5. My Abuser has Found Me

Dymond

They just let me go? 

I am not sure what is actually happening, but I will not wait for them to change their mind and come back to recapture me.

Hurriedly, I turn away from the spot and try my best to blend in with the crowd. The night life seems to be at its peak, with streetlights, roadside stalls selling street food, and young people laughing and making videos of themselves having a good time.

That life is nothing like mine.

I push myself to move forward, not sure where I am headed, but I just have to make sure I don't leave a trail. I am experienced in hiding myself when I don't want to be found, so it is pretty easy for me to do this.

I did spend the last six months on the run, after all.

After what seems like an hour, I am breathing hard and in a completely different area. It is still crowded, with noise and laughter, and that is perfect. But that does not stop fear from filling my veins because I know that soon, the streets will get more deserted and more dangerous for a woman to be roaming about all alone.

I have no money, no shelter for the night, and desperation claws at me.

Out of habit, I find myself looking over my shoulder too many times as I come up with a plan to steal some wallets from random people in the crowd. I could make a few dollars to help me get off the streets for the night, at least.

My fingers feel something strange within the fabrics of my dress. Thin, stiff, like thick paper. That is the spot where my hidden pocket is.

I quickly shove my hand in and pull out the strange object.

 It is an envelope. I frown, because I do not remember putting this in there. The only thing I placed there was the stolen diamond, and the guards quickly found it and took it away. 

I pause. Could Dante have put this in my pocket while I was knocked out?

I turn the envelope over, and see the initials N.G printed at the edge. Nile Garres. For some reason, my heart begins to race. I tear the envelope open and peer inside. What meets my eyes makes my jaw drop, because I have never seen a wad of cash this crisp, and huge for a very long time.

It is money.

Why will someone I stole from let me go scot free, and still give me money?

It makes no sense, but I do not need it to make sense, because I am already moving down the street, towards the nearest hotel. I ignore the stares following me as I walk up to the reception and ask for a room for the night.

"Of course, Miss. Please wait in the reception for a moment while we prepare a room for you." The receptionist smiles, trying not to stare at my disheveled state.

I nod, and turn around. Instead of going to sit on one of the couches, I cross over to the other door that led to some type of restaurant. I fill my belly with a hearty meal, and go back to the reception afterwards.

When I am finally taken to my room, I lock the door and move to shut all the windows and blinds. I usually do not take rooms on the first floor, for safety reasons, but now I do not have much of a choice as there were barely any other rooms available.

After I am sure my room is secure, I move into the bathroom to take a very long, and deeply relaxing bath. With my freshly washed hair wrapped in a towel, and my body wrapped in a bathrobe, I step back into the bedroom.

The tiredness from the craziness of the past few days is finally catching up to me, and my bones sag in my own flesh as I stumble to the soft bed. All my body wants is sleep, but I know I will never sleep peacefully unless I make out my plans for tomorrow.

I cannot stay in this hotel, or any hotel, longer than one night. Staying here is already a high risk, tomorrow, with the rest of the money, I have to head to the outskirts of the city. There I can spend a few days before I have to move again.

Thinking so hard, even while tired, must have caused me to doze off, because the shrill sound of the telephone ringing suddenly jolts me awake.

I stifle my gasp, then reach for the telephone, wondering why the hotel staff would be calling by this time.

"Hello?"

"Miss, you are entitled to a limited spa offer, courtesy of the hotel. I was wondering if you would like a late night spa session, all for free?" The receptionist's voice comes in.

I sigh softly, "No, thank you."

"Alright, Miss. Have a good night."

The call ends, and I sink back into bed, deciding it is better to get a good night's rest so I can be more alert tomorrow. Pulling the sheets over my body, I snuggle into the pillows and slide my eyes closed.

But in the last split second, I catch something from the corner of my eye. My eyebrows furrow, and I move my eyes around, trying to figure out if I had really seen a tiny red light. I slowly sit up on the bed, stomach churning.

I have the habit of thinking I have seen things that could threaten my safety, even when I might be in a secure place. I do not blame myself, because that habit was born out of paranoia and trauma.

I have every reason to be paranoid.

But now, I am sure I had caught a glimpse of a tiny red dot from the light in the middle of the ceiling. Looking at it now, I can not see anything unusual. I shiver, realizing that I had forgotten to do my routine checks in any room I sleep in.

When I stepped into this hotel room, I only locked the doors and windows. I did not check for anything strange.

That is a big mistake. Now, I regret being that careless.

With a gulp, I reach for the light switch on the wall beside my bed, and turn the lights off. I narrow my eyes and watch the lamp on the ceiling more closely. And it is right there.

A tiny red dot of light, coming from deep within the lamp. It is staring back at me. 

My heart thunders, as a deathly cold runs over my entire limbs. It is a camera. There is a camera right inside that light bulb, silently watching every single one of my movements. It has been there, from the moment I stepped into this room.

The terror that seizes me, as I stare at the red dot in the darkness.

Only one person could be watching.

My psychopath ex-boyfriend. Greg has found me.