The idea was crushed the moment it took root. She couldn't possibly escape at this point. Leaving now meant No job. No money. What's the point of escaping?
There was no shame in admitting the truth. Without this job, without advanced certifications or marketable skills, her chances of survival were bleak.
Over the years, every dime she earned had gone into the endless pit of her adoptive family's needs.
And when she finally managed to save a little, they returned with crushing debt from a loan shark. She had used up her hard-earned savings to cover part of it, yet in the end, she was sold like a commodity.
Frustrated and suffocating under the weight of it all, Emily rose abruptly from her chair and began pacing her office in slow, deliberate steps. Her fingers clenched into fists at her side.
She wanted to blame herself; for not sticking to the leave of absence she had initially taken.
