Page 13 of Trapped By the Bratva

“I can’t believe you’d stoop this low.” I clenched my teeth and looked back again at her messages.

Melissa:Get over it.

Melissa:It’s not like you won’t make more money.

Melissa:It’s your own fault. You shouldn’t have been hiding money from me to start with.

That last line nearly pushed me over the edge. Steam could’ve been trailing from my ears. That was how mad I was.

This morning, when I caught her snooping in my room, with my phone in her hand, I woke up so fast I was dizzy. What I learned nauseated me.

She hadn’t tried to lie about it. If anything, she’d looked so smug and proud of herself as she explained it all.

Devin picked the lock on my door because he’d convinced her that I was hiding cash that they “deserved” for being the older adults in the apartment. Finding no cash—because I had learned years ago that she would hunt for anything I stashed for myself—she got my phone.

It was a blessing and a curse how much banking we did digitally. A curse for me, because she’d held my phone up to my face for the facial recognition unlock. That was how she’d found my secret account. For the last month, I’d been working all the extra hours I could to make more. Aside from rent and utilities, I put aside everything else to finally break away. To leave. To ditch her. To start a new life anywhere else.

She’d taken it all, screwing me over again.

Sick of feeling stuck and abused, used and manipulated, I said enough was enough and started an action plan to run away.

And now? I was fucked.

“Hannah?”

I looked up just in time before I collided with someone walking in the opposite direction. My phone almost fell to the sidewalk, but I caught it before it could shatter.

Glancing up at the woman who’d said my name, I blinked. Then blinked some more. Once again, I wondered if my eyes were deceiving me.

“Becca?” I asked incredulously.

My vision was fine. It wasn’t a trick or illusion. My former friend and boss stood right there.

“Oh, my God! Becca!” I squealed and lunged at her for a hug.

As I did, a stern-looking man in a suit stepped forward. He’d waited behind her, at a slight distance, but my sudden launch at Becca had him on edge.

I furrowed my brow, confused, but Becca hugged me back just as tightly.

“I’m so happy to see you,” she exclaimed.

“Me too. I mean, I’m glad to see you! And you!” I grinned, open-mouthed with surprise, as I stepped back and looked her over. “Look at you!”

She was radiant. And so happy. I saw it in her eyes. They didn’t look guarded and worried, but full of joy. No dark bags lined under them. A stylish new cut emphasized how gorgeous her red hair was. And her belly protruded ever so slightly.

“I… Wow.” I was speechless, running into her out of the blue like this. “Congratulations.” It was horrible manners to ever assume a woman was pregnant, but with her slender figure, it was so obvious.

“Thank you.” She placed her hand over her bump and smiled wider. “Five months along now.”

“Oh, my gosh!” I hugged her again, feeling brighter just to have her arms squeezing me tight right back. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks, Hannah.”

“And you look so…” I gestured at her, amazed at the makeover she’d somehow given herself. It wasn’t just that she was dressed nicely and looked pampered, but also the overall glow she exuded. Elated, content, and unstressed. “You look so happy.”

“I am.” She smiled wider. “I’m very happy.”

I held her hand, looking at her from an arm’s length. “And so healthy and justwow!”

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