He Opened the Door

Hannah soon discovered she was pregnant.

Carl survived, but demanded medical compensation.

Ten thousand dollars.

Hannah’s solution was simple.

“Let Maya earn it.”

That night, Noah brought me clothes no brother should ever hand to his sister.

Cheap.

Revealing.

Humiliating.

I looked at him.

“You want me to sell myself?”

He cried before answering.

“Maya, I’m not heartless. But I suffered too long. Only your sister-in-law was willing to marry me.”

I laughed softly.

“Hannah is pregnant from another man.”

Noah lunged and covered my mouth.

“She said she would never get pregnant from them,” he whispered fiercely. “If she is pregnant, it must be mine.”

He knew.

He knew everything.

He simply chose madness because reality would kill him.

Hannah locked me in.

Noah took my documents.

My phone.

My bag.

What neither of them knew was that I had already sent a message to police before losing the phone.

I waited for the buyer.

I was not afraid.

Not anymore.

Near midnight, the door opened.

Noah entered.

Alone.

He unlocked my restraints.

Then placed my ID, my wallet, and a spare phone into my hands.

“Go,” he said.

I stared at him.

From Hannah’s room came muffled sobbing.

Noah’s face was calm in a way that frightened me.

“I’m sorry, Maya.”

I said nothing.

“I won’t divorce her,” he said. “Not in this life.”

Of course.

“But this cage trapped you long enough.”

He pushed me toward the door.

“Leave. Never come back.”

I looked at him one last time.

My brother.

My jailer.

My savior.

My wound.

Then I stepped outside.

The door closed behind me.

I walked away.

And this time, I did not look back.