“Whose things are they? Whose clothing is that?”


    “Emmaline,” he whispers.


    “My name is Emerson. Who is fucking Emmaline?” I scream. “What kind of fucked up sicko are you?”


    He doesn’t answer and I stand still, watching him. I’m panting in hysteria.


    “I would never hurt you,” he murmurs. “I love you.”


    I stand still, too scared to move.


    “Exin to my why…” I whisper.


    He doesn’t answer, and keeps dead still as if he is thinking about what to do.


    “If you love me, star, then you will exin to my why?” I sob. Please tell me this is a mistake.


    He doesn’t answer as his eyes search mine.


    “Whose things are they star?” I scream. Defend yourself! Tell me this is a mistake. “Why is that


    room soundproofed? What do you do down there?” I cry.


    He runs his hands through his hair. “The room was soundproofed before I bought the house.”


    “Whose things are they?” I scream. “Why did you steal the art?”Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    “I can’t tell you.”


    I screw up my face. “What?”


    I point to the front door as the tears run down my face. “I am walking out that door and I am never


    ing back unless you tell me what the fuck is going on.”


    He steps forward. “Don’t leave me. I love you.”


    I screw up my face in pain as I step back in fear. “star,” I whisper.


    “I can’t tell you because you will leave me forever.” He holds his hand out for me to take.


    I look at his outreached hand. “Tell me!” I scream.


    “Even if I did tell you the truth, you would never believe me. You have to work this out for yourself.”


    “Work what out?” I scream as tears run down my face. Oh my God, is this some sort of sick cat and


    mouse game?


    “I can’t tell you. I want to… but I can’t,” he cries.


    Work out that he’s going to kill me? Is that what he means? I need to get out of here immediately.


    I turn and start to walk to the door.


    “Don’t leave me…” he yells.


    I stop and stare at him. “Just talk to me. Exin this. Please,” I sob in a whisper.


    Tears fill his eyes. “I can’t. Please. I need you to trust me.” He reaches for me and I step away from


    him. “I love you,” he whispers again in pain.


    “Don’t touch me,” I murmur through heavy tears. “I don’t even know who you are.”


    I turn and walk out the front door.


    He doesn’t try to stop me.


    And I don’t look back.


    It’s Friday night and I sit alone in the silence of my bedroom in my apartment. It’s raining and I am on the


    window seat watching the heavy droplets fall. I came back to my temporary home after I ran from star


    on  Wednesday.  I  haven’t  left  the  room  since.  I  have  no  clothes,  no  makeup,  and  I  am  totally  alone.  I


    haven’t even called Brielle.


    I’m too ashamed.


    I fell in love with a man who I didn’t know. A criminal. The same man who I know may very well try


    to kill me. He’s seeded in one way already. He has killed an innocence in me that I will never get


    back. I have never been so disillusioned in my entire life. I know I need to call the police, and I will at


    some point. My eyes tear up at the thought of star behind bars. Why am I so in love with him?


    I should hate him… but I don’t. I’m grieving the life that I had looked forward to with him.


    I so wanted the fairy tale to be true.


    Tonight we were supposed to be flying out to our castle to get married tomorrow, but instead I’m sick


    with grief. I get a vision of us lying together in front of the fire in each other’s arms,ughing, and my eyes


    close as the pain slices just that little bit deeper.


    This is unbearable.


    I stand on autopilot to go and make myself a cup of tea. I’ve hardly eaten since Wednesday. Hank has


    been cooking for me, but I just pick at it. I can’t stomach the sight of food, let alone eat it.


    I’ve  decided  that  as  soon  as  I  pull  myself  together  enough,  I  am  getting  on  a  ne  back  home  to


    Australia.


    I can’t do this.


    I can’t pretend that my whole world hasn’t fallen apart. I can’t hold up the fa?ade that this is the trip of


    a lifetime and that what we had didn’t matter… because it did.


    It mattered to me a lot.


    I  just  wish  it  had  mattered  to  him.  I  don’t  know  what  I  was  thinking  cing  all  of  my  trust  into


    someone  after  only  a  few  weeks  together.  It  just  felt  so  right.  I  have  been  over  and  over  our st


    conversation in my head. Trust me. I love you. Painnces through my chest as I recall his tortured face.


    Don’t leave me. I close my eyes as the tears burn my face. I am utterly broken, too scared to leave the


    room incase he finds me. I’m scared to put my phone down incase I miss the call where he tells me it’s all


    been a hoax. I’m ashamed to call my friend and hear her say I told you so. I’m disgusted to tell Mark that I


    left him for a criminal.


    I pick up my phone and stare at it. Why hasn’t he rung me?


    Is he alright?


    Is he safe?


    Is this part of his condition?


    Why do I care?


    I throw the phone down in disgust with myself. Stop it. You’re being crazy. I hold my head between


    my two hands. I’m going crazy.