“Sa–Sarah? How long have you been there?”
I smiled faintly. “Longer than you.”
I didn’t wait for their response. I just left.
I barely touched my lunch, sitting on the patio
swing, lost in thought.
Autumn had arrived, and the wind had
scattered fallen leaves across the yard.
Alex video called me.
Across a seven–hour time difference, the sky
behind him was ablaze with sunrise.
He asked, “Did you go out?”
Curious, I asked, “How did you know?”
Alex’s eyes crinkled with amusement. “You
weren’t wearing that pajama top yesterday.
You only change into it after you’ve been out.
Where did you go? Have fun?”
“It was okay.”
“If it wasn’t fun, stay home and relax. Babe,
I’ll be back in four days. Can’t you tell me
what you want to say now?”
L
I looked down. “No. I’ll tell you when you get
back.”
We chatted for a while longer, then he had to
- go.
I listened to the dial tone, unsure what to do
next.
Idle minds wander.
And mine wandered back to the conversation
I’d overheard in the dressing room.
Alex and I weren’t married.
I was pregnant.
He didn’t like children.
He was ruthless.
…I could lose everything.
I jumped to my feet.
The sky was dusky.
The sun had set.
I found a sticky note pad by the bed and
wrote a message.
I don’t want to be a kept woman anymore. I
く
want a normal life. Thank you for everything.
I ordered a new phone and a new number
online.
The next day, when the package arrived, I left
my old phone, the one with the tracking
device, in the apartment.
With only my ID, I walked out of Alex’s life.
I couldn’t wait for him to come home.
I couldn’t afford to.
Chapter2
Autumn in the South is always wet.
It had been raining for a week, and the
forecast predicted another week of showers.
The constant rain mirrored my gloomy mood.
I told myself, six weeks pregnant, I had to go
to the clinic for a blood test and ultrasound.
Baby, you have to be healthy. I gently touched
my belly, waiting for my ride.
A rideshare pulled up, the driver still dropping
off another passenger. I waited patiently.
Nearby, a pregnant woman held a three or
four–year–old boy’s hand, her husband
hovering protectively with their bags.
They looked like the perfect family, and I
couldn’t help but stare.
The woman noticed my gaze and approached
- me. “You’re the new neighbor, right? Heading
out?”
I’d rented a place in a small southern town, a
place with a slower pace of life and friendly
neighbors.
く
I nodded. “Yeah, waiting for my ride.”
She was chatty. “You don’t sound local.
Where are you from? What brings you here?”
“I’m from D.C., here to… have my baby.” I
offered a small smile.
“Oh, you’re pregnant? First one? There’s so
much to know…” She enthusiastically shared
advice and seemed ready to continue, but my
car arrived.
“Gotta go, maybe we can talk later.” I said
goodbye, opened my phone to search for the
prenatal vitamins she’d recommended, and
told the driver, “The one ending in 1234.”
I muttered to myself, “Prenatals, calcium,
DHA… what else?” I shook my head, trying to
<
focus, then realized something was off.
The car wasn’t moving. The driver had gotten
out, and there seemed to be someone in the
back seat…
Did I get into the wrong car? My heart
pounded. I gripped my phone, pressing the
power button, trying to activate the
emergency contact feature.
Just then, the person in the back seat leaned
closer, and I was pulled into a familiar
embrace.
The faint scent of bitter orange filled the
small car.
“Babe, disappearing without a word isn’t a
good habit. Have I been too good to you?
<
Made you forget what kind of man I am?”
It was him… Alex.
I clutched my skirt nervously. Alex’s arms
tightened, and I realized I was sitting on his
lap.
“I didn’t just disappear. I left a note…” I
stammered.
Alex chuckled. “Babe, have you ever seen a
caged bird leave its owner?” He leaned in, his
warm breath tickling my ear. “And when a
runaway bird is caught, do you know what
happens?”
He nibbled my earlobe, his hand tracing my
wrist. My heart raced, fear rising in my throat.
I knew he could lock me up. He still had
<
that… “cage” in the basement.
