Chapter 5

MARIAH’S P.O.V.

Everything seemed weird to me, looking more like I was daydreaming but I wasn’t. I felt it all as a nightmare but I wished I could get up from it since it’s taking forever.

I woke up in my room back at my dad’s house which made me confused. Something wasn’t right, I checked everything and it was just as I left.

I sat uprightly on my bed my head aching and I felt a whole lot of pains in my body. I saw pictures of things I couldn’t explain. Looking at the calendar I stood from my bed to check what date it is.

But when I checked the date I realized that it was the day I was meant to meet Cassian and I had travelled back in time.

Seeing Cassian would be in our house in a short time, I decided to find my way out of the house as I can’t afford to live my entire life as a slave to a heartless mafia lord.

I needed to get out of this house though it is obvious, I tried last night but couldn’t make it.

Without thinking I packed some of my stuffs into a small bag. While I hurriedly put my stuffs together my stepmom barged in and shouted my name “Mariah!”

I tried hiding the bag but she came in before I know it.

She walked to were I’m standing, seeing the bag on the bed she asked “what are you up to?”

“Nothing, I-I” I stammered not knowing what to say when a thought came into my heard “I think I’m just tryna get myself prepare ahead!”

“Really?” She asked raising her eyebrows.

“I-I…” I stammered again feeling tensed when she cut in “remember, you better don’t fuck with Cassian because; he’s a no nonsense man and one who takes his business seriously” a dangerous smirk was on her lips.

I stared tensed at her without saying a word when she added “I think being too idle now makes you stupid” she said and dumbed a lot of work on me. Just as she’s about stepping out my door she snapped “make yourself useful and busy until your darling comes.” Immediately, she left my room.

Looking at the Load of work she asked me to do I immediately began to work while getting a panic attack, I couldn’t get married to Cassian especially when I know what’s going to happen.

I took a close look at my stomach and I felt upset that I wasn’t pregnant anymore but I ignored it when I heard the door bell ringed aloud and I knew it was him.

A maid came upstairs to my father’s room and I overheard when she said “you’ve got a visitor sir,”

“Who’s he?” My father asked.

“Cassian Gavino” she replied.

“I’ll be there in a moment” my father said when I heard footsteps of the maid leaving to go deliver my father’s message, I guessed.

I dumbed the work given to me as I saw my father leaving his room. It was either now or never for me to leave or settle to spend my whole life with Cassian.

 I sneaked into my father’s room, opened his drawers to see if there was money in it but I couldn’t found any.

I feared I would get caught, but since this was my only chance to escape, I continued searching.

I opened his wardrobe and found his briefcase looking like something he recently dropped maybe before he left to meet his visitor.

I opened it and found a lot of money in it. I took a deep breath in and it was looking like everything was playing out perfectly.

I took a large amount of money from the case went back into my room before taking my bag and ran through the back door quietly.

I never wanted to make the same mistake I made last night instead, I ran outside the gate and took a cab and went to the nearest train station.

On getting to the train station I felt really terrified and uncomfortable as I imagined my father searching for me this very moment.

I know I needed to get myself disguise should incase my father comes now to search for me. I walked to a man standing at a corner and inquired “please excuse me, do you work here?”

“Yes I do” he answered.

“Please I do need to change up immediately” I said, my heart beating twice it’s normal state.

“You’ve got any problem with this one?” He asked pointing at the dress I was putting on.

Why is he being this inquisitive to know why I needed to change?

I badly wanted to get into any restroom available and since he wouldn’t show me, I tried cooking up a fake story.

“If you don’t mind, I’m having my monthly flow and my undies are badly socked. Or do you want me to stain people with my blo…” I wasn’t done when he cut in “alright, calm down I’ll show you the restroom”

He showed me the restroom which I did enter and change my dressed and also put on a golden coloured wick on my heard, making me look totally different from the way I was earlier.

I came out from the restroom and entered the train and after a short while, it zoomed out.

All the while I was inside the train, I felt really uncomfortable and scared.

What if my father get to know right now that I’m no longer in the house?

Would he start up a search for me?

What if things doesn’t go well for me at the airport?

If peradventure he meets me at the airport, what then, would be my fate?

I struggled with my inner conflict when a guy who had been quietly staring at me asked looking concern “you look some kind of worried, what’s the problem?”

“No, I’m fine” I replied with a smirk.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine” I said.

“May I know your name?” He further asked trying to engage me in a conversation.

“I’m sorry I don’t think is necessary at the moment” I said looking away.

After a long drive, the train dropped me off at Delta Airlines and soon, I began buying my plane ticket. I just couldn’t wait to leave California as I longed to be in Philadelphia and away from my father’s sight.

I’d expected my flight today but unfortunately, it was rescheduled for tomorrow and so, I’d no other choice than to lodge in a hotel close to the airport.

I couldn’t sleep all throughout the night as I kept having nightmares about my father having me forcefully under his grip. At daybreak, I hurriedly checked out of the hotel and headed to the airport.

 The plane started out at exactly 6:00am. I took a deep breath of relieve as I escape once and for all though I wasn’t certain how life away from my father’s self-made paradise would be.