I grabbed the black leather bags, going through each of the items.

For months, I'd been planning my escape without the knowledge of anyone. I was discreet and even after I'd arranged more than enough, a part of me was still unwilling to leave.

Maybe because I desperately wanted to believe there was still a chance for him to change. For both of them to be better parents.

But it was useless. They would always remain like this and I didn't want to sit around for the shitshow any more.

I rifled through the contents; my new ID, passport, new phone and an untraceable card I'd gotten under a dead cousin's name.

And the most important thing. The bag of cash I'd been piling up, it should be nearly more than a million dollars in there but I wasn't sure.

I'd pulled out all of my savings and earnings. Working as the assistant accountant to the governor had its perks.

I made sure not to touch any money my parents had kept aside for me, not even my own spending account.

I was going to do this myself, pave a new life without the help of anyone.

And I was going to do it tonight.

"I can do this," I whispered with a nod. "You can do this, Tara."

I quickly showered and bandaged up the cuts and bruises, applying makeup on my face to cover up the scars.

It didn't conceal it completely but it was better than nothing.

I dressed up in my all black outfit and grabbed a baseball cap, arranging it on my head. I gave myself one last look in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction.

I returned to bed with a smile, waiting until the clock hit twelve. That was when the lights went out and everyone would've gone to bed.

It wasn't long when the long awaited moment came and I grabbed both bags. I decided not to pack much of my things, just the essentials needed for my new life.

I took the easy way out through my window, throwing my bags out first before climbing down.

It was just my luck that dad never kept any of the workers overnight. They clocked out once it was seven and at first, I wondered why they weren't full time employees until later,

He did it to hide his evil doing. It was why he never acted out during the day or in the public but rather at night, where no one was looking.

My legs were moving faster now, pumping with each stride as I headed towards the open gate.

This was it!

My freedom. It was closer than I thought.

The moment my feet stepped outside of the gate, a relieved air left my lungs and I snapped my mouth back to restrain the scream from leaving.

Free. I was finally fucking free!

I adjusted the wig and cap on my head, making sure it wasn't sitting awkwardly on my head.

And I grabbed the straps of my bags tightly before heading for the road. The night air was chilly and the leather jacket I wore did nothing to keep the cold away.

I kept walking until I got to the intersections and flagged the first cab I saw.

"Take me to the airport, please," I told the driver with a polite smile and he nodded.

It took about thirty minutes to arrive at the airport and I must have fallen asleep halfway because the driver woke me up himself.

"Miss, we've arrived," he said, tapping the side of my knee. "We're at the airport."

I grimaced when I realized I had fallen asleep. So much for being sleek.

"Thank you," I told him as I paid before climbing down from the vehicle.

The large building glared back at me with bright white and different colored lights. Overhead, a plane had just taken off, a loud whooshing sound following suit.

I couldn't remove the goofy smile on my face, heading towards the terminal with a low whistle on my lips.

"Good morning, miss," the attendant greeted with a cheery smile. "Where are we heading to this morning?"

I looked at the display board, different locations flashing in red and switching intermittently.

Vegas. LA. Nevada.

I looked back at the attendant, "What flight is leaving soon?"

"Hold on a moment," she looked back at the computer, tapping a few keys.

My fingers drummed against the bag, and my eyes darted around anxiously.

I wondered if anyone saw me traipsing out of the gate or if the cab driver recognised me.

But I doubted it. With the blonde wig and cap on my head, I looked completely different. Besides, I was dressed in leather and everyone knew how my family was against that trend.

"Ah, here it is," she looked up with a smile on her face, handing me a pamphlet. "Elko, Nevada. It leaves in an hour."

That was pretty quick.

I took the pamphlet and flipped through the contents. "Elko?"

"A very nice place if you're looking for somewhere quiet and a lot of southern sweetness too." She typed in a few keys again before looking at me,

"But I'll warn you though, the plane doesn't lead straightaway to Elko."

"What does that mean?" I asked, my brows furrowing.

"Well," she smacked her lips together and sighed. "You'll stop at a nearby county and take a bus that'll take you straigh to Elko. It shouldn't be up to an hour."

That didn't sound too bad. Besides, the place sounded inconspicuous enough.

"Elko, huh?" I said with a smile forming on my lips, already concluding in my heart.

We went through the rest of the process, submitting my passport and getting cleared by the officers.

It was a wonder they didn't realize that anything was off with my passport even with the way my heart was beating rapidly.

I had to give it to Freddy. He knew how to get the shadiest of things done.

Other passengers joined after a while and soon, we were already walking up to the plane, pamphlet and hope in hand.

As we climbed the stairs leading the plane, I looked back down at the place I once called home and sucked in a breath.

"Good bye, old life," I whispered, suddenly feeling melancholic.

I returned my gaze to the entrance of the plane with a hopeful sigh.

"Hello, new life."