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I let us in and took her belongings upstairs to the spare bedroom. Eden followed me up and looked around.

“This has been recently decorated,” she said.

“Last week, I did it for you.”

“You expected me then?” Eden refused to meet my eyes, and I was starting to get a little worried. It seemed as if her fire had been extinguished. Obviously, Eden had just suffered a harrowing experience, but somehow, I anticipated more fire than this.

“Hoped.”

Eden nodded and sat down on the bed. “Would you leave me, please? Jaq, I don’t mean to sound rude, but I need time alone to think things over.”

I nodded and left the room.

All night, I waited downstairs, waiting for Eden to do something, but nothing happened. At eight o’clock the next morning, I took Eden up some toast and was surprised to see her dressed and staring at the ceiling.

“You’re awake.”

Eden nodded and sat up. There were bags under her eyes as well as bruises, and it was plain Eden hadn’t slept.

“Jaq, I need to grab some extra belongings from home.

“What prevented you from getting that yesterday?” I asked.

I knew what Eden was not saying. Eden would go home to face Jack. And I would have to let her. Eden would not settle until she had faced him.

“I forgot,” Eden said inanely, not elaborating.

She rose and walked to the bathroom, where I could hear her showering. I sat wearily on the bed and felt that Eden had closed herself off to me. Like Elizabeth, Eden could not leave her first relationship easily.

Elizabeth had managed to juggle two lovers, but Eden would not. Not when Jack was violent and cruel. Jack would be very nasty when she returned. Honestly, I think Eden underestimated what reception she would receive. However, this was Eden’s choice, and it had to be respected. I left Eden’s room so she could dress and made myself scarce.

The day was cloudy, so I visited the shops. When I returned, Eden was gone. Torn between chasing Eden and accepting her decision, I put the bags of shopping down. As there was hardly any food, I’d bought Eden some.

Desperately, I sought Eden out and sensed her in the presence of Jack. There was anger and pain surrounding her, and I shut that out. Eden had to resolve this herself. If I interfered, then I would never know if Eden would resent me for trying to run her life. As I was watching the morning programmes on television, I felt Eden scream. I sat up and searched her out.

Eden was in agony, and it was not emotional.

Jack was beating her!

I cursed at the bright sunlight streaming through the windows. Shit, I couldn’t reach her! Frantically, I searched Eden out again and felt nothing. Panic set in, and I kept an eye on the sky as I paced helplessly in my home. I was completely clueless, and my mind started imagining countless scenarios. Finally, after an hour, the sun disappeared behind a big cloud, and I dashed to her house.

It was a nightmare outside. There was a fire engine, two police cars and an ambulance. Sitting in one of the police cars was Jack, and when he saw me, he smirked.

“Won’t want the bitch now. Not after what I’ve done to her.”

My heart stopped, and I rushed inside. A police officer stopped me, and I explained who I was.

“You’re the boyfriend, then?” he asked.

“Boyfriend? No, I’m a friend. Eden and I were due to meet for coffee, and I saw all the commotion. Where is Eden, what has Jack done?”

The police officer looked into my face before motioning to the ambulance.

“They are working on Eden now. It is bad. Can you attend the hospital with her?”

I nodded and felt the blood drain from my face as another officer came out with an evidence bag holding a knife. A blood-stained knife.

The young officer I was talking to took pity on me and led me to the ambulance. I dreaded looking inside and when I did, I wish that I hadn’t. Blood covered both the ambulance and the paramedics.