Dreaming of freedom

The mystery still stands. How it started and why? Charlotte mysteriously disappeared leaving behind two beautiful girls. You'd think the messy divorce with Sam is what drove her away, but even Sam knows that she would never leave her kids. She loves her daughters and as much as she was hurt, she kept loving and showing strength in front of her two-year-old and four-year-old.

Charlotte simply never turned up to pick up the girls from Sam's. He used the advantage of still having her house keys finding nothing different from how she must've left it in the morning. The only clue that was left is photos that lay on her kitchen counter. Pictures were taken of her at various places by someone that must've stalked her. The police tried as much as they could, only up until a point.

Charlotte on the other hand... lived a nightmare. Not just any ordinary nightmare where you get forced into some slavery and have to obey a boss. No, one where she was kept to her will and done to whatever he wanted.

Detective Milroy stands at the door and looks over at Charlotte that lies in the hospital bed. She has a big stomach and her skin is badly bruised. Heavily she enters the room and goes to take a seat next to her. Charlotte looks at her breathing heavily.

"Hi Charlotte, I'm detective Milroy. Call me Anna," she smiles gently and takes out her notebook. "We phoned Sam and...they're on their way here now."

"And my girls?" She asks with tears in her eyes.

"I don't know," Anna whispers. "Listen, why don't you tell me, what happened? Where were you for twelve years?"

She inhales deeply and looks away unhappily. Anna touches her hand to get her attention, but she painfully takes her hand away and lay back just staring away.

12 Years ago

It's a bright early morning, and the water from the morning rain is reflecting against the road of every car that passes by. Charlotte runs from the supermarket to her car. She climbs in her car and sits back for a moment just to spend some time thinking. Her mind runs wild with the pictures from her past and thoughts of what might be. Things were so perfect between her and Sam and then suddenly, their worlds collapse. Quickly she tucks a piece of her short blonde hair in behind her ear and gathered up her marbles.

"Okay Charlotte, let's go get your babies," she says to herself and starts her car's engine driving off.

Sam gives Olivia her backpack before turning to his two-year-old, Mila. Olivia got her dark hair color from Sam and Mila got her soft blonde hair from her mom. There's something beautiful in genetics. The ring of the doorbell drove him to go answer it. It's only Charlotte.

"Hey, babies!" She calls out happily to her daughter as soon as the door opens. The two run to her and hug her. She glances up at Sam that smiles softly at her. "Hi."

"Hi," he greets her back nicely. "How are you?"

"Great. I just came from the supermarket," she tells him and picks Mila up into her arms. "Prices have gone up so much, it's honestly disappointing."

Sam just laughs and nods his head looking over her face. She takes Olivia's hand and just looks at her ex-husband.

"I'll see you again," she says and turns away from him. "Take care."

"Okay."

**Present**

Charlotte looks at Anna and inhales deeply trying to find her words.

"She went missing 9 months after our divorce," Sam says to the detective sitting in the room answering as many questions as he can. "Of course, we...started seeing each other again. It was the same routine every day, I get them after school and she comes to fetch them after work."

"You don't work?" Rowan asks.

"I'm a writer," he replies.

"Sam, why did you two get a divorce?" Rowan asks him and takes a seat on the table looking at him.

"We got married at a young age and after five years of being married, we just...grew apart. Yes, her working even if she didn't have to and me staying at home did play a big role," he admits and sits up straight. "But that doesn't mean I didn't love her. I got lonely and...the quiet got to me and that's when I realized I...I miss her."

"So you planned her kidnap, had her kept hostage, and tried to play the innocent one?" Rowan asks.

"What?" Sam asks in disbelief. "I don't know what you're talking about detective."

"Says every criminal that plays the victim game," Rowan says and gets up.

"Detective DeSmidth, if I did such a thing and you find evidence, jail will not be enough," he says and places his hands on his face crying. "I missed her. Detective, where is she? Did they find her? Is she still alive?"

Rowan just stares at him and goes to take a seat at the other side of the table.

"We know what happened," Rowan says and stares at him. Sam looks at him and shakes his head. "I just want to make sure about my alibi."

"Please no," he cries. "She can't be dead."

"She's not dead," Rowan tells him.

"Then where is she?" Sam asks angrily.

"She's in hospital," he replies and gets up looking around unhappily.

"She is?" Sam asks surprised and stands up. "Can I see her?"

"Not now," Rowan replies. "She's being questioned now by another detective just until we get through with what happened and the kidnapper gets caught."

"She was kidnapped?" Sam asks.

"Kidnapped, tortured...raped," he says. Sam grabs his head angrily and walks backward until he falls back again the wall. "Give it time, Sam. Soon this will be over and you can go back to normal."

Sam nods and burst down crying trying to erase the images of what might've happened.

"I was supposed to go fetch my kids," Charlotte tells her and looks down at her belly rubbing it gently. "Sam called me earlier and told me he needed to ask me something. I was anxious to hear what it was so I didn't pay much attention to my surroundings. Coming from work I went straight to my car when suddenly someone grabbed me from behind and put a cloth against my mouth and my nose. Everything just went dark."

She grows quiet again and looks down at her hands. Anna waits patiently for her to continue speaking.

Her lips start moving but she can't utter a word. Pictures start playing in her mind, such a venomous game.