Beautifully Damaged

A Decision

"What do you mean he quit?"

"I got the notice this morning from his assistant...." Emma replied softly as Shane let out an angry breath.

"Thank you Emma... if you could ask his assistant to come up here I just want to know what made him want to quit. He's been with the company for years." Shane lied he wanted to see what information he could get out of her about Sam and see if she slipped up about anything else.

"She also resigned." Emma said wide-eyed but firmly.

"Anything else you'd like to add?" He asked shooting her an annoyed look and she quickly shook her head before walking out of his office when he pulled out his phone.

"Yo, any updates?"

"No... it's been silent for the months..."

"Any thing on the money front?"

"If he's using any money it's cash and as far as your wife she hasn't used any money since the day she left. Sir I think you just need to let it go already... shes been gone for a while and doesn't seem to be trying to do anything malicious."

"If I wanted your fucking advice regarding my wife I would ask and I'm starting to think I should use my money else where since you can't do the one thing I ask and that's bring her back."

"What do you suggest I do? Go house to house asking if anyone has seen her?"

"Get smart like that again and we'll see how well your son grows up without you. FIND MY FUCKING WIFE AND BRING HER BACK!"

...

"Good morning you look well."

"Thanks Shannon, I feel good."

"So when we last talked you were mentioning-"

"I think I'm ready to divorce him... Shane I mean." Mercedes interrupt. She had been keeping up with her sessions with Shannon regularly and they were helping her tremendously. She could see the improvements more and more everyday, she stopped getting nervous around strangers whenever she and Sam went to the store and she no longer felt burdened down by the mental abuse Shane inflicted nor the physical.

"That's a big step, what made you feel ready?"

"Well... for a while since I've been here I was so scared that I kept looking over my shoulder at the smallest sound but then I stopped looking over my shoulder and looking ahead instead of behind. The next step is to remove all connections I have to him, I've been looking into it and I know that I want it to be clean. He can have it all... I can walk away with nothing and be completely fine. Finally free." She replied with a small smile.

"Is there anything else influencing this decision?" Shannon asked noticing her smile grow and she would go so far as to say she was blushing.

Flashback

"Happy Birthday Mercedes." He said before kissing her on the cheek shocking her like she did him last night. He lingered then started to move back when she turned and kissed him fully on the lips, Sam's eyes grew big before he wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her closer and kissing her back before she abruptly pulled away and took a step back.

"Ah... I'm going to just walk back." She said licking her lips with a smile. She looked at him before lowering her eyes to his lips and letting out a shaky breath and before she could walk away Sam pulled her back into him kissing her again then letting her go. Mercedes just nodded and let out a nervous chuckle before walking away only looking back once when she felt his eyes on her and started to walk a little faster.