Chapter 53 Chapter 52

Today is another beautiful day, the sun is shining, and we are the only ones on this beach.We spent hours exploring those crystal clear tide pools this morning and just completed Billy's "greatest sandcastle ever". I'm going to sneak in for a while, lie on the soft sand, look up at the blue sky above me, and listen to the kids amicably argue about how to build a suspension bridge. But I just listened casually, and my thoughts turned to Sophie.It was hard for me to accept that Robert had gone to her, and I was sure she hadn't told me everything.It was impossible for Robert to calmly ask her where I was and leave politely after being refused.I feel guilty for dragging her into this, and while she was objectively the one who talked me out of this marriage, she slowly but surely pulled me out of the pit of despair.

"Listen, Liv," she said the third or fourth time we met, "you might think the kids would be safe as long as they stay with Robert, but he's clearly out of his mind and if he changes the rules midway And what if you're not ready? What if he goes crazy, wants to know your every move, and locks you up in the house? Are you going to be a total prisoner? You To escape." We explored all legal avenues of escape, but nothing seemed to be found.I had no evidence that Robert was a threat to me, and he had plenty of evidence that I was mentally unstable.I was told that I could be judged at fault, but that he would at least get visitation rights with the children—just that was enough for him to carry out his plan.

I was full of anxiety, but still attracted by the peace of this island.It seemed like nothing bad could happen to me here, and I think the simplicity of the place gave me a sense of security.People are smiling all the time and go out of their way to help.There wasn't much traffic on the road, so it was quiet, and there wasn't even a roundabout to be found.It is the sea that brings me real peace.I can almost always see the sea as far as the eye can see, and whether it's the calm turquoise or the dull gray of the whitecaps rising from the eddies, I can't take my eyes off it. Dan's problem isn't quite resolved yet, but I know it will be.Then, at the end of the day, I can move on with my life.Right now I feel like I am living in a bubble, floating safely in the turbulent air.I can almost picture myself in this bubble with my kids.The air around us looked dark and eerie, with dark clouds and a gray sea turbulent.But inside our bubble, it's just as good a day as it is today -- sunny, bright and clear, full of laughter.I want to stop the darkness from seeping in and ruining our happiness.

I turned to look at the beautiful children playing in the sand, Jaz - no, Ginny - in her favorite ice blue T-shirt, the boys standing in the shallow sea with their chubby legs wet. white sand, shoveling water into orange plastic buckets to fill the moat of their sandcastle.How long does it take them to realize it's a futile job?But they need to discover this fact on their own. I sat up and looked back at our rented house.It couldn't be more perfect.Secluded, but it doesn't give people a feeling of loneliness.At night I can sleep with the windows open and listen to the waves lapping softly against the shore.I can't wait to see the first big storm, it must be spectacular from here.

The house is painted pale yellow, and down a small lawn is a gate that leads directly to the beach.I didn't choose this place specifically for its hiddenness, which is a bonus.I chose it because there is a balcony at the back of the house, each bedroom has a door to the balcony, and there is a spiral staircase from the balcony, which leads down to the terrace behind the kitchen and living room.I couldn't believe how lucky I was to find such a perfect spot, because one thing comes to mind when I think about bubbles: their shells are fragile and could burst at any moment. So we made a plan and it was time for us to do another practice session.I turned it into a children's game.This is our war game, the children are the evacuees who missed the last boat, and when the enemy soldiers arrive, the children are to hide.I want them to take this game seriously, but I don't want them to have nightmares, so try to make it as fun as possible.

One of the first things we did when we came here at Easter was to find a bunker that was close and convenient.Of course, there are quite a few bunkers on the island, but what we're looking for isn't the one closest to the house, but one that they can safely walk in and hide in.So we spent days exploring the bunkers that weren't too far for a short-legged four-year-old to clear out the accumulated trash, and then I bought a plastic cooler and filled it with Biscuits and the kids' favorite drink, along with some battery-powered lighting fixtures and a fully charged phone, explaining that the plastic bin protects food from four-legged predators.We covered the box with a couple of dark gray blankets so that even if someone came in, they wouldn't see the bright red plastic.We go through the boxes every few days and I have backups of everything in case someone finds that cooler and removes it.

But there's something unusual about this island, no one thinks about taking what doesn't belong to them.The landlady who rented the house to me was surprised that I wanted a lock, and she said she hadn't locked the door in twenty years.The thief has no escape here, and for that matter the kidnapper too. But I still have to lock all the doors.I may feel safe here, but for the sake of the kids, I'm going to be careful not to be complacent. As soon as we built the hiding place to defend against the enemy attack, we began to practice how to escape from the house: go out the bedroom door, go to the balcony, go down the spiral staircase, walk through the grass, go out the gate, and walk along the road along the coast .Past the first two bunkers, slide down the hillside and into a small bunker tucked into the side of the cliff.The entrance is a bit low, but I piled up a few rocks so that smaller kids can climb in and out easily.

I want to do it over and over again, but the kids get bored and I worry that they might not want to run away when the time comes.Freddie cried during the first practice, but now he seems to accept it.Hopefully we never have to actually try this trick. I got up and walked over to the bench where the beach bag was.I wanted to take a picture of the kids, so I got my phone out from under a pile of towels, and saw several missed calls, from two hours ago.Most were from Sophie, but there were a few numbers I didn't recognize.The phone vibrated again, and another call came in, it was Sophie.But it's not our appointment, it's not like her.

For a moment, I felt a nervous twitch, but ignored it.I have to learn to be more confident.I picked up the phone. "Hi, Sue. What a surprise in such beautiful weather," I said. "Did you call me?" But my smile disappeared immediately.She told me the last thing I wanted to hear. "Liv, it's Robert. He knows where you are. He found you." My body froze and I couldn't speak a word.He's coming to take my baby, just like he said.I didn't always understand what he was threatening me with, but after he took the kids two years ago, he waited until the police left and it was just the two of us before he said the threat, every word They all spoke clearly and unhurriedly, so that I could understand clearly.I tried not to listen, as if not listening to the words could make it unreal.I tried not to look at him, as if not looking at him would make him disappear.But he came close to me and breathed into my ear, and I could hear every word clearly.

"Olivia, you are my life. Nothing else matters but you. If you leave me, then my breath means nothing. Do you understand? Every second of my day Thinking of you. I firmly believe that one day, you will have the same feelings for me." He took a deep breath, "But it's impossible, Olivia, is it?" I was speechless. "You are mine, Olivia. Even though you can't love me as much as I love you, you are still mine. I can live with this situation, as long as I can see your face every day, when I want To touch your body - yes, Olivia, when I want it - and to know that you will be here every night when I come home. But if you leave me, one day I will take you My children, as I did tonight, no one will ever find me again." He leaned closer, lips touching my ear, "If you leave me, you will never see one of us again anyone. You'll have nothing."