Chapter 9

Mena

The night had passed and it was morning already. Only, I hadn't closed a single eye. The events from yesterday were still running through my head. The way Alessio played me, fooled me, threatened me.

All night, I had been stuffing clothes and all necessary belongings into suitcases. One thing was certain. I wouldn't be staying here in this apartment, risking mine or my daughter's life any longer.

By the time I was almost finished, too much time had already past. So much time I didn't even realize it was already 8:30. Alessio's driver would arrive soon, and I was determined to get Natalie and myself out before then.

In a hurry, I picked up the last of Naty's toys while she watched with a confused frown on her face. She had been staring at me wide-eyed since she had caught me packing like a possessed woman. Yes, I would love to explain the reasoning—but how could one even try and explain to a child that the monster from her bedtime stories was real?

Naty's voice broke through the s