The Devil's Sweetheart

Ruth woke up early in the morning, had her breakfast, and went back to her room. She refused to see any visitors, especially her husband and daughter. Leaning her head on the wall, Ruth closed her eyes, thinking of her friend. ''Are you alive? I wish to see you once, William.'' She knows this is her end. Never will she be able to step out of this prison. She wondered why Devin and Francis chose to hide her identity. Had they exposed her, it would be nothing but a death sentence. Why didn't they expose?

In between her thoughts, the prison officer rapped the iron bars creating a rythm with his staff. ''A visitor for you.''

''Tell them I am not interested,'' Coarsely, Ruth told him. She is tired of hearing her husband's emotional drama and her daughter's cries.

''It's not your husband and daughter this time.'' The officer curtly added. ''Come on. I will drag you by force even If I have to.''

Grumbling to herself, Ruth rose to her feet with the support of the wall. Old age perils, she mused bitterly. The officer secured the shackles on her arms for safety. Ruth followed the prison officer and walked along with him. He led her into a private room and then closed the door from outside. 

Her eyes went wide in surprise, seeing the frame sitting on the chair. Devin? Why is he here? ''Why did you come here?'' Ruth demanded.

''To check if you have increased your weight.'' Ruth could feel the amusement dancing in his eyes.

''I don't have time for your jokes.'' Ruth turned to the door, pulled it forcefully, but it wouldn't open.

''Don't waste your energy.'' Laziness laced to the edge of his tone. ''Come, and sit. The door opens on my command.''

Just like last time, she was helpless again. Rosalie sat on the opposite chair. ''Look, Devin, I am not sure why you have come. But I have nothing to give you.''

''I know..'' Devin agreed crisply. ''But I have something to give you.'' He unlocked his mobile and showcased a picture in front of her eyes. ''Can you recognize him?''

Ruth stared at the picture for a couple of seconds. The eyes look familiar. A good-looking young man, other than that, she hadn't seen him anywhere. Ruth shook her head in response. ''Who is this?''

''Arsen Lennox, your son.''

''What!'' Ruth tried to grab the mobile, but Devin locked it spontaneously.

''My_son is alive..it can't be..he died in the fire accident.'' Ruth tried to feed her brain of the truth. She remembered Devin talked something secret about her son when Leena was under the barrel. Ruth speculated he wanted to distract her from saving Leena. Devin had a point at that time, but why would he lie now? ''I don't understand.''

''Your husband's mistress and son turned up on the night fire accident happened. A fight occurred between your son and husband before the house caught in the fire. I don't need to tell the rest of the story.''

''My son did it,'' Rosalie concluded. Tears rolled down her cheeks. His son hated his father because of the torture he used to impose on her. 

''For your information, your son has been searching for you ever since the accident happened. You have been staring at the closed door for too long. You have missed the opened window.''

Ruth couldn't hold the heartbreak any longer. Was her life full of revenge a lie? 'Your son is searching for you.' The words prickled her heart. Was her revenge the price she paid to lose his son? Had she investigated the fire accident instead of the revenge, would she have found Enger, and lived happily? So this is the reason Devin did not expose her identity. Her son will know where she is. He might have killed her rather than throwing her into this prison.

''Why are you telling me this? Is it your revenge for hurting Leena?'' She quietly asked. Knowing that her son is outside, her heart earned to find him. Devin raised her hope, and took it back in the next second. The most dangerous man she had ever seen.

''Revenge sounds mean.'' Devin got up. Buttoning his suit jacket, he added. ''I prefer to call it returning the favor. Goodbye. I hope we never meet each other again.''

Shedding each hope like leaves of a plant until left with no purpose is what Devin did to her. Ruth collapsed on to the floor, tears running down her eyes uncontrollably.

....

After the short visit to the prison, Devin drove to the office, remembering the sweet argument he had in the morning. After his marriage, Devin learned silence is the best way to win an argument. Morning Leena wore a dress and asked for a compliment. Casually he replied, 'the dress looks pretty on you.' instead of 'You look pretty in the dress.' And that's the biggest mistake he made. 

Back to the present, Devin shook his head and went back to his work. With back-to-back meetings, he freed himself during lunch hour to call Leena to irritate her. There were fifteen missed calls on his personal mobile from the same number. ''Doctor Walter.'' Devin immediately called back. The call got connected in two rings. ''I was busy with meetings. What's the matter?'' He came straight away to the point.

''Well...I found him..'' Doctor Walter added. ''The one who saved Leena.''

''That's wonderful. Who witnessed?'' 

''A middle-aged lady. I personally visited each patient I shortlisted and explained the situation to them. Many there heard of an injured girl, but they hadn't seen the person who brought her to the hospital except one.''

''You sure she is genuine?''

''I made sure it remained secret. Her name is Sophie. She injured her leg while traveling to present her piece for an art gallery.''

''Sophie was on the lawn when a man brought a girl who was barely breathing. She had witnessed everything that happened from the time he brought Leena.'' Doctor Walter continued. ''Since she is an artist, I asked if she could sketch if she remembers his face. That would make our task easier. The answer she gave was, 'I can never forget his face in my life. His heartbroken cries shook my heart.' ''

''Did you see the picture?'' His curiosity piqued.

''No. I will let you decide from here. I have given her your mail ID, and I suppose you must have got the email notification by now.''

''Thank you.'' Devin genuinely thanked him. ''Let me go through the picture. I will call you later.''

''Alright.''

Devin ended the call. He opened the mailbox and found an email addressed from [email protected] Nervously, Devin read the content of the mail she had written before clicking on the attached picture. A beautiful sketch of a man's silhouette leaned against the wall, a big teardrop on his cheek portraying his emotional agony.

The mobile fell off his hands.. Devin felt like his heart stopped beating seeing the picture.