Chained Wife✔️

One year later

It's been one, one year, and I still have the fear that Colton will one day find us. I do not walk these streets without looking around at my surroundings, I do not just open my apartment door. No. I'm careful, super freaking careful. Hope and I do not go out at night, I'm still saving money for a car, so we have to walk a lot right now, and it's not safe to do that in the dark.

My job is going amazing, I adore the old owners. Their names are Mae and Donald. Donald melts like butter over a hot stove for Hope, I haven't found a babysitter I trust yet to be able to watch Hope while I'm at work. I know I know the apartment is right above me, but I can't shake the feeling that she would be harmed when I'm not there to protect her.

Mae has been teaching me to bake a little and says once I can bake the things on the menu she will give me a raise and make me the baker for the shop, making more money which for my situation is always good. Her hands are starting to hurt, so I'm always helping her bake anyway.

They invite us over for dinners and always have Hope a little something, I keep telling them they don't have to do this, but they say nonsense to that and keep doing it. I think it's sweet, they are a lovely couple and I'm so happy to know them.

They have been super kind to me and my daughter, I'm not even having to pay rent right now.

Donald had told me to save my money right now, let it "stalk pile," and Mae agreed with him.

I tried giving them a bit of money the other day and both went into the dramatics and acted so offended that the only thing I could do is roll my eyes at the two of them and put my money back in my pocket.

I'm still sleeping with a big chair in front of the door. It's the only door in the apartment. One way in and one way out. It helps me sleep better knowing there is something blocking the door between Hope and I. If someone does break in, I could at least get to something to protect us.

Speaking of protection, I sleep with a knife under my bed, and don't worry. Hope has her little crib that Mae brought for her sleeping right next to me.

I know I have issues, I'm trying to work them out inside my head, but I'll find myself cleaning the house every day, making sure the sink is empty.

One day, I was just going about my day until I realized I was washing the only dish in the sink, I got so frustrated that I ended up breaking the plate with an angry cry.

Before Colton, I wasn't the one to clean every single day, and I know it's his words and punishments sitting in the back of my mind.

Mae has suggested I start going to therapy when she came over one night to bring us some spaghetti that they had cooked, and I needed to push the chair over. She heard it and asked me a bit about why I ran from my husband. I told her a few things, not much, and she doesn't need to know some of the things Colton did to me. I told her that once I could get over my fear of something happening to my baby girl, I'll find a therapist.

The scars along my body will never heal, but maybe the scars that are rooted deep inside my mind will.

I'm hoping so anyway, enough for me to be able to raise my daughter how she deserves.

Once I had gotten settled, I started thinking about them kidnapping other women to replace us, well me because I didn't know for sure if Ally was able to get away. I tried to get her to come on to follow me, but she was just lost in her head to listen, and I couldn't waste any more time. I knew Colton was already on the way, and I needed to get Hope as far away from him and his family as I could.

I felt horrible for leaving her and I pray every night that if she stayed, she didn't have a baby girl because I know Cain, he is worse than Colt, and Cain would have slaughtered that poor girl in front of Ally just to prove a point to her.