TWO
"What did you just say?" Lucas repeated, his voice dropping an octave, laced with a heavy, suffocating authority. It was the kind of tone that warned me there would be deadly consequences if I dared to defy him again.
If I hadn't been so genuinely terrified by his drastic change in demeanor, I would have snapped back with the first bitter thought in my head.
But before I could even part my lips to answer, his hand shot up and gripped my chin. His fingers dug in hard not like the gentle touch from moments before. He forced my face upward, tilting my head back so sharply that my mouth parted slightly from the sudden pain.
Our eyes locked. This time, I could swear I saw a flash of... jealousy? My brows furrowed in confusion. I swear this man must have Dissociative Identity Disorder.
"Answer me. Why are you quiet, hmm?" He leaned his body weight into me, pinning me brutally against the hard wood of the door.
I let out a soft groan of pain, feeling utterly crushed under his frame. "With Ethan," I blurted out, forcing myself to look straight into his eyes, masking the absolute terror clawing at my throat.
"You dare to go out with another man, Elaine?" Lucas murmured. He reached up, slowly brushing a stray lock of my hair behind my ear, before his hand slid down to my waist, his fingers gripping my hip in a bruising hold. "Have you forgotten your place? You are my wife, yet you have the audacity to sneak out with another man dressed like this?"
Panic surged through me as his hand slid even lower, tracing down the curve of my thigh. He leaned his face in, his lips hovering mere inches from mine, intending to kiss me. Before his mouth could connect with mine, I whipped my head to the side.
He is completely out of his mind.
"Let me go, Lucas," I spat out, my voice trembling with rage. "Clara is going to wake up any minute. When she does, she’ll start throwing another tantrum, accusing me of seducing you when you’re the one who’s throwing himself at me."
It was the cold, hard truth. Why the hell was he questioning my loyalty or my right to go out with a friend when I hadn’t even questioned his audacity to bring his pregnant mistress into our home?
"Let her wake up," Lucas whispered against my skin, his voice dark and reckless. "Let her watch exactly how intimate we can be."
His lips traveled down, pressing against my neck. A wave of disgust washed over me. Gathering every ounce of strength I had left, I shoved his chest hard. Unprepared for the sudden retaliation, Lucas stumbled back a step, losing his grip on me.
"You pathetic excuse of a husband!" I yelled, not caring if my voice echoed through the entire house. "What?, one woman isn't enough for you? Just because she fell asleep without satisfying your pathetic urges, you think you can just use me instead? Stupid!"
The commotion did exactly what I expected. Over on the sofa, Clara stirred, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
Lucas froze, a look of genuine shock crossing his features. It was the first time he had ever heard me raise my voice like that. Before this, I had always been the quiet, submissive wife who silently endured whenever he used my body to satisfy his desires.
"Baby... what's wrong?" Clara’s whiny, delicate voice broke the silence as she sat up, clutching her slipping robe against her chest.
I let out a mocking scoff, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow at Lucas.
"Nothing, darling" Lucas replied instantly, his sharp demeanor vanishing as he turned to her his voice softening into that gentle caring tone he reserved only for her. "Come on, let's go upstairs to sleep."
To his room. To his bed. I was his legal wife, yet he had never once shared his bed with me let alone allowed me into his private bedroom.
But before he took a step toward Clara, Lucas leaned back into my space. His breath hitched against my ear as he hissed a low, menacing whisper "Go. Upstairs. Now." He emphasized every single word like a threat.
I glared at him, matching his low volume. "Do you honestly think I care?"
The moment the words left my mouth, he leaned in a fraction closer a dangerous smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Try me, baby. You have no idea what I can do to your precious Ethan tonight. One phone call, and things can happen to him in the blink of an eye. Defy me, Elaine. I dare you."
Before I could even process the threat, he leaned in and planted a swift mocking kiss on my cheek. He turned away, walking over to the sofa to scoop Clara up into his arms. As he carried her toward the stairs, he paused looking back at me over his shoulder. He gave me a mocking, triumphant smile and a slow wink before disappearing upper level.
That absolute bastard.
Because of his threat, my courage evaporated. I couldn't risk it. I knew exactly what kind of man Lucas was—when he said a door was closed, he would lock it and burn the key. If I pushed him tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up tomorrow to a phone call telling me Ethan was dead. Prevention was better than a lifetime of regret.
But God, the humiliation burned.
Storming up to my room, I threw myself onto the bed grabbed my phone and dialed Ethan’s number.
"Sophie! Where are you? I'm already at the spot," Ethan’s warm familiar voice echoed through the line immediately making the heavy guilt in my chest tighten.
"Ethan... I'm so sorry," I choked out, fighting back the sob rising in my throat. "I don't think I can make it tonight. My... my period cramps just hit me out of nowhere, and it hurts so bad. I'm really sorry for canceling last minute."
"Sophie, did something happen?" Ethan’s voice sharpened with instant worry. "Did Lucas do something to you? Do you want me to come over there right now?"
Of course he knew. I could never hide anything from him, he was my childhood best friend after all.
"Can we talk about this another time? I just really need to rest. You should head home Ethan... or go hang out with Jane." I mumbled desperately trying to end the call before my voice cracked completely.
I heard Ethan let out a heavy sigh on the other end. "Alright. I'll come by your office tomorrow. See you tomorrow babe. Goodnight."
The moment the call disconnected, I ran straight into the bathroom.
I turned the shower on, letting the cold water pour over my head as I finally collapsed, letting out the tears I had been choking on. I wept under the heavy stream, letting the rushing water wash away my tears and the unbearable agony suffocating my heart.
It hurt. It hurt so damn much. He treated me like nothing more than an object to satisfy his lust whenever he pleased, keeping me trapped like an animal in a golden cage.
If I told myself I had moved on and stopped loving him, it would be a pathetic lie. He was my first love—the boy I had fallen for back in our university days. When my father arranged this marriage, I thought it was a blessing, a dream come true. I never knew it would become the very anchor that dragged me into a living hell.
The way he treated Clara, the gentleness in his touch with her, the privilege she had of sleeping in his bed and waking up with him by her side every morning... things I had never once experienced. He only ever came to my room in the dead of night to satisfy his carnal desires, leaving me alone in the cold before the sun even rose.
He treated me no better than a paid whore. Yet, whenever I begged for a divorce, he refused to let me go. It was as if I was a possession he was determined to keep not to cherish or love, but simply to torture.
Oh God... how much longer can I survive this? How much longer do I have to pretend to be strong in front of them, acting like I don't care, while my heart is bleeding out inside?
Am I truly not allowed to be happy?
