Chapter 01: Emotional Breakdown

Taylor stood outside the house desperately waiting for her husband to return. It was already past 11 and she was getting worried. She sucked in a deep breath and placed her hand into her jean pocket.

She had been back from work about five hours ago and had prepared something nice for him, but yet he chose not to return home early. It had always been like this, the last year of her marriage with Bryan Anderson was hell on Earth.

He never laid a finger on her, but every day, her heart continued to shatter into bits with the way she was being treated by him. A loser? A nobody? That feeling would have been better. He treated her like she never existed in his life.

The night breeze was so cold, and Taylor thought she would die from the stress. Today's work was already stressful in her workplace, and Bryan wasn't making things better.

She was supposed to be worried about herself first. Earlier today, she went to the hospital and was diagnosed with mental issues and heart pain. She had been thinking a lot lately, and it wasn't good for her health.

The one man that was the cause of her illness never even cared a little bit for her. She raised her wrist and stared at the time on her watch.

It was almost midnight already. She had tried calling his number multiple times, but he wasn't picking up. Taylor decided to give him till 12, and if he isn't back by then, she would report her husband as missing.

This was the very first time he was acting this way. He hated her down to his bones, yes, but he wouldn't dare stay out late till almost 12.

Taylor began pondering on how it had all started. A year ago and how her life came to this.

Her father was best friends with Bryan's father and since they were good friends, she got to know Bryan Anderson well. Their first meeting didn't go well because, to her, Bryan was an arrogant guy.

She didn't like him at first, but as the years went by, she found herself gradually falling in love with him even after knowing fully well he was a playboy and wasn't the kind of person that sticks with one lady.

Every time she saw him with a lady, it hurt, but Taylor kept all of her feelings for him a secret hoping that one day he would learn to love her, or even see her at least.

She had attended the same high school and college as Bryan, but all that meant nothing to him. He was in love with the lady she hated so much.

Stella Heart was her name.

To Taylor, she was pompous, rude, and sassy. Everything about her was so annoying, that it always made her wonder what Bryan liked about her. Stella was a model, and she had a perfect body shape that men would kill for, but apart from that, there was nothing else so good about it.

Stella and Bryan had been dating since college, and she had to stay on her own. She had also dated a guy back in college and his name was Mason. It wasn't because she liked him, but because she wanted to forget all about Bryan.

It didn't work back then, and when Mason tried to rape her, she ended it all with him and left for another school. It was only about two years ago after she had finished college that she met Bryan again. Seeing him again brought back old memories that she didn't want to keep or recall.

A year later, her marriage to Bryan Anderson was announced. She had just lost her mother about 6 months ago and she was still going through a lot. The first day her father told her about it, Taylor thought it was the best idea since she always liked Bryan, but with his constant threats, she decided to end it herself and call off the marriage, not until Bryan came himself and fixed it back.

It shocked her to her bones. He had claimed he loved her and was now ready to marry her. It was a hard decision but after so much persuasion by her father, she agreed to it and six months later, she became part of the Andersons.

Her first one-month marriage with Bryan wasn't that good. Then she found out a lot. He had married her because he was threatened by his father and because his ownership of the Anderson family empire would be at stake.

The news hurt her so much, but Taylor couldn't back down. She kept this new secret she had just found out to herself and endured his bullshit for a whole year.

Taylor stared at her wristwatch again as tears slid from her eyes. Every day, she wished Bryan would understand her, and understand that she loves him dearly and is willing to make things right.

She wanted a marriage that would work out just fine, but he wasn't helping matters. She was already losing so much weight and he was all to blame.

Immediately the long and the shorthand met with twelve, she picked up her phone from her pocket to dial the police number as she had planned, but then she heard the honking sound of his car.

She sucked another deep breath in relief and waited for him to park his car properly.

He stepped down from the car, and once his gaze met hers, he didn't plan on giving her another glance. Seeing her standing outside was irritating enough. Why does she care so much? He thought inwardly.

He took a step, and then another, and then he began walking towards her, avoiding her gaze.

"Where are you coming from?" Taylor questioned as he walked past her.

He suddenly halted and scoffed in amusement.

"When did you start caring about my movements? Wherever I go is none of your business Taylor."

She turned to face me. "Don't you care that you have a wife at home who would be worried about you?"

He also turned to face her, this time he didn't avoid her gaze. "Wife? Are you my wife?"

"Bryan." She called his name.

"You aren't my wife Taylor so you should stop dreaming. I never loved you even for once, and no matter how much you try hard, I will never love you." He said so coldly that his words sank into her heart causing another part of it to shatter completely.

He always said that, but today, it was hurting more because she had waited out worriedly for 3 straight hours for him. She sniffled.

"Let's not fight tonight. I'm stressed."

As she tried to walk away, he grabbed her hands. "I can't take the sight of you anymore." He said.

She nodded her head. "I'm sorry if you can't, I'm sorry if I got you angry or irritated. I'm sorry if you never loved me but still went ahead to marry me even after I had agreed to call off the wedding, I'm sorry if…"

"Shut the fuck up." He yelled at her.

To him, those tears of hers would never be enough to melt his heart. He hated her so much and that was how it was gonna be till he found a way out of the so-called marriage with her.

"I'm not giving up yet. I'm gonna find a way to end everything and be free again." He said, let go of her hands, and stormed into the house.

Taylor stood at her spot, staring at him till he shut the door behind himself. She hit her chest and all she was feeling there was pain, deep and raw pain.

How long was she going to keep taking all of these? If he didn't love her as he had claimed, then he shouldn't have married her. She was practically a tool for his selfish desires, and the least he could do to cover up for it was to love her for real.

She thought he would learn to love her gradually after the marriage, but his hatred for her was growing worse each day. She sniffled again and walked, deciding to go to bed and forget him tonight.

It was so hard not to love him and even after all he was doing to her, she hoped he would one day love her like she always desired.

As Taylor opened the door, she walked towards the dining to check on the meal she had cooked, but they were all lying on the floor and the cook was on her knees right in front of the dining.

She heaved deeply knowing fully well that it was Bryan's doing.

"Clean it all up. Thank you." She said and walked away, heading towards her room.

As she walked to the passageway, she suddenly began hearing his voice. He was on call with something and with the way he was talking and laughing, she could guess who it was.

Even after two years, he never forgot about her. Stella.

The lady she hated was still hitting on her husband, and it was hurting like hell. He always did this every night so she wasn't surprised. His father also disliked Stella and that was why she wasn't chosen.

She walked away, heading towards her room. If there was ever a second life, then she wished to be in Stella's position with the love her husband was showing to her enemy.

Her hands touched the door knob weakly and she opened it feeling dizzy. Her chest was hurting so badly. Her drugs. She needed to take her drugs before she would pass out.

In a hurry, she walked to her cupboard, opened it, and picked up the container of her drugs. Her hands were shaking so much, and her heart pain was only getting worse. She had been warned by the doctor to stop worrying about a lot of things.

As she tried to stand up and go get a glass of water, she fell to the floor. Her vision was so blurry, but being a strong woman, she walked towards her table and picked up the glass of water.

In a hurry, she threw the drugs into her mouth, swallowed them, and emptied the glass of water. With a deep breath of relief, Taylor fell to the floor and passed out.