THE MAFIA WIFE WHO ESCAPED

ause something about it felt wrong. Maybe it was because whoever had sent the address knew exactly where she was, or maybe they had been watching her all along. She looked around at the peopl

she had woken up without memories, a stranger had been sending her messages, Karen was hiding things

in

er, and she closed her eyes. Of

ha

ot trying to approach her, and f

ake you

hed bitter

ression cha

member wher

n come

our h

es

k her he

in

ome with a man I

our hu

at you kee

d. "You could be

m n

ould I

r, and Cindy looke

d, and she immedi

O TAKE YOU HO

faster, and Karen notice

did th

locked her pho

in

id no

and then his expression changed.

ame still

n see

n't kno

has conta

stepped closer. She immedia

eone is telling

ened. "How d

one, and Cindy quickly

me the

N

in

N

Cindy immediately became angry with herself. She wouldn't be afraid of him, no

on't o

nt, and the words

I'm your wife,"

kno

ike you have the ri

rying to c

let me

continued falling between them.

, because she had

d toward th

arrowed. "

He looked back at her. "But

hated that. She turned away and began walking. She didn't know where she was going, but her phone had the address, so she

ned. Cindy slowed down as her heart began beating faster, and her phone showed that she was close. She turned a corner and stopped. A larg

g. She remembered smoke, someone coughing, and someone

N

nd and shouted, "This way!" She couldn't see the person's face. Cindy opened her eyes, her heart

one vi

INS

nd looked around, but there w

shed it, and the sound echoed through the building. Inside, it was dark, with dust covering the floor and piec

el

Her breathing became shallow as she moved forward. At the end of the hallway was a door she knew, one she had seen before in her memory. Her hand began shaking as she walked

one vi

E

nd inserted it into the lock. For a second nothing happened, and then there was a click, and the door

not wanting to but unable to stop herself, and opened it. Inside was a photograph of Cindy, Karen, and another man, Karen's brother. Her

ONE. NOT

her. She quickly turned around, but ther

's t

The footsteps stopped outside the room. She grabbed the photograph, and then

N

ened. "Open the door!" There was only s

ated, and a me

MEMBER HOW

tarted? What did that mean? The

N

s Cindy screamed. She stepped backward as the memory grew stronger, and she heard herself crying outside the door

self back in the present, her hands

ar

s voice clear as he said, "He'll never find you in time." Cindy gasped. The man who had locked her inside was the scarred man, not Karen. Her breathing became u

lled with tears, but then she wondered why she had run from

one vi

MBERING THE

oes tha

mmediatel

F WHY KAREN

save her, or had he known she would be trapped?

's t

e the room. "You're aski

man, and she recognized the voic

laughed.

backward. "W

't remem

the

not very

returned. "Wha

moment, and then he spoke

mber

you

ped. "I didn't

ain. "That's what

e door handle. "

remember

continued. "You don

hing beca

ber who was stan

ok her he

iet, and then he

eart stop

es

N

re both

red her ea

eside your husband w

to

en looke

Her eyes widened, and she dropped to her knees as the memory grew stronger. Karen was shouting, "Give it to me!" Ci

g. Outside the door the man

beginning

slowly. "Who

ughed. "Yo

her head.

you s

n't ki

s the gun in

her entire body b

you covere

ked awa

Karen help yo

, and Cindy slowly looke

he tel

ting painfully. "

lped you

N

is broth

ok her he

he police

re ly

ped you

N

You really don't r

so had he really helped her disappear? That didn't make sense, unless some

ed at the screen. It was Karen. She fro

wer

didn't

your h

ed as she answered

ce, and relief immediately

didn't

in

oor, knowing the scarre

you?" Karen

allowed.

m h

help me d

her heart stopped, bec

ar

me quiet. "Who

yes, unable to bre

where

help me d

and Cindy felt someth

u d

listen

u d

ing to pro

e words. Cindy's phone sl

helpe

in

en you

t what y

expl

ll me wher

d door, the photograph, and the box. Then she whispered the add

from the

ha

ice had changed, and she could hear rea

owned.

from the

de laughed, and Cindy

was

r the phone to capture his voi

then his voice turned d

pped backward as Karen's voice grew lo

amed. The scarred man had kicked it. There was another bang, and

ar

com

y, but there was nowhere to go, with no windows and no o

n, hu

lmost

e are

tsi

ilent. Cindy covered her mouth, her heart stopping, as the door suddenly

diately found

stopped just before reaching him, because she remembered that she didn't trust hi

in

ackward. "Don

d men stood in the hallway, and fea

" Karen said, imm

sed to make m

N

lowly lowered his weapon, and Cin

me with

d the hallway. "Be

ho

with th

tepped closer. She rai

ed. "Whe

rd the door. "He

kened, and he turned t

nd Cindy stared at Karen

you h

N

happ

erly. "You want

es

nt the

Cindy held up her phone.

his eyes brie

rt brok

t her. "Because someone

red at hi

wer, and she lau

in

ho

htened. "I

re ly

m n

did you

r. "Because I prom

froze.

ened." Karen's voice becam

idn't

d. You told me som

f herself running while Karen opened a door, and

ake you disappear,

lled with t

not to let an

at him. "An

nodded

hy

anged. "Because y

head. "That'

oved

saying

true. She looked at the photograph in her hand, at Karen's brother, herself, and the man beside them. Then s

APPENS TO ME,

the words, and

is t

at him. "I

ed him. Karen read the words, a

round. "The message said

oward the box.

key, and Karen stared at it for

t," Cindy s

t her. "I've s

t raced.

n't k

tterly. "Now y

in

ave you

hallway, and his expression c

froze.

xactly l

ghtened around

hook his head.

he key as her phone vi

WHERE I

ed him the message. For the first time, Karen didn't deny anything. Instead,

in

ha

rely above a whisper

narrowe

r. "Because I remember w

ed as Kare

ged to my

t stoppe

me I saw it..." He paused, and Cindy's fin