The Runaway bride

Thediscovery

At this point, his mind was roaming, trying to connect the dots and possibilities of the situation. This wasn't just a case of a broken relationship anymore. This was manipulation.

Across town, Linda had expected a day like this to come, where she would have to tell it all and expose what she'd been hiding for years, but nothing prepared her for the weight of the emotional roller coaster it would come with.

She opened the drawer near her sink in her tiny kitchen and pulled out a hidden envelope.

Inside were old letters, pictures and a flash drive.

They were proofs she almost destroyed, but she didn't because she knew a day would come when they'd be needed. She definitely knew the past would not be hidden forever. She held the envelope tightly. If she was going to tell him the whole truth, she had to do it on her own terms. But she was clear now that she's not running anymore.

Later that night, she made sure Eli was asleep and arranged for a meeting with Max. She was still scared, not sure if Max would believe her, but she knew she had to do this. Max was already waiting when she arrived. "I almost didn't come," she said to Max. There was silence for a while after she had sat. Then she pulled out the envelope and placed it on the table. The flash drive contained voice recordings of her conversations with Kara and all the threats Kara posed to her 5 years ago.

This is everything I should have told you five years ago. Max didn't touch the envelope, he studied her for a while. You said someone threatened you, right? He asked. You mean Kara Austin, didn't you?

She was shocked. You figured it out?

"Of course, I did," he said. I'm not a fool. I ignored the signs, but now that I've seen you and my son, I'm done looking away.

"She said she'll ruin you," Linda said. She knew about the government deal your company was closing at that time. She also said she'll leak confidential documents and frame you for fraud. You would have been dragged to court and disgraced. I didn't know who to tell or who to believe me.

She knew things about Max, she knew about my family, my father's debt, my sister's scholarship. She made it clear that if I didn't run away, I wouldn't just be destroying you but putting everyone I love at risk.

Max was furious at this point. I hated you for so long, I thought you would just leave and choose your freedom over us.

"I hated myself every day," she said. There was silence again for a while.

Then Maxwell finally picked up the envelope. He saw the pictures, heard the first few minutes of Kara's voice on his phone.

He became even more angry and full of rage. "I'm going to destroy her," he said. Linda pleaded and said, don't fight her, she's more dangerous than you think. Maxwell looked straight into her eyes, held her hand and said," It is time for me to protect what is mine and who I love."

For the first time in years, Linda felt chilled again and believed in the possibility of safety.