Chapter Two

Richard continued viciously pulling back, increasing the tension on her hair.

“I provide for this house,” Richard ranted, spittle flying into her face. “Me. You have no right to question where I’ve been or what time I come home. You will stop harassing me, you ungrateful bitch. You don't know how good you have it!” He yanked back harder and tears flooded her eyes and a small cry escaped her. Her heart hammered and her breath seized, and for the first time in her life, she was truly scared.

He held her there for a few extra moments until she whimpered and tried to nod, then he pushed her away from him and she collapsed onto the floor.

“You know,” he said as he crossed back to the hallway and his face slipped back on a mask of civility as smoothly as he slipped his jacket on. “I can’t look at you or deal with your shit tonight.” He roughly grabbed his keys from the bowl, and without another word or glance back, walked out the door.

She expected to hear the door closing in an echoing thunder throughout the house. Such a dramatic moment in her life should have been punctuated accordingly, but she barely heard it snick in the latch.

Samantha huddled on the floor, as the tick of the clock resumed, an indifferent observer to what it had just witnessed and her eyes focused on the wine glass that had shattered in her haste to get up. The dark liquid was seeping into the light carpet and all she could think was that it needed to be cleaned up.

But she continued to sit there, tasting the copper tang of blood in her mouth, emphasizing the violence she just endured was in fact, real.

What just happened? How did it get like this? How did we get here? She asked herself.

Her face throbbed and she watched her tears fall and stain her white satin night slip as the phrases repeated over and over again, each time circling around to pause on the last line. She could just make out the blurred outlines of her wedding ring through her tears, and as if to protect herself, her mind drifted away from this hellscape and took her back to the night she met him in her final year of college.

Just a few months were left and the university was holding a commencement ceremony for recent and upcoming grads. Her parents were taking a tour of the United States, visiting their grandchildren and as expected, couldn’t make it. 

Her friend Jen was celebrating as well, so they went together. They socialized with some of the professors and grad-mates over free wine and raided the charcuterie table. She had never felt so happy or so… accomplished. Eventually, she noticed a tall man in a tailored suit making smoldering glances her way while he stood casually next to a slightly younger version of himself, presumably his brother.

She felt his eyes on her periodically through the night, and every time she looked up, she saw his dazzling green ones staring at her. Later, after coming out of the bathroom, she found him just outside.

“If I didn’t know better, I would think you were following me,” she playfully judged him.

“Actually, I am,” he replied with a dashing smile. “I’ve been dying to talk to you all evening, but you seem to be pretty popular around here. Quite the catch.” He eyed her up and down appreciatively.

“Only if you’re lucky enough to catch me,” she said coyly.

“Oh, I’m lucky,” he responded, his eyes bored into hers with a disconcerting intensity.

“Well, Lucky,” she said, holding her hand out for him to take. “I’m Samantha. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He laughed at her facetiousness. 

“Actually, my name is Richard,” he corrected her, taking her hand and placing a small kiss on the back of it. “But you can call me Lucky tonight, because I have a feeling you'll be joining me after this.”

They laughed and talked briefly before she rejoined Jen, but she kept finding herself distracted and looking for him through the crowd. Every time she spotted him, he was already looking at her. At the end of the evening, when she moved to collect her jacket, she found him beside her, ready to assist.

“You’re too much,” she laughed as she slipped her arm into the proffered sleeve.

“How so?” he asked, a smug smile turned the corner of his mouth up slightly.

“You’re playing the gentleman card a little too hard,” she rolled her eyes.

“Who said I’m playing?” he winked. Samantha finished sliding into her jacket to hide her blush and when he asked her to dinner, she accepted.

As they reached the exit together, Todd, Jen's boyfriend, was walking in. He was supposed to be picking the girls up to continue the celebration at their apartment, and his brow furrowed as he saw Samantha was being escorted out by a strange man.

"Sam, are we still on for tonight?" Todd asked in confusion, but before Samantha could reply, Richard cut in.

“She’s spoken for tonight, bud,” he said shortly as he drew her away and down the sidewalk without stopping, mistaking the younger guy’s concern for romantic interest in Samantha. Samantha turned and gave Todd an apologetic look as she waved goodbye.

Richard took her to the upscale French restaurant, Aurelie’s. She found herself charmed by how funny and self-assured he was. She learned he was a partner in a fairly new company, Elevated Financials, that provided consultation and plans to others. She joked that he basically made money by telling people with money how to spend their money. He agreed it was absurdly simple and lucrative, it should be illegal.

There was an elderly couple at the table next to theirs and when they moved to leave, the lady seemed to have difficulty getting up. Her husband was using a cane and looked as if he could barely hold himself upright, so Richard moved to assist her.

“Thank you, young man,” the woman gushed with a good-natured laugh and soft pats on his hand holding hers.

“It's my pleasure, ma’am,” Richard assured her as he pushed in her chair once she was clear.

“Young lady,” the woman addressed Samantha kindly and with a wink. “This one knows how to treat you. Don't let him get away.”

Samantha smiled and bade the couple a good evening. Her husband waited for her with his free arm out and they took their time walking to the entrance. Her eyes returned to Richard. He had a soft smile on his face, one that matched hers, as he watched the couple. He turned back and looked at her and it was at that moment, she knew she was in love.

They dated and spent every free moment possible with each other. It was a whirlwind that felt natural and easy as breathing. Three years later, he took her back to Auriele’s and proposed. It was like a fairy tale that Samantha naively believed would last forever.

But she must have forgotten that real fairy tales never have a happy ending.