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A bitter realization twisted in her gut. All her so-called friends had been jealous of her engagement to Mason. They never failed to remind her how lucky she was. She would get no help from them. With a dismissive shake of her head, Sadie scrolled through her contacts, searching for someone she could trust. Finally, she found a number she knew wouldn’t betray her. Emery, her second cousin, stood out as the one genuine friend and confidant in her life.
Knowing that making a call might enrage Mason and escalate the situation, she opted for a quicker, discreet approach. Sadie sent a quick text to Emery: Emergency. Need your help. Meet me ASAP.
Mason’s heavy footsteps gradually faded away, and she grew anxious. Sadie waited, her heart thudding in her chest. The silence hung heavy, pregnant with uncertainty. Had he given up? Was it finally safe to leave?
In the stillness, a distant door slammed shut, a muffled sound echoing through the house. The tension in the air shifted, and Sadie seized the opportunity. Now was the time to move. With cautious steps, she gingerly unlocked the bathroom door. No sound. No movement. Taking a deep breath, Sadie left the safety of the bathroom and began to tiptoe her way down the creaking stairs.
The only thing standing between her and freedom was the front door. Every step felt like an eternity, the seconds ticking away in suspense.
Just as the front door loomed within reach, hope threatened to swell within her. But before she could break into a sprint, an unexpected force jerked at the back of her shirt. A gasp caught in Sadie’s throat as she felt the abrupt tug, her momentum halted abruptly.
“You’re not going anywhere,” Mason whispered in her ear, his grip unyielding as he yanked her close.
The warmth of his breath against her skin sent a shiver down her spine, and the sudden proximity ignited a wave of fear.
****
Sadie’s eyes fluttered open, her head throbbing and her body protesting with every ache. Panic gripped her momentarily as she braced for the possibility of waking up in Mason’s bedroom.
To her immense relief, the reality she faced was different—she found herself in the backseat of a car, though not Mason’s.
“Emery?” she whispered, her voice fragile as she searched the dimly lit space.
“I’m here, Sadie,” Emery’s reassuring voice replied from the front seat.
Every attempt to sit up was met with a series of aches that reverberated through her entire body.
“What happened?” she asked, the words barely more than a breath.
“You don’t remember?” Emery asked.
Sadie turned her gaze toward the window, catching a glimpse of her reflection. The sight made her grimace at the disheveled and battered image that stared back.
“You told me to wait for you outside Mason’s house. I waited and waited. When you finally stumbled out, you looked…” Emery’s voice trailed off, sounding worried.
A flood of memories rushed back to Sadie. After Mason had finished with her, she lay on his bed, pretending to be unconscious. By some miracle, fate intervened. Mason received a call from his father. He left and that provided her with a small window of opportunity.
Summoning every ounce of remaining strength, she gathered herself, and with sheer determination, left the miserable house that would soon become her prison if she didn’t do anything about her engagement.
“I’m bringing you to the hospital,” Emery stated.
“No,” Sadie blurted out.
The mayor’s influence, his pervasive presence in every corner of the town, made the hospital a dangerous option. Trusting the medical staff to be discreet was a gamble she couldn’t afford to take.
“Go to St. Patrick’s,” she instructed. Thinking of the quiet place where she had first met him, a smile appeared on her lips.
“The church? Why there?” Emery questioned, confusion evident in his voice.
Nevertheless, he complied, turning the car around without further inquiry.
“There’s only one man who can help me, but first, I need to find out where he is,” Sadie explained, her thoughts veering toward Silas. The last time she had seen him was five years ago. Practically an entire lifetime.
As Sadie rode in Emery’s car, her thoughts spiraled into the past. Would he even remember her? Silas, the man who had been her refuge all those years ago. She often wondered where he was now, what his life looked like, and whether he ever thought of her. The musings felt like foolish girly thoughts, but the desperation in her current situation led her back to the only person who had heard her and helped her in a time of need.
Lost in contemplation, Sadie must’ve drifted off to sleep, only to be roused by voices.
“You should take her to the hospital,” an older man was saying.
