INTRODUCTION

Teerve had a difficult childhood, characterized by his controlling and abusive parents. They were always critical and demanding, setting high expectations and harsh punishments. As a result, Teerve grew up feeling a deep sense of insecurity and insecurity, always feeling like he was never good enough. This deep-seated trauma and insecurity shaped his personality, making him highly possessive and dominant in his relationships. It also made it difficult for him to trust others, as he always feared rejection and abandonment. Teerve's parents had a cold and distant relationship with each other, and he grew up in a family where love and affection were rarely shown. He never experienced the warmth and support of a healthy family dynamic, which added to his insecurities and feelings of isolation. Despite appearing tough and confident on the outside, Teerve was a broken and damaged person on the inside. Teerve's parents had a traditional view of masculinity, and they expected Teerve to be strong, aggressive, and never reveal any vulnerability. They instilled in him the belief that emotions were a sign of weakness, and he was taught to suppress his feelings and always appear tough and in control. As a result, Teerve's emotional intelligence was severely stunted, and he had a hard time dealing with his own emotions and those of others. Teerve grew up feeling like he had to be the strong one, the one who was always in control. He never learned how to express his feelings or ask for help, and he felt like he had to be perfect and never show any weakness. This constant pressure to be the alpha, the provider, and the protector, only added to his sense of insecurity and fear of rejection.

Teerve's traumatic childhood experiences and his parents' behavior towards him left him with a deep-seated belief that he was not good enough and that he had to be the most dominant and powerful in every situation. Teerve and Sreejitha were initially strangers, they had not seen each other before. However, when Teerve saw her , he was struck by her beauty and gentleness, which stood in stark contrast to his own intense and rough personality. Despite his dominating nature, Teerve admired Sreejitha for her gentle and sweet demeanor, and he felt drawn to her. It was her grace and softness that piqued his interest and made him want to possess and claim her. Their relationship began with an unfortunate event. Teerve's intense and possessive nature led him to take things too far, and he ended up hurting Sreejitha in the process. This event left a mark on their relationship, creating a sense of tension and unease between them. Sreejitha was left feeling scared and intimidated by Teerve's dominant attitude, while Teerve was left confused and remorseful about his actions. This event set the tone for their complex and tumultuous relationship, filled with both love and fear.

...A slap...

Teerve tried to focus on his homework, hoping to distract himself from the tension in the room. But the quiet sound of his mother's and father's voices was too hard to ignore. He listened intently, trying to catch snippets of their conversation. He heard his mother complain about his father's long work hours, and his father grumbled about her constant nagging. Their words were dripping with disdain and annoyance, and it was clear that they were barely tolerating each other's presence.

Teerve looked up from his homework as his father's voice grew louder, his tone hardening with irritation.

"I'm tired of your constant complaints!" His father snapped. "You're always hounding me about something or another. It's like you're never satisfied."

His mother retorted, her voice just as sharp. "Maybe if you were home more often, I wouldn't have to complain all the time. You're always at the office, or at fancy dinners with clients. You're never here with your own family."

Teerve's grip tightened on his pen as he watched his parents exchange harsh words. He had heard this argument before, many times. It was always the same - his mother berating his father for his distance, and his father defending himself by pointing out his long work hours.

"I'm doing what I need to do to provide for this family," his father snapped back. "We wouldn't have this nice house, or the money for everything we own if it wasn't for my hard work."

Teerve's mother scoffed loudly. "You don't think I know that? It's all you ever talk about. Your work, your clients, your big business deals."

His father, clearly annoyed, retorted, "What do you want me to do, then? I'm working my ass off to give us a good life. Is that not good enough for you?"

"It's not just about the money," his mother shot back. "It's about spending time with your family. Your son needs his father."

His father let out a bitter laugh. "My son? You mean that lazy kid who spends all his time locked up in his room, studying or playing those stupid video games?"

Teerve's shoulders slumped as he overheard his father's comment. It stung to know that his own father saw him that way - as a "lazy kid" who wasn't worth his time. He wanted to rise to his own defense, but he knew it would only worsen the situation.

His mother, however, bristled with anger. "He's not lazy. He's hardworking and ambitious. Unlike you."

"Ambitious? Ha!" his father sneered. "He's just wasting his youth, burying his nose in books and games. He should be out there, enjoying life, socializing, and making connections. That's how you get ahead in this world."

Teerve couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt as he listened to his father's words. He had always thought that he was working hard to build a future for himself. He was studying hard to get into a good college, and he believed that his gaming skills could even lead to a career in esports one day. But his father's dismissive comments made him feel like his efforts were pointless.

His mother spoke up again, her voice filled with frustration. "You don't understand him at all. He's not like you. He doesn't care about money and connections. He just wants to follow his own path."

His father rolled his eyes, clearly not convinced by his mother's words. "His own path? What path is that, exactly? If he keeps up this pace, he's going to end up a nobody."

Teerve flinched as he heard his father's harsh words. He knew that he wasn't as outgoing or sociable as some of his peers, but he didn't want to be seen as a "nobody." He wanted to make a name for himself, to achieve something meaningful.

Teerve's mother sighed in frustration, clearly at her wit's end. "You're so closed-minded. You don't even try to understand him. Teerve has his own talents and dreams. Just because he's different from you, doesn't mean he's worthless."

His father simply snickered in response. "Talents and dreams. You mean those useless hobbies he spends all his time on? You're just enabling him."

Teerve's heart clenched as he heard his father dismiss his interests and hobbies. It felt like his father was invalidating everything he cared about. He wanted to speak up, to defend himself and his pursuits, but he knew that his father would never listen.

His mother, however, was not backing down. "Those 'useless hobbies' are what make him happy. And they could lead to something bigger in the future. You just refuse to see it."

"Happy, happy, happy," his father mocked. "Is that all you care about? You're just coddling him. He needs to grow up and face reality."

Teerve's mother's voice rose in anger. "Maybe if you gave him more attention instead of criticizing him at every turn, you'd see that he's already growing up!"

Teerve's father finally seemed to snap. "Attention? He don't need my attention. He needs to pull his weight and stop being such a disappointment. He's nineteen years old and he's still acting like a child."

His mother's expression darkened with fury. "A disappointment? You're the one who's being disappointing. As a husband and a father."

His father's face twisted into a scowl. "Excuse me? I'm the one who's providing for this family. I'm the one bringing in the money. I'm the one making sure we have a roof over our heads and food on the table every day."

His mother's jaw tightened. "Money isn't everything. You may provide for us in material terms, but what about emotionally? Do you even care about your son?"

His father shot back, his expression hardening even more. "Emotional crap? That's for weak people. Teerve needs to toughen up and face the real world. He won't get far if he keeps acting like a sensitive kid."

Teerve's mother looked like she was ready to explode. "He's not being sensitive! He's being human. He has feelings and needs just like everyone else."

His father let out a scoff. "Feels and needs. All that emotional bullshit. That's not how this world works. You either toughen up or get walked all over. That's what I'm trying to teach Teerve. I'm preparing him for the real world."

"By treating him like garbage?" his mother snapped. "Is that your idea of preparation? You call it toughening him up, but I call it abuse. You're destroying his self-esteem."

"Abuse? You're being dramatic," his father retorted. "I'm just being realistic. Teerve needs to understand that the world isn't a fair place. If he doesn't toughen up and face the hard truths now, he'll be eaten alive out there."

His mother's voice trembled with anger. "But he's our son! He should be able to find comfort and support at home, not be subjected to this constant criticism and harshness."

His father sneered. "Coddle him if you want, but don't come crying to me when he turns out to be a weak, timid loser."

His mother's voice trembled with anger. "But he's our son! He should be able to find comfort and support at home, not be subjected to this constant criticism and harshness."

His father sneered. "Coddle him if you want, but don't come crying to me when he turns out to be a weak, timid loser."

Teerve's mother shook with suppressed rage. "You're the weak one. You're too scared to show your son any love and compassion. You're afraid of being vulnerable and human."

His father looked at her with venom in his eyes. "Vulnerable and human? Sounds like more emotional bullshit. I'm just being practical."

"Practical, practical," his mother mocked. "That's just another word for heartless and cold. You're not preparing Teerve for the real world. You're turning him into someone just like you - bitter and detached. Is that really what you want for your own son?"

Teerve's eyes widened in shock as he heard the sound of his father's palm connecting with his mother's cheek. He had never seen his father lay a hand on his mother before, and he couldn't believe that it was happening right in front of him.

His mother let out a cry of pain, her hand flying to her face as she stumbled back a step. Her expression was one of disbelief and hurt, mixed with anger and defiance.

Teerve couldn't believe what he was witnessing. His father, the man who was supposed to protect and cherish his family, had just struck his own wife. Teerve felt a rage burning inside of him.

His mother slowly lowered her hand, revealing a red mark on her cheek where his father had struck her. Her eyes were narrowed with anger. "How dare you?"

Teerve's father sneered at his mother. "How dare I what? You're the one who was running your mouth, spouting all that useless emotional crap."

His mother, her voice shaking with anger, retorted, "You think it's useless? You think love and compassion are wasted on our own son? You're a monster."

His father glowered at his mother. "Love and compassion? Love and compassion don't pay the bills. You're living in a fantasy realm, where everything is all rainbows and butterflies. This is the real world, and in the real world, you have to be tough and pragmatic. You have to make sacrifices and hard decisions."

Teerve felt a deep pang of guilt and shame as he watched his father storm off and his mother break down in tears. His father's words echoed in his mind, and he wondered if it was all his fault.

His mother, now weeping and shaking, turned to him. Her words stung his heart like a dagger. "This ...is all your fault."

Teerve's heart sank even further as his mother blamed him for the argument and her own suffering. His eyes widened with disbelief and hurt.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "W-What? How is it my fault?" he stuttered out.

Teerve felt a wave of shock and sadness crash over him as his mother unloaded her anger and frustration. He had never seen her like this before, so cold and harsh.

He swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "I-I don't mean to push his buttons. I just ...I just want to be a good son."

His mother's expression darkened even more. "A good son? If you were a good son, you wouldn't cause your father so much stress and heartache. You would listen to him and respect his decisions. Instead, you're always arguing and fighting with him. You're a constant headache and source of disappointment."

Teerve felt a wave of loneliness and despair wash over him as his parents left. He was all alone now, with no one to turn to or lean on.

Tears streamed down his face as he hugged his knees to his chest, feeling the weight of his parents' accusations and criticisms bearing down on him. He wondered if he was really a disappointment and a bad son, like they said.

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