The armour I had put up was now crushed.

Memories of her gnawed through it until there was nothing left. The old man's question was the last bullet, shattering my armour and my heart into a million pieces. I found myself crying on the cemetery ground; the flowers were now decorated with shades of brown from the wet soil, whatever warmth I had left was now erased as my body was drenched in muddy water. I clutched myself and wept.

"Are you okay son?" I heard the old man whisper. I couldn't even look up in his eyes or even stand to talk to him. All of my strength had been washed away and I just couldn't take it anymore. Why should I? How can I be okay when my princess left me? Why should I try to live life when it was my fault that she died? I cried harder and harder. I just couldn't stop and suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"You loved her very much, didn't you?" I could easily make out the concern in his voice.

"Ye...Yes...I loved her. I still love her"

" Don't worry, you are not alone. I know how it feels, even I have lost someone who I loved very much at a very young age. I'm pretty sure everyone has experienced a loss like yours... That's life." He said in dangerously calm voice.

"How did you cope, don't you miss them every day, every minute, every fucking second,?. How do you deal with things that remind you of your loss? How are you supposed to deal with it?" I hit the ground in anger. It just wasn't fair.

He stood there, silent, and that's when I noticed the rain had stopped.

"Come with me son, I want to show you something," He began walking and I followed him closely. I felt cold and with each gust of the wind, I shivered. We walked in silence for a few moments until he stopped in front of a grave with a name of a girl on it.

ANNA CHARLES

"Anna was my wife, we were childhood friends who did everything together; we shared every little secret, even our deepest, darkest secrets and we hardly fought. As we grew up I knew I loved her more than a friend, so I did what any other boy would do when you like someone, you ask her out. I asked her out on our prom night, and since then we were together. But unfortunately, life had other plans for us. She....she died on the day of our marriage." He smiled fondly at the gravestone but his eyes felt sorrow. I knew he was battling tears, he also was just as broken as I was.

I stood there shocked. I wanted to say but nothing came out of my mouth. I found the old man smiling at me.

"Why are you smiling?" I managed to ask.

"I see myself in you son, but trust me, life will give you another chance to love. Don't let it go like I did. I know you think you will not be able to love again, but give it time and you will. Don't spend your whole life crying and thinking what you could have done differently, focus on the future and don't ignore what's in front of you" he spoke.

Another chance. To love someone again? Is this old man crazy?

"I know what you're thinking, that I must be crazy but trust me, son, it's not me but my experience talking." He stopped abruptly and asked, "What's your name son?"

"Xavier, Xavier Manhattan." I saw him smiling again. Maybe because he knows who I am. The player, the one everyone fears, the one who had a bad boy's reputation and is still feared by every company.

"I see. In that case, we'll be meeting soon" He said and started to walk away with no goodbye.

"Wait! What do you mean?" I shouted at his retreating figure, only for him to wave a goodbye at me and continue walking. I saw his body getting consumed by the fog with each step until I could no longer see him.

I looked at the place I saw him last, in the hope that the old man would come back, but he never did. Come to think of it, I didn't even know his name. I looked back at the gravestone only to be reminded of my princess, all I wanted to do was to go and meet her as soon as possible and with that, I ran to her grave.

And there it was. Her name written in beautiful letters.

SAPPHIRE DIAZ

I could never love again. NO! I will never love anyone else. I will never let anyone come in my life again! NEVER!

My heart ached to see her name etched on the gravestone. I imagined her name written in beautiful calligraphy on our wedding card, not in block letters on a piece of stone. Never on a gravestone. With a small smile I placed the flowers on her grave, soiled as they were, they provided me solace.

"See? I'm back princess" I spoke weakly. So much has happened and I needed to tell her so I stood there, crying, cursing, swearing and then smiling at the old memories. It was beginning to get dark, so after what seemed like years, I dragged my feet away from the cemetery. It pained me to do so, but her missing presence began to cause me more heartache than joy. So I walked out of the cemetery, I closed the gate and retreated back to my car.

Away from her.

*ERICA*

Just another day Erica, just another day I chanted to myself. As long as I kept saying that to myself I would be fine. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy working here, but sometimes the idea that I will be seeing Xavier today makes me want to crawl back into my bed.

Feeling sorry for myself, I made my way towards Liz who was talking to a young man. Elizabeth smiled at me, before going back to helping him. I stood to the side in silence, waiting for her to finish helping the visitor.

I listened to the news on the TV that was placed in the waiting area. I was about to go to my cabin before I felt someone pounce on me. It was Lizzi. She screamed, "Hey there ERIE-VRIE" as she enveloped me in a hug.

"Don't call me that Liz!" I almost whispered yelled. I hated that nickname, it was so embarrassing. Not that she cared, she simply smirked in return to my protest.

"The boss is here." She grinned slyly at me.

"Before you go to your room, go see him in his office, but be warned" she pointed her index finger at me, "he's not in a very good mood today" she spoke firmly as she widened her eyes as if her pointing her finger was not enough caution.

"Why? Has something happened?" I was puzzled and a little scared.

"I don't know, he just came in all cantankerous and moody."

"Hmm," I shrugged my shoulders in confirmation. I sorted out my bag and went towards his office to witness my impending doom.

"Eri!" Elizabeth yelled at me. I looked back to her in alarm.

"Before I forget, he wants you to get his coffee. And don't forget, otherwise, it's my neck on the line. He was very firm when he told me, you know when he gets very serious, he was all 'When Erica comes, tell her to get my coffee'" She imitated him in a deep voice.

"Lizzi," I said bluntly

"I'm babbling too much aren't I" she scrunched her eyes.

"Yup," I confirmed.

"Sorry, now go!

"Fine! I'll go. Bye Liz. I'll see you around" I shouted as I hurried along.

"Bye Eri"

"Don't call me that" I spat.

I walked into the cafeteria, relieved that there wasn't a huge queue, got his coffee and went straight to his cabin. I was like a woman on a mission, determined to get this coffee to its recipient as soon as possible.

Before walking to his room, I placed my bag, well threw my bag and coat onto the floor of my room. Checking my appearance and quickly grabbing a pen and notebook, I picked up the coffee and walked to his room.

"Sir, can I come in?" I said after knocking on his door. I overheard a shuffling of papers before I heard his commanding, condescending tone.

"Yes, come in"

I opened up his door, walked to his desk and placed his coffee before standing there.

"What do you want me to do today sir?" I flipped to an empty page of my notebook ready to write down tasks for today.

Without looking up from his file, he spoke: "Get me the files on the progress graph with the William's". Clicking my pen, I wrote it down.

"Sure, anything else?" I said with a smile as he looked up at me. I wasn't flirting with him, it was just common courtesy which is something he lacks. I learnt that when he kidnapped me, but I guess with him being a rich bastard, he has the worrying ability to ruining me in a split second. Something as so trivial as dropping a pen can cost me this job and well, I really need this job. So my best behaviour and an award winning smile are the tools needed to survive in a work environment. That and intelligence.

"No. Now get out" he growled. I was taken aback, Lizzi said he was irritable, but this was uncalled for. I was simply doing my job.

"Fine!" I screeched at him as I angrily walked out of the door.

What is the matter with this bastard!

GOD! I've only been here for half an hour and already I want to rip his head off. This is going to be a really long day.

______________________________________________________________________________

hey!!! pretty people! sorry for this crappy chapter! but yayyyyyyyyy!!! we know the name of xaviers's love!!!
Sapphire!! :D :D :D

Do comment and tell me how is it!
follow-like-comment-heart :* :* :* loveee youuu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!