Suddenly, a violent pounding on the front door made them both start."Emmeline! What's going on in there? Open this door right now!" Minnie's panicked voice rang from outside the door.A surge of hope flooded Emmeline's battered body."Richard, open this door immediately or I'm calling the police!" Minnie yelled once more.Richard paused in his brutal assault, glaring up at the door with displeasure etched on his features."What the hell is this inconvenience? Can't a man discipline his own wife without being interrupted by busybodies?" he snarled under his breath, setting his sights back on the cowering form of Emmeline and pressed his index finger to his lips in a threatening gesture."Not a sound out of you. I don't want to hear your voice. I'll send the interloper away and then come back to finish with you," he warned in a low, menacing tone.However, the pounding on the door grew so forceful followed by the frantic ringing of the bell over and over."I'll give you three seconds t
Zavian reached out and gently gripped her arm between his fingers, his touch incredibly light against her battered skin. "Can you walk, or do you need me to carry you?" he asked gruffly.Emmeline gave a small nod. She slowly rose to her feet with his assistance, their eyes meeting for a heated moment.She felt like she could stare into the depths of his intense gaze for an eternity without ever growing bored."Thank you, Mr. Blackthorn," came her soft murmur.Zavian's eyes roved almost hysterically over Emmeline's battered features and he gnashed his teeth so hard that his powerful jaws nearly cracked.The blinding fury coursing through his veins right now could only be sated after he made the worthless jerk who hurt her pay severely. Every protective instinct in his body was howling at him to avenge this innocent woman's pain and suffering.But damn it all to hell, he couldn't do a thing about it. As much as it killed him, he wasn't allowed to directly interfere in Emmeline's human li
Emmeline found herself being escorted back to the Blackthorn estate before she knew it.Yuna turned to face her with a sympathetic look as they entered the grand hallway. "I'm sure you haven't had anything to eat yet. The dinner table is still set if you're hungry. We could all go sit in the living room together. You're welcome to join us too, Minnie."Emmeline shook her head slowly, her battered face a mask of physical and mental exhaustion. "No, thank you Yuna. I don't have any appetite to eat a thing right now. I just...need to rest."Yuna gave her an understanding nod. "Alright then, I'll show you to the guest room you can stay in."She led the way up the sweeping staircase to the second floor, with Emmeline shuffling slowly behind her, still leaning heavily on Minnie for support."Maybe you should have reported that bastard's assault to the police, so he wouldn't dare try to pull that shit again in the future," Minnie spoke up again, sounding irritated.Emmeline's eyes went wide
Maybe he's just stressed at work.Seduce him, entertain him. That's what people usually tell a married woman when she complains about being subjected to violence and abuse by her husband. My own family and friends said the same ignorant, victim-blaming bullshit.Their words echo in my head like a constant reminder of how alone I truly am in this nightmare.The brutal truth? I was repeatedly raped and assaulted under my own roof by my husband Richard. And the most ridiculous, infuriating thing I heard when I finally gathered the courage to turn to my family for help and support? "He'll change when he gets older! Boys will be boys!"Their dismissive, enabling attitudes made me feel even more isolated and trapped. It was as if they were complicit in my abuse, choosing to protect a monster rather than their own daughter and sister.Like, what about my wasted life? What about the trauma and suffering I've endured? The sleepless nights, the constant fear, the way my body tenses at the sligh
The staggering height difference between his muscular 6'2" frame and my petite 5'3" made me feel even more powerless and insignificant in his presence. I could smell his cologne, the same scent that used to make me weak in the knees but now just made me nauseous."I am a man, whether you like it or not," he growled, his hot breath reeking of stale coffee and cigarettes fanning across my face.I tried not to gag."A real man, not some weak little pussy-whipped bitch like you want to turn me into." He added through gritted teeth, turning off the burner on the stove before I could with his other hand.The pan's contents was now a blackened, smoky, inedible mess. Just like our relationship.I stared at the ruined food, which was a perfect metaphor for my life."You're the one who's unfit - unfit for this house, unfit for my bed, unfit for my seed." His cruel words stabbed at my femininity and my sense of self-worth like a rusty knife.I thought of the pregnancy test I'd taken in secret la
At 10 am sharp, the moving crew of four large, burly men arrived to empty our modest city apartment of all our belongings.I trailed behind the massive truck carrying our furniture and possessions in a taxi, giving them directions to the new, high-end neighborhood.My stomach churned with anxiety as we approached our new home, knowing that this move would only serve to further isolate me from my support system and give Richard more control over my life.Achrafieh Hill contained only three luxurious mansions spaced extremely far apart - each one trying to outdo the other in grandeur and excess.One particular property occupied a massive, sprawling area surrounded by towering iron gates and a security checkpoint. It was not our new place, of course—Richard didn't make that much, at least not yet.But I had no doubt he aspired to own such a fortress one day, further cutting me off from the outside world.I paid the taxi driver and headed over to the four brawny workers, addressing them a
"Looks like you need some help there."The painting obscured my view, so I didn't realize it was a man until his rich, husky voice flowed into my ears from behind me.I tilted my head to the right and my gaze landed on the sculpted, exquisite features of a very handsome stranger.He was easily over 6 feet tall, with sharp, masculine features - eyes that crinkled becomingly at the corners and a head of perfectly tousled black hair.An air of quiet confidence and self-assuredness radiated from him in waves that were utterly breathtaking.For a moment, I forgot how to breathe."Leave it, I'll carry it for you," he stated firmly in a way that was authoritative and wouldn't take no for an answer.There was something about his demeanor that both irritated and intrigued me.And because I've always detested being ordered around or having my capabilities underestimated, I immediately objected with a shake of my head.The sweaty strands of hair that had escaped my bun tickled my cheek. "It's ok
For the next few hours, I threw myself into the task of cleaning and organizing.I carefully hung up my and Richard's clothes in the spacious walk-in closet, trying not to dwell on how my modest wardrobe barely filled a quarter of the available space.My husband's designer suits and expensive shoes, on the other hand, seemed right at home in such luxurious surroundings.Evening approached.I decided to take a break from unpacking and do some baking instead.Cooking had always been a source of comfort for me, a way to center myself when life felt chaotic or overwhelming.I spent the next hour or so in the gleaming gourmet kitchen, losing myself in the familiar rhythms of measuring, mixing, and folding.The result of my efforts was two batches of my signature cakes – one a rich chocolate fudge, the other a delicate lemon poppyseed.As they cooled on the marble countertop, filling the air with their tempting aromas, I carefully packed them into decorative boxes I had bought specifically