They say that life is enjoyed through the love of parents, the love of siblings, the love of friends, the love of family, and above all, the love of a man, but in my life none of that exists. I have no friends, male or female, no brother, no sister, they don't even consider me part of them. My parents, what can I say about them? Since I was a child, they left me alone in the care of a maid who only mistreated me. I was always alone, with no one to talk to or share a dream with.

At fifteen, my parents married me off to a man who didn't even show up to sign the marriage documents, only his parents, who gave me the document to sign to be married, in an office where only my parents, the judge, and the parents of the man who would be my husband were present. His parents brought me to this huge house where they left me alone with all the luxuries and servants, who have never spoken to me except to ask me to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

I have everything I could want: books, the largest television on the market, a computer, beautiful clothes, unique designs, very elegant shoes, accessories, very expensive and unique jewelry. I have the most expensive bed with silk sheets. There is only one problem: I will never be able to leave here. This has been my golden cage for 8 years.

Today is my 23rd birthday. My in-laws send me, as they do every birthday, a beautiful and unique gift to congratulate me, and a card that says "HAPPY BIRTHDAY". My supposed husband, whom I don't know, I don't know what he looks like, how old he is, what his name is, because they never let me read the marriage certificate and he never presented himself to me. I know he exists because on this day of my birthday he sends me a large bouquet of white orchids. I know they are one of the most expensive, that few people can afford to buy them, and he has the luxury of sending me a huge bouquet, along with a card that says, "Enjoy your solitude, wife."

My name is Kaia, today is my 23rd birthday, and as always, I am alone. The servants of this house ignore me and take care of me as if I were the most precious object in this house. I don't like my life, but I am afraid to leave. I have never done anything for myself, I don't know what the world outside is like. I watch the news every night and what they say is horrible. I have never made an email or entered a page to interact with someone because I don't know what to say or do. I feel so pathetic.

I am in my room reading one of my favorite books, hoping that this day will end. The day doesn't help much, it's raining so hard that it only depresses me more.

I hear someone knocking on my door. It's strange that someone would come at this hour, it's 6 pm, two hours before dinner. I get up and go see who it is. When I open the door, I see the housekeeper who tells me.

"Your parents have come to visit you, you can go down to greet them."

After saying that, she just leaves me alone. Although I was surprised by their visit, what could my parents have come for? They had never come since I was married, I had not seen them again. I suppose it is not something good.

I head to where they were. When I see them sitting in the large living room of the house, my mother's face looks upset, or so I think it looks strange. I approach and say to them

"Good afternoon, parents."

It is strange, neither of them responded to my greeting, they just looked at me in such a strange way, I didn't like the way they looked at me. Then I hear my father.

"I want you to talk to your husband and tell him to approve my project."

I heard right! They are here so that I can talk to a man I don't know. How do they expect me to do that? What can I tell them? I have never spoken to my supposed husband, do I tell them that? Or would it be better to tell them to introduce him to me first and then I'll ask him?

This is a joke, I have to say something. I think about my words carefully, so I can answer them.

"Father, I would love to help you, but I have never spoken to him, how do you expect me to ask something of someone I don't know."

I see my mother stand up very angrily and approach me in a strange way, I don't like this at all. The next thing I feel is when she hits my face, I think it was with her hand, I didn't see it well, I didn't expect it.

The pain I feel is strong, I try to rub my face with my hand to try to calm the pain, I feel a strange taste in my mouth, I feel my lips to clean them thinking it was saliva, when I look at my hand it was red, is that blood? I don't understand what I should do or say, why are they so upset? Why did she hit me? Then I hear her say to me.

"Learn what your place is, we gave you in marriage to a great family that has you with all the luxuries in the world, it's time for you to pay for everything we have done for you, talk to your husband and tell him what your father told you."

What madness is this? What have they done for me? What nonsense is she saying? At that moment I tell her.

"I would love to do it, but I don't know how to communicate with him."

I was trying to finish explaining to her when I feel another blow to my face and how she pulled my hair, I try to stop her, but the more I tried to grab her hands or throw her away, the more she clung to hurting me. It was difficult for me to defend myself, I really had no strength, I had never done any exercise, the only thing I did here was to behave like a porcelain doll, one of those that are fragile.

I didn't know what to do, not to mention the physical pain she was making me feel, something I had never felt in my life. I really didn't know what else to do, the pain clouded my brain, and then I hear the voice of the housekeeper.

"Madam, sir, the young master wants to speak with one of you, and madam, could you let go of the young lady."

I feel my mother let go of me, when she turns to see where the housekeeper was, I see her giving the phone to my father, how he was talking to someone, after a few minutes he hung up and says to me.

"It seems that what I wanted will be done, thank your husband, we will not look for you again, let's go."

That was all he said and then I just watched them leave, they didn't give me a hug, or a show of affection, the truth is that it hurt me, because they are supposed to be my parents, isn't it supposed that a mother protects and takes care of her children, but I have nothing of what are supposed to be my parents.

The housekeeper brought a first aid kit, I didn't understand why, until I felt the pain, when she was healing my wounds, which I think my mother made me more than one, I had pain in my face, in my lip, in my neck, in my arms. Once she finished healing my wounds, without saying anything she was going to leave, but at that moment, although I was nervous and insecure I told her

"Madam, who called?"

I thought she wouldn't answer me, as she always ignored me when I wanted to talk to her, but I was surprised when I heard her say

"Your husband!"

I was surprised, it was the first time I heard my husband speak and I couldn't believe that for the first time I was close to hearing his voice, to feeling him a little close to me, I wanted to know more and I thought about asking him more things, but just when I was going to continue asking, she withdrew without giving me an opportunity to say anything else. I went into my room, I was fed up with this, my life was passing and I no longer wanted to live in fear, much less in this golden cage, I took the computer, printed a divorce agreement that I found on the web, left the space where his name was going, put mine, when I had it printed I signed it.

I left it on my bed, I changed into jeans and a long-sleeved blouse tight to my body, I grabbed my hair in a ponytail, I needed money to get out of here, but at that moment when I started to feel discouraged I remembered that there was money in the drawers in the office, I just had to wait for everyone to sleep to go take it and escape from that cage.

When it was 3 am I knew everyone was asleep and that was the opportunity to leave, I took a small suitcase, carefully opened the door of my room, made sure there was no one there, everything was dark, I left the room, went down the stairs without making noise, the office was down the stairs on the right, I went in and closed the door, I turned on a lamp that was on the desk that barely lit the place.

I started to check all the drawers and I think I got lucky, each drawer had several packages of bills, I took all that fit in the small suitcase, I covered it with a change of clothes, I took 5 100 dollar bills, put them in the pockets of my pants.

I left the house very carefully without making noise, I knew that at this hour the watchman of the house always went to sleep, when I arrived at the huge iron gate I tried to open it, but it was locked, nerves invaded me like demons, I was going to leave, I didn't want them to discover me.

I look around; the surveillance house was near the gate. I approached it carefully, peered through one of the windows, and saw nothing. I went inside, began searching the entire place—through drawers—as desperation grew. My breathing quickened; I couldn’t stay here any longer. I didn’t want to.

I was about to give up and go back to my room when I looked next to the entrance door hanging a pair of keys, I took them hoping that one of those was the key to the door, I tried with several until after several attempts I managed to open the door. I left that cage, I finally started walking to my right, I didn't know where I was, I just walked along the edge of the road, I had been walking for a while, the sun was starting to rise and no one was passing by, that was worrying me.

When I arrived at an intersection, I looked around and realized that the road where I came from was only to get to the house, if it was true I had until 8 am to get out of there before they realized that I had escaped and went out to look for me.

I felt desperate which way I should go, I did not see any sign or anything that would indicate me to go to a closer town or city; take the right or left that was when a family car stopped in front of me, I felt the need to run it could be that they found me so fast, I felt a pressure in my chest I did not want to go back to that cage and surely they would be upset about the money I took.

I thought about throwing the suitcase and starting to run when I heard a woman's voice that said to me.

"Miss, are you lost?"

I looked towards where I heard the voice, it was a woman, who had a baby in her arms, that could barely be seen, was in the passenger seat; I felt insecure, what could I tell them, but I thought that maybe they would tell me where I am and where to go.

I was thinking what to tell them, how to ask them where I was, but I think I thought for a long time, because I heard the woman again.

"My God, young lady, what happened to you? You're beaten, look at your face, it's with those bruises, your black eye and your lip so swollen."

For a moment I wondered what she meant, but it was true my mom had left me some signs of violence on my face and at that moment I spontaneously said to her.

"My husband beat me, I'm trying to escape from him, could you tell me which way I should go, I would like to get to a town or city before he realizes that I escaped from home."

Once I heard this phrase in a movie and according to it facilitated things I hope it works; because I can not go back to that house and at that moment I heard her.

"Damn, wretch, come on, get in the car, we'll get you out of here, you have to report him to the police, you must not let him hit you again."

I hear her so worried about me, it felt nice, although it was a stranger that she felt worried about me I liked it; maybe that movie was right when one says that the husband is violent everyone gets worried about one, maybe it will help me later.

I got in the car, they told me they were going to the city, they promised to leave me at the police station to report my husband for abuse.

When we arrived at the police station I thanked them, I was about to get out when the man asked me if I had money, I heard about what happens when someone finds out that you have a lot of money they can rob you, or kill you, so I told him no.

The man gave me 100 dollars and told me to buy something to eat while I found my family or friend to pick me up, I thanked him and they left.

I was standing in front of the police station I had to find a place to rest, sleep and eat I was hungry; I was about to leave when a policewoman approached me.

"Miss, are you okay?"

Like the woman when she saw me she got upset and started asking who had hit me that I could tell her, she told me to trust her.

She looked like a good policewoman, but I could not sue anyone, rather I had to hide; the woman comes over to me, takes my hands and takes me to sit on one of the benches and started to say - miss who did this to you? Here we will protect you, you just have to sue him I will support you in everything.

She was so nice, she inspired confidence, but I could not trust anyone of everything I had read in my life always mentioned distrust and in the news they always talked about the corruption of the police.

What can I tell her? Maybe if I continue with my story a little more, it will help me get out of here, I thought well my words and started to tell her.

"My husband hit me, but there's no point in suing him he's a very powerful man there would be no point in doing it, I want to hide from him, I don't want him to find me could you help me with that?"

The woman looked at me surprised I think she was going to keep insisting I have to convince her to let me go.

I remembered a case that came out in the news that I saw of a woman who was married to a very rich man and that she did very badly; I could take it as a reference maybe that way I can convince her, I told her.

"Remember the case of Mr. Castle's wife, my husband is much more powerful than that man I need to hide, I don't want the same thing to happen to me."

I think that worked, her face seems to understand what I tried to tell her and if I shed a few tears maybe that sounds more convincing, I thought of all the bad things in my life and that feeling of pain invaded me my eyes started crying, hoping that would end up convincing her, to be able to get out of there, to escape, hide to not return to that golden cage.

I never thought I could do it, but it's really easy, the woman's hands embrace me, it was nice to feel a hug, it was the first time I experienced something like that and I really liked it, it made me feel loved, even though that woman didn't know me; when she lets go she takes my hands and presses them, I hear her say to me.

— I would like you to sue him and be able to lock that man up, it's not right that these things happen and women like you feel this fear; tell me, what do you want to do?

I have to get out of here, that's clear to me; I told her

— I want to get out of here, hide, I don't want him to find me.

The woman told me that she would help me, she took me to a police car and got me out of there, she took me to a hotel, the place looked discreet and nice; We were parked outside the hotel when she told me.

— This place is modest, stay here and think about what you want to do, I will come to see you tomorrow, I will support you in whatever you decide.

We got out of the car, we went into the place, she spoke with the manager and paid for a room, she accompanied me to the room; Upon entering the room, the place was small, it had a single bed, a small bureau next to the bed and a full bathroom was all there was in the place, but the truth is I liked it, it made me feel good being there.

The woman left me there, once I was alone I could enjoy the place, I finally felt free, I lay down on the bed, it wasn't very comfortable, but I liked it, I didn't know what else to do.

Some time passed when the woman returned, she brought food, she stayed to eat with me; it was so nice to be able to share a meal with someone, she kept talking about her family, what she did, places she had visited, I just wanted to live everything she told me about, I listened to her in silence, it was so nice to listen to her, that for the first time I felt good, happy to be with someone who talked to me and didn't just tell me go down to eat, go to sleep.

After that she left, she promised to return the next day, when I was alone, I looked out the window for a long time, it was so strange, I watched people walking down the street, the cars that kept passing seemed so entertaining to me, the noise of the cars and the people I liked.

It got dark, the lights outside turned on lighting up everything outside, it was so beautiful, seeing so many lights that it even seemed to me to see several colors, I was entertained watching everything through the window of that small hotel room.

It was late when I fell asleep; the next morning I woke up late, I looked at the clock that was hanging on the wall in front of the bed, it was 10:30 am, I felt so good, I could finally do what I wanted; get up at whatever time I wanted without anyone coming to tell me what to do.

When I got out of bed I went to take a bath, what surprised me was that there was no hot water there, but the truth is I didn't care, I even enjoyed that, no water at the temperature that the housekeeper put for me, for the care of my skin, here I was doing what I wanted and the cold water pleased me, I took out the change of clothes with which I covered the money to put it on.

It was a pair of jeans, a white three-quarter sleeve blouse, with a round neck, although it was short at the bottom, once I changed I dried my hair and tied it in a ponytail, I started making plans in my head, I wanted to go to a cinema, to a theater, to an art room, to the museum, but more than anything I wanted to go to an amusement park, ride all the rides I could, buy pointless things and that's what I was planning to do.

Then I would think about what I had to do, learn a trade to work, I also had to think about that very well and start my new life, without anyone to control me.

I could see freedom through the glass of the window, that's why I stayed for a while looking out the window, I kept seeing people passing by, many were walking in a hurry, others seemed to be tourists, but what I liked the most was seeing parents with their children, the way they took care of them, how you could see that they talked to them, for a moment that made me feel sad, thinking that my parents could show me a little of that affection or those couples that I saw together, hugging, you could see the love, something that I wanted.

I was there until 1 pm, I was already starting to feel hungry, I thought about going out to look for something, but I also thought about waiting for the woman who was helping me, to convince her that I had to continue alone, try to hide, thank her, that was what I had to do, now all that was left was to convince her, because suing, I was not going to be able to do that.

I was lying down thinking about what I should do, I heard someone knocking on the door, I thought that maybe the woman who was kindly helping me had arrived, I hoped she would bring some food, because I was already hungry or at least be able to talk to her to be able to go look for something to eat; I get up reluctantly, I go to open the door when I see in front of me a huge bouquet of orchids.

I knew that bouquet, it was the same one that my husband sent me on my birthday, I started trembling with fear, it couldn't be him, it was impossible for him to find me.

I take them reluctantly, I look at who delivers them to me, it was a young man, who at the moment I take the bouquet tells me.

— Miss, they send you this and this note.

After giving them to me, the young man turns around and runs away, without waiting for me to ask him anything, I couldn't move, I looked for a moment at the note I had in my hands, while hugging the huge bouquet tightly.

After a moment I close the door, I felt my chest pressed, fear invaded me, I was trembling with the insecurity I felt, I even felt like crying, I didn't want to read the note, but I had to know what it said, hoping that he had signed the divorce agreement and reluctantly I open the note and start reading it:

NOTE

My wife, you better come home, your behavior is being very negative, I can't be wasting time like this and less because of you, be obedient and come back, don't make me go get you, that will be very bad for you.

PS. Don't try to escape or hide again, there is no place that I don't control or dominate, you are mine and you have to do what I order you to do; remember your parents sold you to me, at a very good price, I have already lost a lot of money because of you, don't bother me anymore and come home.

End of note.