002

I was curled on the floor in a fetal position when I heard my phone ringing. I stood up and got out of the closet. I did not know how long I had been crying in the closet but it must have been hours. I checked the room to make sure that Cassian did not find a way inside.

The shrilling from my ringing phone caught my attention again. I rushed to the nightstand. On the screen, the number displayed was unfamiliar.

“Hello?."

I said into the phone

I heard laboured breathing and then cries.

“Hello?." I asked again

"Freya, it's me." It was the voice of my step mother.

“Good afternoon, Mother." The word mother sounded foreign on my tongue.

“Please save me, I've been kidnapped."

“What?."

“I was on my way to get some groceries when I got kidnapped...help me, please."

“Where are you? How are you calling me?."

“I borrowed a phone from someone. Please come and get me before they find me."

“I'll call the police—"

“Don't, do not involve the police. I'll text you the location."

“But—" before I could finish my statement, the line went dead.

Out of all her kids, why did she call me? I was hated by my family, because I was the daughter of mistress. My father was having an affair while he was married and the husband snatcher was my mother, she passed away when I was very little and I had to live with my father and his real family.

Everyone made life a hell for me. When brothers loved their little sister and protected them, mine bullied and tortured me. When sisters played dress up and tell each other their secrets, mine disgraced and humiliated me.

My father did nothing to stop it. My stepmother encouraged it and my biological mother was dead with no trace of a family, i could not even remember what she was like.

I drove to the location my stepmom had texted and I walked into the building, it was an abandoned warehouse.

“Mother?."

I was cautious as I walked inside. I made sure that my footsteps were very soft and quiet.

I heard muffled screams and I turned to the corner, there my stepmom was tied to a chair. The thought that the kidnappers had caught her crossed ny mind, it means I had gotten to her too late. They could be hiding somewhere and I would be in trouble too for simply being here but I was just going to run and leave her. Regardless of how she hurt me when I was just an innocent child, I was not a bad person, I had a kind heart.

I went to her and observed the ropes. She was gagged and there was blood on her forehead, dripping down the side of her swollen red face.

“Oh my god " I exclaimed as i saw her state, I felt for the gag and pulled it out.

“Help!." She started yelling very loudly.

“Mother, please keep your voice down so you don't attract the kidnappers. I'm here now, I'm sorry I was late it was hard to find this place."

“Help!." She yelled again

“What are you doing? It's me Freya."

Tears streamed down her eyes and she kept on yelling.

I heard cars pulling up outside.

“They're back. I have to get you out of these ropes."

“Freeze, put your hands in the air!."

I stilled, my heart was hammering in my chest.

I turned around to see the cops.

“Thank God you're here." I said as a wave of relief washed through me.

“Please help me, she kidnapped me." My stepmom cried.

“Step away from her." They said pointing a gun at me.

“What? No, no, you're mistaken. I'm here to sav—"

I did not finished my statement when a policeman rushed towards me as if I was trying to run away and put me in handcuffs. The metal bit into my skin and i yelped.

" Mother, please is this a prank?. It's not funny."

The sounds of heels clicking sounded through the room and Genevieva walked in.

“Mum! What have you done to my mother? Look at how badly you beat her, get help, my mother is bleeding." She cried and ran to her mother

“Freya, did you have to stoop so low?." Cassian asked me.

I did not even know he had walked in, my mind was a jumbled mess.

“Cassian, honey, tell them to release me. I didn't do it. You know that I can't do something like this."

" You were caught red handed."

“That's because I'm here to save her."

“Officers lock this criminal up ."

Tears blurred my vision. I couldn't believe the words coming out of my husband's mouth, he called me a criminal.

“This is outrageous. I got a phone call from her, begging me to come here and save her!." I yelled

“Be silent miss, anything you say or do would be used against you in the court of law. ." They started reading my rights to me and it all felt like a fever dream.

I laughed.

" This is a prank. It can't be anything else."

“I'll make sure you rot in jail and never see sunlight, ever again. I'll make sure they send you to a place even the devil would never cross."

I was roughly shoved into the back of the police car and it felt unreal. No, this cannot be happening.

The moment I was thrown in a small cell, I realized that my life was finished. I was betrayed and framed. How was I so stupid to fall into their trap?. The voice in my head told me that there was no how I could have known but I did not believe it.

Hours later, Cassian walked in with Matthew my brother. My brother was angry, I could see it in his eyes. His jaw was tight and there was nothing but pure rage in his stare. Cassian on the other hand looked disgusted.

“I wish I was there, I would have killed you before the cops arrived." Matthew said.

“I did not do it, Matthew."

“Sorry you're saying my mum is lying. Are you saying that she tied herself up???"

“She called me there. Please believe me, My freedom rests in your hands."

He laughed and Cassian pulled out a file.

“What is this?."

“The divorce papers. Now sign it or I'll make your life more miserable than it already is. I can't be married to a disgusting criminal."

I stared at the papers.

" I have done nothing but love you Cassian, I do not deserve to be in a cell because of love."

“Sign it!." Cassian yelled and I trembled.

I took the pen and signed the papers. He observed the signature to make sure everything was correctly signed. When he saw that there were no errors, he smiled and turned away.

If I told him I was carrying a baby, would he set me free?