My phone went crazy once again. I reached over, seeing an unknown number buzzing away on my screen. I quickly answered and instantly regretted it. Yelling in my ear caused my heart to leap into my throat.
“Why haven’t you contacted me since I left!” Jacob yelled.
I was unable to form coherent words as fear gripped me like a vice around my lungs, making my breaths short and ragged.
“Answer me!” the yelling continued.
“I…I’ve been busy…” I struggled with each word.
“You’re a liar!” Every word that spilled from his mouth was filled with anger and hate. “You have humiliated me publicly by not accepting my proposal. You haven’t called or messaged me—”
“Well, have you tried to contact me before now? No! So leave me the hell alone.” I forced the words out angrily, getting over my initial shock of his outburst.
I was met with silence, but even that was enough to tell me how angry he was. I needed to escape this man and move on with my life, but I doubted he would ever allow that to happen. Eventually, he spoke again.
“How dare you!” he hissed at me. “I work hard so I can buy you beautiful things.”
“I don’t want anything more from you because me and you are done.” My words were laced with conviction because I knew deep down in my heart I could never be with this man. A man who tore away at my soul, piece by piece, and if I stayed, I would become nothing but a hollow existence to those around me. An empty shell. A girl who wore a mask every day of her life. I knew I couldn’t be that person, not since Blake had shown me love and compassion. He lit up my life like a full moon lights up the night sky. He was my new life and my own happily ever after.
Chapter Fifteen
Melodi
Present Day
I swear my mouth is hanging open. I still didn’t get all answers I wanted, but I’m sure she’ll give them to me eventually. I glance toward the window and see that the sun is setting in hues of blues and pinks. We’ve been closed up in this room for the entire day. Rachel and Flick came in throughout the day to check if it was okay to give Katie some food. I can’t believe what she went through with Jacob and she never told me.
“Are you okay, Mel?” she asks quietly, the hesitation evident in her voice.
Am I okay? I honestly don’t know. I feel angry at her for keeping this to herself. I’m her sister! Then thinking about what she’d done, making us believe she was dead. How dare she? If she had told us, we could have helped somehow. I sense her watching me, feeling her unease.
“I need a minute.” With that, I get up and walk out of the room to a full house of people.
“Melodi, what’s wrong?” I look up to see Corban walking towards me. He’s who I need right now. I can’t even look at Blake. I’m sure now he’s lied to me about what actually went on as well. I’m even convinced he knew where she was this entire time, so when he put on a show for my family, it was all just a lie.
“I need to get out of here for a minute,” I whisper. My arms wrap around my stomach. I feel sick to my stomach hearing what Abby endured as well as what she has put us through.
He just nods and guides me to the door. “Just wait and I’ll grab your coat.” With those words, he’s gone.
I don’t know what to say to anyone. How could she do this to us? How are my parents going to react to this new information? Oh, man, Mum is going to flip and Dad is going to be furious. We mourned her. It's taken us a long time to finally move on.
Corban comes back, wraps me in my coat, and ushers me out the door. We are silent, but it’s what I need and Corban knows it. So much has happened and the last thing I need right now is my sister coming back from the dead. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy she isn’t actually dead, but she knowingly put me in danger the day she left—or died—or whatever it is that happened. Jacob knew and was probably following me for the last three years, and his showing up at my work was no coincidence. I’m sure he’s been planning and lying in wait for the perfect opportunity for him to bring Abby out of her concealment. Now I have my babies and Corban to think about.
I think Abby needs to come out of hiding and tell the police and get the protection she more than obviously needs. Why didn’t she go to the police? I’m sure they could have helped, instead of just leaving and letting us all think she was dead.
“Are you okay?” Corban’s words pull me out of my dark moment. He has a way of doing that.
“Yeah. I guess as well as I can be with knowing most of what went down.”
“What do you mean…most?”
“I didn’t let Abby finish; it’s all too much for me at the moment. I needed space and food,” I giggle at my last words.
“Let’s get you and these babies some food then, beautiful.” He kisses my cheek as we walk out of the building and into the fresh air.
It’s a beautiful night, but I can’t help looking everywhere, and at everyone around me. Wondering and thinking if Jacob is around here somewhere, watching and waiting.
“Do you think he is out here?” I voice my concern.
He takes a moment to answer. “I honestly don’t know, but if you want, we can go back to my place and stay there if that makes you feel safer?” His idea doesn’t actually sound too bad, but I can’t leave my house full of people who I classify as family, at such short notice.
“I would love to, but I can’t do that to my houseful of guests. I think after we get something to eat, we can sort out our living arrangements.” He looks a little confused by my statement. “What I mean is I can’t have Abby, Blake, and Katie at my place.”
“We already discussed this, don’t you remember? I’m going to let them use one of my properties and they will stay there. You will come stay with me. Jacob might only watch this place and he may not even know where I live, but he won’t find where Abby and Blake stay. I promise you that.”
I nod, not wanting to speak about it anymore.
We stop at a burger place that just opened up a few days ago. We purchase food for everyone and head back to my crowded one-bedroom apartment.
I begin clearing up the rubbish and scraps after our meals. I can’t help but look at Katie and think I’m going to have my own children in the coming months. Mine and Corban’s lives are going to change forever. This is not how I planned my life, I never expected to meet Corban and fall madly in love and then fall pregnant, but he completes me in every way and I couldn’t see my life without him now, just like Abby couldn’t see her life without Blake.
Chapter Sixteen
Abby
The guilt that fills me is unbearable. I honestly thought it was the best thing to do at the time. I didn’t think I would ever be coming out of hiding. I watch Melodi as she clears things up, and she can’t even make eye contact with me. It breaks me knowing I’ve caused her so much pain and now we have this rift between us. I don’t see why Blake had to come for me and ruin it all. I was finally accepting the fate of my life before he walked up to my doorstep a few days ago.
When Melodi left to purchase our dinner, I broke down. Luckily, Melodi’s friends had Katie because I would hate to have her see me break like I did. Blake, my rock, my support, was there as usual. Too bad he wasn’t there when his daughter was born. That right there is another problem in itself because I still haven’t told Blake that Katie is his. So many secrets, and it feels like my world just might crumble beneath me.
“Here, Mel, let me give you a hand,” her friend Flick offers and they disappear into the kitchen.
Tomorrow, Katie and I will be moving to a different apartment. I don’t really know what the plan is after that. I do know I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in hiding, with Katie not getting the kind of life she deserves.