Annabelle relaxed into her seat as the plane levelled out, gazing down at the bright lights below. Catching a glimpse of her reflection, she saw her perfect hair and makeup. Only her green eyes gave any hint of sadness. Gazing at her engagement ring gave her just a pang of regret, but she knew it was the right decision for her.
Landing in Malta she made it to the port, then caught the ferry to her hideaway on Gozo. She had been left the villa by the one man who had loved her for who she was and not her looks. Putting the flat in London on the market had been a wrench but she needed to disappear. Marcus would look for her but hopefully she had covered her tracks.
Her thoughts went to Marcus; not a bad man. They had spent two years of courtship happily getting to know each other, having fun travelling. He changed when he asked her to marry him. Swept up in the moment she agreed. Suddenly he wanted her to change her hair and clothing, buying her heavy gold jewellery that felt like manacles around her neck and wrists. He knew she preferred dainty things. His answer was that she was to be his wife and she had to reflect his status.
Maybe he felt her withdrawal from him, for suddenly he had to know where and who she was seeing, even putting a tracker on her phone for her ‘protection’. He just kept pushing until she knew she had to leave. Leaving her phone at home, she bought a second one to plan her escape. Thankfully she never told him about the villa.
She arrived. Rosa, her caretaker, had stocked up the larder. She finally relaxed and wandered into her bedroom. Kneeling by her closet, she lifted the base, revealing her safe. She opened it, pulled out the boxes, and placed them on the floor: four ring boxes, each containing a diamond engagement ring. She added Marcus’s ring. This has to be the last time. She felt now she was not cut out for marriage. It was time to settle down to a quieter life in her fifties, joining the small community, no makeup or fussing with her red hair. Mother earth painting and gardening, and be self-sufficient.
She put the rings away with the pieces of jewellery she loved, closed the safe, locked away her old life. Why did it always feel that she taken the easy way out again. Sighing, she walked away to her new life on her own.
