like she said. It wasn't that he did not try to console her but as soon as he realized the number of people surrounding them brought more fear than comfort he asked a female cop to escort her home.

It was true that he liked her as a person, felt that she was an angel, and couldn't help himself and his heart to think about her every now and then but It was not a romantic liking....sort of an unknown connection that kept him awake at night, unsettled by the tears that he saw. He disliked the idea of her getting hurt.

He had joined the government to help people, to rescue those who had been in situations like his or even worse and if was honest to himself his intuition screamed that something was wrong was happening to the princess, so spies were appointed by him immediately and the information provided by them was enough to boil his blood.

The police were also involved when they realize the predicament, and now after so many reports and proofs came the time of action.

The rooms conjoined were plain grey with nothing sort of ordinary, there was absolutely no furniture, only two steel chairs kept at a distance of two meters. Usually, such procedures were followed to ensure the safety of the officer but this time the police could not decide who actually needed the protection.....the dangerous judge or the Italian drug lord.

As soon as Darius stepped into the space, Elijah kept his head up looking at the man.

Roxanne had got nothing from this man in her genes, just the mop of ruby hair that looked exotic on her. The convict in front had brown eyes resembling smoke and sand, a deep abyss that seem to withdraw every single happiness in them and mix it with unfathomable darkness.

While the commanding male examined the person he had given fifteen years of prison he found something amiss, like a piece of him was not there. There was an eccentric gleam, a disturbing pleasure in his eyes. The way his eyes observed Darius, it looked as if he already knew that the judge was a rival.

Darius dragged his chair near the man who had his hands bound and sat infront of him maintaining a calm demeanor as if nothing could touch him. Elijah felt astonishment surging through him but chose to remain silent, to see what this masculine commander wished for.

"While reading your file, the lawyers have found your name linked to a fourteen year old case. Mia Scavo, your ex-wife on 24 July 2006 registered a domestic violence case against you."

The Italian drug lord clutched the arms of the seat in anger, his eyes smoldering fire as if he was going to murder the man infront of him in cold blood. Darius looked at Elijah, his eyes covered with a layer of frost. If there is a difference of status, then there was an even larger gap between their stature.

Darius stood at the height of 6'2, his muscular body sculpted in a way of a killing machine in itself. Cold silver irises when dared Elijah to start a fight, the mob boss felt an undecipherable feeling in his heart. When the man infront of him felt wrath, he left none to survive so instead of resorting to violence the drug dealer gritted his teeth.

"Why does that matters now?"

"Roxanne Scavo, her custody was given to her mother and after her demise it was given to her aunt Densie ..tell me Mr Scavo how come your daughter is living with you when the law itself gives you absolutely no power over her."

"She is my daughter! no fucking law can make me stay apart from her!" Eyes rimmed red with rage, Elijah looked like a rabid animal when provoked.

"The records are somewhat disturbing Mr Scavo, your daughter is a prodigal student yet after some investigation we found that you made her drop out as soon as you made her live with you. People also said that Roxanne resisted going with you. All her friends have not seen her and it has been two years.

Let me rephrase these facts for you, are you holding her captive Mr Scavo?" Darius was unable to hide the fury.

"What rubbish-"

"Your wife Alexandria and step-daughter Melissa also live with you and it seems that they also maintain their distance from Roxanne, you are obsessed with keeping her caged!"

"Roxanne is mine to control! I keep her caged or fucking kill her should not matter to you!" Elijah roared standing up to smash his steel cuff on Darius's head but by the time he had decided to act, a ferocious punch made him smash to the chair behind in a loud crash before hell fell down on the ground looking insane with eyes going wild.

"She is not yours, never fucking was." Cops came inside the room in haste knowing what would happen if they did not. The intimidating judge glared at the man who was dragged away, his fists twiching him to hit Elijah over and over till his blood had soaked blue uniform he was wearing.

"OUT!" everyone who was aware of the violent nature of the Darius left without talking or asking questions, even the chief was wary. Once the man had made his mind to make one's life hell nothing in the world could stop him.

"Elijah Scavo! make a new case against him, I will make him wish he was never born." he snarled before making his way out of the prison grounds.

Two weeks passed in a blur, one moment Roxanne was lying and secretly sneaking out and the very next an order came by to assure that the court and law would protect her and her freedom.

Her step mother Alexandria was not much bothered when Roxanne decided to shift into the dorm with her only friend Serena who risked getting caught many a times to meet the beauty, while Melissa, her step sister just gave her a cold glare when she bid farewell.

Alexandria was a simple person who did not meddled with other people's affairs, she was neither too cold nor too warm with the green eyed nymph. Elijah never let them interact with Roxanne saying it would corrupt her and the result was clear.

The most infuriating part was that how her own father let Melissa do whatever she wished for. Roxanne was always jealous of the life that mother-daughter pair lived but it made her feel so guilty. Even though they were just for showcasing a happy family infront of others but at least they could express their wishes freely.

Now that she was allowed to be herself the beautiful angel was glowing, so excited bouncing here and there.

The girl was dressed in pastel pink jumpsuit decorating her apartment room she was sharing with her best friend who never left her side even in the most scary circumstances.

The suite had two bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen attached while there was also a balcony connected to her room. The home was yet untouched, all colored simple white with Oakwood furniture scattered around. Roxanne picked up the paint roller with her frail arm trying to reach the highest she could in order to adorn teal shade on her walls.

Her petite body was running here and there to collect the wall enamel paint that she had scattered all over, those paint buckets were heavy making her cheeks flush and her shoulders sag.

"Teal or blue....pink is also good, should I paint-" while she was talking to herself immersed in deep thoughts, her unicorn case phone started ringing making the girl squeak in surprise looking around the room wide eyed.

She picked up the unknown number when the device beeped again. She bought this brand new phone a day ago and was not at all accustomed to any sort of tech after all it had been two years.

"Hello?"

"Miss Roxanne, this is officer Anderson speaking. We just wanted to ensure that you are alright and not facing any issues again."

"I am r-really good, all t-thanks to you people."

When cops came to her house two weeks ago, she was unable to understand what was going on. Their whole house was searched and three females dressed in police uniform interrogated her. Although Roxanne knew what it was but the interaction sounded as if they were all friends and were just asking about her whereabouts.

"Officer Heather would like to visit you soon although I doubt that it would be on duty. If you ever feel troubled please inform us."

"I-I don't know how to express m-my gratitude. You people gave me a new life." the girl got emotional remembering their kindness.

The chocolate woman who glowed like melted gold was the one the girl looked at in awe asking what product she used to achieve that kind of skin.....Roxanne wanted to look like her too. If the green eyed angel was asked to define beauty she would just point at that woman.

Her name was Heather and she clicked with the girl instantly, the other two were officer Silver and officer Anna. They gave her a cup of hot espresso while they explained the situation she was in. Basically her father was no longer in the picture to make her life hell and it was clear that he had kidnapped her.

"Miss....we did not do anything, if you really want to express gratitude you should give your thanks to Mr Vicari, he had gone through great lengths for submitting evidences and protecting you."

"O-Ok t-thankyou" The girl was confused when Anderson hanged up the call.

Who was Mr Vicari?

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"Hello sweet fool." Serena kept the groceries on the table ruffling the red curls on Roxanne's head making the girl huff cutely.

She spent half a day in applying grapefruit shampoo then washing it off, followed by the conditioner and then serum to keep her hair bouncy and frizz free and her bestfriend took a moment to ruffle her hardwork.

Roxanne pouted at Serena, her eyes big as her face morphed as if been wronged.

"I brought a cute dress for somebody, then I thought they would like some food so I got a large pizza with pastries too but now that you are so sad......I don't think you can eat." Serena took out the beautiful pink frilled skirt followed by an elegant black crop top.

"You got that for me?" Roxanne was sitting a moment ago but before her best friend could blink she was upon her hugging the life out of her.

Serena's blue eyes budged out as she smacked her friend's back making her let go. Their height distance was insignificant but what made them completely different was that Roxanne was sweet, her bestfriend was fiery.

Where the green eyed angel cried, Serena answered with calling out the whole family with names and cussing like a crude sailor.

"I swear Roxy you remind me of a bear cub...I am going to drop you one day into the zoo."

They were bickering and laughing till Roxanne remembered something important.

"Ana, who is Mr Vicari?"

Serena who was eating her pizza sitting beside her friend on the couch looked at her friend incredulously.

"Roxy sweetie don't tell me you don't know who Darius Vicari is." And the innocent girl looked absolutely lost as she fiddled with her fingers not knowing what to say.

"Here" Serena opened her phone showing her the news articles from a week ago, it was followed by a thread of posts which had various photos attached to it.

"Oh my god! h-he is the o-one I met before, the one I told you about." the wide eyed beauty confessed making her friend's mouth agape.

"You freaking sneaked out of your house and met Darius, told the Supreme federal court judge that you don't know him then sat beside him to draw the portrait of his dog and he fucking let you! That man hates people, despise women fawning over him and....oh my god Roxy don't give me those doe eyes of yours, don't tell me you did something else."

Serena was astonished, horrified, excited and a part of her was dancing, if Darius likes Roxy and her friend liked him back...she was going to play matchmaker.

"Officer Anderson called....." Roxanne bit her lip increasing anxiousness on her friend's beautiful features.

"He told me Darius freed me from the clutches of Elijah."

Who remembers the pink skirt?