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Chapter Twenty-Six

Once I stepped inside my fathers house for the second time, his wife immediately brought me in for a bear hug.

"Hello darling. Are you hungry?" She asked.

I shook my head no, surprised at her warmth towards me.

"Come with me, you must be hot in those clothes. It is almost ninety degrees outside!" She stated her eyes filled with worry. She took my hand and lead me up an extensive set of stairs.

I shadowed her up to a large master bedroom with a walk in closet.

"My name is Stella. I'm sorry for not introducing my name sooner... I know yours is Jayden."

I nodded.

"Yes, that's me."

"You're so beautiful. I do wish that I would have known about you sooner. I would have talked to him." she stated, disapproval edging her blue eyes.

"Thank you."

Her warmth was very comforting. That's exactly what I needed. I like her.

"You want to try on some of my clothes? I think you would fit perfectly in my clothes, though my legs are longer than yours."

"I don't want to take any that you wear..." I told her, feeling bad.

"No darling," she laughed, "this is my giveaway closet. I've been meaning to take all these clothes to goodwill but I'm glad I didn't. You can have anything you want in here."

I began picking through hangers slowly due to my cast getting in the way, looking through the clothes to find something to replace my thick outfit.

"So do you work?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Yes I'm a model. I've done it for years and I actually own an agency now." She answered.

She was beautiful, but her response still left me in awe.

"And my father?" I questioned as I picked out a green spaghetti strap crop top.

"He owns a few bars around this area." She answered.

So that's what he does? They must be set.

I found a pair of high rise white ripped jeans.

"Do you have any bras?" I asked timidly, wanting to change out of my outfit because I actually was about to sweat to death.

"Yes dear. Underwear too. Would you like to take a shower? I have many shampoos and anything you would need."

I nodded even though I just took a shower last night. I needed some time by myself to think clearly.

"I have a bathtub too, if you want to take a bubble bath or anything?" She suggested like the angel she is.

"That would be amazing." I responded gratefully.

She guided me to the master bathroom, leading to a beautiful porcelain tub.

She turned the hot water on.

"I'll go get you underclothes." She told me.

I nodded.

I felt the temperature as she left the room, making the water hot. I put the plug in the tub.

"Here you go."

She handed me silky navy blue underwear with a matching push-up bra.

"A cup?" I asked.

She nodded.

"They are new. I ordered some online and just never got to wear them. You can have them. We will have to take you shopping sometime dear, if you want me and you could go today." She told me.

"That would be fine. Will you be bringing me to the house today?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Yes... your father is a busy man. He was supposed to be at one of his clubs already but he got the call about them finding you..."

She handed me the underwear, I placed them on a stool along with the clothes I picked out.

"If you have need of anything just holler for me. I have shampoo and conditioner on the tub, along with dove foam body wash. There are plenty of hairbrushes to choose from in that vanity over there."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She replied as she walked out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding.

It's hard to believe that I'm free now.

I cleared my mind as I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the bathtub.

I let the water run until the tub was full, and then turned the water off.

There were still bruises on my body, that were now a dark purple.

I washed my hair quickly, and then poured lavender bubble bath into the tub, mixing the bubbles.

For the first time in a long time I allowed myself to cry and let out all the pent up emotions I had been avoiding since I lost myself.

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