by Suzy Shearer
Over the next few days, she began to plan how to escape.
When she’d first moved in with Dennis, she’d had two bank accounts. One was a term deposit which she had never mentioned to him. It was still sitting untouched. Her father had started it for her when she was ten and had deposited money each month into it until she left home at eighteen. Because she had cut ties with her father, she had tried to ignore the money. She kept the deposit book at work along with her birth certificate and other papers.
There was actually millions in it. If Dennis had known about it, he would have taken it all. As it was, he had taken control of the other account. All of her wages went into it and he doled out only enough for her to get by.
A few years back, she had been given a raise in salary. Perhaps she subconsciously knew what was ahead for her because she had gotten the pay section to put that and any future increases into the term deposit. Dennis had never figured out what she’d done, never believed she would have been capable of deception. Now she was grateful for it.
She would have enough money to leave the state and buy herself somewhere to live.
On Sunday night, four days after the incident with his mates, Dennis had told her he would be away overnight and would be leaving the following day. He was working in the finance industry and sometime was called on to travel overnight to clients for the company he worked for.
Just for the fun of it, he took to her with the paddle and his fists, telling her it was because he would be missing her. Jessica felt like her body was on fire by the time he had finished. She’d felt the cuts on her back from the corset reopen. He’d laughed when he saw them bleeding and refused to dress them or allow her to when she’d timidly asked him. She curled into a ball and tried to sleep.
Tomorrow, tomorrow she would do it.
He had full confidence that Jessica was too demoralised to even consider leaving. The thought of her leaving had never crossed his mind.
How wrong he was?
This was her chance.
When he’d left that morning, she packed a few belongings, leaving most of her clothes. She’d only packed a few changes of underwear and one work suit then stashed them into the old car she used. She was aching, knew her body was bruised and raw. Her back was stinging and she knew she looked every bit the harrowed, downtrodden, and abused woman she’d become.
She’d driven to work, cleared out the few personal items, including her bank book and birth certificate, from her desk then asked to see her boss, Walter Brownley.
With shaking hands she stood in front of his desk.
“I’m sorry, Walter, but I have to resign. I have to leave immediately. Something private has come up.”
Shrewdly he looked at her and told her to sit.
“You’re leaving Dennis aren’t you?”
She was wringing her hands and could only nod “yes” as he looked at her kindly.
“At last! Right let’s see what I can do to help you.”
Jessica had looked at him in stunned surprise.
“Jessica, you know we have a number of branches scattered across the country. Works out good because two of them have vacancies at the moment.
“I can send you to the Bowral office, it’s on the other side of the country. The job is the same as you’re doing here. Have you left now?”
She nodded. “Yes, I’ve got a bag in the car.”
“Perfect. Will you take the job?”
“Yes.” Then Jessica had burst into tears. Walter had gotten up and walked around his desk then taken her hand and told her he would arrange things for her if she allowed it.
“Thank you, Walter, thank you so much.”
He patted her hand then went back around the desk to sit again.
As the branch was on the other side of the country, Walter suggested Jessica fly there immediately. He took charge, and without him, she doubted she could have managed everything. He suggested she get rid of her mobile phone and get a new one with a new number. He also suggested she change her name. She told him she could use her mother’s maiden name, he agreed. From that moment on she became Jessica Williams.
Walter made her sit in his office while he arranged a flight for her later in the day. He rang the Bowral Branch office, telling them Jessica Williams would be arriving to take up the vacant position of senior security officer.
He hung up the phone after all his calls.
“Right, it’s all arranged. When you get to the airport, just go straight to the airline counter. They’ll have your ticket ready. I’ve spoken to Russ Lange, he’s the boss at Bowral. You’ll like him. He said give him a ring when you land and you can work out a time to go see him.” Jessica had been overwhelmed by his kindness and told him so. He responded by telling her she was the best computer security officer he’d met and he would do whatever he could to help her so she would stay with the company.
“I’m so glad you’re finally leaving him, Jessica. We’ve all been so worried. You’re a wonderful woman and a very talented employee. I don’t want to lose you so this is good for us both.”
“Thank you.”
“Listen, if Dennis turns up here don’t worry. I’ll tell him you just rang in and quit. As far as he’s concerned I have no idea where you are.”
Her eyes had filled with tears when he said that. She realised he was a good friend as well as her boss. They had both stood. Walter came to her and gave her a brief hug.
“Don’t worry, Jessica. It will be fine. This is a new start.”
“Thank you again, Walter. I honestly don’t know how I could have done everything without your help.”
They exchanged good-byes and she made her way back to the car. Driving to a nearby car park, she’d dumped the car and taken her bag. Hopping on a bus, she travelled to the airport and collected her ticket.
Even though she knew Dennis wouldn’t be returning until the following evening, she’d kept looking over her shoulder, expecting him to grab her.
Still, she managed to escape. Her bravery astounded her.
When she’d landed, the first thing she did was book into a hotel for a few days and leave her bag. Then she’d gone to the closest bank branch and checked out her term deposit. She almost fainted on the spot when she saw just how much was in it. There was almost nine million dollars—the interest, the deposits from her father, and her work had been building up and up since she was ten. She was now twenty nine.
She’d withdrawn enough for the next few days and arranged a credit card in the name of Jessica Williams. The bank manager had been extremely helpful when she had explained that she was escaping a situation that made her fear for her life. Of course, when he’d seen just how much money was in the account, he’d bent over backward to help her. Setting things up in the account so that it was still in her name but also in her “alias.”
Leaving the bank, she had gone to a mobile phone store and purchased a new phone with a new number. She’d transferred Walter’s number and the numbers of the new office into it, then pulled out the old SIM card and dumped the old phone. Ringing the new office, she arranged to see her new boss, Russ Lange, the next morning. She sent a text message to Walter, giving him her new number and the number of the hotel she was staying at.
Realising she needed clothes, Jessica went off in search of a department store. She would pick up a couple more pantsuits, the only thing she wore. Dennis had drilled into her how fat she was, so she was too ashamed of her body to wear anything except the dowdy, loose, covering suits he’d selected for her.
She looked through the racks and found two, one navy blue and the other black. The jackets were loose and unflattering but she had no idea what else to wear. They both had a white buttoned blouse to wear under the jacket. The sales assistant had told her she was buying sizes far too big and too old a style for her, but she ignored her.
She bought more underwear and, feeling daring, had bought a pair of jeans with a few T-shirts and a long-sleeve shirt, finally allowing the woma
n to select the size. Returning to the hotel, she changed into the jeans and one of the T-shirts.
She’d looked at herself in the mirror. The woman that stared back looked terrified. Her face was pale against her black lank hair. She had dark rings under her eyes. She noticed there were bruises visible on one of her arms and pulled off the T-shirt. She felt tears run down her face as she looked in the mirror. Across her chest and stomach were angry bruises, when she turned she could see the cuts where Dennis had ripped off the corset. They were red and angry. She would need to buy some antiseptic cream to help them heal.
She pulled on the long-sleeved shirt.
What did surprise her was the fact the jeans fitted her so well and made her look thinner. Maybe the woman had been correct and she was wearing the wrong sizes.
She brushed her hair and braided it into a long plait down to her knees, then thought perhaps she needed to do more to hide. Maybe she should dye her hair. But then again Dennis would have no idea of where she was or her new surname.
Still she went down to the lobby and asked where there was hairdresser. The receptionist directed her a few blocks to one that she whispered to Jessica was who she used. Jessica walked to them and explained that she needed her hair looked after. Fortunately, there was a free booking and she was whisked into a chair before she had a chance to breathe.
She hadn’t had her hair done since she had left home as a teenager, and then it had only been to have it washed for a special occasion. The stylist ran his hands up and down her hair, flicking it this way and that. He made her take off her glasses and studied her.
In the end he had told her that despite the horrid condition of her hair, it was lovely. When she suggested dyeing it, he said she’d be a fool to colour it as it would have an amazing shine if she’d only look after it. He’d suggested she have it cut to between her waist and shoulders and shaped, telling her the length wasn’t doing anything flattering for her.
She was nervous when he held up what looked like most of her hair after he had cut the braid. Still, after a gruelling hour of being washed, cut, and conditioned, she was stunned when she put her glasses back on and looked in the mirror.
Her hair looked alive and soft! The length meant she could wear it loose or up. It fell around her shoulders with bounce and body. She’d left with conditioners, treatments, and shampoos in a bag.
Next door was a chemist, so she grabbed some antiseptic cream for her back. On her way back to the hotel she saw a shop selling makeup. Dennis had prohibited her from wearing any form of makeup and in more defiance, she made her way into the store. She was astounded by the array in front of her and was about to leave when a sales woman approached her.
Jessica had stammered that she never wore makeup but had wanted to see what was available. Once more she was whisked off. This time, the woman perched her on a stool and spent the next fifteen minutes cleaning, moisturising, and making up her face. Jessica had no idea what was happening until the woman spun the chair around and asked what she thought. She’d put her glasses on and looked.
Who was the woman who stared back with wide eyes behind her glasses?
Jessica peered at her. Never would she have believed that she could look anything else but dowdy and plain but the woman looking at her was anything but.
Her green-blue eyes were smouldering. They looked mysterious and sexy. They look stunning. There didn’t seem to be much makeup on her, but her cheeks were accentuated and the bright red lipstick finished off a lovely face. Her new hair style capped it all off. She turned her head this way and that in disbelief.
“I can’t believe it’s me!” The woman had beamed at her.
“It was easy to do. You are a beautiful woman so I just accentuated that natural beauty. Do you know you could have laser surgery on your eyes? You wouldn’t have to wear those glasses then.”
Jessica left the store with a bag full of goodies and headed back to the hotel, floating on cloud nine.
She’d gone to bed that night filled with hope and excitement.
When Jessica dressed the next morning, her nervousness set in. With shaky hands, she applied the makeup the woman had shown her and dressed in one of the new suits.
A new chapter was about to begin and she was determined to make it better than the previous one.
Chapter Two
Jessica went downstairs, then out into the street, where the doorman had given her a friendly greeting and called her a cab. After a ten minute ride, the driver deposited her at the front of a tall office complex.
Jessica had gone inside and found Tech Solutions on the board listings of offices. Taking the lift to the fifteenth floor, Jessica was asked to wait while the receptionist notified her new boss she was there. Ten minutes later she was ushered into a large airy office. Russ Lange greeted her warmly. He was around 5’11, with blonde hair and a beaming smile. He looked to be in his mid-forties.
Walter Brownley had apparently filled him in on things and before Jessica could say anything, he was welcoming her to the fold, telling she would be safe there and showing her to her new office. It was a Tuesday and he told her that she was to start the following Monday, which would give her time enough to settle in and maybe find somewhere to live. Jessica thanked him warmly and he took her to introduce her to some of her new co-workers. Jessica felt shy but everyone greeted her in a friendly manner. She decided there and then that she would make friends with people.
She was determined to turn her life around and she’d start by making friends.
Jessica and Russ returned to the reception area and shook hands. He told her he was looking forward to working with her as she left the reception area.
Going back down in the lift, Jessica had decided to see about finding somewhere to live. Maybe she could find an apartment within walking distance. Hailing a cab, she got him to take her to a real estate company nearby. She had walked in and explained she was new to the area and looking for an apartment in the area to buy or else something to rent until she found something suitable.
With a no-nonsense attitude, the realtor went through his listings. There were three reasonable apartments for sale and five for rent. She gave him the address of the office and told him she wanted something within walking distance. He immediately scrubbed off one of the ones for sale and one for rent.
“Shall we go and have a look at these?”
“Thank you. Yes I’d like to find something as soon as possible.”
Ushering her to his car, he drove her to the first rental. They pulled up outside and Jessica immediately shook her head. It was old and run down. She told him she wanted something new, modern.
They drove to one of the ones for sale and went inside. It was okay, but Jessica felt it was too small. She and Dennis had lived in a pokey little apartment and now she wanted something big, something that wouldn’t hem her in. Maybe she was crazy, being a single woman, but it was something she needed. She needed to feel unrestricted, free, and with plenty of room to breathe, room to escape.
They went through the remaining rentals but Jessica didn’t like any of them. Then they went to the last unit for sale and it was horrid. Jessica thought she would have to stay at the hotel or else look for something further out. She asked about places further afield. As they were driving back to his office, the realtor’s phone rang. He pulled over and took the call. When he hung up he looked at Jessica.
An apartment was for sale within the area she wanted, but it was rather expensive. Did she want to look at it? Jessica felt she had nothing to lose and said yes. He raised his eyebrows but drove off. She guessed she didn’t look like someone who had money.
They drove into an underground car park, parked in a visitor spot, then he led the way to the elevators and punched in a code. They entered the elevator and Jessica felt excited as he pressed button “twenty-five” for the top floor. When the doors opened, she looked around. There was an enormous door, across a tastefully decorated hallway, almost in front of her. To the l
eft, beside the lift was a normal-sized door. The realtor lead the way to a large door and knocked.
A man opened the door for them both, the realtor explained who they were, and they were shown in. The man who allowed them entry said he was the owner and needed to sell in a hurry. He was moving overseas, and he’d delayed his flight by a week, hoping to sell before he went.
Jessica caught her breath. It was perfect. It was enormous with light, big rooms. The windows were huge, and, in fact, two of the walls seemed to be made of glass and showed the city skyline. There was a large glass doorway that led out onto an enormous deck. She could see a long lap pool and, amazingly, a garden with two largish trees.
Inside were three vast bedrooms, two downstairs and the master upstairs.
She fell in love immediately.
The master suite had almost 360 degree city views and was stunning. The bathroom had its own view. She could lie in the huge tub and watch the city lights. Back downstairs, she admired the large living area and then drooled when she saw the kitchen adjoining it. It was state of the art and, even though Jessica was a lousy cook, she wanted to play in it.
There was a study and a media room alongside a dining room. For a single woman it was overkill, but Jessica loved everything about it. It was the direct opposite of the hole she’d lived in with Dennis.
She went back to the realtor and asked about the cost.
“1.75 million,” he answered.
She grinned to herself. For her peace of mind it was cheap!
“Offer him 1.6 million.”
The realtor looked stunned but went over to the owner, who was outside lying on a chair on the deck. Jessica couldn’t hear what was said so she wandered around some more. The furniture in the penthouse was lovely and really suited it. Jessica realised she would have to go shopping for a hell of a lot of items.
The realtor returned shaking his head.
“Sorry no. He won’t drop down that low.”
Jessica could easily afford the price, but she wanted to get the best deal she could. If nothing else, her father had taught her from a young age to bargain.