"Alex what do you mean?" Bonnie called out behind him but Alex just kept on walking to his father's study. A determined angry walk.

Inside Bonnie found him taking out one of Damon's expensive bottle whiskeys. He opened the bottle and brought it to his mouth taking a big drink from it.

Bonnie stood there watching him. "Alex?" She stuttered out in shock.

Alex closed his eyes as the rich velvety taste of the whiskey burn warmly down his throat. "I always knew where he hid his stuff." He said after he swallowed another drink. "I was never tempted to take any from it until now."

"Alexander Salvatore you put that bottle down right now. This is not you."

"This is not me your right but allow me to be something for once in my life that I'm not. Allow me to suffer alone in my misery can you please do that mom!" Alex said hard.

"You will never have to suffer alone not when I'm still alive. I love you Alex this is not you don't give in to the evil in you. Its feeding and striving of your anger right now and its going to turn you into something ugly something even you wouldn't have control over." Bonnie said hard with shiny eyes.

Alex looked at his mother and swallowed his tears back. "What if I want to welcome it in my heart. This world is a fucked up place anyway why not join in. Why should I always be the good guy? Why should I always care so much for others when I get shit back? No mom if you love something you will end up getting hurt. A stupid like me who followed his heart and what does he get? But hey something good did come out of this. I found my true form. This is who I was meant to be. A man who doesn't give a shit anymore."

"Words spoken in pain and bitterness." Bonnie said. She walked over to him and took the bottle out of his hand. "Talk to me my son." Bonnie said softly as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

Alex opened his mouth but someone's presence in the door caught his eye. His eyes turned hard when he saw who it was.

"Jesus what happened to your face Alex?" Damon asked with a worried look. "Who did this to you?"

"Definitely not Jesus." Alex said in a cold voice.

Bonnie knew something was terribly wrong with Alex. This was a very angry Alex and the sadness behind that green eyes of him shook her to her core.

Damon was at a lost for words. He too looked shocked seeing Alex like this.

"Well seeing that we are all here why not open the platform and unveil the big mystery for Alex's weird behaviour." Alex said with a mocking smirk.

Damon's heart sank to his feet. He knew what was coming so he closed the door behind him and waited for Alex to speak.

"I know about Sierra your side piece. I also know Sam is Sierra's sister. Sam told me everything."

Bonnie looked at Damon.

"So tell me father is it true?" Alex asked in a cold voice.

Damon stood there unable to speak a single word. Giuseppe's mocking words came back to him from so many, many years back. Your own sons will turn against you just like my sons turned against me and you will feel what I'm feeling now Damon my boy...

"Is it true!" Alex yelled.

"Yes, yes, she worked for me. I did had an affair with her." Damon heard himself say.

"Alex your father told me about it and we worked it out. Sam is trying to destroy us. She's trying to destroy you." Bonnie said and touched his arm softly.

But Alex was determined to get the truth out of his father. He stood just as tall as his him. His green eyes drilling a whole in Damon's heart. "You said to me once never look a man in the eye and tell him a lie for that mans eyes will haunt you for the rest of your life. I'm that man now asking you did you kill your mistress?" Alex asked with sadness and disappointment in his eyes.

Tears welled up in Damon's eyes. He couldn't bring himself to confessed to that. He couldn't bare the disappointment and hurt and shame in Alex's eyes.

Bonnie lay her hand softly on Alex's cheek and turned his head to her. "Now you listen to me Alex. Your father will never do something like that. Yes, he did something wrong. He hurt me deeply but I stood strong because of you, my children. I draw so much strength from you guys in my times of darkness that thinking back now I don't know if I would have made it if it weren't for you guys but I found forgiveness in my heart through my love for him. Your father not a murderer Alex and Sam knows that. She wanted to hurt you where it hurt the most. Her kind enjoys causing destruction, you know why? They are incapable to love. Their hearts are so black with pain and bitterness that they want to see everyone around them suffer just like them and I will be damned if I let that good for nothing demoness take you down to the pit of darkness with her. I will gladly join her in there to torment her soul for eternity before I let her take you or my family." Bonnie said with so much fierceness that it snapped Alex out of his mind filled anger.

He could not hold his tears back any longer. "I'm sorry Mamma." He cried out softly before he rested his head on Bonnie's shoulder crying his heart out.

Bonnie put her hand on the back of his head and closed her eyes. "I know it hurts. Its okay to cry. Its okay to cry." Bonnie said softly.

Damon stood there eyes shiny with unshed tears. Shame and anger washed over him. Ashamed at what he did and anger at Sam.

Stella's Residence

Stella was serious when she said that she must have the right colour lipstick on before she reads Jack's letter. To others it sound weird and crazy but Stella believed in the luck of her lipstick.

So with cherry bright red lipstick on her lips she walked out to her balcony and took a seat at the table. She opened the envelope and carefully take the letter out.

The first thing that came to her mind when her eyes went quickly over the words written in black ink was that Jack have a steady beautiful handwrite. This was the handwrite of a man who know who he was in life and what he wants in life.

Stella took in a deep breath and released slowly. She was ready to get to know the Jack before her.

Stella

It took a lot out of me to sit down and write you this letter. My past is not a place I like to dwell in but for you I will. You deserve that Stella.

I grew up hard in the rural outskirts of Mississippi. I was the second born. Mum had ten children five sons and five daughters. Two of my sisters died young. I don't know where in this life my other siblings are or if their still alive we were never that close. I left home when I was seventeen. Mum and father was happy when I told them that I want to find my own way in life. One less mouth to feed by then Mum was already pregnant again.

Stella closed her eyes feeling so sorry for Jack. She slowly opened her eyes and continued on reading.

I hitch for a year to different towns doing odd jobs always low on cash. I slept in shelters or cheap motels if I had the cash for it but I knew I could not live like that any longer so I signed up for the army. It was what most men did when they had nothing left.

I put everything into succeeding in my rank. I did not want to go back to the streets. None of us wanted to. I did what was asked of me Stella I was so good that within months I was made Private First Class. There was no time to celebrate not that I cared. I was by than determined to make it in the Special Force and I did. I soon found myself looking forward to every mission. I enjoyed seeing the fear in my enemies eyes. I found pleasure in their pain as they got tortured. I will not go into detail Stella not that I don't want to tell you. I want to spare you the gruesome reality.

Stella sigh out loud. "Thank God you spared me. I still have to sleep tonight." Stella said softly.

A bomb explosion that left me half blind in my right eye ended my career as the chief of the army special force. I was honourably discharged hanged and praised with medals and that was it. I was back on the streets angrier as before. I was desperate for money and soon I was recruited as a hitman for a secretive gentlemen's club. I was a natural. I have finally found my calling in life. My first kill was flawless and beautiful. His ending quick and painless. I was hungry for more. The more I killed the less I felt until I couldn't feel anything anymore. I didn't even do it for the money anymore that's how cold I have become.

Or so thought until I met Hope and Gracie.

Stella quickly close the letter. She was not sure she wanted to read any further. What if Hope and Gracie are still part of his life. What if this is his way of telling her his going back to them. I don't think my heart will take it. Stella thought to herself but Stella knew she had to put her insecurities aside and read it to the end. She opened the letter again with a heavy heart.

Or so I thought until I met Hope and Gracie. Hope with her beautiful smile and honey brown hair and Gracie always bubbly and happy. Hope worked at the local diner and on most nights she have to walk home alone late at night. I was coming from a fresh hit when I heard her scream. I was going to ignore it but something in me pulled me to the scene where four guys were busy trying to violate her. I pulled them of her and I blacked out Stella. I only came to it when Hope lead me back to her small apartment. I was covered in blood. She cleaned me up and gave me a warm meal. She was so kind to me not because I helped her. I think she saw what the darkness did to me. Her voice sounded like an angel. I never wanted her to stop talking to me. I wanted to see Gracie's smile all the time and hear her adorable laugh forever in my ears. For the first time in my miserable cold life I felt like I was part of a family. Like I belonged with them. I slept the night in their apartment warm finding comfort in their soft breathing as they slept. I listened to the sounds of them sleeping all night.

Stella stopped reading as tears welled up in her eyes. She took a tissue from the box on the table and wipe her eyes gently. "I knew the tissues would come in handy." Stella said to herself and blow her nose. "Okay now where was I."

I listened to the sounds of them sleeping all night. I left early morning leaving the five hundred dollars I had on me on their table. That was the last time I was with them or talked with them. I went back there after two days but I couldn't get myself to knock on their door. I was not even sure why I was there in the first place. I went back to my car and sit outside all night. I told myself that I'm only doing it to protect them. I went back the next night and the next. I was there every night and morning Stella and as I watched Hope and Gracie my family through the window of my car. I imagined myself sitting with them around the small kitchen table again watching Gracie colour in her colouring book. Hope busy preparing us dinner. We will finish dinner and I will help Hope with Gracie and put her in bed. Hope and I will stand awkwardly in front of each other and say goodnight before she go to her room and me to the couch. And in the morning we will have breakfast and I will help Hope get Gracie ready for school. The three of us would than walk out together. I imagined that every night as I sit outside their apartment my eyes hungry for just a glimpse of Hope or Gracie through the windows. My family. I was a father, Hope my wife and Gracie our daughter. We were perfect together.

"Oh Lord." Stella said and fan herself. She felt deeply sorry for Jack and if she didn't knew it before she knows it now. She loves this man even more.

We were perfect together. Perfect until my boss found out about them. I didn't saw it coming. I should have but being/watching/guarding my family made me weak Stella and in my line of work that is something I can't afford but nonetheless they came for me. They surrounded my car and ordered me to get out. Gunpoint they led me into Hope's and Gracie's safe haven. For the first time in my life I felt fear intense fear and not for me. I didn't care about my life but for them. Hope and Gracie didn't deserve what was coming.

I will never forget the look in Hope's eyes. She recognised me after all this time. She smiled when she saw me again. I begged them Stella like my enemies used to beg for their lives. I cried and begged for their lives to be saved. I pleaded with them I'm not with Hope and Gracie is not my child. But it was too late. Gracie screamed as the bullet when through her mother's head. My punishment was to cut my tongue off. They left Gracie unharmed but what child can ever heal after seeing something so gruesome.

I closed my eyes welcoming death.

I was in hospital for weeks. The doctors were amazed that I survived my ordeal. I was not. I hated them for bringing me back to life. I hated myself for what I did to Hope and Gracie. Driven by hate I was out for revenge. I will take them all out one by one slowly and painfully.

My first week out of hospital I met Damon through my cousin Enzo. I found a companion in Damon. He understand me and where I was coming from. He helped me find my way back on my feet and to that I owe him my life and loyalty for the rest of my life. I'm not going to go into detail with the relationship I have with Damon all I'm going to say is he is my Devil and I'm his willing demon who will do his bidding at all cost. We are after all both on the same path of revenge. We will take down the club and those responsible.

Stella , I hope to find Gracie one day and give her a family again. I know I can't bring back Hope but for Gracie I can give her you. Us. Me, you, Estelle and Gracie sitting around the table and have dinner or breakfast.

Stella I'm not perfect. I'm not the smartest man you know. I don't have much money in my bank account. I'm still broken. I'm still healing. I might not have all the answer you seek but what I do know is that I love you.

Stella will you still marry me?

Jack

Stella put Jack's letter down on the table. She covered her face with her hands and cried out loud. "Oh Jack." She sobbed. "Of course I will marry you." Stella said in tears to herself.

Stephen Salvatore and Caroline Salvatore's Home

Bailey was up early morning. Freshly showered and dressed for the day. She made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She smiled when she found her dad in there busy or rather struggling to prepare breakfast.

"Good morning." She greeted and looked curiously around at the mess in the kitchen.

Stephen looked up at her and smiled. "Hey, good morning. Did you sleep well? Your first night without your mother here."

"I did thank you for asking. I thought it was going to be hard but it turned out okay." Bailey said with a shy smile.

Stephen laughed softly. "I know it looks like a hurricane hit the kitchen but I tried to surprise you all with breakfast. Caroline always make it look so easy."

"That's why I'm here to help." Bailey said and walked over to him and looked at the ingredients on the table. "Well we have all the stuff to cook up a mean breakfast but I think we should start all over. I don't think burned toast will do and the eggs are still runny." Bailey said and bit the inside of her cheek not to laugh.

Stephen sigh relieved. "I was thinking the same thing not even Max wants it."

Bailey laughed and bend down. She stroke Max's head softly. She looked up at Stephen and said. "So, shall we start?"

"Hands first." Stephen said and pointed to the sink for her to clean her hands first.

"Its real fun to have a doctor for a dad always hygiene conscious Max." Bailey said softly and winked at Max.

Stephen heard her and his heart warmed up.

Bailey smiled as she's rinsing her hands. This is a start of a beautiful day. Her heart sing.

...