Chapter 16: Nostalgia (River's POV)

It's been four days since the engagement and tomorrow, finally, she's getting out of there. Luckily, her father still has no idea that she's been packing everything up and that's because obviously, he never goes into her room. From what I know, her room is practically empty and all the important things have been packed up. 

Ms. Jenny helped her keep this a secret and brought her multiple suitcases instead of boxes because there is no way boxes can be hidden, I guess. That's how she explained it. Since she can shove the suitcases under her bed or push them into the closet. I just hope now that until tomorrow morning, her father has no reason to go up to her room. 

While she's been packing, I've been calling. Every. Single. Night. I call her around midnight while she's packing and I hate to admit it, but it's nice. It kind of reminds me of when we were still friends. We would talk on the phone like this at night all the time because I can't sleep early and neither can she. I haven't felt nostalgia in a long time. I almost forgot what it feels like but nostalgia is important. Or maybe it's important because it's with her. 

I glanced at the clock which read 12:25. It's way past midnight, I should be able to call her. I dialed her phone, waiting for her to answer, and normally, she picks up really quickly. But she wasn't answering. I hung up and tried again. And again. And again. I bit down on the inside of my cheek, trying to think of what to do. 

I shot out of bed, pulling a t-shirt on hastily and leaving my slides on before rushing downstairs. I'm making a lot of noise and my parents are definitely asleep, but I can't be bothered about being quiet right now. 

I grabbed the car keys, the first ones I saw, and jogged out, grabbing the roses from the vase on my way out. If nothing happened, I'll just pretend I was there to give her flowers, what the hell. Her dad can't really say anything to that. But if something did happen, I'm bringing her back with me. 

I unlocked the car and climbed in, tossing the flowers on the passenger seat. I started the car, quickly backing out of the parking spot, checking behind me while steering with one hand before shifting gears and heading to the main gates. 

"Sir, where are you going? You aren't supposed to be out at this hour without security," one of the guards. 

"Unlock the gates," I demanded. 

"But sir—" 

"I said unlock the gates!" 

He quickly pushed the metal black-barred gates open and I sped out, taking a right and driving faster than I ever have before. 

I brought my phone with me, just in case I needed to call for help and I kept glancing at it to see if she called back but there was nothing. "Come on," I sighed to myself, turning onto her street. I slowed down, turning the car off right in front of her house and grabbing the stupid flowers. I ran up, opening the white picket fence gate, and rang the doorbell frantically. Nobody is answering the door. 

"No! Oh my God, please!" I heard a muffled scream. 

I tried moving around to look through the windows but the curtains were all drawn up from the inside. I banged on the windows, the doors, I rang the doorbell a thousand times more. But no one is fucking answering. 

"Sir, please!" That sounds like Ms. Jenny. "Wait, just wait, please!" 

I managed to shake the windows enough for the curtain to open just an inch. I could see Ms. Jenny begging Mr. Willow for something, I don't know what. But the house was a mess. I looked at the staircase that Brielle was running up. It looked like her dad was trying to follow her but Ms. Jenny was begging him not to. 

Then my phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out, answering it immediately when it flashed Brielle's name. "Brielle, what is going on?" 

"You need to get here quickly, please! He's going to kill me!" She's crying. She's definitely crying. 

"I'm outside! Brielle, what the hell happened?!" 

"I was in the bathroom and he came into my room to get me for dinner. He saw that everything was packed up and he found the suitcases! He's been drinking all night, River please hurry!" 

"I can't get the door open, the windows are locked too!" 

"Brielle, get out here!" I could hear him yelling through the front door. 

I rang the doorbell a thousand more times. "Tell Ms. Jenny to get the door!" 

"He'll come up here!" She's crying a lot, oh God. 

"Lock your door." 

"He broke it, he broke the lock, River!" 

I banged on the door, shaking it, and then saw Ms. Jenny looking at the window where I was. She ran over without second thought and answered the door but the second she moved out of his way, he went upstairs. 

"No, no, no, please!" I heard Brielle screaming over the phone. 

The door opened and I ran inside, heading for the staircase but then her mother showed up and blocked my way. "You shouldn't be here." 

"Get out of the way!"

"This is between our family, you need to leave!" 

Should I respect her or not? 

I looked up when he came back out, dragging Brielle by the arm. "Have you lost your mind?!" I yelled, trying to walk around her mom but she pushed me back. 

"You need to leave!" she yelled back at me. 

I pushed her hands off. "Do not fucking touch me." 

"Don't, don't, don't, please! Don't do anything more, please!" Brielle was trying desperately to free herself. When they made it downstairs I could see that her left cheek was red and slightly bruised and her bottom lip was cut. 

Ms. Jenny, fortunately, grabbed Mrs. Willow and kept her away. 

I ran over, pulling Brielle out of his grasp and shoving him away. "Are you fucking insane?!" I shoved him another time. 

"I told you, she will not live with you before the wedding!" he snapped at me. 

"You also told me that's her fucking choice!" He reached out to grab her again but I took her hand and pulled her away from him. "She's your daughter, not your slave! She wants to leave because she doesn't feel safe here because of you, can't you see that?!" 

He keeps trying to get a hold of her.

"And anyway, what would the people of Ashbourne think if they find out the head pastor beats his daughter?!" 

He stopped and glared at me, his chest heaving up and down while he tried catching his breath. 

"And that he drinks like an alcoholic every single day, huh?!" 

He grabbed onto the banister, trying to breathe steadily. 

"Ms. Jenny, go get all her suitcases," I said, without looking away from him. 

Ms. Jenny went upstairs but obviously, she can't bring them all down on her own, she's an old, fragile lady. I grabbed Brielle's hand and took her upstairs with me. There were four suitcases, Ms. Jenny grabbed one, Brielle grabbed one, and I grabbed two. 

"I'm taking her with me, do you understand that? And she's never coming back here." 

"She's my daughter!" 

"Really?! You never fucking treated her like it!" I snapped, resisting the urge to throw the suitcase at him. "If you ever even lay a finger on her again, Jeremiah Willow..." 

He looked at me, surprised that I used his name. 

"You don't fucking want to find out, you hear me?" One punch, just one. I should do it, I really should. But I know I can't. 

There's a little too much on the line here because there's only so much I can do if he decides to break the engagement. Which he might not do now because he still just wants money. But he might change his mind if I hit him. 

I turned around and left, finding Brielle and Ms. Jenny already at my car, tucking the suitcases in the trunk. I put the other two in the back seats, hearing his footsteps along with his wife's on the pavement. 

"Take her then! Take both of them with you!" 

I rolled my eyes, opening the door for Brielle while she sat in the passenger seat. 

"Jenny, you're fired!" 

"Ms. Jenny, you're hired!" I yelled over his voice. "I will send a car in a few minutes, please pack all your stuff and get to the palace. You can start working tomorrow at eight." 

"Thank you," she sighed, nodding frantically. 

I let out a shaky breath, closing the door and walking to the driver's side, climbing in and starting the car, driving off while calling Mr. Garry. "Hello?" he asked. I probably woke him up. 

Oh, well this shit is more important.

"Mr. Garry, I need you to send a car to Brielle's house. Ms. Jenny will be joining work at the palace tomorrow, please go with Mr. Murray and make sure she's brought to the palace tonight itself." 

He sighed, "Yes, sir." 

I hung up, stepping harder on the gas and holding the steering wheel tighter. I would have killed him if I didn't have so much on the line. I haven't even properly looked at Brielle yet. I don't think I want to see her looking so hurt and scared. I mumbled curses under my breath, turning the car off their street, heading straight for the palace. 

"Maybe I—" 

I cut her off, "Shut up. I already know you're about to say something stupid about how maybe you shouldn't have called me. Just shut up." 

She sighed in defeat before I heard her sniffle. 

I kept my eyes on the road and kept driving.

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Chapter 16

well

that was a lot goddamn

next chapter: scared