Dedicated to dianekleine

Sometimes you just have to
Look deep enough.
You'll always find that joy, the
peace of mind
you had always hoped for.

- Anonymous

It had been exactly three weeks since they first had a proper conversation.

" I am not that interesting of a person as  she is." Leaving no curiosity left in him to know her.

" You can never know a person completely, even in a whole lifetime." Read a quote by shakespeare.

But maybe he hadn't thoroughly studied a person like Brian had. He was satisfied with how much they'd gotten to know each other  in those few weeks.

Scrolling up to their old chats, Brian concluded she was surely one of the most important person to him. He scoffed at it, even the thought of it.

How easily he got attached to a stranger in a matter of weeks.

She made him happier, cracking the silliest of jokes and comparing his IQ to that of a university professor.

Brian sat up and thought. That's all which is left to do.

Thinking. But not overthinking. He didn't bother to change his appearance or attitude with her - unlike when he was with Ellesmere.

This time, he was being himself. It never mattered to her, maybe mainly because they hadn't met for real but it felt okay either ways.

There will be a day when you stop spending time with her, all of a sudden. When she sees you walking away chatting with someone else. When your social media updates are filled with someone new. When you aren't the first one to text her anymore. When you don't run after her. When you don't live up to what you said about her being the most important. And she is left wondering what went wrong. That's how Brian felt as he resonated the words. When he was still down in his depression state back two weeks ago, he read a book and that was how he came across those words.

Now Tessa or Elsa has he liked to call her, had taught him never to look back and whine about things he could've had but didn't. She reminded him basically about how life's happiness depended on taking full advantage of the present to have peace.

" There's always something different to look forward to, or better, who can say." She told him once during their deep talk sessions.

Now work was definitely going well. His abilities at his peak. Errol still hadn't come back from his trip to Europe.

The only thing that kept him busy was work and Tessa. She had occupied a place in his life and their friendship was booming.

*******

Meanwhile Tessa too was jumping for joy. In all her years of starting something, she had never felt happier for the decision she took weeks back.

The only regrets she had was lying. Lying about her identity. The fact that she was married. Hurt. And physically abused.

Tessa didn't feel the need to talk about  the ship of relationships she had herself stuck in. Though Brian told her all about his past life, family and even relationships, she still couldn't summon the courage to tell him. She simply cut it out and when her thoughts wondered back to reality, she'd simply cage them back with the hope of a perfectly defined relationship with Brian.

She was in love with his personality. How he spoke ? How much knowledge and experience he had in life ? And one thing they had in common - the constant pain a loved one had brought them.

They had both found refuge in the comfort of each other. Though they had never met face to face, Tessa felt like she had known Brian all her life.

How easily he understood her when she spoke ? The jokes she cracked, he'd always laugh. How easily he took to predict her thoughts though they had never met ?

It was intriguing.

That aside, Tessa was far more confident and determined concerning her escape plans. She had formed a certain strategy, perfectly predicting Ken's daily schedule.

The only problem, she was broke. All the money she had accumulated before marriage was been kept in their nuptial joint account, something she couldn't access without Ken's permission. Even the slightest attempt to withdraw or use her credit card could mean her been tracked down and found out.

And if that somehow came to being, she could land in far more trouble than she had ever been in her entire life.

She couldn't ask Gemina for help, because that would raise even more suspicions. Anything coming to Ken's notice was risky to her plan.

How was she going to escape this life drowning jail disguised as a peaceful home ?

She asked herself  still unable to figure out what to do. She didn't want want to ask Brian for help, since he was busy. He had been working days  tirelessly on a big project, one if he landed could change the course of the everlasting rollercoaster at work.

Nevertheless, he still would raise questions has to why she needed to attain money without the use of a credit card. She couldn't afford to let all her secrets out.

One thing Tessa hadn't learn to do, was trust. Through the three weeks of their journey together, one thing she wasn't getting the full control of was trusting Brian.

Though her heart had fully opened up itself to the clutches of the raging flame of emotions that fuelled between them, her mind still wasn't ready to let loose.

Passing through a tremendous childhood, over to the marriage vows she had taken  with Ken all on the basis of love and trust and so far nothing was working out.

Atleast she knew Brian couldn't hurt her but the insecurities that flooded her thoughts still couldn't let her all out. It would take her time to fully trust him. Maybe weeks. A month. A year. Whatever it was leading on to, she was ready for it all if Brian was by her.

Racking the shelves to find any losse cash or even something that could help with raising money, Tessa pulled one book right after the other.

Trying to pull down a travel bag, all of a sudden a black mug sized pack falls down crashing into the ground, shattering into a million pieces revealing alot of cash and pennies.

Standing in awe of the last minute, Tessa couldn't help but be amazed.

The only question remained how she had alot of money in her possession without it ever striking her.

So my piggy bank was here all along... She muttered to herself.

Yes, her piggy bank. You must be wondering how a grown up like Tessa still kept a black kitten faced mug size piggy bank.

Well, Tessa has a teenager always had the habit of storing needless - one of which she had at her disposal. Her wealthy parents always took the liberty of providing her with all the necessities, money included.

She was spoilt with expense toys, clothes, shoes and jewelry and even her monthly allowance was good  enough to cover the expenses of a middle class family for a period of six months.

Instead of lavishing all the money she got on needless shopping sprees, or hosting parties, Tessa made a decision  to rather keep them for future use.

And it was paying off. The gesture, her parents had made which Tessa had considered worthless, in a bid of trying to buy their only  daughter's love with money was now going to be in very much use.

For once, she wanted to give them a big hug and thank them for everything they did.

Now their lackadaisical act was going to be needed for her survival.

Picking all the precious notes and coins piece by piece, Tessa bundled them up. She now had a total of two thousand dollars at her disposal.

Jumping for joy, Tessa couldn't contain her joy. Now her plan was complete, having the money to finance all of her needs.

Then came negative thoughts.

What if Ken found her out even before she made an attempt to leave the city ?

Pulling herself together, Tessa found the courage to embrace herself.

If she had survived all this years, what more was a couple of days ? She concluded, cleaning up the room to ensure no traces were found.

As she was picking up the last pieces of glass that still sat on the marble floor, Ken drove in.

" Just in time." She sighed.

" It's urgent, I have to leave." Ken said walking through the front door.

" No I can't stay. I'll have to take care of a few things first - its work related." He said responding to the person on the other end.

" I leave first thing tomorrow morning." Dropping his briefcase on the dewean sequel couch, he made his way up the staircase.

Where was he going ?

And who was he talking to ?

Tessa muttered, asking herself, while hiding behind the stone henge that stood in their kitchen.

Abandoning what she had to do, she climbed up to their room hoping she could get some answers to clarify her thoughts.

" There you are." Ken said as soon as she opened the door.

" Where you looking for me ?" Tessa said playing dumb.

" Who else would I be looking for ?" Ken said has eventually a graceful smile replaced the glare he had on his face.

" Well, I wanted to tell you that I'd be travelling to Hong Kong first thing tomorrow."

" What for ?" Fuelling her curiosity has she moved closer to help Ken who was struggling to organize his clothes.

" What's with the questions today, darling ? Not like you've ever cared." Ken asked suspiciously.

" I'm just trying to be nice." She summoned the courage to continue.

" Or you're scared you'd have to be alone all day long ? Well you don't have to worry about that because I'd hire a few bodyguards." Ken smirked.

" I don't know how long the trip will take. Probably a month but I'd make sure you'll be right here awaiting my return."

" Oh ok." That was all she had to say. Alas, she got all the necessary information she needed. Now with Ken gone escaping was going to be easier, if only she could figure out how to escape those bodyguards.

The next morning as soon as the sun came out of hiding, Ken and his colleague whom Tessa hadn't recongized left for the airport.

Just before he had left the newly hired bodyguards arrived ready to take positions. Ken had placed them on instructions - to not let Tessa out of the house no matter what. That enough Tessa was able to decipher from looking out the window has Ken drove off.

Now it was her and her thoughts all alone.

How to escape ?

She still had no clue what to do but a couple of days was okay to figure something out.

Figuring out how to escape this prison may be hard but I'd get the heng of it. Afterall I'm the oldest prisoner alive. She motivated herself before going about another days work - the usuals, reading books, organizing the shelf and coming up with an idea. And not to forget, another moment with Brian - one of the many she longer for.

***

Love y'all.(｡♡‿♡｡)

That's pretty much all for now. Bear with my slow updates.😞