Chapter 1

Olivia's POV

I don't know why I have to live this kind of life. For years I thought I would end up in a loving marriage but here I was, fighting for my life daily.

I hated this life I was living but I felt I had to hang on. I couldn't just give up like that.

For the past six years, I hoped, prayed and thought everything would be better by now but Liam only grew worse day by day.

I groaned in pain as I searched around for my phone. I made sure I was as quiet as possible. I didn't want to give away my hiding spot. I have taken enough beating and insults for one day.

As soon as I reached my phone, I dialled Stella's number as fast as I could, with my hands trembling. I squeezed the phone to my ears as though it would make her pick up the call earlier than normal. "Hey, what's up Olivia?" Her bright voice said from the other end of the phone.

"Liam started again. He even hit me worse than the last time." I said, sobbing gently and I heard her sigh from the other end of the phone. I feared she might also leave me because the first person I always turned to for help was her. She had a happy life being single and here I was, taking a man's beating every day and night.

"You have to stop being calm with Liam. He deserves to be shouted at too, or to be stopped or something." She said with worry in her tone.

"You know I cannot do that, Stella. It would be the end of me if he hits me out of more anger than he already carries around." I said with a low trembling voice and weak hands.

"He doesn't allow you to work, he rarely gives you money and expects you to cook for him, he rarely shows you affection and you're still staying with him? Come on girl, you're so much better than Liam ." Stella scoffed.

"But I love him. No matter what he does, I still love him." I said and I meant it. I have loved Liam right from the first day, and his actions now mean nothing at all.

"You seriously have to wake up girl. We all love, but not at the cost of our wellbeing. Your health is slowly deteriorating, Olivia." She said and although I wasn't expecting her not to side with me, all she said was right. "You have to flee from him, Olivia."

"I can't. All I own is under his name and I would just die a useless death outside his house too. I have been a burden to you for all these years, I can't add another additional burden to you." I said with a sigh and I could tell she felt down too on the other side of the phone.

"You cannot let him continue treating you like trash, Olivia. There are lots of women out there who can deal with his abuse, but you shouldn't." Stella said to me and I just curled up there, burying my face between my knees to cry as quietly as I could.

"I know both of you have been together for years now, but you should be safe rather than sorry. He is going to kill you and will move on." Stella said and I knew sooner or later Liam might get to that point. "You are still very young, you can find a man who will treat you better than Liam ."

"Do you think I would trust another man if I left Liam? I can't and I want a child, Stella. I want my child." I said, trying not to raise my voice too much.

For the last six years, I'm yet to have a child for Liam. I am sure that is one of the reasons he is treating me badly, but it wasn't my fault.

I've gone to the doctors several times but they said nothing was wrong with me and I asked Liam to go with me, he insisted I was the one something was wrong with

He didn't fail to show me that every time and I wondered if the doctors were lying to me. "You can always adopt a child, Olivia." Stella's voice said calmly.

"I don't want to adopt a child," I replied and I heard her sigh in defeat on the other side of the phone.

"If the reason he is treating you badly is because you don't have a child, why don't you just fake a pregnancy and go to the orphanage to get a newborn child, the day you'll have a baby. Come on, Olivia, you have to take one of these solutions." Stella said and most of her ideas were always absurd.

"It is the only thing you can do if Liam wants a child from you. I understand your frustrations of not being able to have a child, but Olivia, you have to save your marriage and yourself. For your sake. Who knows if you'll have your child after that," Stella said and I sat down there, thinking about what she just said.

I knew if I did that and Liam found out, I would be dead instantly, there's nothing anyone would be able to say to him. And there isn't even a sure chance it will do anything to his behaviour. "I can't do this Stella. I can't even bring myself to lie to him." I refused and I could tell she rolled her eyes from the sound she made.

"It is either you leave him or do that, Olivia. If you continue like this, we might lose you. And I do not want to lose my best friend at all." Stella warned and as I was about to speak up, I heard sounds of stuff crashing. "Is that him?"

"Ye… yes," I said with a trembling voice. I heard footsteps approaching the basement and I froze in fear. I knew it was none other than Liam 'and he was about to find me.

"Call 911, Olivia. What if he does something really bad to you while you're sitting there?" Stella said with her tone laced with worry.

"I… I can't do that…"

Even if I called the emergency number, how would I get out without him catching me or beating me to the point of death after faking all things like nothing at all happened? "You seriously can not be serious, Olivia. Call 911. Or I'll call them for you."

"You can't. I already had enough beating for one day. If you do, the next series of beating will be much worse than…"

"Olivia darling. Where are you?" I heard his voice loudly and clearly as he pushed the basement door open.

I hurriedly dropped Stella's call and whimpered gently, trying not to make a single noise. "Come on out now sweetheart, don't keep me waiting."