The baby is no longer crying and I am no longer bound.

I am in a pitch-black room. The only light is coming from a window in front of me. Through the glass I see a beautiful woman holding Jack. She is curvy and full-busted, someone out of a Sports Illustrated magazine. Jack is smiling in her arms waving at someone.

I knock on the glass but the sound is muted. I shout out for my son but he doesn’t hear. Then Liam joins them.

“I’m so glad you’re here.” He tells her, kissing her before taking Jack from her.

“Finally Ellis is out of the way.” Liam sighs. Now Jack isn’t in her arms I can see her baby bump that Liam rubs.

“I could never have a child with her, she was useless.” He laughs.

“Women like her shouldn’t be mothers.”

I’m yelling apologies and pleading for them to help me. I beg for my boys, for them to come back for me, but they don’t. They just laugh.

“She is worse than Eleanor. Jack is better off without her.” Pain sears my chest. I have tried to be better than my mother. It’s never enough. I’m never enough. The man I love wishes I was more.

“Will you be my new mummy?” Jack asks the woman. He looks at her with stars in his eyes.

“We will be a family now Jack,” Liam tells him as the strange beautiful woman nods to my son.

They start to walk away from me. The dark room around me closes in but I stay locked in place. Pleading for them to return. Jack never looks back as he walks hand in hand with his new mum. Liam glances over his shoulder though. Finally, his eyes meet mine but his gaze is not filled with love. He hates me. Still looking at me full of contempt he throws his arm over the beautiful woman he finally gets to be with.

“Please come back! Jack! Liam! Don’t leave me! Please…”

“Ellis, wake up. You’re safe, I’m here.” I hear Liam’s voice, but it’s no longer coming from the man walking away from me. “Sunshine, you’re okay. It’s just a dream.” He shakes me lightly but my eyes snap open at the contact. As soon as my eyes meet his I burst into tears. Sobs wrack through me when Liam pulls me into his arms. He hushes me lightly but I can’t catch my breath.

It might have been a dream but it felt so real.

I can see the highlights in the woman’s dark hair, the disgust in Liam’s eyes when he looked over his shoulder.

I can hear the baby’s screams echoing. Liam lets me cry.