Save Her by Abigail Osborne (i can read books .txt) 📕

Charlotte didn’t say much but that was a blessing: Flora would not have absorbed it if she had. Her entire world was imploding and the only thing on her mind was abandoning it before it cost her everything.

The fear was crippling her. She wanted to talk to Sophie. But couldn’t find her anywhere. What if Greg had done something to her? Had Greg found a way to silence Sophie once and for all? Flora’s hands were shaking as she took the exit that would lead her back to the Cavendish headquarters. The only place she had left to check was Sophie’s office. If she wasn’t there then Flora would be left with no choice but to grab the bull by the horns. She would confront Greg if she had to.

The smashed vase lay on the floor, pieces scattered everywhere. Flora watched as droplets of water that used to give life to the flowers in the vase made their way down the magnolia walls. The violence of throwing the vase at the wall had shocked her. It was like all the pent-up emotions she’d had minutes ago had smashed into pieces along with the blue vase. Greg didn’t speak either. In fact, he looked pale and sweaty, his eyes darting to the corridor as people gazed in curiously. Meek Flora who always hid behind Sophie had surprised them both.

‘Tell me what you’ve done with her.’

‘For the last time, Flora, I don’t know what you are talking about.’

‘Sophie. You’ve got her, haven’t you?’

‘You’ve lost the plot.’

‘I’m not stupid. She told me!’

That stunned Greg. He looked scared and quickly moved over to the door and shut it. Next, he moved to the blinds and twisted the cable, shutting out colleagues who were trying desperately to see what was going on. He turned nervously back to Flora. ‘Sit down,’ he said quietly.

‘Sit down?’ she screamed at him. ‘Sit down? How am I supposed to sit down when you have been beating my best friend black and blue for god knows how long and now she has vanished off the face of the earth.’ Tears coursed down her face and she brushed them away angrily.

Greg walked over to the chair behind his desk and sank into it heavily. He put his head in his hands. Flora stared at him, uncertain what to do next. She had expected anger or sarcasm. Greg looked up at her. She was startled to see tears lining his eyes. She clenched her fists. What did he have to cry about? He had been putting Sophie through hell. Was this his angle, making her feel sorry for him, to try to get her onside? The sounds of ringing of phones and people chatting floated through to them as they stared at each other. She tried to convey that she would not fall for his lies, that he had met his match. Someone had to protect Sophie from him.

‘Flora, you don’t have a clue what’s really going on. You wouldn’t believe me, even if I told you the truth.’ He put his elbows on the desk and his head back into his hands. If she hadn’t seen the damage his anger had done to his best friend’s body, she would have believed that he was the broken man he was portraying. His shoulders had sunk and tears dropped down onto the desk, glistening against the mahogany wood. It was very convincing.

‘I’ve seen the truth with my own eyes. Sophie showed me the bruises and told me all about the beatings.’ Flora was almost spitting with anger. She moved her hands behind her back, feeling compelled to wrap them around his neck and squeeze with all her strength. She took a step towards him. He looked up and she bent over the desk so they were face to face, eye to eye.

‘You think that your money will protect you. Think again. I know what you are. I know that you get your kicks beating up your loving wife when the potatoes aren’t cooked to your exact requirements. I know she follows your sadistic commands because she’s so terrified that next time you will just kill her. Well, let me tell you, I. Will. Bring. You. Down.’

It was hard to breathe and her whole body was quivering. She felt drunk on adrenaline, but also worried she had just made things a whole lot worse for Sophie. What would Greg do to her now he knew she had told Flora? She took a step back, reminded of how violent he could be, worried about what he would do now that she had stood up to him.

But contrary to her fears, his face was bleached of colour and his eyes wide with shock. His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, speech failing him. His hands were trembling. He was trying to compose his thoughts, to regain his ability to speak. ‘I feel sorry for you, Flora, I really do. You have absolutely no idea who Sophie really is, what she is capable of.’ His voice was hoarse and quiet.

‘I know exactly who Sophie is. Don’t you dare try and blame her. Is that your defence? Sophie made me do it?’

‘I didn’t do anything, Flora. I am not an abusive husband.’ Greg’s grey eyes bored into her, like he was pleading with her to believe him.

‘Don’t lie. There is no point. I’ve seen the bruises, Greg. All over her, up her back, down her legs. She told me everything.’

‘She’s lying.’

‘You’re pathetic. Oh. My mistake! The bruises just magically appeared by themselves. How silly of me not to realise that Sophie had managed to trip and burn the letter G into her side with cigarettes!’ The urge to punch him hard rose in her.

Greg looked green in the face. ‘She must have done it to herself.’ His gaze was insistent. ‘I know it sounds crazy, but she is crazy. You’ve got to believe me.’

‘You’re an idiot. Do you honestly expect me to believe that?’ Flora