Why can't I move?

I tried.

Again, I am stuck.

Opening my eyes, I found myself in my bed covered in… Bedsheet. Where are my clothes?

I looked next to me, it was unmade.

I touched the other side of the bed… It is still warm.

Remembering my foolishness, what I did last night, I couldn't help but groan with frustration. I ruined my hard work. I am working on how to get away from James and last night, I did what I was supposed not to do. I doubt if he used protection. He isn't concerned about this. Was he like this with his other woman? This question will always be in my mind… Poking me with their existence.

“Good morning.” James entered with a tray and… Again, he is shirtless with sweatpants. I closed my again and turned, not to see him. I yanked the bedsheet over me and notice the body, my breast has so many scars…

I heard him locking the door..... Approaching me. Even I could feel his intense eyes piercing through the thin bedsheet.

“I can see your ass,” James said as he placed the tray next to me.

Getting up, I tried to cover myself with a thin, little bedsheet. This is so inappropriate.

James chuckled and got up, leaving me with a warm tray of breakfast. Nothing special, just omelette, toast, and juice. Which juice is that?

“Take this.” James arrived and sat on the bed, near me.

“Can I have the privacy?” I asked, timidly.

“Are you kidding?” James was amused. “I saw everything. We made nine children in 17 years of our marriage. And, you are still acting like a freaking virgin.”

“I want my privacy,” I mumbled and looked down at the t-shirt. It belongs to James.

“I am your privacy.”

“Get out.” I looked at him, and this time, he listened. He sighed and smirked before leaving me.

“Mommy… Is this a cloud?” Jace pointed at his pancake and beamed. “Dad said, this is a big cloud.”

“Of course, baby… It is a cloud.” I went to pack lunch for the Carter children.

“I don't understand why they have to go to that Shi….” James stopped and coughed. “I mean that school.” He finished.

“Because they need to have a normal life,” I said.

“Isn't it enough that I got rid of all the media drama? Nobody knows here about our identity.” James was proud.

“Who are we?” Annie asked innocently.

Cherish chuckled. “We are… Car….”

“Kepner….” Interrupting Cherish, James said.

“But I saw my name, it is Anneliese Carter.” She said, with such innocent, that I was confused. Is she the same person who bites others, is ready to hit others, and is a little expert of failure conspiring against others?

“Yes… You are Anneliese Carter… But we are on a secret mission of saving… Mmm…” James looked at me for help.

“We are here to save the world.” I managed to say.

“Yeah… Yeah…” Cherish yawned. “We are here to save the world.” Repeating our words, she mocked us.

“See…” Laughing, James pointed at Cherish. “Even she said this.” He ignored the mocking eyes of his elder daughter. “But this is a secret. No one should know that we are Carter. Whoever asks, except teachers, You tell them we are Kepner.”

“Otey… No one will know.” Jace jumped out of his seat and took his lunch box.

“Annie????” James called. “What about you?”

“I want to tell this, my best friend.” With a small voice, Annie looked at her lap.

“You are so brave.” James reached to her. “Thank you for asking this doubt.” His words helped Annie feel better. She smiled and looked at her father. She is not rolling her eyes at him anymore, which is a good sign. They are friends now, I guess. “Who is your best friend?" He continued.

“There is an old lady in the woods. She said, I am her best friend. I like her. She's best.” Annie chirped, but we couldn't process her words.

There is an old lady in the woods.

I remember what I witnessed last night. Certainly, there is a lady in the Woods who comes to our property, but where is the security. The army of bodyguards was hired by James and Marvin after my miscarriage. They are always around, so how is this possible for Annie to meet that lady..... Old lady.

“Sweetie… I packed your favourite lunch.” Trying to divert Annie, I passed her the lunch box. “Eat everything.”

“Yay….” Jumping from her seat, she run to her newly furnished room.

“Did she say… Old lady in the woods?” Cherish asked.

“I saw someone walking on my lawn last night,” I disclosed.

“When?” James jumped in.

With the question, I could feel red cheeks. The answer is inappropriate for Cherish. How Would I answer this?

“That doesn't matter. Where is your useless bodyguard?” Cherish was restless? Her fear was obvious. Even I am scared. Someone met my innocent daughter.

“I withdrew a few of the staff.” James looked away.

Turning to him, I see him looking at the lawn from our kitchen window. He understood when I saw that lady and where she was. His clenched jaw is not a good sign. I hope, he channels his anger in the right direction.

“I have my reason….” James added. “Don't ask me that reason.”

“After hearing Mrs Carter's past, I don't trust any man around my kids.” I expressed as soon as James to settle children in the car to take them to school. Honestly, I can assume worse. Mrs Carter didn't speak about her abuse for years. It could be hard to express the pain, humiliation that she went through… Even a child knows something is not right but fails to express it.

“Perfect.” James looked proud. “That's what I wanted. Don't trust anyone.”

“Then why did withdraw the security?” I almost snapped at him. “Don't you know, Mr. Carter saw Mrs Carter in the hospital.”

“I don't want them to witness our love.” Closing the distance between us, James whispered. “I guess, it was a wrong decision.”

James and I intended to seat and talk about the security for children in the evening. We have so many things to do. Cherish is 16, we missed her birthday, and even she felt it would be better not to celebrate it, but we will celebrate her as well as Jamie's birthday as soon as Mrs Carter is found. Jamie deserves that celebration.

Surprisingly, Mark Rogers couldn't locate Mrs Carter. According to him, Mrs Carter is not hiding, someone has taken her. Because he reviewed her video recording from the office, party, and events… There is something that Mark Rogers pointed out in his report to us that Mrs Carter never got the help. So, her condition is undiagnosed. The secret keeper, Mark Rogers, insisted that Emmeline Carter is incapable of functioning normally by herself. Once she was sent to a mental asylum where she escaped after a week. One thing was diagnosed in that one week, she has POST TRAUMA STRESS DISORDER with other unknown issues, which need time, but she never co-operated. But whenever I met her, she behaved nothing but a vicious woman.

Currently, I am looking into woods that has been separated from us through our high boundary walls and one single gate. How did Annie meet that old lady? Is it Emmeline Carter? I have to get into the wood and see what is inside because the recording from last night is useless. I didn't think about a night vision camera. James would make fun of me if he sees what an incapable mother I am.

I was about to open the lock when Zippy barked. His call awakes me. I remember Thomas, one of the bodyguards, claiming that Zippy is a better protector than them. So, I considered this and called Zippy.

“Come on…boy, we have to patrol today in your new territory.” I cooed my furry guard. But he didn't move from his place and looked towards the house. Maybe he is looking for Jamie. “Jamie is with Trina and little Ryan. I promise he is safe.” With my words, Zippy turned and marched towards me, ruining my fern plants pots that I grew to symbolise this place as my Shelter.

I took Zippy and stepped out of my lawn into the area of woods.

Once this was an open place, and now, it is a private property. Credit to James Carter. He is creating a stoned wall all around the area. He wants his little farm near the city. It is easy because we don't live in the city. Otherwise, it would have been hard to acquire these lands.

“Let's find the old lady,” I said to Zippy who is alert and the next thing I know, he pulled his leash from me and run into the dark woods. “Zipppyyy.....” I called, but he didn't stop and continued to run away from me. “Stop,” I ordered and run after him.

Am I going to lose Zippy?

Is this my mistake?

.