ELEANOR
I dragged myself across Armando’s room, forcing my body to move as I wiped down the already spotless floor. My arms felt heavy, my back ached, and my mind… my mind was drowning in a sea of thoughts. I couldn’t focus on the exhausting task in front of me. The more I tried, the more my mind wandered, slipping further and further away from the present.
I had been enduring Armando’s cruelty for so long that I didn’t even remember what it felt like to be free anymore. Every day was the same-his threats, his anger, the way he watched me like I was nothing more than property. It wore me down, piece by piece, until I barely recognized myself.
My sister’s face flashed in my mind, and my heart clenched. She was the reason I was still here, why I was enduring all of this. The money Armando had paid for me… it went to her treatment. But lately, I started to wonder if I was doing the right thing. If I stayed here, I might not make it out alive. What good would I be to her then?
It had been weeks since I last spoke to her, or to her doctor, because Armando had forbidden me from contacting anyone. The only person I was allowed to speak to was him, and that was only if he ever decided to call me. The thought of it made my stomach turn.
My head spun as I imagined all the things that could’ve happened to her. What if she was getting worse? What if… what if she wasn’t getting the treatment she needed? I had no idea if the money was even still coming through. Armando had so much control over my life that I wouldn’t put it past him to stop the payments as some sort of punishment.
I couldn’t stay here anymore. I had to go. I had to run.
But where?
That was the problem. I had nowhere to go, no one to help me. And if he found me, he’d drag me back, and then things would be so much worse.
But staying here was just as dangerous as leaving, if not more. If I didn’t get out soon, I wouldn’t be able to take care of my sister. I wouldn’t even be alive to try.
I needed to run. I needed to leave. But how?
I sat there, staring at the floor, my mind racing through endless possibilities. Maybe I could sneak out at night? But there were guards everywhere. There was no way I could get past them without being seen. Maybe I could fake an illness, get taken to the hospital and run from there? No, Armando wouldn’t let me out of the house for something as simple as that. He barely let me leave my room, let alone his property.
The only way I could escape was if he wasn’t around. But that rarely happened. He was always here, always watching and always controlling everything.
What would take him away from the house? A business trip, maybe? Or one of those mysterious things he left to “handle”? He never talked about them, but there were times he disappeared without warning. Those were the only times the house felt lighter. His absence was like a breath of fresh air, and I could move without the weight of his gaze on me.
But those trips never lasted more than a day, maybe two if I was lucky. I needed more time than that. I needed a real window of opportunity, something I could take advantage of and be far enough away before he realized I was gone.
Still, it was my only option.
I sank back down onto the floor, my mind spinning with thoughts. I had no plan, no place to hide, no allies. But I couldn’t keep thinking about what might happen if I got caught. I had to focus on the first step: leaving. I’d figure out the rest later. One thing at a time.
I would wait for the next time he left, and I would run. I just had to be ready when the moment came.
“You missed a spot.” Armando’s voice cut through the silence like a blade, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I froze for a second, then turned to see him lounging on the big sofa, a smug grin plastered on his face. His eyes were fixed on me, like a predator toying with its prey. He was enjoying this-watching me clean, watching me work like I was nothing.
I sighed, loud enough for him to hear. But instead of backing off, it only seemed to fuel his pettiness.
“Did you hear me?” His voice was sharper now, more condescending. “I said you missed a spot.”
I clenched my jaw, feeling the tension creep up my neck. I went back to the area I’d already cleaned. It was spotless, but I wiped it down again nevertheless, just so he’d shut up.
But it still wasn’t enough for him.
“Again,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement. He was enjoying this too much. “Looks like you still missed it.”
I glared at the spot, my rag scrubbing harder than necessary. “It’s clean,” I muttered under my breath, but I knew better than to say it loud enough for him to hear.
“What was that?” he asked, feigning innocence, leaning forward slightly. His eyes were dancing with cruel delight. “Did you say something, Eleanor?”
“No,” I bit out, wiping the same damn spot again. My hands were shaking, not from exhaustion, but from the pure frustration bubbling up inside me.
I was done. I was done with his games, his taunts, his need to constantly remind me how little I meant here. But I couldn’t snap-at least not anymore for now.
I then proceeded to wipe his desk, which he made me do more repeatedly and harder than necessary. There wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere, but he kept pushing, kept poking at the already raw nerve.
“One more time,” he said lazily, stretching out on the couch like he had all the time in the world. “It’s still not good enough.”
I stopped, staring at the rag in my hand. I wanted to throw it at him. I wanted to scream. I wanted to tear this whole room apart, to destroy something. But I just stood there, frozen, swallowing down the anger that was burning its way through my throat.
I wiped the desk again, feeling like I was losing my mind.
“There,” he finally said, leaning back with a satisfied smirk. “You can get out now. I don’t need you here anymore.”
I didn’t respond, instead I turned on my heel and headed straight for the door. My hands were still shaking, and I needed to get out of here before I did something I’d regret.
As I reached for the door handle, I heard his phone ring. I paused for a second, not meaning to eavesdrop, but his voice was impossible to ignore.
“Yeah,” Armando grunted into the phone. “I’ll be there in a few days.”
There was a pause, and I could hear the faint voice of someone on the other end, though I couldn’t make out the words.
“I said I’ll be there,” Armando repeated, but there was a groan of annoyance in his tone. “I don’t have a choice, do I?”
He sounded like he wasn’t happy about whatever it was, but honestly, I couldn’t bring myself to care. I was too tired to give a damn about anything that didn’t involve getting away from him and crawling into my bed. My body ached from the cleaning, and my mind from the constant stress of being in his presence.
I pulled the door open and I let it bang shut behind me, the loud noise echoing through the hallway as I stormed off.
The second I was out of Armando’s room, I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I’d been holding. My heart still raced from the encounter and I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them right back because crying wasn’t going to help me out of my situation, so why bother?
The golden opportunity I needed seemed to already be around the corner. I just had to hold on a little longer and when Armando was gone… I’d make my move.