* The following chapters are woke of pure fiction and in no way support any form of crime, violence or abuse. Though the chapters may seem biased but are written from the view of the characters and only the characters. No personal opinions are being projected through these chapters and I do not encourage any form of crime. Please be a cautious reader and a member of society. *

Asher

Early morning shoots were not his cup of tea and there was nothing he hated more than them. Actually he did and it was the coffee he was drinking. The hotel he was staying at, made the worst morning coffee and it was ruining his mood even more. If only he didn't need caffeine to stay awake.

His team laughed seeing his face and pulled him up as they all were leaving the hotel lobby. They had to travel for another half an hour before they met up with the author who was supposed to be on the magazine cover.

Asher slid in the back seat and put his cap before dosing off. But the caffeine didn't let him have his power nap. He sat up straight in the seat and looked outside. The sleepy beach town was already awake and the people were getting out from their homes to carry on their days work. Someone was opening their local shop while few people they had crossed, were pushing their fishing boats out towards sea. The sun had still not risen which made him groan again. Only few rays were visible over the sea which meant they were on right time for the shoot. He looked at his watch and calculated when he would be able to go back to the bed.

If it wasn't for his editor, he would have done a sunset shoot but she wanted a sun rise shoot. He wondered what difference it would have made but she had told him that sun rise suited the theme of the book more so, sunrise it was. Another thing he couldn't understand was why his magazine was doing a cover shoots with an author. Their primary themes for cover were usually about fashion and actors. But he didn't want to argue much on the theme after a point and he decided to let this one pass.

As they reached near the house, this author lived in, he saw few cars parked there. It was the PR team who had reached earlier along with two of his assistants whom he had sent to scout for a good location. He and his team picked up their bags from the car and his assistants came running towards him to guide him to the spot they felt had the best setting.

The location they had found was right next to the house. It was on the private beach adjacent to it, which was owned by the author herself and had told them no one would trouble them there. He checked the time again, it was just over fiver thirty and the sun was beginning to rise. The rays were still colouring the sky red and orange but a hint of yellow was beginning to show up. He had just enough time to set up his equipment before the whole sky would witness an array of colours which would provide the perfect background for his shoot.

He walked towards the beach and saw a group of people standing around a particular spot. As he walked on, they all saw him coming and began parting for him.

Maybe the caffeine in his blood was kicking his brain hard because he found it quite dramatic as the crowd kept parting and he saw a figure standing at the edge of the shore.

He thought he was imagining it first, there was no way it could have been her but that those red strands that flew with the morning breeze were more than real.

He stopped in his tracks and gulped hard.

They looked the same as they did five years back when he first saw her. She was standing in her balcony then, with her back towards the rising sun, today she was facing it. Her stooped shoulders now looked strong and relaxed.

His footsteps became smaller and his team wondered why. How does he tell them that he thinks it is the very same woman who gifted him his camera bag and then disappeared forever, five years back?

He slowly raised his hand, his fingers gently brushing over her shoulder. She turned around and his eyes couldn't believe it.

In a beautiful long dress, Red stood in front of him. Her face fuller and looking healthier than she did all those years back. A smile on her face, something he never saw her doing back then.

Her eyes, he always wondered was her eyes were like, now he could see them. They were brown in colour, still hiding secrets like they did all those years back.

"Good morning Asher. It's a pleasure to meet you." She said. Her voice was a little shrill that he had thought it would be but still sweet enough to make him freeze. She extended her hand towards him but he was still in a shock to respond. People around them were looking at him wondering what had got into him but he didn't care about them right now. He only cared about her.

He struggled to find his voice and hoarsely blurted out the only word that came in his mind, "Red?"

"Is that what you call me?" She asked, looking vaguely amused. "I always called you Hedonist. But my name is Isla, if you must know, though I like Red also."

Isla, such beautiful name. It suited her. He remembered the first he had heard her name during her trial but it didn't sound as enchanting as it did today. He smiled and shook his head.

"Miss Isla, you definitely know how give a man a surprise."

"I hope it was a good one." She smirked.

"Oh man, it was the best." He said and pulled her into a hug.

****

So here it is guys, the last chapter of the book. I feel like I am going to cry. This book was so close to my heart (actually every book I write is close to my heart). I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter. In this chapter we see how one Isla's life becomes after she kills her husband. She still continues to feel her voice being subdued by the patriarchal society we all live in and though people knew she was a victim, they were more interested in her husband's death than her own story.

I really hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

Keep reading for the epilogue.

Love,

Alice.

****