Soraya's POV

I still couldn't believe I was pregnant.

My eyes subconsciously drifted to the ticking clock on the wall, each second taunting me as I squeezed my eyes shut.

 This could go two ways.

A nearby door slammed, and I flinched as horrific flashbacks of the hits he had given me the last time I had surprised him flooded my mind.

Two ways.

Either he falls to his knees, remorseful, apologizing for the way he expressed his frustration these past weeks.

Or...

A shiver crawled up my spine at the thought of the alternative which likely would be my fate.

It wasn't his fault, I found myself trying to reassure... myself?

Matt just hated being surprised and being caught off guard, he loved me a little too much and always mistook a whole lot of things as me trying to leave him...I winced as the list grew.

There was always a reason for him to lay his hands on me, always an explanation I could cling to and reassure myself that once he became Mayor, the stress others were giving him would reduce and the charming Matt I had fallen in love with years ago would walk through that door.

But now I was pregnant, and I was stuck at a crossroads... carry a child into his world... or finally be free.

As soon as he entered the room, everything I had rehearsed for this moment a hundred times in my head flew out the window.

"Have you checked yourself out lately?" he asked casually, his gaze holding mine through the mirror. "You're looking... heavier. Especially around the waist."

Nice... we were hitting the nail on the head after seeing each other for the first time in three days.

I carefully avoided his searching eyes as I helped hang his jacket while thinking of a better way to tell him this without triggering him.

"Aya." His voice stopped me cold.

His eyes trailed down to my waist once again before a frown settled on his face... he had his suspicions and judging from the look on his face he was right.

With trembling resolve, I finally lifted my gaze to meet his.

"I did go to the hospital like you had asked," I said softly. "I'm pregnant."

The words hung in the air between us and for a terrifying second, his expression went blank.

I made the mistake of relaxing or letting my guard down.

Then he burst into laughter as quickly as it came, it died almost immediately, his face twisted, jaw tightening as his hands began to shake at his sides, struggling for control.

My stomach dropped.

"You lying whore," he hissed.

Before I could say anything, he lunged at me... the impact of his blow sent me crashing into the coffee table and almost immediately pain exploded through my back.

I was about to sit up and calm him down when he covered the space between us, his hands closed around my arm as he dragged me to where my phone was.

Matt that had once begged on his knees that I would say yes to dating him after cashing after me for months was nowhere to be seen...

Whenever he lost control of his temper it was almost like he became a different person... a monster.

"Who is he? The bastard you had dared let touch you," he snarled. 

I had told myself that I would be strong and not escalate things by breaking down but my tears were already spilling freely, feeding his ego.

He loved seeing me in tears... it was like he got on high knowing I feared him after everyone had talked over him... I was here to show him that he was still a man and not their puppet.

I  shook my head, "Matt, please. It's yours. It's ours. You know I would never cheat..."

The words flew out of my mouth as his fist came in contact with my face, the sound echoing through the room. 

My vision blurred as I staggered backwards but his right grip on my arm pulled me closer.

"You think I'm stupid? What was your plan make me pay by humiliating me and making me a FUCKING JOKE?!" he roared.

Unable to make up words I shook my head, begging was going to do me no good.

And as though he knew what I had planned to do, he suddenly grabbed her hair causing me to let out a cry as he yanked hard.

"You think a child won't steal you from me?" His grip tightened, "You think I'll share what's mine? Especially after I had gone around telling people we couldn't have a child!"

I tasted blood.

Sharing me?

Was that what he was getting angry about or the thought that I might have cheated? Or perhaps any reason to lay his hands on me? 

A sob escaped my lips.

If bringing a child was going to make him leave me alone then I would have been popping out babies from the moment he saw beating me up as a way to loosen up.

 Fear filled me as I saw the manic look in his eyes.  

"I didn't cheat," I whispered, my voice broken hoping he could hear the truth in them . "I swear to you. I didn't know you had told people..."

His hand lifted again to silence me before the loud ring of his phone cut through the room stopped him.

Matt stilled, his chest heaving, his gaze snapping toward his hung jacket.

His voicemail immediately started playing, "Mattew, you stupid kid pick my fucking call, It's URGENT" the voice of the commissioner filled the room

For a moment, I thought he might ignore it and finish what he'd started.

Instead, he released me with a shove that sent me stumbling to the bed.

He pulled out the phone, and as though he remembered something, he swore under his breath.

"The party," he muttered to himself before slowly walking back to where I was folded praying he leaves.

"This isn't over," he said softly. "Not even close."

Then as though he was trying to practice being calm, he smiled in the mirror over and over again until it looked sincere, before adjusting his suit as if nothing had happened, and strode out.

The door slammed but the silence that followed was  suffocating.

I don't remember how long I remained folded on the bed, shaking, my hands subconsciously pressed to my stomach. 

When I finally forced herself to move, every inch of my body ached.

As I stepped out into the corridor, his picture that hung there mocked me.

Mattew wasn't always like this.

I had caused this and brought off this monstrous part of him and I was paying for it.

If only he hadn't misread that night then maybe I wouldn't be going through this.

Or perhaps if I had obeyed him  and stayed home then he wouldn't have caught me rounding up work with my ex-boss.

In all my years of knowing Matt, I was forced to cut all my male friends and he sensed that my female friends were influencing decisions he had me cut them off.

I scoffed at how foolish I was to even believe him when he had said they were in his DMs throwing themselves at him.

My passport and flight ticket that I had purchased before going to the airport called out to me but once again I was reminded that I didn't have anyone and Matt contacts were all over.

Running away meant sentencing myself to death.

Halfway to my room, the housekeeper appeared, and a gasp escaped her lips as she saw me before her eyes trailed down the hallway to the camera my darling husband had installed a while ago.

She stopped herself from pulling me into a hug but couldn't stop herself from asking, "should I call the doctor?"

I flinched at the word before shaking my head.

Her eyes trailed down my wounds, new and reopened before she whispered, "Mr. Matt would not want any of his visitors to see you like this."

"No!" I croaked.

She eyes the camera once again weeping before rushing it and closing the gap between us, "Soraya! You need to see a doctor, You are pregnant!"

She knew. 

"I said no." I yelled, my voice cracked, before leaving her warmth and despite her subtle yell calls, I didn't stop walking.

Heaven knows how much I need her hug but I didn't want her getting in trouble because of me.

Mrs. Rose was the only one that added color to my life, she treated me like her daughter that was in a relationship she couldn't stop her from entering.

She had given me so much alternative and everytime she saw me drive back in the house, it was like I struck her,

I couldn't leave him.

I had tried once and I landed in a coma... she didn't know that but that was then... It wasn't just going to be me anymore but rather one more punching bag.

As I slipped into the safety of my room, I locked the door behind me before letting the tears stream down freely.

 "He'll never let me go nor will he let my innocent baby live." I told myself as reality dawned on me.

Images of what the future felt like flashed in between my eyes and still teary, I crossed the room.

I knelt beside the bed before lifting the rug and pried up the loose floorboard beneath it, revealing the small hollow I had carved out about two months ago.

Inside lay a burner phone, a fake passport and ticket to my freedom.

What was I thinking telling Matt I was pregnant?

I couldn't bring a baby into his world... my hands trailed down my belly.

He/ she shouldn't be forced to have a monster as a father... I could endure it but seeing my child suffer Matt's anger wasn't what I wanted or even wished for my enemy.

My breath hitched as I turned on the burner phone.

The line rang once before someone answered.

"Took you long enough, Soraya." the robotic voice asked calmly, "are you sure you want to do this?"

My eyes found the wardrobe where I had stacked up his guilty presents from diamond rings and necklaces to Birkin bags and dresses... I couldn't even remember the last time I had worn any.

"Yes." I swallowed hard. "I want out."

There was a pause causing fear to slip in... what if this was a test form Matt?

I shook my head, he hadn't known about my visit to the doctor the night after he had assaulted me drunk.

"Are you sure?"

Rather than answering him, my hands tightened around my belly, "I am not thinking for just myself anymore... I won't let him hurt my child."

"Very well," the voice replied, almost sounding proud of my decision. "You know what to do."

The call ended and less than an hour later, there was a soft knock at my door.

I froze as another knock followed, urgent this time.

A small, unmarked box sat on the floor when I opened the door.

No note. No name.

My hands shook as I picked it up and closed the door, praying no one had seen this exchange.

Inside were pills and for a moment, doubt surged through me.

What if this goes wrong? Or perhaps I don't wake up?

Then I remembered Matt's raging face and the image of his hands finding its way to my face... then the life growing inside her.

Taking the risk was so worth it if it meant I wouldn't subject my baby to this life.

At first I got scared it wasn't working until I felt the world around me tilt.

I made it as far as the main hallway before my legs gave out.

***

"Ma'am!" One of the serving staff had screamed as they watched her lifeless body wrack with violent spasms.

Everyone knew Master Mattew hated his wife. What surprised them was that she stayed despite the beating and mental abuse.

At one point they had suspected he had something against her before Mrs. Rose had subtly dropped that she had been abandoned by her family when her father remarried hence why she clung to Matt feeling he was the closest thing to family.

They knew she didn't deserve the slaps as she literally spent her time being his perfect fool so the panic they had felt when they saw her convulse was real.

One of them had even burst into tears while another screamed and another shouted for help.

Rose's eyes dilated as she rushed to her, barking out orders.

Foam slowly Soraya's lips then there was nothing.

Chaos erupted.

The servants rushed her into a car, panic overriding what should have been protocol... No one thought to call Matt. 

It was at the back of their mind but of course no one wanted to be a scapegoat, if he could cause the marks in madam's body then he wouldn't spare their life...one wanted to be the one responsible.

They didn't get far when another car crashed into theirs, jolting the vehicle sideways. 

In the confusion, Soraya's body was removed... The butler never saw who took her nor did he see the needle.

All he felt when the dust settled was the sharp sting before the darkness claimed him.

***

I gasped awake.

It almost hurt to breathe as I bolted upright, scared out of my mind, disoriented and terrified as I didn't know what to expect.

A masked man sat beside me in the backseat, and as soon as he saw that I was awake, his hand patted me as though to ease the fear, "Easy now mama, you are safe." he coaxed.

Safe.

The word felt foreign but I felt the warmth his hand had filled me up with was enough to calm me.

Was I really though?

I knew that once I was awake, it was only a matter of time before Baron, Matt most trusted staff and butler would wake up to alert him to my disappearance.

Matt controlled everything here in this city so finding me wouldn't be hard.

He pressed something into my hands pulling me out of my reverie, I looked down to see a passport different from the one I had with me, and a ticket.

"This is who you are now, the boss has taken care of everything." He said the act suddenly pulled to a stop.

My hands shook as I stared at the unfamiliar name and my passport that had been torn all over the floor.

"You had purchased a ticket in your name... what makes you think you could hide anything from your husband? He is THE MATTEW KANG!"

I mentally smacked myself for being so stupid, this explained his rage and quick temper these few weeks .

He knew and must have thought this pregnancy was some excuse to leave him or he thought... I mentally smacked myself for giving his excuses.

I wanted to ask about the boss that had thought my life was somewhat important that he stepped in to help but I decided not to.

It seemed too good to be true but I knew this person was just as powerful as Matt as he had connections in his house.

"Where are...?" I whispered trying to find my voice again after a while.

There was no going back now.

"The airport."

I moved to open the door when curiosity hit me and I couldn't help but ask, "why did you help me?"

He stared blankly at me for a second before shaking his head, "Leave a good life, Soraya or should I say Alexandra."

"Thank you." I whispered as I slid out taking the backpack he had handed me.

The car slid away leaving me to myself.

Everything passed in a blur.

I just couldn't shake off the feeling that Matt was already on my tail , nor could I stop looking over my shoulder as I started boarding.

 I was leaving Matt and I had to admit it all seemed so fast; almost too rushed and too good to believe. I was waiting for the worst to happen.

Then someone tapped my shoulder, dread enveloped me as the stranger held out his phone, "Um... I think this was for you."

I shook my head, my eyes pleading but he pressed his phone in my hands and immediately Matt held my gaze causing fear to freeze me in.

"See how easy it was to find you??" he snarled. "This your stupid escape plan would earn you whips from my belt... did you really think that you could leave me"

How did he find me?

I turned to face the man that had given me the phone to see that he had left me.

"Look at me!" Matt screamed just as the boarding announcement echoed overhead.

Even whilst still far, he had control over me and that was because I gave it to him I realized as I saw him try to compose himself as he excused himself.

He was still at the party meaning he wasn't going to do anything irrational now.

My hand trembled as I pressed it against my belly almost as though I needed a reminder of why I had left.

"I'm giving you 30 minutes to go back home!" Matt's furious voice through the phone brought me back to reality once again... the reality that I wasn't going to let him win even if it meant always being on the run.

Because of my name change, finding me would be harder.

"You think you've won?" he snarled. "You think disappearing makes you free? I will find you, Soraya just like I did now and once I do..."

My throat tightened as I tried to blink away the tears.

Why couldn't he just let me go?

For how long will I pay for the sins his delusions had accused me of committing?

"If you get in the cab I'll send you now and head back home, then maybe I'll forgive you and pretend this foolish attempt of yours to leave me never happened." He said with a smile that brought back the feeling to Deja vu.

For a second... just one... I almost folded. 

Then I thought of my child and without thinking twice, I said what I have been meaning to say for  while, "Fuck you, you crazy insecure monster!"

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You don't love me so why is it hard for you to let me go?!"

"My body is covered with your marks of claim and I won't let my child face this same trauma you sick fucker... I'd rather Eve dead than return to that hell hole you call home."

There was silence on the line so much so that I could mash hear a pin drop and before he could reply, I hung up.

My hands were still shaking as I stared at the blank screen of the phone.

Before my gaze caught the stranger that had given me the phone... There was no doubt he was one of Matt's minions.

Without thinking twice, I shoved him in the chest hard catching him off guard and ran without looking back.

I wasn't going back.

"Final call," I heard and stumbled into line, my heart slamming so violently I thought it might give me away. 

The boarding gate was a blur of movement and noise. It almost felt like my lungs were burning as I forced myself forward, ignoring the dizziness. 

It seems that the drug still hadn't fully left my system and my mind flew back to the masked man that helped me and wondered how powerful he was that I wasn't allowed to go through the drug test.

Matt deserved whatever that man had planned for him.

Every view in my peripheral looked like Matt and every whisper sounded like his.

When I finally collapsed into my seat, buckling myself in with shaking fingers, I didn't... couldn't breathe properly until the plane began to move.

I pressed my forehead to the window, tears slipping silently down my cheeks. 

It was over but this... this was a sign that I was mentally prepared for whether Matt was going to throw in my future.

I knew he wouldn't have my time for a few weeks as the elections are drawing nearer but something also told me that before he could strike, the masked man would have done whatever he had planned for him.

We were starting afresh... with nothing but our passport.

My hand slowly wrapped around my belly and I found myself whispering promises ignoring the fact that our future was going to be rough.

About 30 minutes in the air, I felt so comfortable to close my eyes and when I did, memories followed.

Matt hadn't always been a monster.

At first, about two years ago, he was charming and yearned for me so much that I had felt smoldered by his eyes so many times.

Not only was he attentive to my feelings but he was at my beck and call.

He remembered the littlest thing about me down to the fact that I hated loud arguments. He told me I was special and I was safe with him.

I believed him  and let my guard down.

The change had been slow enough to heed to my brain's warning but I was so in love.

He stopped liking it when I went out alone and  insisted on driving me in case I needed to go anywhere. When he started showing interest in politics, he became busy and hired security "for my safety." 

Then came the plea to quit my job because being a politician's wife was tasking.

The first day he had slapped me was the day I had gone to settle my accounts with my boss in the evening, the only time I could sneak out without him being a pest.

I lived to regret it because that changed everything, as though he liked I would cower in fear and obey, he started doing it frequently.

If I didn't obey him or shocked him or did something he didn't want me to do... after that he'd whisper apologies whilst fucking me, sometimes he cried and begged on his knees with gifts... even swore the reason he was doing this because he loved me too much.

By the time I realized I was trapped, the house we had built in love became my prison.

The plane jolted violently causing me to jolt awake.

And the scene when I woke up sent chills of terror down my spine, the cabin was filled with screams and the lights flickered while the pilot was trying to restore calm.

Turbulence?

I clutched my seat as the plane tumbled once again.

No... this was more than turbulence, I thought as the plane was tilted sharply, and my heart dropped.

We were going to die?!

A woman sobbed somewhere behind me while I heard a child scream out loud... the man in front of me started praying.

I looked out the window and a cry escaped my lips.

A roiling mass of bruised clouds had replaced the once clear sky while white gusts slammed against the plane, snow whipping so violently it erased the horizon. 

The plane dipped again, more violently this time, and the wing outside my window shuddered, I heard a scream.

I pressed a shaking hand to my belly, curling forward as the plane screamed.

Oh my God?!

"Please," I whispered. "Please."

A scream escaped my lips as the plane seemingly lost control and started dropping at a very fast pace.

If possible, my screams became louder as the opposite side of the plane fell.

I heard the crash... it didn't take long for the head to follow suit taking us with us, also immediately pain exploded everywhere at once before darkness enveloped me.

Soraya's POV

I wasn't dead... yet!

A groan escaped my lips as I forced open my eyes before clutching my pounding head. The last thing I remembered was the man beside me clutching my hand so hard whilst the plane headed towards the white peak I had seen.

White.

Everywhere was white.

Snow stretched endlessly around me, and as my eyes adjusted to the scene in front of me... My breath hitched.

We were half buried in snow and it was still dropping fast.

"Is there anyone?" I found myself asking but my voice failed me.

"Anyone?" I managed to ask again, this time it hurt to say a word.

Silence answered me except for the creaking sound of the cabin door dancing with the wind.

I sucked in air sharply, then as I tried moving a gasp escaped my lips as pain lanced through my ribs. 

As I turned I saw the body of my seatmate half buried in bloody snow and looking away immediately I saw that a sharp metal had pierced through his eyes down to the back of his skull.

How did I survive?

My body ached everywhere, bruises, but I didn't care... I was alive and that was all that mattered to me.

I shivered.

Cold... I was so cold.

From where I sat I saw that a few seats were empty seats. I wasn't the only survivor... the left side of the plane was now open but I could barely see, if I didn't leave nor I would be buried in no time.

I should be dead!

My hands flew to my shorts and upon seeing that I wasn't bleeding, relief hit me so hard I almost sobbed.

I managed to push myself upright, my teeth chattering violently on impulse. 

My eyes caught the backpack the masked man had given me and I grabbed it.

'I was a survivor and I was going to live!' If I could continue to repeat it then maybe I'd believe and manifest it.

Judging from the cloudy sky, it was obvious that a repeat of what had happened here was going to happen again and without thinking I followed the fading footprints marked the snow nearby although bloody it was helpful to see that someone had survived this.

After walking for what seemed like hours, I could feel part of my body were now frozen and breathing was now a hassle as my breath came out in ragged clouds.

Then I heard it... a distant howl.

I shook my head and closed my eyes... it wasn't what I was thinking it was... it had to be the wind.

Ignoring it, I continued forward until I heard another but this time it sounded from behind me causing a squeal to escape my lips.

They must have found the carcass of the plane crash.

Another answered the call and soon it was all howling around me.

I didn't stop moving... this mountain wasn't going to take me just like Matt hadn't.

I froze as I heard frantic screaming from ahead of me and before I could take another step, I saw a hand, it looked like something that had dropped off someone.

The wolves weren't at the crash?! They had stalked the survivors!

I took a step back, holding my scream in as I saw a man on the ground in front of me, it seemed like the severed hand I had seen was his.

He was in a pool of his own blood and judging from the missing Chuks on his body, those wolves had found him,

Another scream echoed and I tightened my hand over my mouth, my heart was pounding so much in fear...

I took retreating steps so slowly even though I hadn't seen any wolf it would be suicide to continue in that direction and present myself as dinner.

I ran ignoring the chronic pain.

And that was when I saw it.

The cabin the survivors must have been heading to.

The thought that the danger might be in there rather than outside hit me but I shrugged away that thought as the fear of being eaten alive by these vicious packs slapped me.

The path up was steep and felt like a death trap.

While clawing my way upward I slipped and nearly lost my going excuse of how steep it was.

Below me, I could hear yips and their howls as they closed in on me. 

They had sensed me.

As I reached the top, I slammed my shoulder into the door and it immediately gave way causing me to stumble in before shutting it behind me.

I sat there for a while, and surprisingly the wince didn't come any closer to the door

Their distant howls caused me to let out a sigh of relief, and that was when I assessed the house I had entered. 

It was neat, meaning it wasn't an abandoned cabin.

"Hello?" I managed to call softly, ignoring my sore and aching throat.

There aren't any pictures in the hallway nor did I see anything that belonged to a woman or child.

"Anyone, I'm sorry for barging into your..." another distant howl cut me short and I waited for a sign of life, but no one answered.

Perhaps I could check if they have a phone... no! I wouldn't be stupid to lead Matt directly to me.

Moreover, who was I going to call?

I shook the snow on the door and took in the warmth in the house.

The cabin was built like Matt's den but the scent... I just couldn't put a finger on the scent.

"My name is Soraya and I was in the plane that had...," I called out again, trying to explain, "I need help."

No answer!

I was alone.

This house was empty.

Like a robot I walked to the bathroom and at the door I shed my bloody torn dress before entering and luckily for me there was hot water.

Not even thinking for fact that I was laying naked in the tub of a stranger without even being given permission to enter.

I don't even feel my eyes growing heavy as I sink deeper into the scalding water.

 No one is going to enter here anytime soon, I could see the blizzard roaring from the window.

All I needed was a few minutes to close my eyes... Who knows it could be that the owners were killed by the wolves whilst on their way to help the survivors? Or perhaps this was owned by filthy rich men that are in the city.

I closed my eyes and embraced the peace that came with sleep.

I could think about the strange house I had entered later on.

Shortly after, I woke to the feeling of being watched and eyes flew open as fear clutched me by the balls.

Three men stood over me.

The youngest-looking one tilted his head, then grinned slowly, wide, unhinged.

"Oh," he drawled, amusement dancing in his eyes, "Look like the raging blizzard had forced goldielicks into the wolves cabin."