Bound

Prologue

Prologue

After a long, enervating shift at the hotel as a concierge, Eleanor made her way back to the apartment she lived in, her feet suffering an exhausting journey. If only I could buy a car... She thought longingly. Eleanor took the shortest route back to her place excluding the scenic attractions of the famous London city. 

It was nearing eight o' clock, the time she usually leaves the hotel, but fortunately the manager let her go early seeing as Eleanor was catching a cold due to the rainy, cold winter approaching. The familiar steps leading up to a run-down apartment was suddenly in view, and Eleanor chose to jog the final meters that separated her from her loved ones. 

"Riley?" She called out happily while sniffling, wanting to surprise her long-term boyfriend and live-in partner. He was also the father of her two darling boys. "Riley, I'm home!" 

When she got no response, she went to her sons' room and saw that one of them was wide awake, waiting to be picked up. Eleanor smiled at the sight and bent down to pick the youngest, Peyton at only six months old. "Hi sweetheart." She nuzzled her head against Peyton's. "Did you miss mum?"

Peyton let out a squeal of delight and fussed in her arms. "Oh darling, are you wet?" She went to check his bottom and found that he indeed needed a nappy change. "Hold on, mummy will go get the nappies from her room, okay?"

Eleanor gently settled him back down in his crib and jogged back to the room she shared with Riley. Grabbing a Kleenex off the dresser and blowing her nose, she took off her blazer, which was apart of her hotel uniform, and tossed it to the bed. It wasn't the only thing on the bed however. There was a closed suitcase and curious as she was, Eleanor opened it and saw it was filled with Riley's clothes. 

She didn't react right away, always not wanting to jump to conclusions. "Riley?" She went to check the small bathroom that they all shared to see if he was there. Empty. Just as she was walking out of the tiny kitchen with no signs of Riley, she heard the front door open and rushed out to see who was there.

"Riley!" Eleanor cried out in relief when she saw him. "Oh thank the heavens you're here. What's going on?" He was not alone. Her best friend was standing at the door looking confused like her.

"What are you doing here?" He asked surprised to see her. "You weren't suppose to be home until nine." 

"They let me leave early," she mumbled and rushed to him giving the man she loved a huge hug. "What's with the suitcase? Riley, tell me what's happening." He ignored her and abruptly walked past her shoving her to the wall. Not once did he ever treat Eleanor like that!

"Eleanor, sweetheart," she turned her head to see her best friend, Summer, at the door looking sympathetic. "Maybe you should sit down."

Although, Eleanor ignored her and ran after her boyfriend of seven long years into their bedroom. She saw him pick up the suitcase and started heading out to the front door, ignoring her once again. Suddenly, things seemed to have clicked in their places in Eleanor's head. 

"You're leaving?" She cried out after him tugging on his arm keeping him from taking another step further. "No! No, please! You- you can't leave me and our sons. They need you." She hugged him fiercly to her. "I need you."

Riley shrugged her off and picked up his suitcase, not sparing her another glance. "I can't do this. I tried, I really did. I'm just too young to be tied down and be a father. I'm sorry, Eleanor."

The cries of their baby boys were distant to their ears. Eleanor stumbled after him into the living room where Summer was sitting uncomfortably on the couch staring at the scene before her eyes.