The Parent Trap

Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Koah Harbor

POV

I stare at Austin, not sure what’s happening now.

Last week he proposed to me. I wasn’t ready for the commitment, so I’d declined. I’d paid for it though. I always paid for not going with what he wanted. I no longer felt the blows my body got. I was going to leave. I couldn’t live like this anymore. I was done.

I can’t figure out what I did wrong this time. He’s been pacing the living room floor for the past hour mumbling to himself.

My two dogs, Draco and Remi, knew better and hid behind the side table in the corner. They knew to stay out of his way when he’s like this. He’d take it on them if they were in his way.

"We’re getting married when I come back from this trip..." he announces.

I don’t say anything. I’ve learnt from the past week what happens when I run my mouth. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

I had a plan. The key made downstairs everything is ready. He was going to lock me into the house once he left. Austin didn’t trust me not to leave him when he goes away on his trips.

Everything is set once he leaves, I’ll be gone, and he’ll be alone stuck, and I’ll be free. I ignore the sharp pain coming from my left eye... it’s been swollen shut for the past week. The pain in my ribs felt almost numb, I was so excited to leave. I didn’t feel any pain.

"Well, when will you be back?" I ask him, making sure to keep my voice small. If I spoke in more than a whisper, he’d slap me on the side of my head.

He glares at me. "What did you just say?" he asks his voice dangerously low.

I bite the inside of my cheek. "You said you’ll be going on a small missionary trip when will you be back? I want to cook you a nice meal..." I lie through my teeth.

He glare only hardens. "Who the fuck-" he pauses. "Why are you questioning me? I asked for some time off for you from school. You can’t go around looking like that." He looks at me disgusted.

Like I didn’t receive this beating from him. He was the reason I was hideous as he described me. I can’t remember the last time my body wasn’t filled with bruises.

It’s not often that he hits my face. But sometimes it’s hard for me to move and I was a principal dancer at Juilliard. I was going to lose my spot if I didn’t put a stop, it this. but I didn’t care, none of it would matter if I was dead. And I would much rather die than be his wife.

I nod. I was going to lose my job, but it didn’t matter to me, I didn’t care, I wasn’t going to be in New York for much longer. I’d be long gone by the time he was back. I’ll be safe from Austin. "I’m sorry..." I apologize.

He nods like I’d done the right thing. I got distracted. Thinking about where I was going to go, LA? No Carter and Hannah had their own lives to live; they had two children and successful careers. Lily lives in Montreal it’s too far for me to get to.

Which leaves one person left, a person I haven’t seen since high school, someone who lives in Chicago. Butterflies in my stomach as I think of my first love. Enzo...

I just wanted him to go, so I could get out of here. Away from this nightmare. I couldn’t be here anymore.

I didn’t even know where I was going, I just wanted to be away from New York, New York brought nothing but bad memories for me. I didn’t even know if Enzo still stayed in Chicago. But I needed to go. He was the only one who could save me.

I didn’t even know if he was married or had children. But Enzo was the only one who could hide me long enough to be rid of Austin.

A song played in my head; it somehow calmed the anxiousness in me. Enzo used to sing it to me whenever I was anxious about a rehearsal or practice. Enzo would come to the dance studio just to watch me dance. He said it silenced the noise in his head.

Enzo and I dated all through high school. We had the love at first sight kind of love. We were on and off the entire time. When we broke up, senior year we knew we still loved one another, but we just gave up.

I’ve never been the same since then.

When a sharp pain hits me square in the face. I realize I stopped listening to Austin.

He didn’t like it when I ignored him.

I hold my eye closed. "I’m sorry, I was just thinking about what to make you for dinner..." I lie.

"You listen when I speak to you God dammit! Why is it so God damn hard for you to listen to me. I swear I don’t want to hit you. But you make it so God damn hard. Really. I don’t know what to do with you. I can’t keep doing this Ko." He uses an endearment I hate more than anything.

I hated having my name shortened.

The rest of the night is uneventful. I cook us dinner and we head to bed.

When I open my eyes the next morning, I knew I was alone, my head was killing me. He hit me on the eye that was already swollen shut. I had no idea who the hell was going to drive with one eye. freeweɓnovel.cøm

I was going to have to wear shades, regardless of the weather. I had a car I bought cash, second hand, I was going to drive my car to a junkyard, the previous owner stayed two blocks away from the junkyard.

I was going to leave without so much as leaving a trace. I didn’t tell Austin about Enzo. It was a part of me I kept hidden.

I get up out of bed and get ready for the day. I don’t grab any clothes, I bought the dog’s food, and anything we needed, I bought clothes and everything. I needed Austin to think I had just disappeared. If he noticed I took anything out of the house, he might actually look for me.

Once I’m dressed and I’ve got the dogs, I grab the key I made and we’re out. The drive to the junkyard. I could hear my heart jumping out of my heart. It was seconds from pounding out of my chest.

I kept checking if he’s car wasn’t following me. I didn’t even eat; I just wanted to get out of New York as soon as possible. Once I was out of New York I’ll eat.

Once I’m in the junkyard, I get out, I help the dogs out of the car and put them on their leashes.

I ignore the pain everywhere and walk to where I have the car parked for about a week now. The previous owner had an abusive ex-husband, so she was more than willing to help me.

I’ve never connected with someone the way I did with her. We sat in her kitchen talking about what we went through.

I’ve been with Austin for ten years; the first time he hit me was three years ago. I received flowers from Keith, another principal dancer, we’d done the nutcracker together and he’d given it to me to say thank you for my help.

Austin thought I was cheating on him and slapped me across the face calling me a slut. He’d apologized right after, I’d forgiven him. I should have left then. But I didn’t. I stayed. I stayed with him. It got worse. It got so much worse.

He’d hit me so badly I couldn’t get out of bed, then he’d hit me more because I couldn’t cook dinner.

Before dating Austin, I never cooked dinner, I came from a family that had chefs, people to do laundry and to drive me around.

My parents passed last year, leaving me their fortune. But I didn’t have access to it until I got married. The reason why Austin wanted to get married.

It was the reason I refused to marry him, I feared he’d kill me if I stayed with him. He could kill me for the things my parents left me.

When I reach the house, I knock on the door. Ellenor opened the door with a smile.

I smile.

"The car’s in the garage, I put food for you in the front seat. There’s water for you and the dogs as well. Don’t phone me until you get a new phone. You left your phone at home, right?" she asks.

I nod. "Thank you again." tears ran down my face. I couldn’t stop them.

She’s been so kind to me. I didn’t know how to thank her.

I still kept looking over my shoulder as I drove out of New York. Once I was out of New York. I stopped to get a phone and paid in cash like Ellenor told me to.

Now to Chicago, hopefully finding Enzo wouldn’t be so hard.