Escaping to the CEO

Chapter 6

Cassandra POV

Anna opened the door and there was Eric. His eyes widened when he saw me standing there. My hair is now short and blonde, my clothes way too big for me. But I am definitely going to be better hidden.

"Meet my little sister Arina."

Anna was showing Eric my "new" passport. We left mine back at Joe's. Once we get to Vermont, I'm going to find a way to change my name and start making a better life for myself. But that all needed to wait until we got out of here. I could pretend to be Arina for a few days.

"You guys ready to go grab some dinner?"

"Yea, let's go." I'm starved."

There's a pub here in the hotel. Tommy said," They had the best steak fries."

With everything packed up in the room, we put all the bags in a pile by the door, and headed out. The restaurant was an Irish Pub-style bar. There were a bunch of flags of Ireland, and shamrocks and the kitschy type of bar stuff. We all ordered burgers and fries. I listened while Anna and Eric were talking about the business and how things were happening.

I kept looking at Eric. I know, I know him, but I'm not sure. Even with my vision being cleared out enough and the swelling being down to just some bruising that I could see him.

"Cass you alright?"

"Huh? "Oh yeah, sorry lost in thought?"

Eric looked up, and his face went pale. I was about to ask him if everything was OK when I heard footsteps walking up behind me.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes, what can we do to help you officer?"

Well, it was reported earlier this afternoon that a young woman in the area was reported kidnapped by her husband, and we're looking around the area to see if we can find her. There was a car matching the description of one of the vehicles in the basement that matches the description of the car last seen in her neighborhood. So we're looking for this young woman. Her name is Cassandra Diane Miller. Her husband and roommates miss her very much.

He handed over a photo from my wedding day, before the beatings and the abuse. Before I went to prison, and before I knew what an asshole Joe was. I look nothing like this girl. I turned and looked at the photo and handed it back to the officer showing him my full face.

"Officer, I'm sorry but none of us have seen this girl. "I hope she is found safe and gets to return to her loved ones.

He hesitated, looking at my eyes and back at the picture.

Your eyes look just like hers.

Yes, well, it must be a coincidence or something. But no, we've never seen this girl.

We'll thank you guys for enjoying your meal. Have a good night.

He walked away, and Eric's face started to regain color once again. We took our food to go since we were now going to have to take a taxi to the airport and leave the car. Eric called someone as we were heading back up to the room. We ate while Anna called for a taxi.

Twenty minutes later we're standing at the curb. The taxi, pulling up, Eric grabbed my bag off my shoulder and put it in the trunk. A familiar-looking Tesla pulled up and parked behind the taxi.

"Hey, don't I know you?"

It was Joe. He was looking at Anna.

"Um yeah, probably because I'm your wife's cousin."

"Have you seen my wife?" "She's missing." Looks to have been kidnapped.

"No I havn't."

"Really? Cause that girl next to you looks an awful lot like her.

"Yes really. This is my sister Arina. She's coming for a visit to Penn getting ready for college. Dad agreed to let her come visit.

"Really? That's not Arina. I recognize those eyes.

Cass and Arina have the same eyes, almost twins. It was scary how alike they are. Here's her passport. See Arina Boyton, born in May. Cass's birthday is in December.

He looked annoyed as he handed back the passport. Anna lightly pushed me into the car and I went willingly.

The taxi took off once we were all in the car, and we made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Eric led us to where his private jet was sitting and we boarded. We had to wait for the tower to give us permission to leave.

The engines were running, the propellers twirling. We were just waiting for permission to take the runway and get up into the sky. My stomach was in knots, like that feeling you get when you're on a roller coaster, and it's about to take the plunge. The all clear came over the radio, and we started rolling down the runway. My hands were held tight over the arm rests, my eyes were squeezed tight. This was it. The plane took off and up we went. I felt like I was going to vomit with how my stomach was turning. Breathing hard through my nose, trying to hold off on puking.

I felt Eric's hand go over mine just holding it lightly. Once we leveled out, my grip became looser. I leaned forward with my head between my legs. He handed me a paper bag and lightly rubbed my back while I settled my breathing and evened out as I breathed into the bag. I sat up again and relaxed into the seat.

"You're doing OK, Cass?"

"Yea, I'm feeling better thanks."

We made small talk as the plane was taking me further and further away from my old life. The realization dawned on me somewhere in Kentucky that I was free. Or at least free of him. We landed in a small Vermont airport just north of Rutland. Eric drove us to Anna's house. It's a cute little wooden cabin that looks like something Linclon would live in. He hugged her and said he would see her in the morning. Then he patted me on the shoulder saying," I'll see you later I guess," and walked away. I felt a small part of my heart crack as he got into his car. I stood on her porch, hands crossed over, holding my upper arms as I watched him drive down the road.

"Cass?"

"hmm?"

"You ok?"

I honestly don't know. I feel so many different things, relieved that I'm free from Joe, and frightened he's going to find me. I'm nervous that something is going to happen, and I'm not going to actually be free of him. I miss my friend from childhood, the one who gave me my first kiss. I prayed for years he would come rescue me from my life. That he would ride on a white steed and be my knight and shining armor. There would be a sword fight, and he would pick me up and carry me off into the sunset, and we would live happily ever after. But he's gone, and he's never coming back. And your boss helped you rescue me. Which I'm unsure as to why, but I'm grateful he did.

"How about we get you inside? I'll get you a beer and explain why he helped.

I sat at her counter. Her house was gorgeous. A giant fireplace stood in the living room, and she had comfortable furniture, and it had such a homey feeling. She walked over to her fridge and pulled out two tall cans with a weird-looking scientist guy on them. Reaching into her cabinet, she grabbed two tall glasses and poured the cans into them, being careful not to cause foam. She placed one of the glasses in front of me.

I took a sip of the foam at the top, tickling my nose. It was perfect. I had never tasted beer like this before.

"What is this?"

"Craft beer. Made up in Stowe. I have a few friends who work there. We did some construction work a few years back, and they hooked us up with free beer once in a while.

"That's really cool."

"It is, so let me tell you about Eric."

She sat across from me, her fingers interlocking and her forearms resting across the counter. Her head bowed and she took a deep breath. After a minute, her head tilted back up.

"I'm not sure where to begin, so I'm just going to jump in from when I met him."

She took another deep breath and drank her beer.

About 5 years ago, shortly after I was disowned by mom and dad, I found myself sitting on the side of the road. My car broke down, I was stranded in a town, I was starting my life over. I wanted to make something of myself, not being someone's wife and a birthing machine to some old man. The smoke poured out of my car. I sat on the curb about fifteen feet away unless the car caught fire or exploded. It was pouring rain and almost night. My phone was completely dead, and the roads were just as empty.

Eric was driving by. He was leaving work for the day and heading home when he saw me. He said he couldn't let a poor girl who was down on her luck sit in the pouring rain waiting for something good to happen to her. So he called a tow truck and took me back to his house. He asked me about myself and why a girl from Texas was all the way up here in Vermont. I explained how I was starting my life over and freeing myself from my oppressive parents.

He gave me a job and helped me build this house. His company helped me go to school. I graduated at the top of my class and passed the bar. I now work exclusively for the Printz family companies. Last year he was falsely sued over a contract and we actually won half a billion dollars. He told me that if I ever needed any help with anything that he would help me no questions asked.

I saw an article about you on his desk. I asked him about it. He said that you looked like you were someone who needed help. I told him how you're my cousin" and that if you ever asked for help, I would drop everything and go to you. I told him how awful his husband was. How I had heard from my sister that she had seen you covered in bruises and with a cast. How you told her that Joe beats you regularly. You should have seen his hands, Cass. They turned into tight fists, so tight his fingernails pierced his skin. His face, though he remained neutral. He said if you were to ever contact me, we would get to you as soon as humanly possible. And that is what we did. I got your letter 3 days ago. It was late, and I had just thrown my mail on the table before going up to bed. I didn't see your letter till the next day. I read it, got dressed, left my coffee with only a sip missing, hopped into my car and took off to the office. I showed Eric the letter, and he canceled the rest of his day. We got on his plane and were there in the early hours yesterday, and, well, you know the rest.

Why is he so interested in me though? I'm a nobody."

"That's something you'll have to ask him."