43
Ella
October 6th, 2018
“I don’t like this, Ells.”
“I know you don’t; neither do I. But you said yourself this is the best way forward. If the police do something, and they will with paper evidence, then at best it’ll give us time. They’re hardly going to hunt for us with the police on their backs, are they?” I point out.
He sighs. “It’s not just about that, is it? What if Dean can’t be trusted?”
“We can sit here and worry about that, or we can try it. I know which I’d rather.”
He falls silent as he parks the car. Dean’s already leaning against his car; paperwork in hand, looking the very part of someone who means business.
“I suppose if he was going to double-cross us, he wouldn’t have turned up either,” Matt mumbles. “We need to be careful. Should’ve fucking left the country when we had the chance.”
“They would’ve still found us. Just… let’s get this done, okay?” I put my hand on his leg before he opens the door. We smile at each other, trying to pluck up the courage.
“Right, let’s do this.”
He strides across the car park to meet us. “They plan on going to the house today to try and hunt you down, Ella. Both your mother and I tried to stall them, but they’ve worked it out.”
“It’s taken them two days to put two and two together.” Matt scoffs.
“Indeed. I think they didn’t think you would go back to where your father dragged you from. Your father forced a confession out of your mum, so they know everything. So, let’s just get this done,” Dean says.
“What’s the plan?” Matt asks.
“We go in there and give a statement about everything; my mother’s crime, your father’s crime, and how it led to this. Here are your copies, just in case they interview us separately.” Dean hands us each a copy of the actual contract. “Just tell them everything. With any luck, they won’t need much more evidence and they could be arrested by the time the day ends, but I’m no police officer.”
“No, you’d be shit at it.” I scoff. Dean ignores my comment, and we all enter the station.
∞∞∞
Two hours after my interview started, I’m let go. I find two messages from Matt telling me he was done an hour ago.
“Ells.” He stands when I walk back out into the reception area. Dean’s nowhere to be seen. “He hasn’t come out yet. I assume he’s still in there.”
“They took the contract he gave me; they took my old phone as well for evidence of harassment and the threats when we ran away,” I say.
We both sit down on the bench in silence. I kind of don’t want to talk after two hours of doing just that; though speaking to other people, people who could do something about it, feels liberating.
Like a tree, I’ve felt dead as they look in the winter since I was sixteen. Since I ran away with Matty, I’ve been slowly growing my leaves back as it turns to spring, and now we’re married. I’ve told people with authority to help us, it’s summer. I’ve blossomed with leaves of all shades of green.
I just hope they do something.
Dean walks through the door, looking flustered. His eyes look tired, the top buttons of his shirt are undone, something I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do, and he carries his suit jacket in his hand.
“How did it go?” I ask, standing from the bench.
“Tiring, but I think they have enough,” he says. “They will contact me when they have more.”
I huff. “So, what are we meant to do until then? Live in fear because they’ll no doubt have been to the house by now—”
I get cut off by the sight of Dean pulling out his phone and reading. “Interestingly, they’ve called the police to report you missing, Ella.”
“They did fuck all last time,” Matt says for me.
“And they’ve messaged again to tell me you’ve gotten married, so now they know.” Dean shows me the message.
‘We have just been informed that she married him. Your father is out for revenge; we will get this sorted, Dean. You will marry her.’
We walk out of the police station together and stop by Dean’s car.
“But by rights, the deal is off because I didn’t marry you, so—”
“Yes, it is, and what happens next is up to my father. But in his head, he’ll want revenge for the deal being betrayed. It’s twisted, but it won’t matter soon, hopefully. I’ll keep you informed, but I will need your new number, Ella.”
I roll my eyes and look at Matty who shrugs. I put it on his phone, knowing that it’ll be easy to change numbers again if I need to.
We watch as Dean get in his car and drives off. We then get into Matt’s car.
“What do we do?” I ask.
“We go home and wait. We do not answer the door. They have fuck tons of evidence, Ella. The contract literally stated that you and Dean had to get married at eighteen, and then the ‘amendment’ shit at the end stated when you graduated. There was even a new page at the end stating the date you were due to get married. Did you read it?”
I shake my head. “I couldn’t.”
“Ells Bells… the shit they put in there, about how you had to remain a virgin, you weren’t allowed to be in other relationships, you had to provide kids with Dean… there is absolutely no way they won’t get done for it. Plus, the threatening messages on your phone. The pure fact there was intent there. They’ll be arrested soon enough. I have to hand it to Dean; he did well on this one.”
I scoff. “Told you so.”
He pushes my leg in jest and I look at him, tears clouding my vision. When he notices, he threads his fingers with mine. “Hey, you did this, Ells. You won—”
“ We won, Matty, we did.”
“No. You did Ells Bells. I’m just the one who got to come along for the ride.”
“No. I wouldn’t have been able to get out of it if I hadn’t met you,” I say. “You were the one who kicked me up the arse to leave, who made me see that there was a way out, who supported me, helped me. You’re the one who put up with me for years, justifying what they were doing to me. If it weren’t for you, I’d be stuck right now. So, thank you.”
He kisses the back of my hand. “Thank you . You took that chance on me.”
“You took the chance on me as well. Hopefully, the police will pull through and something else can go right for once.”
“C’mon, let’s go home,” he says before he lets go of my hand and starts the car.
∞∞∞
It’s taken longer than we would have expected; but three days after going to the police, all four of them have been arrested and charged with counts on forced marriage, domestic violence because of said forced marriage, blackmail, extortion, and harassment. They have also been charged with child abuse, though I don’t understand that one. Dean explained because forced marriage is abuse, and seeing as it affected my whole life, it counts. My father’s been charged with assault on Matt as well. The only thing they couldn’t do was charge Amelia, as they have no evidence, nor the name of the child. Naturally, none of them gave up said name in their interviews, and naturally, they denied everything.
Apart from my mother. She told them everything, but apparently, her word wasn’t enough for them to get Amelia on the student affair.
“Here.” Matt hands me a glass of orange juice while they have champagne. I take it and watch Nick and Matt smile at each other over the news. Though, somehow, I don’t feel like smiling.
“How are you not dancing around the room at this news, Ells?”
I sigh and look at them both. I don’t know how to describe it. Part of me feels relieved, happy, and liberated. But a part of me also feels incredibly guilty and sad. I’d always thought when the day came that I won against my and Dean’s family, I would feel like walking on air. But… I don’t.
“You feel guilty, don’t you?” Nick nods toward me.
I glance at him and sigh again. “I don’t know. A part of me does… but a part of me is relieved.”
“I’m ready to dance on their graves, to be honest,” Matt adds.
Nick also gives a sigh before speaking. “I suppose it’s natural to feel guilty. Between the three of you, you’ve managed to get them charged with multiple crimes. I assume the role of CEO will be stripped from Anthony, and you’ve spilt their secrets. But equally, Ella, look at what they did to you. Look what they did to Dean, and look what they did to Matt. They wouldn’t have been charged with those crimes if they weren’t true. You’ve gone out and managed to start the road to justice. It takes a good human being to feel guilt, but it also takes a good one to recognise that while you’ve done what you’ve done, you’ve done it because they wronged you first, and without cause.”
I look at my brother-in-law and smile. “When did you get so wise?”
He chuckles. “It’s called ageing. It’s also the privilege I get for being able to watch this from the outside. What is happening to the company?”
“Dean’s got an emergency meeting in a few days to sort it all out apparently,” Matt says. “He’s offered me a job.”
“What’s that?” Nick asks.
“Silent partner,” Matt announces, and I raise my eyebrows. “I become his partner in the business, but he does all the work and I get paid a ridiculous amount of money to sit on my arse all day, every day. I might have to put in an appearance once a week to give a nod to Dean’s ideas.”
“Fuck, man. Do it,” Nick encourages.
“Are you kidding me? Work for that arsehole?” Matt scoffs. “Are we forgetting what he’s done? He told her parents everything and kissed her against her will?”
“Matty, you do know how much Dean will pay you, right? We’re talking five to six figures here—”
“Yeah, he told me how much my salary would be. I’m aware of the money,” Matt cuts me off.
“Mate, you have to go into an office once a week and just agree to whatever he wants, and you get to get paid fuck tons of money. Why wouldn’t you want that? You don’t have to do any hard work!” Nick adds.
“I don’t want his filthy money.” Matt groans. He reminds me of a child – he’s giving up a ridiculous amount of money to secure his family because of his morals.
Though I can’t blame him at the same time. Dean did all that stuff to us, and if he takes the job, Dean will be in our lives forever.
“We have a child on the way, Matty. We have no idea what’s going to happen with my family; I’ll be cut off from their money—”
“If I don’t take the job, he’s given me a very, uh, generous offer of some hush money,” Matt adds.
I watch Nick get up and walk out of the room at the very sight of Matt’s annoyance.
“Which would run out eventually. And then what? You work a shitty office job for not a lot of money, I work the same shitty job and we survive when we don’t have to?”
“Is money all that matters to you, Ella? Are you forgetting that if I take the job, Dean will be in our lives—”
“Yes, I’m aware. But we have to face the reality now. We have no income right now; Dean is offering us a fuck ton of money for nothing. How many opportunities will come along where you get paid insane amounts to be at home six out of seven days?”
Part of me wants to agree with him out of pure principle. I never cared about my father’s money and how much financially I would come to lose should this happen because all I cared about was Matt. But now that life is, well, real, the prospect of life without money for my literal disposal is a sort of worrying concept.
I have no idea about working, I have no idea about taxes and paying bills. My dad did all of that for me. I never had to worry about not having enough money a week before the end of the month because I was waiting for my employer to pay me, and when we met, neither did Matt, because when he ran low, I gave him everything he needed. I even bailed Nick out a few times in the past. My dad unknowingly kept me, Matt and Nick running afloat for three years and although my morals agree with Matt, the thought of being without scares me.
Now it’ll be gone, we have to start worrying about it. Or Matt could lower his morals for the sake of one day a week.
“I’d rather work for nothing, Ella. He may have done us some good right now, but that does not make up for the years of torture. I thought you would’ve understood that, out of everyone.”
“What if I did it? The job?” I question.
“I’m not even going to listen to this.”
He storms out of the room, slamming the lounge door after him.
Maybe I underestimate the power of morals and values. Maybe I relate to Dean’s idea of money being the most important thing more than I thought I did.