She nodded. “Yes, you’ll see it in line four, section A. You’re to sit as CEO for a term no shorter than six months following the sale of the company. At the end of that term, they will pay you a generous severance.” Her smile grew broader. “Between now and then, as long as you two don’t receive any undue negative press, you’ll be golden.”

I barely heard what she said the rest of the meeting. All I knew was that my freedom was so close I could taste it.

4

Abbie…

It wasn’t exactly like I ran away from home. But after thirty days of waiting for my new damn passport and enduring my mother’s machinations to get me back in Easton’s life, as well as Easton’s full-blown apology tour, I couldn’t be blamed for leaving on a red eye and telling no one I was going.

Seven hundred and twenty hours was more than enough penance for making the mistake of picking Easton in the first place. Hell, that was on top of the years I’d already spent with him.

My mother was a handful. But she was hardly a blip when pitted against my own near-crippling self-doubt. A wash of shame flooded my body for the two times I’d nearly gone back to him.

The first time was three days after I’d locked him out and discovered my shredded passport. The second was just a week ago. My mother’s personal nonstop TET Offensive was wearing me down. And Easton was pushing from the other end. He’d gone to my parent’s house every single day without fail. I saw to it that we were never alone, but he’d put that full Peters’ charm on display.

And I’d almost submitted. He’d even taken full responsibility for our split to my parents. Even my father had believed him, and so had I. He’d promised to go to anger management. Promised to never put his hands on me in anger again. Suggested we go to therapy.

All the things that sounded oh so good.

But then my passport arrived, and I remembered exactly why I was leaving. So I chose my moment and made my escape. No one saw me off. No one wished me luck.

I knew I had to do it for me, or I’d be weak and accept a fate I wanted nothing to do with. Once I landed, I made the necessary arrangements. The condo he and I shared was in my name, and I wanted Easton out. I left ‘I’m safe’ messages for my family but didn’t contact Easton, mainly because I wasn’t certain I wouldn’t cave in to him.

I burrowed deeper under the covers. Packing up all my things and leaving DC behind for London was the right move. Wasn't it?