The Girl In The Chandelier

Chapter 1

I sat frozen in my seat in the middle of the crowded and noisy railway station because I was having trouble picturing myself actually leaving.

"Am I really going away permanently?"

Even I find it hard to believe. I had the guts to quit my job at that house knowing that I spent almost six years living with him.

I'm now at last free.

Despite the fact that I was alone and the destination was not planned, I grinned a little as I watched the scene outside the train window. I was so depressed that I simply left the house.

I immediately bought a ticket without even knowing the destination of this train because I had no idea where I was headed.

While I'm sitting, I can't deny my concern for the fact that I leave no one in the house today. I just hope no thieves come in; robbery is still a trend in our area these days.

I gave myself a gentle pat to remind myself that I didn't need to be concerned because I hadn't broken any laws. I left the house without hurting anyone since I didn't say goodbye to them. I had nothing to worry about because I didn't let anyone know that I was leaving, lol.

But that's what I should be worried about. I left without a word.

I got off the train when it came to a halt, and when I got off, an unknown place emerged in front of me.

I'm not sure what I'm feeling, but I better be okay since I don't want to look foolish in this new area.

Despite the awful things I had done, I grinned a little as I felt a sense of freedom and a fresh beginning.

I knew it was bad of me to go without saying goodbye because I was running away from my abusive husband. But it's too late for me to be disappointed.

After a time, a man approached me and offered me a lift on his motorcycle. I declined, saying, "I'm not going home yet," and he nodded and walked away, staring at me suspiciously from head to toe.

"What's wrong with him?" I wondered, surprised. I shifted my weight to the side where my belongings were heaped. Someone approached me and offered to assist me in loading my belongings, but I declined since I knew he would simply make me pay. "I'm fine, Manong; I can handle it all," I answered, smiling as he walked away.

I began walking by picking up my belongings one by one. I've been traveling for nearly a day and I believe I've gone a long way; perhaps my spouse won't be able to find me here.

The enormous portrait over the station's door drew my interest, so I approached it and examined the full map. When I observed that only a few spots were marked on the map, I smiled. "It's not a big place," I said as I continued to exit the station, still glancing at the map.

I quickly hailed a cab after exiting the station, and luckily, someone had just delivered something to the station, so I asked him if he could give me a ride.

"Can you take me to my destination?" I said, but he merely stared at me with no expression on his face.

"Good day to you, can you take me to where I'm going?" I said again, and he nodded and collected my belongings, and placed them in the back of his car without making a sound.

"How are you? I'm Feliz, what's your name?" I inquired, noticing that he was not paying attention. He was so quiet that I tried to talk to him, but he was a quiet person who didn't talk to me or answer my queries, so I was embarrassed and just chuckled.

I hardly glanced at him as he was driving silently, yet his entire face impressed me. "You know you're handsome, but you look stuck; I guess you don't have a girlfriend, right? To be specific, you didn't get one, right? Am I right?" I laughed, glancing at him as he drove seriously.

"Can you shut your mouth, Miss? You're making so much noise," he asked, surprising me. "Ah, what? you're so exaggerated," I said, partially covering my lips with my palm and turning to look out the car window.

I have no idea where I am, and I have no idea where I am going. After the straight road, I saw the car turn left, and there I saw various types of rental homes.

Some were intimate and compact, while others were grand and opulent. Many travelers were wandering around and exploring the area, which suggested that it was a well-liked tourist destination.

My heart skipped a beat when I noticed a sign that said "Beach Access" as we continued to drive. For months, I had been wanting to see the ocean, and now was my chance.

I jumped out of the car and virtually ran towards the lake as we stopped in a parking space. The beach was lovely, with smooth sand and sparkling water.

As soon as I inhaled deeply, all of my concerns vanished. I temporarily put everything else out of my mind and focused just on the beauty of the situation.

I was so awestruck by the breathtaking vista that for a little minute I forgot the man who had driven me there. I turned back to find him throwing all of my belongings onto the sand, and I yelled, drawing attention to us.

"Are you crazy!? It's going to get dirty," I said softly and hurriedly wiped them with my hand. He didn't say a word as he stood silently next to me, dodging my glance.

He didn't even turn to face me, his eyes still fixed on the sea beyond. "I'm leaving," he said simply.

I fumbled in my shoulder bag pocket for my cash and said, "Wait, how much is it?" When he turned to face me, he grinned oddly. He winked and asked, "How about one kiss? One kiss from a noisy woman would do."

I nudge him a little to get to his car and get out as fast as possible, "Is he serious?"

As I watched him leave, I couldn't help but smile at him even though he didn't seem to see me from here still looking at him. Even though he is very quiet and seems strict, I can still see his kindness in him. After he disappeared from my sight, I turned my gaze to the ocean where a few people were bathing and surfing.