Billionaire's Mistake: Quest For Redemption

Chapter 4: The Escape

~ JESSICA ~

I woke up to a throbbing pain on my thigh, a cruel reminder that everything from yesterday had been all too real. My first instinct was to clutch my belly, ensuring my baby was still safe, and I did just that, cradling my tummy with my palm so I could feel my baby’s warmth. The ache in my thigh wasn't as sharp as yesterday, which might indicate some progress in healing, but the pain was still a constant, throbbing reminder of my predicament.

I slowly sat up and glanced around the dimly lit room. The food tray from last night was gone, and despite the nausea in my stomach, I felt the gnawing pangs of hunger. I had managed to choke down some of the stale bread, but any more would have been impossible.

As I assessed my situation, I heard muffled voices outside the door. My heart rate quickened, and I strained to listen, but before I could make out any words, the door creaked open.

The man who had kidnapped me stepped in, but today, he looked different. He was dressed in a tailored gray suit and polished shoes, and his hair was neatly combed. He seemed almost respectable, which made him all the more terrifying.

In his hand, he held a stack of papers. Without a word, he thrust them toward me. I took the documents with trembling hands, my eyes scanning the top page.

DIVORCE DECREE BETWEEN HARRISON WILLIAMS AND JESSICA WILLIAMS.

I looked up, perplexed. "What is this?" I asked, my voice shaky but defiant.

He leaned against the wall, his expression unreadable. "It's your ticket out of here. Sign it, and you'll be free."

Suspicion gnawed at me, and I shook my head. "I don't believe you. Yesterday, Harrison intended to kill me, and today, he wants a divorce. Why?"

His eyes darkened, and before I could react, he backhanded me across the face. The force of the blow sent me sprawling, and I gasped at the searing pain. My cheek throbbed as I looked up at him, and my vision blurred with tears.

"You are in no position to ask stupid questions. Sign the papers," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Wiping away the tears that had gathered in my eyes from the sting of the slap, I glared at him, defiance and fury surging through me. "If Harrison wants me dead, he should do it. There's no need to give him what he wants when I'm a dead woman anyway. Tell him I will not be signing anything."

Anger flashed across his face, and he moved to strike me again, but then a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"That's enough, Adam."

I turned toward the door, my heart skipping a beat as Mary Williams, Harrison's mother, walked into the room, looking as graceful and composed as ever.

"Mary?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

She stepped closer, her eyes fixed on me with an unreadable expression. "Jessica, I'm sorry it has come to this."

I struggled to my feet, my body aching with every movement. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

Mary sighed, her expression softening slightly. "What Adam has been telling you is true. Harrison... he's been under a lot of stress. He believes you've betrayed him, and he wanted to take drastic measures. But I couldn't let him do that. I couldn't let him kill you and the baby."

My heart pounded as I listened to her. "So, you convinced him to divorce me instead?"

She nodded. "I reasoned with him, Jessica. I told him that killing you would only haunt him forever. This way, you get to live, and Harrison can move on."

It sounded almost plausible, but I still had lingering doubts. "Why should I believe you?"

Mary stepped closer, her gaze earnest. "Because, despite everything, I don't want blood on my hands. I want my son to find peace, and I want you to have a chance at a new life."

I looked into her eyes, searching for any sign of deceit. She seemed sincere, and a part of me wanted to believe her. After everything, could she finally be on my side?

With a deep breath, I took the pen Adam offered and signed the divorce papers. I watched relief wash over Mary's expression as she took the documents from me.

For a brief moment, I felt a glimmer of hope. Hope that I could actually get out of this alive. Hope that I could save my baby.

But as soon as the papers were in her hands, Mary's expression changed. She began to laugh, a cold, mocking sound that sent a chill down my spine.

"You really are naive, Jessica," she sneered. "I never intended to let you go. The divorce was just a formality. You're still going to die, but not until I'm done with you."

Rage and betrayal surged through me, and before I knew what I was doing, I lunged at Mary, intending to rip her apart, but Adam grabbed me, holding me back with his brute strength. I struggled against him, and in doing so, my fingers brushed against his pocket, and I felt the cold metal of keys.

Adam held me still, and Mary slapped me hard, sending me reeling. "You'll regret that, you b***h," she hissed. Then, turning to Adam, she said, "Adam, make sure she suffers for the rest of the day. Starve her."

Adam's grip tightened, but as Mary left the room, I managed to slip the keys into my hand without him noticing. As the door closed behind her, I glared at Adam, my mind racing with escape plans.

I had one chance. I had to bide my time and wait for the perfect moment to use the keys. But I wouldn't give up. For my baby's sake, I had to survive.

***

After Mary left and the door slammed shut, I knew I had to act quickly. Adam was still looming over me, but he hadn’t noticed the keys I’d swiped from his pocket during the struggle. I clenched them tightly in my fist.

I needed to create a distraction. My eyes darted around the room, landing on the broken glass scattered across the floor. An idea formed in my mind, and I steeled myself for what I had to do next.

“Adam,” I said, my voice trembling just enough to sound genuine, “please, I need to use the bathroom.”

He sneered. “You can do it here, for all I care.”

Desperation crept into my tone. “Please, I’m begging you. Just let me use the bathroom. I won’t try anything, I promise.”

He seemed to consider it for a moment before sighing in exasperation. “Fine. But one wrong move, and you’ll regret it.”

He hauled me to my feet and half-dragged me to the corner of the room where a dingy, makeshift bathroom was concealed behind a tattered curtain. Once inside, I closed the curtain, my heart pounding in my chest.

I quickly scanned the small space and saw a rusty metal pipe jutting out from the wall. With no time to waste, I yanked it free, feeling a surge of pain in my arms but ignoring it. The pipe would have to be my weapon and my tool for escape.

I took a deep breath and screamed, a blood-curdling cry that echoed off the walls. Adam burst through the curtain, and I swung the pipe with all my strength, catching him off guard and knocking him to the ground.

Adrenaline surged through me as I sprinted for the door, fumbling with the keys in my hand. I found the right one and shoved it into the lock, twisting it open just as Adam began to stir.

“Get back here, you b***h!” he roared, but I was already out the door, slamming it shut behind me and locking it from the outside.

I didn’t stop to think. I ran down the narrow, dimly lit hallway, my bare feet slipping on the cold, hard floor. Every step sent pain shooting up my injured leg, but I pushed through it, my fear driving me forward.

I reached another door at the end of the hallway, hesitating for just a moment before unlocking it and stepping outside. The cool night air hit me, and I realized I was in some kind of abandoned warehouse, surrounded by dense woods.

I had no idea where I was, but I knew I had to keep moving. I limped toward the tree line, glancing back to ensure no one was following me. The warehouse loomed ominously behind me, but there was no sign of Adam or Mary.

Once I reached the cover of the trees, I allowed myself a brief moment to catch my breath. My body was screaming in protest, my leg throbbing with each heartbeat. But I couldn’t stop. Not yet.

I pushed deeper into the woods, using the darkness as my shield. Branches scratched at my skin, and I stumbled over roots and rocks, but I forced myself to keep going.

Hours seemed to pass as I navigated the dense forest. I had no sense of direction and no idea where I was headed, but I couldn’t afford to stop. My ears were attuned to every sound, every rustle of leaves, fearing that Adam or someone else might be chasing me.

Eventually, my body began to give out. I knew my strength was waning. I needed to find a place to hide, to rest, but the forest seemed endless.

As I staggered forward, my vision started to blur, but then I stumbled forward and found myself on a lonely road. My legs buckled beneath me, and I collapsed on the cold tar.

The last thing I saw as darkness began to close in around me was a bright light in the distance. And as I surrendered to darkness, I prayed with all my might that it wasn't Adam or Mary catching up with me.