Chapter 4 We get divorced

guarantee things will get better after I help you. She gives another nervous laugh, very reluctantly he drags the cell phone to my side, biting his lip as he gives me an uncertain and scared look. - What if it gets worse? -

question. - You won't - I assure you. - This type of coward like your ex only grows on the side of those who allow themselves to be affected. I look at my cell phone already open to the WPP conversation, then click to

see Jacob's photo – how his contact is saved. The guy appears to be too tall, too strong and with too stormy.

an expression. I rethink my noble attitude for a second, but, mission given is mission accomplished. I press to

make the connection. - Let's have a word with Jacob - I give Victoria a smile as she puts the cell phone to

her ear. She sighs and shakes her head, silently reafrming that this isn't a good idea; but Jacob's voice is

already responding to the beginning of the second ring, thick and coarse, saying "there's no point in running

away, I'll fnd you". Chapter 5 Victoria - Run away? - Nathan asks and laughs, his face suddenly closing while

I, restlessly, start to feel my heart speed up. Letting him talk to Jacob was a bad idea. Bad. What am I going to

do after the call ends and Jacob hates me twice as much? - You're going to run away, my partner - Nathan

continues, his voice as serious as his expression. - What?! You're going to run away because I'm going to send.

the police to you. Keep threatening my girlfriend that nothing good will happen to you, you hear? - He gets up from the bench, the sound of my heart beating quickly popping in my ears. - Victoria is with me now, no

longer alone. Do you understand or will I need to explain by visiting you? Coward son of a bitch. My eyes

widen. I don't know if Jacob said anything on the other end of the line, which is likely, but Nathan raises his

voice and imposes an anger in his words. So much so that it makes me cringe. - It's better for you to

disappear, Jacob - Nathan emphasizes after a moment listening to the other side. - It's better to hide where

you can't be found, otherwise things won't end well for you. I watch him take the cell phone away from his ear

and press to end the call. His eyes fy to me in the next instant and Nathan approaches, his face hard. He

hands me the cell phone, our fngers brushing together in the process, the warmth of the brief, incomplete

touch making me sigh. - Block him - he orders. I shake my head. No. - Not really - I refuse. - This will

make him worse than he is. He will speak in other numbers and... - I shut up. I keep quiet because I'm being

looked at as if I were a lunatic. - And why don't you change your number, Victoria? I feel like a child who needs to be taught by adults. Which is quite ironic considering that I'm older here. - Why I can not. It's my number - I answer as if it were obvious. - By profession too. I can't change my number like that, out of the

blue. And who wants to hire me again? Old customers? It's my number on the business card that has already

been distributed a lot. I can't subject myself to this. Keeping adapting to his wishes! Nathan listens to me

carefully, being more tense when I fnish. - He understands? - I sigh exhausted. I've been like this for a long

time. I miss when I didn't feel this way. - I see - his eyes narrow. - Jacob is a very abusive guy. You know

that, don't you? I shake my head positively. If I know. - Which means you really can't be alone anymore -

Nathan clarifes. - It's dangerous. - I don't think it's dangerous - maybe a little, after that call - but, despite

looking scary, Jacob isn't violent. He never wanted to hit me or anything like that - I shudder at my own.

words. - I don't think it will become more dangerous than it already could be. Nathan is shaking his head. - I

didn't assume, I stated - he says, his eyes fxed on me, analyzing me. - Why don't you go spend some time at

your parents' house? It's not the best option, but at least you'll be safer than alone. - My parents are almost

elderly and want peace. I won't disturb you with my problems - I take a deep breath then exhale slowly,

dazed. - Jacob won't do anything to me. - Maybe he wouldn't, because he felt you were guarded and

believed in him to the point of moving away. You were into him - Nathan sits back down and his hand fnding

my knee through my pants makes my eyes widen. - But now that you know you're not alone, it won't be like

that anymore. - I told you you shouldn't call him! - I gasp and run my hands over my face. - I said. Oh, shit...

- This can be fxed. Come to my house and live with me. - What? - my head starts working so fast that

there's a big risk I've heard it absurdly wrong. - To live with me. We can pretend we're married. - What? - I

repeat, leaning forward to try to hear better. It can't be what I heard. But Nathan moves too, his pleasant scent

wafting through my senses as his face comes almost too close to mine. - To live with me. We can pretend to

be married - he explains very naturally. - We can add six to half a dozen - his head makes a quick gesture,

as if his sudden plan was no big deal. - It's advantageous for both. My father made this last request to me

before he died and you need to stay safe. It will be practical and limited. Just until my father gives in and your

ex forgets you or is convinced that you have nothing left. Then, we get divorced - he smiles. - Joke.

Separates. What do you think? What I think? Chapter 6 Nathan - I think it's terrible, it's crazy! - Victoria declares. - Oh my! How can you offer me something like that? We just met. - Basically you know everything.

about my life already. I had time to tell you everything in... Well, in these minutes - I turn to the counter and pick up the bottle of whiskey, taking a generous sip. - I don't know your age! - she blurts out like an

accusation, making me look at her with raised eyebrows. - Why does my age matter? - Because you are very

young, as you mentioned a few minutes ago. I