Chapter Two

Narrator's POV

"Let's run away Richard"

Joan said with a shaky voice to Richard over our phone conversation.

" Calm down Joan, what's the problem, my love?" Richard replied from the other end.

"We don't have the time for explanations right now, I will tell you all that happened when we meet"

"My Love please you really need to calm down, let's think about this thoroughly"

"We can't just leave New York, we've got our families and friends here, we've got our business plans here, so we can't leave"

"Richy do you really love me?" Joan asked Richard over the phone 

"Of course I do love you from the depth of my heart my love and you know it"

"Then come with me let's run away from this city"

"Okay Joan, where are you? We need to sit and talk this over, okay?"

" I'm right here at home, in my room, but I think it feels like hell here now, and not a home anymore, I want to leave" I said sobbing.

"You see Joan, I respect every of your decision as long as it makes you happy, but this one right here, it's difficult my Love" 

"Let's meet at our usual spot at the cafeteria tomorrow evening, 4pm is good by me if you don't mind"

"Okay…." Replied Joan reluctantly with disappoinment written all over her face.

Joan sat helplessly on her bed facing the window that gives a better view into the street.

 "You can't do this to me Mum" Joan whispers to herself with tears in her eyes and a cracky voice.

She got up and stood by the window looking out into the now lonely empty street with her heart pounding so fast under her chest, she looked at the ticking clock on her table and the time was 10:30 pm.

Then she looked around her room in a manner that seems she wants to make sure no one hears her, then she said "I will leave without Richard, I can't be in a loveless marriage to some strange billionaire for a whole three years, Richard will join me someday, but I have to leave"

She went over to her wardrobe, picked up a portable travel luggage and started packing up few of her belongings.

After she was done packing up her luggage, she placed it on her bed and thought to herself "How do I leave without mum's notice, she must be asleep by now"

It was already 11pm, the streets have become quiet and anyone could hear the drop of a needle.

Joan made for the door with her luggage, turning the door knob, it was stiff.

She wondered who must have locked the door, she searched for the spare keys in the table drawers , but couldn't lay hands on them.

It then dawned her, that she's been trapped in her room.

Her mother must have done this with her spare key from the outside.

Joan collapsed into her couch and sobbed.

"How can Mum be this cruel to me? Which mum treats her daughter in this manner? Joan questioned herself as hot tears began to run down freely from her eyes.

While in the depth of her thoughts, her phone chimed and snapped her thoughts back to reality, that was when she realized she'd been sobbing for a while.

Joan strode across the room to her reading table as she reached out to her phone and took a look at the screen and there was a text, as she wiped her face with the back of her hands and read the text.

"I'm sorry Joan, about the situation that has made you suggest we run away, I wish you could tell me about it, but you insist not to say it over the phone, hope to see you at the cafeteria tomorrow evening by 4pm, just know that I love you so much and can't let anyone hurt you, sweet dreams my love" Big hugs from Richard. says the message she read.

Going back to her thoughts, "Would I ever be able to leave this house? Mum has shut the door with keys, I know, right? Mum did this"

"I'm definitely trapped in this"

She laid still in her bed until sleep took over her.

It was morning already and Joan laid helplessly in bed until she heard foot steps by her door, then the sound of the keys trying to open the door to her room, she knew it was her mother.

"Good morning Damsel" said Mrs Emelda as she entered the room.

" Good morning Mum"

Her mother continued,

"I'm pretty sure you had a wonderful night my darling?"

Joan sprang up from the bed, placing her bare feet on the floor, looked straight at the door and said,

" Mum what was the meaning of that" motioning towards the door

She continued, "Why would you lock me up in my room like some criminal?"

Mrs Emelda smiling like a child, she said, "You see, Joan, I am your mother, I am more smarter than you think you are my darling, the moment you spoke about Richard yesterday when we had that conversation, my instincts got worried that you may run away from this house to be with that broke ass of a boyfriend of yours"

"But Mum it is unfair to lock me up in my room over the night"

"Oh my dear, it will be even more unfair to leave the doors not locked"

"You know, my instincts were right, I overheard your phone conversation with Richard last night, you wanted running away with him right?"

Joan's mother questioned looking straight into her eyes.

Joan was mute and couldn't utter a word.

"Well….you see I'm smarter my dear, so quit already"

"You need to do this for the sake of our family, Joan, stop being stubborn, this contract is just for few years and you will be free, richer and welthier.

"Come on Mum, don't be ridiculous, I can't do this please"

"Right now Joan, get up come down to the dinning, breakfast will be ready in 15 minutes, don't keep me waiting down there"

Mrs Emelda got up and left Joan's bedroom, pulling the keys along with her.

Joan freshened up and went down to the dinning for breakfast, they both ate in silence until Mrs Emelda dropped the bombshell.

"Why mum!!!" Joan screamed.