Chapter 2: The Highway of No Return
The hum of the tires against the asphalt provided a hypnotic, steady rhythm as Hannah drove past the familiar boundaries of the subdivision.
Her mind raced through the practical terror of what she had just done. She had left with a diaper bag, a handful of baby blankets, three hundred dollars in her checking account, and a car registered in both their names. Mark’s voice echoed in her head—stern, mocking, telling her she wouldn't last a week on her own, that she was throwing away a secure life for a childish tantrum.
Lily stirred in the back, letting out a small, plaintive whimper. ""Mama... milk?""
""We'll get some soon, sweet girl,"" Hannah said, her voice cracking slightly before she forced a calm, reassuring warmth into her tone. ""Mama’s right here.""
She pulled off the highway at the next exit, finding herself in a quiet, sun-drenched lakeside town called Oakhaven, roughly sixty miles from home. The main street was lined with brick storefronts, a rusty clock tower, and a small, inviting diner with a hand-painted wooden sign reading *The Willow Tree Cafe*.
Parking beneath the shade of a sprawling oak tree, Hannah turned off the engine. The silence of the car was heavy, but it was no longer suffocating. It was clean.
May you like
She unbuckled Lily, scooped her into her arms, and stepped out into the cool evening breeze. As she held her daughter close, feeling the steady beat of Lily’s heart against her own, Hannah realized she was no longer running away from Mark; she was running toward her daughter’s safety.
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