“Maybe we should call the police,” she suggested, though there was hesitation in her voice.

I shook my head vigorously. “No, no police. Not yet. I don’t even know what I’d tell them. ‘My father-in-law gave me money to run away because he thinks his son is dangerous’? It sounds crazy.”

She nodded, biting her lip. “What about your parents? Do you think you should tell them?”

A pang of guilt shot through me at the thought of my mother’s tear-streaked face, my father’s silent nod of approval. They were both so happy for me, so convinced that I was stepping into a bright future.

“I can’t. Not yet,” I admitted. “I don’t want them to worry. Not until I know more.”

The hours dragged on, each minute etched with anxiety and uncertainty. My phone lay silent now, the calls and messages a testament to the chaos I had left behind. The temptation to pick it up and hear my husband’s voice was strong, but fear held my resolve. What would he say? Would he be angry? Concerned? Indifferent? The possibilities were endless and none comforting.

Finally, as dawn began to break, painting the sky with soft hues of pink and orange, I made a decision. I needed answers. I needed to know what had prompted such a drastic warning from a man who had always been nothing but distant and aloof.

“I need to meet him,” I said suddenly, breaking the silence.

“Who?” my friend asked, confusion knitting her brows.

“My father-in-law. I need to know what he meant, why he told me to run. There has to be more to it.”

She looked at me with a mix of admiration and worry. “Are you sure? It could be dangerous.”

“I have to try. I can’t live with this shadow hanging over everything. I need to know the truth.”

With her support, I crafted a plan. It was simple, risky, but necessary. We would drive to a public place, somewhere safe with people around. I would call him and ask to meet, insisting it was urgent.

As we set the plan into motion, my heart thudded with fear and anticipation. I was stepping into the unknown, but it was a step I had to take. Whatever lay ahead, I would face it head-on.

The truth was out there, waiting to be uncovered. And I was determined to find it.