because i love him

Darlina: "What?"  How could he do this to me? How could he stoop so low to blackmail me about murdering my parents? Is he for real?

"I knew you're stubborn. I initially tried to convince you with love and affection but you just don't listen. Your dear lovely parents are in my basement at my mercy."

He kidnapped my poor parents? How could he? I know he's sick in his head so I better listen to whatever he says if I want my parents alive. World starts spinning and my head hurts. I tried my best to act brave and strong but Arnold really knows which nerves to hit.

I should have killed him when I had the chance. But I don't even have the heart to kill him.

"You're a disgusting piece of shit. I am ashamed that I ever loved you!" I shouted at him.

Truth be told. I still love him. Always did. Always will.

But he has treated me so badly. I'd rather die than confessing my love to him ever again. He didn't trust me. He didn't trust me when I repeatedly told him that I didn't cheat on him. He didn't have any mercy on me. He didn't care to show basic human decency to me. And bro claims to love me, wow.

Can love exist without trust? I think not.

"Darling Darlina, my beautiful wife. I don't have the whole day. Decide." He said by sitting on my bed.

"Ex-wife, you scumbag" I say.

"You think some papers could break our  marriage? You are and you will always be my wife." He said.

I just wish you trusted your wife.

"I will go to the police if you don't set my parents free!" I shout. Empty threat to be honest. In my 2 years of marriage with him, I understood that law and police are like toys for the riches like him.

"Good luck with that. But you too know that nobody would dare to do anything against me. So spare both of us with the formalities and come to the point. Parents or 'that' cartoon." He said emotionlessly.

My blood boils. How could he call Steve a cartoon? He's my best friend. He helped me when he abandoned me. He supported me when nobody did. He helped me come out of the depression Arnold sent me in. He selflessly cared for me for 4 long years after I repeatedly rejected his one sided love.

"Well, I'd choose that cartoon over you a million times" I say. Not really. I'd choose Arnold over the whole population on this planet a billion times.

Arnold is furious and he balled his fist.  But who cares? Touching grass is good for his character development.

There's a knock on the door.

"Baby what's taking you so long." It's Steve.

I hate when he calls me baby. It's cringe. It's okay if Arnold called me that though.

I hate Arnold for whatever he did to me. But I hate myself more for still loving him with all my existence.

"Will you answer the door or shall I?" He asked, raising his perfect eyebrows.

"I will answer the door. Shut up and don't make a noise " I said.

"tell the poor guy that the marriage is cancelled and finish the drama but it shouldn't take more than 2 minutes" He said.

I open the door.

"Hello my soon to be wifey" he said as he pressed his lips on mine. Eww. I was only marrying him out of mercy. I hate it when he kisses me.

Arnold comes forward elegantly and calmly grabs him by his throat with one hand making him suffocate.

"Leav-le-leave my throat" he stuttered. His feet didn't touch the ground but instead were slightly above the ground floating in air just because of Arnold's strong grip on his throat.

"Are you using this ugly tongue with me?"  he lowered his tone in a threatening manner.

His eyes gave him a penetrating look, daring him to utter something against him.

He opened his mouth to say something again.

"I will kiss her again." He said which made Arnold turn red in anger as he slipped out the lighter from his pocket and ignited it before burning his lips with it which led to a loud cry from him with unsuccessful attempts of moving his hands and legs trying to get out from Arnold's grip on his throat.

He continues to burn his lips with the lighter mercilessly which makes Steve scream in horrible pain. I put my hands on my ears trying to avoid the unbearable sounds.

Whole of Steve's upper lip and half of his lower lip is burnt now. The sight is pathetic. My poor friend didn't deserve this.

"Are you a psychopath!?" I scream at Arnold.

Steve was trying to speak but he couldn't because of burnt lips and suffocation due to throat abuse.

"She's mine! She belongs to me! remember this before looking at her ever again. Be grateful that I didn't kill you and just burnt your lips" He said shifting from an aggressive to a calmer tone while letting go of Steve's throat which made him fall on the floor.

"Steve!" I say as I kneel down to help him.

"Get up." He said.

"Steve, are you okay?" I cry. Of course he's not. What's wrong with me?

"I said get up." I ignored him again.

He lifts me from the ground and throws me on his shoulder like I weigh nothing and proceeds to walk out of the room.

"Let me down! I will walk!" I screamed.

He lets me down and grabs my hand posessively as he drags me out of Steve's house crossing Steve's parents and a few wedding guests who looked extremely shocked. He didn't care about anyone and walked towards the main door grabbing me with a serious face.

"Please take care of Steve, take him to hospital." I pleaded with his mother before leaving the house.

He throws me on the passenger seat beside him in his car and says:

"and why the fuck do you care if he lives or dies?"

"Because I love him." as a friend.