Chapter 1 - The Escape and the Freeze
Elena walked out of the front door without looking back.
The morning air felt cold against her burning cheek.
Her hands were shaking, but she refused to let a single tear fall.
She got into her sleek Mercedes and locked the doors immediately.
Through the rearview mirror, she saw Marcus run out of the house.
He was shouting something, waving his hands in a frantic panic.
Elena simply started the engine and reversed out of the driveway.
She ignored his attempts to grab the door handle.
As she drove away, she reached for her phone.
She opened her banking app with trembling fingers.
With a few quick taps, she froze the joint credit cards she had generously given him.
Next, she changed the passwords to every single account.
Then, she dialed her father's number.
Richard picked up on the second ring, his voice warm and steady.
"Morning, sweetheart, how was the breakfast?" he asked cheerfully.
Elena took a deep breath, her voice turning to ice.
"Dad, I need you to call the building security and your lawyers."
"What happened, Elena?" Richard's tone shifted instantly to full alert.
"Marcus hit me," she said, the words tasting like poison.
"I am getting an annulment, and I am taking everything back."
There was a terrifying silence on the other end of the line.
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"I'll handle it, sweetie," Richard finally said.
"He will wish he had never been born."
