Blackmailed For Love

I entered the apartment with one last look over my shoulder, making sure that Kristian didn't follow me.
My heart beat like crazy in my chest and my whole body still hummed from his closeness, the way he had pressed into my body
reminding me of the nights we had spent in each other's arms, in secret- grabbing forbidden moments away from public eyes.
Losing ourselves in each other.
My innocent love and his fierce possession.
We had burned for each other.
Two poles desperate to connect.
But the universe had its way and pulled us apart.
4 I took a deep breath to control my emotions and took a step further into the apartment only to pause when my foot landed on
something.
When I looked down I found a white envelope without any markings.
Cautiously, I picked it up and shuddered at the way the back of my neck tingled with foreboding.
I tore the envelope and upended its contents in my palm.
All the breath left my lungs as the three photos landed in my palm.
One of me in the diner.
The other with Anna outside this building.
And another that sent a shiver of revulsion and fear through me, it was of me sleeping in my bed with my daughter.
2 The photos slipped from my nerveless fingers as apprehension gripped me, only to up in its intensity when my eyes landed on
the back of one of the photos.
"You should have gotten rid of her.
I don't like the reminder of the fact that someone had you before me.

Don't worry, I have a solution for it."
2 I swallowed the bile, my throat closing up and a new kind of terror tore through me as an anguished cry left me.
"Anna!"
Footsteps echoed and then two pairs of legs came in front of me.
I hadn't realized I had dropped down on my knees.
"Mama..."
My sweet angel touched my cheek with her small hand and I looked up to find her grey eyes staring back at me with concern.
"Mama, you are crying."
I grabbed her and hugged her tight to me.
"Anna... My angel..."
I cupped her face and kissed her, my emotions going out of control.
I had thought I had left the sick stalker behind when I changed cities.
He had left veiled threats before but now he was openly threatening my daughter.
I didn't know who it was and why he had targeted me but I couldn't let him harm my daughter.
Even the thought broke me apart.
"Hush... Mama, no crying."
She frowned down at me, admonishing me.
I sniffled on hearing her tight voice.
My little domineering angel.
A soft hand caressed my head and I looked up to find my mother standing thëre looking frail and tired in her blue nightgown.

She only asked one thing, "Again?"
Because she knew why we were running from one place to another, 1 nodded with a tight throat.
Her face fell and I focused back on my daughter who was making a soft cooing sound like I do for her as she rubbed my back.
The act had more tears running down my cheeks.
After a while when my heart was content that my daughter was safe and unharmed in front of me, I pulled back and looked into
her angelic face.
I wiped my tears and put a smile on my face, "I brought you ice cream."
Her brows lowered and her nose twitched.
"Why were you crying, mommy?"
"Because I missed you?"
She huffed and pointed a finger at me.
"No lies.
Remember?"
1 I curled my arm around her and pulled her up in my arms as I used my other hand to tickle her sides.
She giggled and flung her arms in an effort to get away from me.
My mother smiled and picked up the bags I had dropped as we made our way to the small living room.
My eyes darted to my bedroom and cold fear slithered down my spine.
I'd have to find a new place to live in, maybe close to the office.
It would save me time and also I couldn't just live here any longer.
I didn't sleep.
I couldn't.

I spent my night in a chair in mom's room, with a knife clutched in my hand under the blanket that was on my lap, while mom and
Anna slept in her bed.
I had packed all of our things which were three boxes and two small bags.
We had to get out of here and I was waiting for the sun to rise so we could leave.
"Elsa..."
I turned my head to look at my mother, my eyes reluctant to leave my daughter's face.
My mother's pale gaze was troubled as she said, "Did you think about going back?"
I swallowed.
My mother had a stupid notion that if we go back to Black Mountain after so many years Kristian would've forgiven me.
According to her, distance and time makes the heart fonder.
But who was going to tell her that sometimes distance and time festers the wound more, not giving it a chance to completely
heal.
And the man she thought would help us was the same man who had brought me to my knees twice in the last two days in the
name of the payback that he deserves.
"There is no one there, Mom."
I answered her, not telling her how much true that was because the man that would've been the reason for me to go back to that
place was here in New York.
My new boss.
"I don't know."
She trailed off and then thought of her words before she said, "Anna shouldn't suffer like this, Elsa.
Maybe I should live in a women shelter or—"
"Mom, please."

I stood up and walked to her.
Sitting beside her on the bed, I said, "I have a job.
And when I get the salary at the end of the month, everything will be fine.
We just need to spend a month."
I took her hand in mine, noticing how her veins were standing out and her skin was so papery.
My eyes stung but I sniffed my tears back as I said, "And I found a way to have your treatment."
"Elsa..."
She stiffened as if she knew what price I would've to pay for it.
I shook my head.
"It's my job.
The company provides free health care for their employees and their families."
The lie was one I had been thinking about for the last two days, since I knew that Kristian would take care of my mother.
And I believed him because he hated me, not her.
"You shouldn't have to be this strong, princess."
She rasped, her eyes shimmering with tears.
I helped her to sit up and hugged her tight.
"Someone has to, right? And you made me strong, without you I wouldn't have been."
She cupped my face and kissed my cheek.
"One day, you will have all the happiness you deserve and your prince charming will come to make it happen."
I chuckled.

I had stopped dreaming about a prince charming long time ago.
When my prince charming looked at me like the villain of the story but then again he wasn't as charming as one would think to
begin with, he was always intense and more in every way.
And now he was the devil with vengeance in his cold grey eyes and hate in his words.
1 "We have to leave."
I said and rounded the bed to wake my angel.
I slipped my hand under her head and slowly pulled her up into my chest.
She grumbled as she wrapped her arms around me.
"Wake up, Angel...."
I said in a soft voice as I caressed her head.
"Come on, there's my good girl...."
She made an annoyed sound and I smiled while my mother shook her head making her way to the bathroom.
"Now, who was saying that she wants to go somewhere nice."
My daughter pulled back and looked up at me, her grey eyes huge with expectation.
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere else."
I answered, giving her a morning kiss on her forehead.
She grabbed my face in her small palms and returned the kiss.
"Nicer?"
"Definitely."

I hope so.
By noon I hadn't found any place where I could live with my mom and daughter for a month, and I was starting to worry.
Besides that I hadn't gone to the office and I was sure I would hear about it from him tomorrow.
Right now we were sitting in a park near the subway.
My mom had her back against the tree and her eyes closed, I felt guilty seeing her like that because of me she was suffering.
My eyes fell on my daughter who was picking up onions from her sandwich while she did her math problems.
T have to find a way to have a roof over our heads by the sun sets but I didn't know how.
I could ask Kristian but he already called me a whore so many times and besides that if he gave me a place to stay, helped me in
any way with my living situation there was a chance he would come to know about Anna.
But then someone else came into my mind.
The man who had helped me when he had collided with me not far from here.
I pulled my phone out and tapped the one contact of the few I had.
The phone rang on the other side as the call went through, my subconscious berated me to hang up but before I could, the call
engaged and the person on the other side spoke in his smooth voice, "Hello.."
"Kaden... it's.."
"Elsa."
There was surprise in his voice.
Then, he asked, "Am I getting my date after all?"
"I—"
I took a deep breath, looked at my daughter who was looking back at me and said, "I need your help."
"Alright.

Tell me, what can I do for you, Elsa?"
I hesitated and as if he could understand my hesitation he added, "It's okay, Elsa.
You can ask for my help.
I will help you, no strings attached."
"Can you lend me some money?"
I swallowed my pride and said, "I just need some money, I will return it to you as soon as I can."
I quickly added.
"When the salary comes I will return your money."
"It's okay, Elsa.
Take a deep breath."
He sounded so kind and calm.
He said, "Tell me, how much money you need.
I'll transfer it now."
"Thank you so much, Kaden."
"Don't worry about it.
You can ask for my help anytime you want.
Send me the details of your bank account and I'll send the money."
And without anything else he hung up on me.