"What have you even done with your life,Elara? I made you who you are!! You're nothing but a foolish teacher who'll spend her whole life stuck with spoiled entitled brats!!"
He roared,his voice reverberating through the apartment like thunder. Even though I tried to act unaffected by him,my heart still trembled mostly in fear rather than hurt. I tried to ignore him as I dumped my clothes into my old suitcase which looked like it was on its last strand. My hands shook as I grabbed every last piece of clothing from my corner of the closet.
"Put those clothes back into the closet NOW!" He ordered as he came to stand behind me, his tall frame loomed over my smaller one before I felt the sharp sting of my hair being pulled followed by his hand striking against my face. The slap had caught me off guard sending me crashing on the floor,the suitcase falling with me.
My palm flew to my face holding my aching cheek as I stared up at him with bloodshot eyes. Heat spread across my skin but the tears didn't come. I've cried so many times that my body has lost the ability to produce any more tears.
"I'm tired of this. Why do you keep doing this? Haven't you done enough already? What more do you want?" My voice cracked raw with pain. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened but I have no idea why I always stayed with him but it would damn well be the last time.
Damien's chest rose and fell rhythmically like a predator sizing up its prey. His dark eyes turned into hers with something dangerous as he spat out the words. "Just because you got a job at a fancy school, you think you're suddenly better than me, Elara? Is that it? You think you can just leave after all the years we've spent together? Do you think any man would ever want you again? You're a burden and I'm just putting up with you so you don't get to leave me"
I laughed then—a broken sound, bitter and ugly. "Let me be, Damien. It's enough. I don't want this relationship anymore, Damien. The only thing you've ever done is hurt me. You've changed so much. I'm tired."
His jaw tightened. "I'd watch the words that comes out of my mouth if I were you"
"What if I don't?" I asked in a whispered tone as I stood up craning my head to stare at him, poking his chest with trembling fingers that refused to listen to my pounding heart. "What if I don't watch my mouth? What are you going to do? Hit me? You've done that already. I'm tired of letting you walk over me. I thought you'd change after I caught you in bed with another woman. I thought you'd change even though you made it a priority to hit me every day and night. You're everything younger me vowed never to let into my life. I'm done with this relationship. I'm done with you, Damien"
The words seemed to have ignited something dangerous inside him as anger twisted his handsome face into something so terrifying that I felt my soul leaving my body.
He lunged forward but before I could react,his hand struck the side of my head causing me to fall to the floor again. His fist connected with my face again with a thud that made my bone rattle. I could still smell the whiskey from his breath. "If you dare leave this apartment, you'll regret this for the rest of your life. You hear me? You're NOTHING without me. I'll fucking kill you if you ever think of leaving me."
"Why don't you go ahead and kill me? What's stopping you? Huh? What's stopping you from killing me right now, Damien?" I shot back though my voice was barely more than a whisper.
His hand curled into a tight fist by his side. For a moment, I thought he was having a self reflection on what I had just said. Maybe he'd finally see how much he has hurt me and remember how we once started. But Damien didn't stop.
The punch came so fast that I didn't have the time to protect my face. My head snapped to the side,pain exploding like fireworks behind my eyes. If he doesn't kill me now, nothing else can ever kill me. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I crawled away from him trying to put a distance between us, shielding my face with a strangled gasp.
"Stop…" I managed to choke out as I struggled to get away from him, tears finally spilling down my cheeks.
"Not so brave again, huh? You're so pathetic." He sneered, towering over my trembling form as though he was a God and I was supposed to worship him. "You'll not leave me. In fact, we'll be getting married in two months and you better be ready. I'm the only one you have left. Your stupid little teaching job can only feed you for a little time. You can never be anything more."
I looked up at him then, and for the first time in seven years, I finally saw him for who he truly was. I was blinded by his love for me that I failed to love myself too.
My fingers brushed against the strap of my suitcase and with the last ounce of strength left in me, I pulled it towards me staggering a little before standing on my wobbly feet.
"I'd rather die than get married to you" I whispered in a trembling voice as I walked past him towards the door. I had expected him to stop me but he didn't touch me. "I'll never grow if I keep staying with you. You're restricting me."
His face twisted in rage. "Don't you fucking walk out on me!"
He lunged towards me but I was lucky enough to step out of the way before he could drag me. I yanked the door open, slamming the door behind me with a force that shook the walls. I heard the creak of the door behind me as he opened it. "It'll be so much worse when I get you myself"
I continued to run away from the little apartment,my suitcase pressed against my chest, heart pounding against my ribs as though it wanted to jump out. My whole body ached and I felt like I was on the verge of passing out.
A tear slid down my bruised cheek as I whispered to the empty street, "You finally left him, Elara"