Chapter 1
-kindly put your playlist here-
Emily's pov.
I grabbed the suitcase with trembling hands.
The only thought in my head was that I have to be quick as I ignored the growing tightness in my chest which refused to let me take a full breath.
"It's gonna be alright." I whispered to myself again thinking that maybe if I say it enough times, I might start to believe it.
I put all the necessary items into the suitcase quickly. After changing my clothes, I grabbed my handbag which already had everything I'd need.
Then I made my way to his room.
I went through his closet praying silently to find anything of value but had no luck. I checked the bedside drawers but had no luck there either.
It took everything in me to not scream out loud in frustration.
Then I looked through his jeans which I found on the bathroom floor and found a few rumpled hundred dollar bills in the pockets.
I breathed a sigh of relief. The ball of anxiety in my chest loosened just a little.
This along with the little money that I had managed to save up would be enough for me to leave this place. Finally.
I tucked all the new found money in my bag and grabbed all of my things. With my heart racing and hands shaking I unlocked the front door.
I had to walk a few miles to find a cab. I was wearing an old cap which I had found in my closet so as to hide my face. I hope I didn't look as sketchy as I felt.
It felt like I breathed for the first time in a very long while after getting into the cab. The relief was so palpable that I suddenly felt dizzy.
I ran away.
I was free now.
Almost.
My heart was still in my throat. The thought of him finding me crossed my mind and left me with more anxiety than I could deal with at the moment.
No. He won't. I reassured myself. I looked back and felt relieved when I didn't see any trace of him. The paranoia was running so deep in my veins that I could cry.
How could he follow me when he was out with his friends, probably drunk out of his mind. I reminded myself.
My thoughts drifted to the first and the last time I tried to escape and what followed after he caught me. A shiver ran down my spine when I thought of that night.
To say the ride to the airport was painful would be an understatement but I made it through.
As I made my way inside I started remembering the last time I was here. That time was so different from this one. It was when my parents had still been alive.
God, I missed them so much.
Their faces flashed in my mind and suddenly I felt like loneliest person in the world.
I probably was.
I had booked the ticket online and went to the service counter to get my boarding pass. The flight was an hour and half from now.
My leg was bouncing as I sat waiting in the waiting lounge. My heart was beating really fast and as the time passed by, it was getting more and more difficult for me to breathe. I tried to calm myself but nothing seemed to work and I knew nothing would. Not until I reached my destination.
Here I was, going to a completely foreign city. How I was going to survive was beyond me. But I knew one thing. If I had continued to lead my life here with him, there wouldn't have been much time left for me in this world.
The beatings had gotten too much. There was no way I would have survived if I had stayed there a moment longer.
The time passed dreadfully slowly but finally I made it to the plane. I found my seat and got myself settled in. Feeling grateful that nobody was sitting next to me.
As the plane started moving. I relaxed. A surge of mixed emotions passed through me.
I did it.
I left that life.
I won't have to suffer anymore.
The rush of relief was quick to leave and my mind became plagued with thoughts of him again. What if he found me? What would happen if he found me? There was no way he'd let me escape alive this time from his vicious clutches. He'd enjoy torturing me. My hand drifted to the area just beneath my ear where he had landed a very hard slap just last week. It suddenly ached.
He wouldn't find me.
He would not.
He won't ever be able to guess that I'd be in New York. I would be safe in the crowd of New York. I would be fine there.
I'd be fine. I repeated to myself again and again.
After what seemed like forever, the plane finally landed. A wave of new found freedom rushed through me. I felt liberated.
I saw people meeting their loved ones. Most of them had people to pick them up.
Yeah. Not the case here.
I took a cab and told the driver the location of a nearby motel which I had found out about with whatever little research I had done while planning my escape.
It was my first time here. I didn't know anything about New York except for the fact that it's terribly expensive. I felt a little queasy suddenly. I could collapse with the worries that suddenly plagued my mind. It was nothing I hadn't obsessed over when I was in that hell hole.
All I knew back there was that I had to get away from him. I didn't have a well thought out plan and that suddenly scared me.
Really scared me.
Realising the downward spiral of my tboughts, I quickly put a stop to them or at least tried to. I needed to get my shit together. I wouldn't make it here otherwise.
After some time we arrived at the motel. I checked in and finally reached my room. I scanned it and sighed. I wasn't really in a position to complain.
I looked at the wall clock and saw that it was a little after one.
Now that the adrenaline was out of my system, I could barely keep my eyes open. After changing I sank into the mattress and closed my eyes.
Finally.
I was at a cafe having breakfast but then I felt someone staring at me. I looked around and saw nobody's stare at me. Then why couldn't I shake the feeling of being watched. I blinked and the next thing I knew was that I was all alone. Where did everyone go? Everyone was here a moment ago. What happened?
Then I heard his voice.
"You really thought you could get away from me?" The statement was followed by manic laughter.
I froze.
No.
This can't be happening.
I slowly turned in the direction of his voice.
There he stood looking at me how the lion looked at his prey. I was his prey. His dark eyes were cold and a mocking smile was plastered on his face.
He had that need for blood in his eyes. He looked psychotic and just then my eyes took in the knife he was holding.
No.
This couldn't be happening.
I let out a scream as he leapt towards me.
I woke up screaming. My heart was pounding rapidly. My skin was sweaty.
He hadn't found me. It was a nightmare. Relief along with dread coursed through me.
It was a nightmare. I told myself.
But it felt so real.
More real than anything I've ever felt. My eyes became wet as I sat up knowing there was no way I could go back to sleep after this. I wiped my tears and decided that it was time for me to get out of the bed. I pulled the curtain and saw that the sun was rising.
I checked the time and it was half past seven. I had...what...six hours of shut eye? That was more than what I usually got. I hurriedly stripped and went to shower. After showering and brushing my teeth. I got dressed and went out.
As I was walking down the streets. I saw a cafe. I went in and ordered some breakfast since I was starving. As I waited for breakfast I decided to read the newspaper that was on the table. I saw some articles about the famous family of New York. The Cliffords. Hmm. Since I was here I might as well learn something about this city and its people.
The Cliffords were apparently filthy rich. I saw that there was an ad for the position of secretary in their company. That's...interesting. It'd be good if I could get a job like that.
Should I apply? I bit my lower lip in thought.
There must be so many eligible candidates. There was no way they'd hire me. I looked through the requirements. That didn't seem too bad actually. I did have business as my major in college.
Maybe I could give an interview. It was not going to hurt if I'd give an interview. Right? Somebody might see potential in me and give me the job.
Well. A girl could dream.
I left the cafe dreaming about getting that job.
I was unfamiliar with the places so I started to roam around the streets checking out the places as I walked past them. I was still walking when I bumped into someone.
The person cursed as I heard the unmistakable splatter of something spilling. I quickly pulled away from him and let out a gasp when I realised that me bumping into him had caused his coffee to spill all over him.
Shit.
Way to go Emily. Without sparing him another glance, I turned around in hopes of getting away from him and the loss that I just caused as quickly as possible. I really didn't have it in me to listen to what he had to say.
"Excuse me!" I haltered in my footsteps when I heard him call out to me. I shut my eyes tightly. Great. I finally turned around after gathering a little courage and was met with a surprisingly pleasant face which I had failed to notice at the first sight as I'd been too busy trying to get away from him.
The guy was tall. He had to be a little above six feet. His dark brown hair rested messily on his head. He had striking blue eyes and no facial hair. The shirt he was wearing clung tightly to his torso and I could tell he worked out. Really worked out.
Okay but what the hell was I doing.
"Done checking me out?" He raised an eyebrow cockily. My cheeks flushed at his words. At least he wasn't frowning anymore. That was something right?
"I wasn't." I lied rolling my eyes despite the red colour on my cheeks. He just shook his head at my blunt lie.
"See what your clumsiness did." He pointed at the mess I had made and I visibly cringed. God why had I not been looking at where I was going?
"Uh- I am sorry?" I said and flashed him an apologetic smile.
"That's all you have got to say?" He asked with raised eyebrows. Um yeah? What else did he want me to say?
"Do you know how expensive this shirt is?" He asked.
Of course.
"Uh- I can pay for it if you want." I said knowing well enough that I couldn't. He looked...rich. There was no way he'd make me pay. Right?
"Sure." Wait. Did he just agree?
There was no way in hell I could afford to pay for that shirt, not when I barely had enough money for my next meal and no job.
Before I could worry myself to death he said. "You could pay me by getting me a coffee." He said with a boyish smile. Of course he had a nice smile.
Coffee? With me?
"Uh-" I bit my lower lip in thought and then finally nodded. It's not like I had another choice.
"I haven't even caught your name yet." He said after we had seated ourselves in the same cafe I had just been in.
I sighed. "Emily. Emily Collins." It's been so long since I've done this.
"Who are you?" I finally asked when he didn't say his name.
An unidentified look flashed through his eyes before he replied. "I'm David." He flashed another one of his smiles at me.
"So tell me something about yourself Emily." He said. Was I really doing this?
"There's nothing really." I shook my head giving away nothing.
"There must be something." He didn't look like he was gonna budge.
I bit my lower lip in thought but then decided on answering his question. "I just moved here. I used to live in San Francisco." I said the last part slowly.
"Interesting." Before he could ask me another question. I beat him to it.
"What do you do?" I asked, quickly changing the subject so that I would not have to answer anymore questions.
He chuckled. "So you really don't know me. I am an actor."
"Really? Wow." I said in surprise. Now that I knew he was an actor. I could understand why. He just had that...celebrity air to him. I can't believe I missed that. His face didn't seem familiar to me though.
"I was surprised that you didn't know me to be honest. You know I am quite popular." He said cockily. I raised an eyebrow and did my best to look unimpressed.
"Clearly not enough for me to know". I retorted and he let out a laugh.
"You are good for my ego." He mocked. "I know." I flashed him a sweet smile.
"What's your full name?" I asked.
"David Clifford". He said and suddenly a bell rang in my mind.
"Are you by any chance the member of that famous family of New York?" I asked hesitantly. No. Coincidences like this didn't take place in real life.
"So you have heard of me." He smirked. Wow. Such a famous personality was sitting in front of me. I started to get a little nervous.
"I read about your family in the newspaper today." I answered honestly.
But wait. Who ran the company if he was an actor? His father probably.
"So who runs the company?" I asked casually. I didn't want to appear nosey but I couldn't help but ask.
"My older brother. Daniel."
We chatted for a little while. It was nice. It had been so long since ive had a real conversation with anyone. He offered to drive me back to the motel and I took him up on it. He had gotten suprised at the mention of motel.
Since he was busy driving so I took it as a chance to stare at him. He had a really strong jawline. His nose was straight. His lips pink like he had been biting them. He was handsome, really handsome I must say.
Suddenly he started smiling. I frowned.
"Why are you smiling?"
"You realise sweetheart that you haven't stopped staring at me since we got in the car." He quickly passed me a glance and then resumed looking forward.
My cheeks flamed. "I-I wasn't staring at you." I fought back weakly.
"And you really need to stop looking so smug all the time." I rolled my eyes.
He dropped me and gave me his number telling me to give him a call.
Well. We'll see about that.