Chapter 46: NOW - The Safe Room

After the spanking, Sophie is put to bed, and her bedroom door is locked. She hasn’t had any supper so will be hungry. Once alone, she has the kind of tantrum I’ve never seen from her before. She throws herself on the ground, beats her fists against the carpet and cries so loudly and for so long that I worry for her vocal cords.

At some point, I fall asleep, only to be woken by the sound of a voice at the door.

“I’m sorry.”

Still groggy, I trip over my feet getting to the door. It’s Emily. I shake my head slightly. She has a nerve to come and apologise to me after everything she’s done.

I grit my teeth, knowing I should get her talking. “What are you sorry about?”

“I’m sorry that he punished her like that. I don’t think she deserved it.”

I press my ear against the metal. “Do you think you can stop him? If he tries to do it again?”

“I don’t know,” she says. “I…”

When she trails off, I hear it. The modicum of doubt in her mind. Peter is beyond control now; he’s becoming an unmanageable entity. I wonder if Emily regrets everything or just Sophie’s punishment.

“So this is the man you chose. Is he everything you dreamed of?” I ask.

She pauses. “He’s not usually like that.”

“Are you sure about that? He has a woman locked in a cage, Emily. I’m not sure you’re the best judge of character.”

“God you’re a bitch,” she mutters.

“Where is he now?” I ask. “Does he know you’re talking to me?”

“He’s asleep.”

“Good,” I say. “If he’s asleep you can let me out. Let me get Sophie and leave. I won’t cause any issues or go to the police. I just want us to be safe.”

“No.”

“Emily, what are you going to do when he throws you to the kerb? You know that you’re not what he wants. Why do you think he’s been stalking me for nineteen years?”

“Stop lying, Amber.” She makes a scoffing sound. “Peter has told me the truth about you, so you can drop the act.”

I lick my lips. “If it was a lie, why would I have told you before I knew you were with him? I’ve had restraining orders against Peter since 2007. Since I was fifteen years old. Emily, Peter is obsessed with me and this whole thing is just so he can control me. It’s not about you and him creating some sort of family, it’s about him tormenting me.”

“No. No, that’s total bullshit.” She sniffs loudly; she sounds agitated. “You’re his psycho ex-girlfriend who won’t let him see his kid.”

“He told you Sophie is his child?”

She sounds hesitant now. “Um, yes.”

I close my eyes. “Oh, Emily. You have no idea how much he has lied to you.”

“He said you cheated on him.”

“And you think he’d do that to his own child?” I laugh. “Don’t you think Sophie would call him ‘Daddy’ and know who he is?”

“He told me you’ve never let him meet her.”

I steady my voice. “Okay, listen to me carefully. I have never been with Peter Harlow. He took me on one date when I was fifteen and I turned him down. Since then, he has followed me, sent me threatening messages, broken into my bedroom, trashed my wedding and turned up at the hospital as my husband was dying of pancreatic cancer. My husband Ed is Sophie’s father. Look at the family photos in this house and tell me otherwise. Sophie is the spit of him and always has been.”

“Oh… God. Oh, God,” she whispers. “What the fuck… What am I going to do?”

At that moment, I hear footsteps that she must hear too, because she shuffles up onto her feet and scurries away.

“Emily!” I call. I slam my palm against the door. “Come back!”

I hear muffled voices coming from outside the cellar and then nothing. I hurry back to the screens, checking through them. Peter is awake now, holding hands with Emily. I focus on her face as he leads her towards the stairs. Fingers tighten into fists. Did I get through to her? Did she listen? Will she come back to let me out? Her expression is impassive, giving me nothing.

They enter my bedroom. I see him lift up her nightdress and kiss her breasts. My stomach turns. Emily’s face is a mask, ghoulish in the night vision camera view. He turns her around, bends her over, and I look away.