Chapter 2:- Miriam's Apartment

                        Sarah's POV

Anita leaned toward me, eyes sharp. “Who’s calling?”

I swallowed hard, the phone trembling in my palm. “Austin,” I whispered.

Her jaw tightened. “Pick it.”

“What?” My voice broke. “Anita, I can’t—”

“Pick. It. Sarah,” she said firmly. “Don’t let him think you’re scared.”

My fingers felt numb as I swiped the screen. “H-hello?”

His voice came through like gravel, thick and deep. “Where the hell are you, you stupid bitch?”

The sound of him sent a chill down my spine. My throat closed up. “I—I’m just—”

“Don’t you dare stutter, Sarah! Do you know who you’re talking to?” His tone was laced with venom.

My hand trembled. Before I could form a word, Anita snatched the phone from me. 

“You listen here, you miserable coward,” she said, her voice cold and clear. “You’re done. By the time we’re finished, you’ll regret ever laying a finger on her.”

The phone was on loudspeaker, so every word rang through the small reception area. A few officers nearby turned to look.

Austin barked, “And who the hell are you? You think you can talk to me like that?”

“I’m the woman who’s about to make you wish you’d never been born,” Anita snapped. “You and your entire family are going to rot in that hell you’ve built for yourselves, bloody bastard.”

Then she hung up.

For a moment, there was only silence. My heart was hammering so hard I thought I might faint.

Anita handed the phone back to me, calm as ever. “See? That’s how you deal with men like him.”

I stared at her, wide-eyed. “You shouldn’t have said that. You don’t know what he’s capable of—”

“Oh, I know exactly what he’s capable of,” she interrupted. “But you’re forgetting what we’re capable of too.” She gave me a reassuring smile, one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

I wished I had her courage.

“Finish your report,” she said. “I’ll call Miriam again.”

I nodded and turned back to the desk. The officer behind the counter looked uneasy. 

Her hands hovered above the keyboard as if she didn’t know whether to keep typing or stop.

I could tell she was scared. Everyone knew who Austin McCall was, the billionaire philanthropist, son of the powerful McCall dynasty. 

The kind of man whose money could make evidence disappear and silence anyone who dared to speak.

Still, she forced a professional smile. “Please describe what happened last night,” she said softly.

I took a deep breath. “We argued,” I began. “He was angry that I refused to attend a party with him. He said I embarrassed him in front of his friends. Then he… slapped me.”

Her fingers hesitated, then resumed typing. “Did he use any weapons?”

“No,” I said quietly. “Just his hand.”

“Any prior incidents?”

“Yes. Yelling. Threats. But this was the first time he hit me.”

Her eyes flicked up to my cheek, still faintly bruised under the makeup. 

She didn’t comment, but her silence said enough. She looked terrified, yet she kept going. “Do you want to press charges?”

I hesitated. My mouth opened, but before I could answer, Anita returned.

“Miriam says something came up,” she said, frowning. “She’ll be delayed.”

The officer glanced between us nervously, clearly relieved to have a reason to pause.

Anita crossed her arms. “We don’t have time to wait around.”

“She said she’ll be here soon,” I murmured.

“No,” Anita said, shaking her head. “She’s lying. I know her tone. She’s at home.”

I blinked. “You think she’s avoiding us?”

“Not avoiding, stalling,” Anita said. “ If she won’t come to us, we’ll go to her.”

The officer looked alarmed. “Ma’am, you can’t just—”

“We’re not asking for permission,” Anita cut in briskly. “Come on, Sarah.”

I hesitated, torn between fear and the faint, fragile courage that had started to form. “Shouldn’t we finish the report?”

Anita sighed. “You’ve said enough for now. They have it on record. If we stay here too long, Austin will send someone.”

Her words sent a shiver through me. I turned to the officer. “Please… make sure it’s filed,” I said.

The woman nodded quickly. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll make sure it’s processed.”

I wasn’t sure if I believed her, but I forced a small smile of gratitude and followed Anita out of the station.

The rain had stopped, leaving the pavement slick. 

We got into the car. My fingers were still trembling as I started the engine. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Anita fastened her seatbelt. “It’s the only one we’ve got.”

The wipers squeaked across the windshield as I pulled out onto the road. My mind was racing.

 Every pair of headlights behind us looked suspicious. Every vibration of my phone made my heart jump.

“Do you think he’ll come after me?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

Anita turned to me. “He already has,” she said grimly. “That’s why we have to end it before he does worse.”

Her words sank in like stones.

We drove in silence for a while, the hum of the tires filling the space between us. 

I didn’t recognize myself anymore.

“Where does Miriam live?” I asked quietly.

“East Ridge,” Anita said. “It’s not far. She’s stubborn, but she’ll listen once we get there.”

I didn’t say another word until we reached Miriam’s apartment. 

The drive was quiet, tense, and every second felt heavier than the last. Anita’s fingers kept tapping against the window while my thoughts spun in circles. 

When we arrived, the security guards recognized Anita immediately and opened the gate. 

The compound was silent. Even the air felt strange, carrying a faint scent of jasmine mixed with something else, something painfully familiar. 

My chest tightened. I tried to shake it off, telling myself I was just nervous.

We stepped into the living room, and the first thing that hit me was laughter. 

A woman’s soft giggle, followed by a man’s deeper tone. My stomach dropped.

“Miriam?” Anita called out.

Miriam appeared from the hallway, smiling brightly. And then I saw the man she was with.

The man beside her had his arm around her waist, his thumb tracing lazy circles on her skin.

 My blood ran cold. That scent, that voice, that same black jacket—

It couldn’t be.

But it was.

My breath caught as reality crashed down on me.

Miriam wasn’t alone.

She was with Austin, my husband.