Fleeing her husband from a forgotten village, she stumbled into a bear trap and thought it was the end, consciousness slipping away
When she awoke in an unfamiliar room, Emily let out a soft groan. Her head spun as if shed been struck, her memory a voidshe couldnt recall how shed gotten there. Her body ached like shed lain too long in one place, limbs heavy and uncooperative. Struggling to rise, she froze in horrorher wrists and ankles were bound. Panic surged through her, and she writhed against the bed, its old frame creaking beneath her.
“Finally awake,” came a cold voice. “Good. Stay a little longer. Maybe youll realize your mistake. Then Ill let you go. And well go home together.”
In that instant, Emily remembered everything. Shed asked her husband, Leonard, for a divorce. Hed agreeduntil the blow came. Hed never intended to let her leave. “Youre mine,” hed whispered. “And if you dont understand that, Ill teach you.” But she couldnt endure his betrayals any longer. After the first affair, shed forgiven him. After the secondno. Love had long since died, leaving only fear and disgust for the toxic obsession that bound them.
“Let me go,” she whispered, trembling. “This changes nothing. You cant force me to love you. Len, please”
“Youll come around. Right now, youre just in denial. But youll seewere meant for each other. Youll give me another chance. And where will you run? Remember that abandoned village I told you about? Where my grandparents lived? No one comes here. No one will help you. And dont push meyou know what Im capable of.”
Emily shuddered. The madness in Leonards eyes terrified her more than anything.
For a weekmaybe longershe was trapped in that house. Leonard only freed her for brief hours, watching her every move like a predator stalking prey. She knew he wasnt just cruelhe was ill, in desperate need of help. But she played along, feigning submission, pretending to hope for reconciliation. No one would miss her at workher boss had wanted her gone ever since shed caught her with Leonard. Her parents were dead, her friends used to her disappearances. “Her jealous husband,” theyd sigh, never asking for details.
One day, when Leonards guard slipped, she struck him with a heavy figurine. He collapsed, unconscious but breathing. She didnt wait to see if hed wake. If he did, shed have no escape. Hed sworn theyd stay there forever, and she couldnt live with a man whose rage was a ticking bomb.
She threw on whatever clothes she found and bolted into the freezing night. The cold seared her lungs, but she ran. Cars, roadsall were miles away. She feared Leonard would track her footsteps, but she had no choice. The forest, the distant howl of wolvesit terrified her, but better to face wild beasts than a madman.
Her strength waned. She didnt know how long shed run or where she was going. The thought of freezing or getting lost gnawed at heruntil sharp pain tore through her leg. A scream ripped from her throat as she fell. Blood stained the snow. A bear trap. She clawed at it, but the jaws wouldnt budge. The pain swallowed her, darkness creeping in.
Thena voice.
“Dont give up now, Goldilocks”
She woke again in an unfamiliar place. The scent of herbal tea filled the airsomeone had been forcing sips past her lips as she drifted in and out.
“Where am I?” she whispered, pushing herself up.
“Awake at last?” A man stood in the doorwaycalm, kind-eyed, wearing a wool jumper and thick trousers.
“Did you save me?”
“You saved yourself. Fought like hell. I just helped.”
He introduced himselfMatthew. Told her hed found her in the trap, carried her to his cabin, treated her wounds. Shed been delirious for days. The trap hadnt shattered bone, but the gashes were deep. “You survived. Thats what matters,” he said.
He was a forester, living in his grandfathers old cabin. Came here to escape the city, to clear away poachers traps.
“Guess I was right to turn that bloke away,” he added. “Came looking for someone a day after I found you. Wild-eyed, like an animal. Dont worry. If he comes back, he wont get near you.”
Emily trembled. Leonard had been close. But for the first time, she felt safe.
Days passed. She told Matthew everythingthe marriage, the affairs, the escape. He listened in silence. Shed expected to fear all men now, but with him, it was different. He didnt push, didnt demand. Just stayed.
Ten days later, she could walk againwith a slight limp. Matthew left for the woods, and she decided to cook dinnera small thanks for his kindness.
When he returned, he frowned at the stove.
“I told you to rest,” he said, shaking snow from his coat.
“I wanted to help. I hate feeling helpless. Like a burden.”
His expression softened.
“Fine. If you insist. Whats the plan?”
Over the meal, he shared something personaltwo years ago, hed lost his fiancée in a crash. Every year, he came here to grieve alone.
“Im so sorry,” Emily murmured. “But life goes on. Shed want you to be happy. After what my husband did, I couldve feared all men. But youre not him. You cant live trapped by fear forever.”
Matthew nodded, and together they finished their simple supperbangers and mash, a bottle of red wine. Finally, she asked the question nagging her: how did supplies reach this remote place?
“My mate delivers them every fortnight,” Matthew said. “Roads are bad now, though. Hell come tomorrow. And youll go with himback to the city.”
Her heart clenched. Home. Where her pastand Leonardwaited. The thought of facing him again chilled her. But she couldnt hide forever.
“Dont be afraid,” Matthew said, squeezing her hand. “Youll be alright. That bastard wont touch you again.”
She forced a smile. His confidence warmed her, but doubt lingered. And so did sadnesstheir brief, quiet time together was ending.
The next day, Alex arrivedMatthews “mate.” Young, easygoing, with a friendly grin. Emily fought back tears. Staying here, with Matthew, was tempting. But she couldnt start anew without closing the past.
At goodbye, she hugged Matthew tightly, memorizing his scent, the feel of his jumper, the steady beat of his heart. He hesitated, then held her backhis hands trembling.
“Thank you Ill miss you,” she whispered.
“Youll be fine,” he said, voice rough. But his eyes betrayed him.
In the car, she watched him in the rearview mirror, standing on the porch until they vanished. She clenched her fists, fighting the urge to beg Alex to turn back.
Alex took her straight to the police, as Matthew had asked. She filed a report, told them everything. Then he drove her home. Matthew had ordered him to bring supplies”till things settle.” She didnt ask who he really was, just accepted the help gratefully.
Her flat still smelled of Leonardhis presence lingering in every shadow. She gathered his things, dumped them on the balcony. She needed to erase him.
That night, by the window, she thought of Matthew. Regretted not taking his number. But hed said it himselfno signal in the woods.
The next morning, the call came. Leonard was deadshot resisting arrest. She didnt cry. Didnt feel guilt. Only relief.
When Alex returned, she told him.
“Good riddance,” he said. “He showed up here yesterday. But the lads Matthew hired chased him off.”
“Lads?”
“He had them guarding you. Cant say Im sorry. The worlds better without him.”
She nodded, throat tight. Then
“Take me to Matthew. Next time you go.”
Alex grinned. “Two weeks. New Years Eve. Was wondering when youd ask.”
Her heart pulled her there, logic be damned.
Two weeks later, Alex picked her up.
“What if he turns me away?” she fretted.
“He wont,” Alex said.
She packed a duffel bag, brought a small gift. Alex dropped her off early, unloading supplies quietly before leaving.
Only then did she learnMatthew owned a major firm in the city. Alex was his right-hand man. For a second, doubt whispered: Was she good enough? But she shoved it aside. She wasnt the woman shed been. She was stronger now. And love didnt care about
