His Feisty Mistress

Chapter 8 : Silent Struggles

Megan P.O.V.

Yesterday, Caroline had her home doctor come and check me out after I was kicked in the stomach. Fortunately, the doctor found that nothing was too serious, and I didn't need to stay home. However, the doctor did suggest that I stay home to allow the swelling and bruises to heal. As I woke up, I realized that it was still pitch black outside. It felt as though a train had hit me, and all my muscles hurt as I moved and felt the pain all over my body. The flashback of what happened replayed in my mind, and I started crying again. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Caroline had not shown up. Suddenly, I noticed the bedroom door opening, and Caroline greeted me with a “Good morning.”

“Morning” I replied, “How are you feeling?” she asked as she sat down on the foot end of the bed I responded “I felt as though a train had hit me” as I rolled over to get out of bed. “Are you going to work since you are up so early?” she asked. “Yes I have to, I can’t stay away from work because of my own problems” I replied, as my foot landed on the floor next to the bed. “You know you are going to have to get away from him,” Caroline said as she stood up from the bed.

I let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of the situation I was in. I knew I needed to get away from Renaldo, but I didn't know how. We had known each other for a long time before we started dating, and most of my life had been spent with him. It was only in the past two years that he had started abusing me for no apparent reason. I couldn't tell if it was his work or the whisky that made him so aggressive. Renaldo is a detective, and I knew he would make it nearly impossible for me to just pack my bags and leave. He would track me down in one way or another.

Caroline's voice interrupted my thoughts, bringing me back to reality. "You get yourself ready for work, I am going to make us some coffee. When you're done, you can just come downstairs," she said as she walked out of the room.

I quickly took a hot shower, allowing the warm water to run over my sore muscles. It was a small comfort, but it helped to relax my muscles a bit. As the water cascaded down my body, I couldn't help but think about how much my life had changed. I had never imagined that I would be in this situation, feeling trapped and helpless. I knew I needed to find a way out, but the fear of what Renaldo might do was paralyzing. I finished my shower and got dressed, steeling myself for another day of work and pretending that everything was okay.

After my long hot shower, I walked over to my bed still covered in a towel. As I approached the bed, I noticed that Caroline had placed a pair of blue denim and a white T-shirt on the bed for me. I hadn't even thought to grab clothes when we left, but luckily Caroline had borrowed some for me. I quickly got dressed, wincing as I pulled the shirt over the bruises on my arms. I then applied makeup to try and hide the bruises on my face, hoping that it would be enough to keep anyone from noticing.

Once I was ready, I made my way downstairs where I found Caroline waiting with my cup of coffee in her hand. "I don’t know how to thank you for all your help," I said gratefully as I took the cup of coffee from her hand.

"That's what friends are for," Caroline replied with a warm smile on her face as she took her own cup of coffee and took a sip. I couldn't help but feel grateful for her presence in my life, especially during this difficult time. Her support meant everything to me, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to get through this without her.

After finishing our coffee, we quickly grabbed our bags and walked out to the car on our way to the firehouse. Caroline had a look on her face as if she wanted to ask me something, but instead, she put on the radio and started singing along with the song that was playing. She was trying to boost my mood, and it worked. She just knew how to make my day, and I started singing along with her.

Before we knew it, we had arrived at the fire station. Anxiety flashed over me as I hoped no one would see the bruises. I tried to cover them up with my clothes and make-up, but I couldn't shake the feeling that someone would notice.

"I will pick you up again after work," Caroline said as I opened the car door to get out.

"That is not necessary. I will just ask one of the other candidates to drop me off," I replied as I stepped out of the car.

"I did not ask. I am telling you that I will be here when your shift is done," she replied firmly as I closed the door.

"I will see you later then," I replied before turning around to make my way into the fire station.

As I walked into the firehouse, I couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness. The building was still empty, and I was the only one there. I checked the clock hanging in the hallway and saw that it was only 06:15. Our shift didn't start until 07:00, and the fire trucks were out. That meant the night shift team was out on a call.

I made my way down the hallway to the locker room, feeling a sense of unease. The silence was deafening, and I couldn't shake the feeling of Renaldo waiting for me around every corner. As I got dressed in my uniform,

I carefully folded my other clothes and placed them into the locker, trying to keep my movements as quiet as possible. After finishing up, I made my way out of the locker room and down the hallway toward the kitchen. As I entered the room, I was taken aback to see Giovanni already there, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

My heart raced as I quickly turned around, hoping he hadn't seen me. But before I could make my escape, I heard his voice call out to me.

"Why are you so early?" he asked, his voice echoing through the empty kitchen.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure. "Morning," I replied, keeping my head down. "No, I just wanted to avoid traffic."

I could feel his eyes on me, and I knew that he could sense something was off. I didn't want him to see the bruises on my face, so I tried to keep my distance as much as possible. The last thing I needed was for him to ask questions, or worse, report it to our superiors.