run away with the person who made you run away

"How you dare to have a relationship with my son? Who do you think you are?"

"And now you're pregnant... Do you think being pregnant will make me accept you? Don't hope too much. You're just trash here, go away and never come back or I'll destroy your ugly face!"

Those harsh words accompanied by vague shadows from the past echoed in my head, and my ears, making me feel suffocated and restless until my eyes quickly opened.

"Mommy!"

I gasped, seeing Sophia sitting beside me with a worried look on her face. Immediately, I pulled her into my arms, tightly.

"No... I can't stay silent. I must distance myself from this place immediately, maybe with that man he'll come looking for me!" I thought anxiously, quickly releasing my embrace and sitting up while pulling aside the white blanket covering my lower body.

"Sweetheart, you should take a bath, we're getting ready to leave," I said.

"But why? It's too early to get ready for kindergarten!" Sophia asked, looking puzzled with her hazel eyes so similar to Brandon's. "Mom..."

"Um, we won't go to kindergarten today. We need to do something important," I said with a serious look, hoping she would understand. "You just need to follow everything mommy wants... You'll know what will happen later!" I emphasized in a soft voice.

She just nodded.

"Now go take a bath." I kissed her forehead, then quickly got out of bed.

I quickly bathed Sophia, then dried and dressed her in a pink pair hoodie, as well as white shoes. I also took a shower, then put on cream pants with a white sweater and styled my hair up with bangs, then put on gray shoes.

I packed, putting important items into a large black suitcase and two backpacks, a small bag, and putting them in my car. After that, I ran back into the house, seeing Sophia looking confused on the living room couch.

"Sweetie..."

I sighed, quickly approaching her and hugging her, realizing that this was all wrong and confusing her.

"Are we going far away?" she asked, making me immediately release my embrace and look at her with a smile.

"Yes, honey. We're going to grandma's house in Canada. There we will start everything," I said calmly.

"But isn't grandma in Portland?"

"Hmm, that's right. We'll be there without grandma, but it doesn't mean we'll be lonely. There are many cousins there who will play with you."

She fell silent as if thinking about something.

"But what about my school? I'll miss my friends." She spoke again with trembling lips, slowly crying.

I could do nothing but hug her, trying to calm her down and reassure her. There was no other way to be free from this problem other than leaving, and surely I needed money.

...

Having calmed Sophia down, I took her to a used car workshop owned by my friend, Jacob. He greeted me with a strange look immediately, perhaps surprised because I had come too early.

"Victoria... What brings you here so early? Is your car having problems again?" He asked, glancing at my white Mustang.

"No..." I shook my head. "I... I want to sell it..."

"Really?" He widened his eyes, while I just nodded.

"What happened? You just bought the car about two months ago, from the lottery winnings, you've been wanting it for a long time..." He looked at me in astonishment. "And now you want to sell it... Did I hear it wrong?"

I sighed, leaning against the front of the car while Sophia walked around looking at the collection of used cars lined up in an open space.

"I'm going to Canada... Maybe this afternoon," I said anxiously.

"Really?"

"Yes..."

"But why?" Jacob switched to taking a chair from the porch and sitting in front of me.

"Sophia's father is in this town," I said anxiously, once again glimpsing Brandon's face. "You know I have to avoid him... That's why I want to move away soon... I don't have much time, I didn't even say goodbye to my boss to quit working at the cafe," I said again.

"Oh God..." Jacob bit his lower lip and then turned to Sophia. "Why don't you try to find another way instead of just hiding?" he asked, looking back at me.

I just remained silent, looking down, glancing at Sophia with my mind wandering, imagining if Brandon found out about her, would he accept or get angry because I left just like that? Or even not believe that she's his daughter?

"How far you hide, he can find you If God allows it. And Sophia will grow up... One day she may try to find her biological father... You can't hold that back." Jacob's words brought my attention back. "So why bother hiding? Just meet him and tell him what happened... If he gets angry then just leave, but if he wants to do what's best for Sophia and you, then go back to him. Don't be afraid of his mother."

I smiled thinly, sneering and instantly remembered Mrs. Alania Smith who was so cruel and bossy, I couldn't even forget how she kicked me and my mother out without giving any severance pay at all.

"Victoria, I..."

"I'm still going." I interrupted Jacob while standing up, then touched my white Mustang. "Pay whatever you want... It will help me."

"Okay..." He stood up and sighed heavily. "I'll send the money later. Now you should rest here, I'll take you to the airport later."

"Okay..."

I smiled at him, then he invited us into his simple and messy monochrome-themed house. Sophia also got breakfast there, and I took the opportunity to book tickets and inform Kimberly about my plans.

...

Around 1:00 in the afternoon, Jacob took me and Sophia to an airport. I felt relieved because we managed to board the plane, but it turned out that the seats we were supposed to sit in were already occupied by a mother and her little son who looked about 5 years old.

"Ma'am... Sorry, but I think you're not supposed to sit here," I said hesitantly.

"I have to sit here according to my ticket," she replied casually.

"Really? But my ticket also shows that this is the seat that should be mine right now... Maybe there's a mistake on your tickets."

"Do you think I'm making this up and don't know the rules on the plane?" Suddenly she stood up and glared at me angrily. "It's clearly stated on the ticket that I will sit here with my son... And now I'm here, I'm ahead of you so I hope you understand!" she explained, pointing to the seat.

I swallowed nervously, not knowing what to say, my eyes glanced at the passengers who were already seated in their respective seats until all the seats were taken.

"Do we have to leave now?" Sophia asked.

"No..." I shook my head, then saw a flight attendant in a blue suit approaching us.

"Ma'am, why don't you immediately enter the first-class room? You should be there because the plane will take off soon," she asked, followed by an explanation that left me very confused.

"First class?"

"Let me show you the place," she said again, then walked towards the front cabin.

I immediately followed her, carrying Sophia. It only took us a few seconds to arrive at the spacious first-class area, which had a monochrome atmosphere and could accommodate a whole family.

But one thing that astonished me, he was there, staring at me so coldly, making me shiver, but I couldn't run away now.