Escape (N.H.)

Chapter One

⚠️TW: slight mention of abuse⚠️

Valeria Pov

"It's so good to see you, it's been years." Liliana says as she begins walking Elius and I to our new apartment or well, flat I guess is the correct term.

After about a thriteen hour flight, not including the hour layaway in Boston, we had finally arrived in London early this morning. Upon leaving the airport it didnt take long to catch a cab, once inside after kindly telling the driver the address Liliana, my old friend from school had given me over text the day Elius and I had escaped when her brother was visiting his home town, or more so, having come down to seal a business deal with my fiancé-, ex-fiancé when he found me while roaming the property, my body covered in bruises with a child on my hip, to say he was shocked to see me would be an understatement, especially seeing as the last time he saw me I was in a happy seemingly healthy relationship filled with love, and graduating school early, not a mother who was very obviously being abused as well as her child.

After confronting me, or rather interrogating me he uncovered the fact that I was practically there against my will, and helped get my son and I our new ID's.

I was hesitant to trust him at first, thinking this was some kind of test, when I declined he gave me a phone begging me to call him if anything happened or I changed my mind. I did, that very night, after multiple years of constant abuse I just couldn't do it anymore, he had taken it too far, so I called Liam, and less than a week later here we are.

"V, did you hear me?" Liliana speaks up breaking me from my thoughts as I look up to meet her sympathetic gaze.

Don't feel sorry for me, I did this to myself.

"Huh? S-sorry, I guess I j-just spaced out. What were you saying?"

"I was saying it's good to see you, " her brows furrowing "and this is it." She motions to the door in front of us, " it's not very big but it's all Liam's mate, the owner of the complex had on such short notice."

"That's fine, thank you," I reply timidly as I walk inside Elius walking behind me as he clutches his tiny hand in my own as I look around the small flat, putting the small backpack on the kitchen counter.

The flat was definitely small, not that I was complaining, I was extremely grateful Liam's mate was allowing me and my child to rent out a place on such short notice. Just from opening the door, I could see the entire living area, a single cream colored sectional, a small rectangular table, and a small kitchen with a washer tucked in the corner. A small hallway at the end of the room led to two small bedrooms, each only big enough for a full and queen-sized bed as well as a small dresser. Between the two rooms was a simple white tiled bathroom, thankfully it had a bathtub seeing as Toby was practically terrified of taking showers and only allowed himself to be placed under one, in a bathtub as long as the showerhead was never turned on.

"I know it's not much-"

"No, no it's perfect, thank you" I cut her off as I turned back around to smile at her, my eyes brimming with tears.

"No need, that's what friends are for!" she replied with the same smile.

"How do you feel little man, do you like it? Think mama did good?" Lili bent down to Eli's height as he hid behind me his tiny hands clutching the backs of my jeans.

"I'm sorry, he's shy around new people." my hand immediately went to his dark brown hair running my fingers through it in a soothing motion.