Just when I feel like I’m about to lose my mind, I hear a voice from the other side of the door. “Nina?”
“Andy!” I cry. “Thank God! I got locked in here! Didn’t you hear me screaming?”
There’s a long silence on the other side of the door. “Yes. I did.”
I don’t even know what to say to that. If he heard me, why didn’t he let me out? But I can’t deal with that right now. I just want to get out of this room. “Can you please open the door?”
Another long silence. “No. Not yet.”
What?
“I don’t understand,” I sputter. “Why can’t you let me out? Did you lose the key?”
“No.”
“So let me out!”
“I said not yet.”
I flinch at the sharpness of the last two words. I don’t understand. What’s going on here? Why won’t he let me out of the attic?
I stare at the door between us. I try the doorknob one more time, hoping maybe it’s some kind of joke. It’s still locked. “Andy, you need to let me out of here.”
“Don’t tell me what to do in my own house.” His voice has an odd intonation that I barely recognize as him. “You have to learn your lesson before you can be let out.”
A cold, sick feeling runs down my spine. While Andy and I were engaged, he seemed so perfect. He was sweet, romantic, handsome, wealthy, and good to Cecelia. I had been searching for his one fatal flaw.
I have found it.
“Andy,” I say. “Please let me out of here. I don’t know what you’re upset about, but we can work it out. Just unlock the door and we’ll talk.”
“I don’t think so.” His voice is calm and even—the exact opposite of how I’m feeling right now. “The only way to learn is to see the consequences of your actions.”
I suck in a breath. “Andy, you let me out of this fucking room right now.”
I kick the door hard, although my bare feet don’t make too much of an impact. Mostly, it just hurts my toes. I wait to hear the door unlocking, but there’s nothing.
“I swear to God, Andy,” I growl. “Let me out of this room. Let. Me. Out.”
“You’re upset,” he acknowledges. “I’ll come back when you’ve calmed down.”
And then his footsteps grow more distant—he’s walking away.
“Andy!” I scream. “Don’t you dare walk away! Come back! Come back and let me the fuck out of here! Andy, if you don’t let me out of here, I’m leaving you! Let me out!” I pound with both fists. “I’m calm! Let me out!”
But the footsteps grow fainter until they finally disappear.
FORTY
Step Three: Discover Your Husband is Pure Evil
It’s midnight. Three hours later.
I pounded at the door and scraped at the wood until I had splinters under my fingernails. I screamed until I lost my voice. I figured even if he wasn’t going to let me out, maybe the neighbors would hear. But after an hour, I gave up hope of that.
Now I’m sitting on the cot in the corner of the room. Springs poke into my butt cheeks as I finally let the tears roll down my cheeks. I don’t know what he plans to do to me, but all I can think about is Cecelia, asleep in her crib. Alone with that psychopath. What will he do to me? What will he do to her?
If I ever get out of here, I’m going to grab Cece and run as far as I can away from this man. I don’t care how much money he has. I don’t care if we’re legally married. I want out.
“Nina?”
Andy’s voice. I jump off the bed and sprint over to the door. “Andy,” I choke out with what’s left of my voice.
“You lost your voice,” he acknowledges.
I don’t know what to say to that.
“You shouldn’t bother screaming,” he tells me. “Everything is soundproofed below the attic. So nobody will hear you. I could be having a dinner party downstairs and they would never hear you screaming.”
“Please let me out,” I whimper.
I’m willing to do whatever it takes. I’ll agree to whatever he wants if he’ll let me out of here. Of course, once the door’s open, I’m leaving him. I don’t care if the prenup says I’ll get nothing for ending the marriage within the first year. Anything to get the hell out of here.
“Don’t worry, Nina,” he says. “I’m going to let you out. I promise.”
I let out a breath.
“Just not yet,” he adds. “You have to learn the consequences of what you’ve done.”