I almost sob out in relief at Hailey's words.

I've only known her for not even two minutes, yet i love her beyond words. She is willing to help me, the only person besides Scott who has shown any sympathy towards me, and I'm soaking it up like a sponge.

"R-really?" I stutter in utter disbelief. This surely can't be true.

Hailey squeezes my hands tighter. "Yes, Mia. I will help you in every way that I can. As soon as i heard what Matteo had done, i couldn't actually believe it. And he kept talking of you so fondly, i thought maybe you were both in a consensual relationship... But now I know that is not the case, especially after I caught wind that he locked you up for days."

"Thank you, Hailey. Thank you so much." I pull her into a hug, and she squeezes me so tight, her pregnant belly pressing up against my very flat stomach.

While I'm elated at the prospect of Hailey wanting to help me, I'm still slightly weary that she is just someone working for Matteo, trying to get me to slip up so he has another reason to punish me. But even that thought barely goes through my mind, it's like i'm clouded by the thought of escape, and escape only.

"Honey, I'm so sorry that you are in this predicament. Matteo's lifestyle certainly isn't for everyone, and you being dragged into it must be terrifying."

I nod my head with a tight-lipped smile on my mouth. As much as I wish that Matteo was the one who dragged me into this life, I was already born into it, and it's hard to back out of something like that.

I find my eyes wandering to Hailey's stomach, waiting for her to just, pop! "It's a girl." She says. "Her name is Mirabella."

I find myself genuinely smiling. "May I?" I ask as I raise my hand to her stomach. I must look like an absolute weirdo.

But Hailey smiles. "Go ahead." She says as if it's not the first time someone has asked to touch her stomach, especially a stranger.

I place my palm on her belly. It feels so stretched and hard. I can feel the subtle kicks of the baby and my smile grows more. It's strange that even in terrible times such as these, there are still life's miracles that manage to make things seem... Okay.

"Did you choose this life?" I ask as I remove my hand from her stomach.

Hailey looks slightly taken aback by my question, though she hides it expertly well behind her warm smile. "I did. Well sort of... I met Alistair when I was in my last year of high school and I didn't know for a few years that he was involved in the mafia, until he introduced me to Matteo. At first I wanted nothing to do with it, but at the end of the day, love triumphed and now I am married and my beautiful Mirabella is on her way."

Hailey looks down and rubs her belly, as if she were talking to her unborn child. "My home is currently being renovated, but once it is done, Alistair is leaving the mafia and we are going to start a new chapter in our lives together."

It sounds like a dream. But for Hailey it's a reality.

It makes me yearn even more for my freedom. I want to be able to think about the future, but at the moment all I concentrate on is the thought of making it to tomorrow unscathed.

"Don't worry. You will have a future outside of here. Matteo is powerful, sure, but he is not a god. You will be able to get away from him"

I nod my head, clinging onto her words like a lifeline. I hope that what she is saying is true.

"And i know that you probably don't want to hear this, but Matteo did talk about you with passion. When you had fallen ill, all he could talk about was how guilty he felt. Know that what he does is not intended to harm you."

"Why does he have me locked up?" I ask, desperate to know the answer.

Hailey sighs. "Matteo has a very complicated past, behind his facade, he is only a man and that man is human just like you and me..."

"But that doesn't excuse his actions!" I exclaim.

"Of course it doesn't, but we are all influenced by our past and as much as we want to, we cannot control it."

I scrunch my face and lean back into the couch, angry that Hailey's words make sense. I don't want to think that this inhumane, cruel man is actually human. I just want him to remain the monster that I see him to be. I don;t want things to get more complicated than they are.

"Just hang on, Mia. Get rest and eat well. Gain your strength back, and when you are ready, i will be here to help you."

"Thank you." I say once again.

Before either of us are able to say anything else, Alistair enters the room. "Hailey, we have to go now or you'll be late for your appointment." He says and he saunters over towards the couch where we sit, moving to the side of Hailey and helping her from the couch.

"Ahhhh yes, one more appointment before she's due to come. I must say, I won't miss my pregnant life." Hailey giggles as she leans for support onto her husband who begins to guide her to the door.

"I'll see you soon, Mia." Hailey says.

"Bye." I whisper back.

***

One night, and one day has passed since Matteo left for whatever work he had to attend to. He must be making use of his time in New York while he's there, considering it's a fair drive from Maine.

I'm not complaining at his lack of show, though. Quite the opposite.

I've managed to slowly relax into my new environment, and now i am able to walk through the halls without shaking like a crazy woman and flinching at the sound of footsteps. Despite this however, I still find myself experiencing painful headaches.

Lucking pain killers exist, otherwise I might literally be dead.

Anyway, while Matteo is out of the house, I've had to deal with Dante who hasn't seemed to decrease in annoyingness since when he began babysitting me the other day. Maybe it would've been tolerable if i could've got to know Hailey better, but i haven't seen her since i mist met her recently.

Maybe she had the baby and is in hospital?

Either way, I'm bored out of my mind. There is only so much Netflix to watch before your mind turns to mush.

"Your taste in TV is questionable." Dante says as he takes a swig from his beer, diving his hand into a packet of chips.

"Yeah well I could say the same about your taste in friends." I retort back, earning a playful glare from him.

"You know, I could send you to your room for time out for disrespecting Matteo and I like that."

"Do it." I dare. It's not like there's any less to do in the bedroom. There's still a TV, it just happens to be planted in front of a bed.

"You're lucky that I'm bored and am wanting company, otherwise I wouldn't hesitate in doing so."

I roll my eyes as I flick through the TV channels.

"What about The Notebook?" I ask, not caring about whether or not he agrees.

"I'd prefer not." A voice that is not Dante's says.

I instantly turn around to meet the cold gaze of Matteo standing behind me, clothed in one of his iconic black suits. His hair is combed back, with forgotten strands failing over his face. His deep, dark eyes stare at me with something terrifying.

I hold my breath waiting for something to happen, but nothing does.

"W-what are you doing here?" I stutter. "I thought you were going to Japan."

Matteo's gaze hardens. "I am, I just had to pick up a few things before I leave." He says cooly.

I nod my head, wanting to turn back to the television to escape his eyes, but I find myself frozen at the four words that come from his mouth.

"It's time to go."

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