Lewis Capaldi - Bruises, Faouzia - Tears of Gold, Anson Seabra - Walked Through Hell

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Present-day Elizabeth's POV

It's not completely Shawn's fault Adam died. He didn't know he was going to die. Three tricked him and it was a pretty smart move. 

But why didn't he just tell me? I mean, he has attorney-client privilege. I wouldn't have been able to use this against him even if I wanted to.

'Why didn't you just tell me?' I ask.

'I had to keep my sister and mother safe, Beth, they are the whole reason I started working for Three in the first place.'

'What about Madrid? Don't tell me you went to meet your father for dinner.' I say.

I knew he was lying about it the whole time.

Shawn shakes his head and quickly tells me about what he actually did when he was away for a few hours. The most frustrating thing about that day was the fact he snuck out when I was taking a shower.

'I just had to deliver some cash my dad gave me. I don't know why or where it went.' Shawn tells me.

'How do I know you're not lying to my face right now?' I ask.

'Because I could just decide I don't want to tell you, and you couldn't do anything about it if I did.'

I roll my eyes, letting all the information sink in Shawn just told me. 

It's still not clear to me why he left for two months. This all happened before we even knew each other, so I don't understand why he left me in the first place. 

I don't want to ask him, somehow I know I should be scared of the answer.

'So... where have you been these past two months?' I ask, avoiding my real question.

Why did you leave me?

'Canada. I had no business left here.' He answers.

'No business, huh?' I nod slowly.

I guess I'm "no business" to him...

He nods too. There is so much tension in the air, we could cut it with a knife. 

Aristo barks and jumps off the couch, probably sensing my rising anger. I pull my hair into a bun and pull at the string of my bathrobe.

He could have told me this. He could have-- no, should have told me this the moment he came to my office searching for an attorney. 

He wasn't even honest about what happened that night. He left out big parts, big important parts.

'You could've told me.' I say again.

'I would've put you in more danger than you already were.' He answers, avoiding eye contact.

'Why was I in danger?'

'Because of me. Because of the trial. Because of Tr--' He clears his throat. 'Three.'

'Stop answering in riddles! Just tell me the truth, Shawn!' I sit up straight. 

'Why did you leave me?'

'Promise me, you won't break up with me.' He answers.

'I'm going to tell you something...' I inhale sharply. 

'I'm not the one who broke us up. You are. The moment you walked out that door with all your shit was the moment you ruined this relationship.' I point at the door.

'It's up to you if you pulverize the bricks that are left, or if you put them back together into one piece.' My heart beats fast in my chest. 'It wasn't my choice to begin with...' I cross my arms in front of my chest, waiting for him to say something.

He inhales sharply and I can see his internal struggle.

'I needed to keep you distracted... or else you would've found out the truth.' Shawn says after a few painful seconds.

'What?' My voice breaks.

He looks at me as tears well up in my eyes. This cannot be happening. He doesn't mean it like that.

'The day Bakker assigned you to my trial, I knew you were intelligent. You would've found out.' Shawn says.

'Would've found out? What would I have found out? You had something to do with Adam Wolff's death?' I ask, almost whispering.

'Yes!' He raises his voice.

I blink a couple of times, trying to let the tears disappear. 

I sit completely still, I want to move, I want to yell at him, but my whole body is frozen.

'My father saw it too. I didn't want to do this to you... to anyone!' He jumps up from the couch. 

'I told him I didn't want to use you like this, but he didn't listen... He told Three and from that moment on there was no going back...'

'You used me... even though I told you it wasn't my job to find the murderer... you used me anyway.' Tears roll down my cheeks.

'I needed you to stay in the dark. You would've put two and two together and if you knew the truth, Three's whole world could've been put in danger, we weren't going to risk that. And if you would've found out before it was over you also could've been killed.' Shawn says.

'The vacation? Was it a pity trip?' I ask.

'No. I had to keep you occupied, away from work. The trip was the best way... It was Three's idea too.' He stares out of the windows.

My heart breaks again, this time even worse than before. I close my eyes, trying to control the pain but I can't.

It was all a lie...

'But listen to me.' He turns around, walking to me. 

'I didn't know I was going to fall in love with you. I felt guilty the whole time.' He tries to reach out to me.

I pull my hands away from him and move my body as far as I can. Tears roll down my cheeks. I bite on the inside of my cheek and I stand up, taking a few steps, looking at the ground for a second.

'Guilty...' I say, letting the word sink in.

I turn around, looking at him. Tears are welling up in his eyes too.

I think this is the moment he realizes he lost me completely.

'Why did you leave? Tell me honestly. There is one specific reason you left and you're going to tell me what it is.' I try to control my breathing.

'It was over. Three was safe. I was safe. You were safe from him. The trial was closed. I had nothing left here. Three wanted me to return to Canada, leave you and never look back...'

I stare at him.

'But I came back. I couldn't leave you like that.'

'It just took you two months to realize you couldn't leave me like that! When you were sure you already broke the biggest piece of me, you decided to come back and finish it off.' I close my eyes.

'That day at the restaurant... you knew...' I wipe my tears away. 'You knew you were the one who was going to ruin me!' I sob.

'No. Beth, please believe me. I didn't want to ruin you.'

'You could've used me as a friend. You could've become friends with me, maybe it would've hurt less!' I say, my voice broken.

'We both know we could've never been friends...'

I take my glasses off and put them down on the dinner table.

Why? Why me? Why did he have to do this to me of all people? I was having the time of my life. I had a perfect life. I didn't need anyone, but I let him in... and I don't let people in.

Tears keep spilling down my cheeks and I don't know how to stop it.

'You had four months to tell me. Four months! But you didn't. You just left!'

He puts his hand on my shoulder and I move away from him quickly.

'I know, but I love you, Elizabeth.'

'Love...' I chuckle. 'I'm starting to realize I loved the lie... not you!'

I grab the necklace around my neck, holding it in my hand for him to see it.

'Always and Forever... it's all a lie!' I pull at it and it comes off.

'It's not! I love you! I really do!'

'Even if I wanted to, I can't believe you.' I smile. 

'You kept saying "Have I ever given you a reason not to trust me?" while you knew you were lying to me the whole time.' Tears start rolling down my cheeks again.

I look at him. I see regret in his eyes, but I don't know which one. Does he regret he did this to me? Or does he regret finally telling me the truth? I don't know what to think, I don't know what to believe. All I know is that it hurts like hell.

'Please give me a chance to prove to you that I love you.'

'You know... I actually would have forgiven you for being involved in Adam Wolff's murder. I would have forgiven you for still working with Three behind my back! I would have fucking forgiven you for leaving me for two months!' I raise my voice again.

'But this... I can't forgive you for this.' I shake my head.

'You knew I was terrified of getting my heart broken. You know me better than anyone! I let my guard down! I let you in! I-- I--' I start to cry again.

'Please, Elizabeth, tell me how I can fix this.'

'You can take your bullshit necklace!' I throw it at him.

'Take your stupid earrings!'

I take the earrings out of my ears and throw them at him too, clenching my fists. I need him to leave. I want him to go away and never come back.

'And leave my fucking house!' I shout at him.

'I'm not leaving you!' He shouts back.

'Oh, yes, you are.' I inhale sharply, pushing my emotions away. 

'Three, Million and Seven. I know two out of three.' I try to control my emotions. 'I think the detective on your case wouldn't mind reopening it if I gave her all the information you just gave me.'

I'm bluffing. The case is closed, no matter what new evidence I deliver, it won't be reopened again, that's the law. 

But it doesn't stop me to put the fear in Shawn's heart that every day, every hour and every second of the rest of his life someone could arrest him and put him and his father behind bars.

'You wouldn't do that...' I see doubt in his eyes.

I laugh.

'You think you can break me and I wouldn't do anything about it?'

My blood runs cold, my eyes turn dark and I feel the love and sadness disappear, making place for two other emotions. 

Hate and anger. 

All the other emotions I was feeling seconds ago are locked away behind a big wall, not being able to influence anything I'm going to say in the next few minutes.

'I got nothing to lose.' I smile at him. 

'You know about my past. You know what I can do and I think being an attorney only will make it easier for me to ruin you too.'

'I know I hurt you, but I also know you love me--'

'Over the years I've learned there is a thin line between love and hate.' I take a step closer to him. 'You just pushed me to the other side...'

'Even if you wanted to. You don't have any proof of what I just told you.' Shawn looks at me, trying to save his own ass.

I laugh again, walking to the big windows.

'Look at the hallway...' I say, turning around on my socks.

'Camera.' I smile. 'It's pointed at the door of course, but it has a microphone. How awesome is that!'

The camera hasn't been working for two years and I've just been too lazy to take it off the wall.

'Ok! I get it, Beth! I broke your heart and I'm sorry! I am! But you can't do this just to get back at me. I know you might hate me now, but we both know that deep down you love me, and if you do this there is no going back.'

I ignore him.

'It's not only proof. It's waterproof evidence that can be used against you, your dad and dear Three.' I look into Shawn's eyes and I see fear.

'So I suggest you leave my apartment before I call the police and give them this information.' I look at the floor, the pain in my chest starts to become overwhelming again.

'Don't do this. We can work this out.' Shawn tries again.

'If you leave now, I won't call the police.' I walk to the front door of my apartment.

He looks at me for a couple of seconds before walking towards me as I hold the door open for him. 

He stops a moment to look at me, hoping I will beg him to stay, but I won't. 

It's over. 

He sighs and walks through the door. He steps out of my apartment and turns around to look at me.

'Please, Elizabeth, you are going to break my heart...' He says, tears welling up in his eyes.

I look up at him, looking into his eyes one last time. My emotions return for a second and my heart speaks for me.

'You broke me first...' And I close the door in his face.

THE END