“Hello Madison Connor.” Madison nearly dropped her phone in shock at the sound of that all too familiar voice, she just heard. Shakily, she moved her phone from her ear to check if she had dialed the wrong number, but sure enough, Alvarez's name on the screen stared right back at her, and she swallowed a heavy lump. She placed the phone back on her ear and tightened her hold on the cell, at the same time fuming with an unexplainable anger. Why would Damien pick up Alvarez's phone? Obviously he knew she was the one calling, since her name must have flashed on the screen so why? It was bad enough that he had humiliated her publicly. He had sent her out of his club, and he had even ignored all her plea letters completely, but now he was picking up Alvarez's call? This was the height of it all, Madison told herself shutting her eyes, with her jaw ticking as she reminded herself of what was important at the moment. Trying so hard to control herself, Madison swallowed, and then said, “Where is Alvarez? Hand the phone over to him, I called to talk to him." There was a brief silence from the other end, and then Damien spoke up again, his husky voice filling everywhere, "Alvarez isn't here right now." Another silence ensued, before he spoke up again after a while, "Are you sure it's not me you want to talk to?" He didn't say this in a sneering tone, but Madison had a feeling that he was just mocking her, and tears welled up in her eyes at the thought. If he just wanted to make fun of her and remind her of what she already knew, then what was the point? Why bother to pick up the call… to taunt her? To make fun of her? To humiliate her like he had already done? Madison angrily tried to wipe the uncontrollable tears that was already flowed down her cheeks, and she felt her chest tighten as she began to sob quietly. She hated that she was crying because of him, but she just couldn't help it. She was tired, standing on the street as she had just gotten home, and it was getting late, but she didn’t want to go inside because of network issues. As she stood, she was still paralyzed with fear at the prospect of being stalked out in the open, and that man from the grocery store still lurking around somewhere, and because of this she was more scared for her life. She couldn't get in though, and now all she wanted to do was talk to her best friend, tell him about what was happening, and then know what to do from here onwards, but now she had gotten the shock of her life. His cell phone had been picked by Damien. Her worst nightmare. Tears rolling down her cheeks, she spoke into the receiver, “Why did you pick this call Damien? What do you want to achieve? You want to taunt me more? You want to gloat on my face? What more do you want from me?” She half yelled, finishing with a whimper and soft sobs. “Calm down Madison. You are crying, I can hear it. Just calm down let’s talk.” He said, his voice sounding concerned and a bit worried, but Madison knew he wasn’t feeling concerned at all. His voice might be laced, but his soul wasn’t, and she of all people knew better than not to be fooled. "You know what, Damien? All these talks won’t work for me. You never wanted to talk to me when you saw me at that event, so why would you want to talk to me now?” “Madison?” He called out again, but Madison was not having any of it. “I refuse to be sucked into this trap… or whatever game it is you're trying to play here. I owe you nothing anymore! Not some 2000 dollars bill, or anything so you have no hold over me. You have no leverage at all on me." When Madison finished talking, she paused to catch her breath. She was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe as her shoulders racked with sobs, but even till then angered by his incomprehensible silence on the other end she continued, "You made it very clear exactly how you feel about me earlier right, back then in New York. I’ve accepted that. I’ve accepted that you hate me for life, and honestly I don’t go blame you. I sent you those letters because I was willing to try…” She sniffed, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her jacket, "I was willing to talk, make you see reason with me, and still, you ignored them, so I have my answers. So tell me? What more do you—" "Letters?" Damien cut in, surprise thickly coating his voice, "What letters? I have no idea what you're talking about. When did you send me letters?" Madison laughed bitterly, tears escaping the corner of her eyes. She knew exactly what he was doing. Trying to deny ever seeing the letters or act nonchalant towards her statement, but she was well prepared for him all of a sudden. "Right, of course. I know what you're doing now, lying? Now you want to act dumb and pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about? Typical of you.” She spat.What hurt her most was the fact that he still continued to deny it. He was still having the effrontery to sound surprised, and she couldn't believe it. Everything was just so ridiculous. "Madison, I don't know what…” "Just stop. Stop it okay.” She cut him off, the way her name sounded coming from him, making her cry harder. She didn't want this… she just wanted to talk to Alvarez. She was just so tired of all of this honestly, and she was already on the verge of giving up. "You have made it clear so many times that you hate me. You said it to my face, you showed me, and it's fine. Just leave me alone, okay? I have had it with this whole thing, but not anymore. I have never felt so much pain in all my entire existence…" Her voice broke, her throat hoarse and hurting at the same time, “And it's all because of you… you have caused me enough pain for a lifetime. So just leave me alone! Leave me and let me have my peace.” There was a cold silence. "Now!” Madison said again, her voice still shaking, "I know Alvarez must be back from wherever he went to go if he did, so kindly hand the phone back to him.” Her voice was cold and piercing, but she did not care. "Okay.” She heard Damien whisper from the other end after a while. There was a brief silence and the sound of distant voices, like he was talking to someone who was none other than Alvarez and she felt relief instantly course through her. “Hello Madison, what’s up?” Alvarez cool and collected voice came on instantly, and Madison remembered the reason why she called. She felt fresh tears prick her eyes once more, and clearing her throat she brought the phone closer to her lips. "Hello, Alvarez?"