Page 69 of Kidnapped Prisoner By the Bratva
My lousy neighbors, Drake and Olivia, were at it again, disturbing the peace of the building with their endless fights. Everything about that couple was loud: their late-night escapades and their arguments.
Nothing about them was a secret.
I shook my head, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “Can’t say I missed this,” I whispered to myself.
“Wren?” a familiar voice called from behind me. “Is that really you?”
I turned around, smiling at the nice old lady staring at me. “Hi, Mrs. Alderman.”
“Gracious God! Itisyou.” She drew closer to me, her hand reaching out to hold mine. “Where have you been? Your friendshave come by looking for you multiple times. Are you okay?” The words burst out of her in a hurry.
“I’m fine,” I answered, retaining that polite grin on my lips. “I’ve just been uh…figuring out myself…you know. Trying to find out where I fit in in the world.”
She looked into my eyes, as if searching for answers to the questions she hadn’t asked. “Hmm. I know the feeling. You’re a fine young woman with a bright future ahead of her. Sometimes it’s necessary to ghost everyone so you can find yourself.”
I pushed my lips, nodding in affirmation.
“So, did you find what you were looking for?”
The question hit me hard, like a hammer to my chest.
I paused, unsure of whether I had the answer to that or not. “Honestly…I don’t know.”
She smiled at me, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Wanna know what I think?”
I squinted, a hint of suspicion flickering in my gaze.
She continued anyway. “I think you do. I think you’ve found what you were looking for. But you don’t like it. And so, you’re running away.”
Fuck. That’s surprisingly accurate. Crazy how she narrowed down all I’d been through and felt these past few weeks in just a few sentences.
What was she, psychic?
“My advice….” Her voice cut through my thoughts. “Stop running.” She squeezed against my fingers. “Embrace what you found. Trust me, it might not be as bad as you think.”
Her words and that radiant smile of hers melted my heart, prompting me to reciprocate the gesture.
“Thank you, Mrs. Alderman,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
She beamed at me, her palm resting on my cheek for a moment before she walked back to her room. Mrs. Alderman stopped by her door, then turned to add, “Oh, and uh….”
I looked at her.
“You look different. In a good way,” she said, grinning faintly. “Looks like these past few weeks treated you well.” She walked into her apartment and closed the door behind her.
Treated me well? I laughed on the inside because she had no idea the hell I was just coming from.
But wait, why would she say that?
I unlocked my door and walked inside.
Home sweet home.
Everything was as I left it: untouched. I took my shoes off, walking further into the room. My old apartment now felt different, almost unrecognizable. I tossed the backpack onto the nearest couch and slumped into it.
Never had I been this confused in my whole life. Ever. I thought I made the right choice by leaving Val, but then, why did I feel so empty inside?
I tried to think, to convince myself that this was for the best. However, the more I tried, the more images of him kept flashing in my head. Val had occupied a space in my heart that no one ever had, and now, it was almost impossible to get rid of him.
