CARRYING HIS SECRET

“If you think you’ve successfully trapped me, you’re wrong.” His voice was calm, but his eyes were blazing like fire. His disgust was so evident as he looked at the woman on the bed. Elena didn’t move. She was still in the silk robe beneath her wedding dress, the fabric wrinkled from where she had been sitting too long. The day was barely over, yet it already felt ruined beyond repair. Her wedding day!! “I didn’t ask to marry you,” she said. Her voice was shaky from the tears that threatened to spill despite her effort. He laughed loudly and sharply. “You?” He stepped closer. “You're so weak and pitiful. Acting like you didn’t benefit from this. Or didn't you?” Elena flinched. “You should be grateful,” he continued, louder now. “My father ruined my life, ruined my eight years relationship all for what? You? And you think I’ll let you pretend this marriage means anything? I will show you hell.” She opened her mouth, but he didn’t wait. He slammed the door angrily behind him. The sound echoed in the room long after he was gone. She didn’t cry immediately, all her life she has been subjected to this so she's learnt that tears never really helped. She just sat there, heart racing, listening, waiting. Every footstep outside the room made her body tense. He didn’t come back. Hours passed. Her last hope of a happy life at last dashed! The champagne on the table remained untouched. The room grew colder. Her thoughts drifted where she didn’t want them to go ... .back to her father’s face when he signed the marriage papers, to the way he avoided looking at her, like she carried a curse. Her mind drifted to standing in front of him years ago, clutching her report card with trembling hands. She had come first. Again. She had thought naively hat maybe, just maybe this time he would things would be different and he would smile. Maybe this time he would say he was proud. He hadn’t even looked at her. “You got your intelligence from her,” he had said flatly, signing a document. Her mother. The woman whose face she had only ever known through framed photographs. The woman everyone said she resembled too much. Same blue eyes. Same dark hair. Same fragile beauty. She had died giving birth to her and twenty-eight years later, that sin had never been forgiven. She killed the love of his life he has continued to claim. When he announced the marriage, he hadn’t asked for her opinion. He had simply informed her. “This union will benefit the family,” he said, eyes fixed on the papers in front of him. “You will not embarrass us!” and she had silently prayed that nature would be fair to her and give her a kind man. She shifted on the bed, pulling the robe tighter around herself as she dragged herself back to reality. Sleep refused to come. The silence felt comforting, she dreaded him coming back and she didn't know what to expect. Then she heard it. Footsteps, slow and dragging. He was back! Her heart started beating louder and faster against her ribs. She sat up, clutching the sheets tightly just as the door was pushed open, hard. The room was dark, but the figure that entered wasn’t her husband. He was taller, broader and unsteady. The smell of alcohol hit her before he did. “Wait ... .wrong room…” she tried to speak, but the word never fully formed. He was on her in seconds. Before she could react or scream, he fell on her heavily, putting his hands on her and tearing her clothes. She struggled but her body felt useless beneath his weight. “Please,” she sobbed. “I just got married. I’ll pay you….please…. Anything please don't do this” He didn’t respond. His breath smelt heavily of alcohol as he continued molesting damaging her physical and emotionally. Her voice broke and somewhere between the pain and the fear, something inside her shut down. Yes! She lost her virginity finally on her wedding night but it wasn't her husband…it was to a strange man that she didn't even know. This was how it ended, she thought. Not with love or even with dignity. As the thrusting went harder and harder she cried harder finally making up her mind to commit suicide, life has been too unfair to her and just maybe it's time she finally let go. Different wild thoughts ran through her head, did the man she just marry send someone to r**e her as punishment…she couldn't put it pass him. When it was over, she lay there, staring at the ceiling, numb. He didn’t flee or panic. He collapsed heavily beside her and fell asleep. Elena turned her head slowly, watching his chest rise and fall. Rage burned through her. She slid out of the bed determined to leave it all behind, her father, her home… it was never really much of a home anyways or maybe even end it all. Her legs shook, but they held. She grabbed her clothes, dressed quietly, and slipped out of the room. Then it hit her! she had not even seen his face. Not once. She ran back to the room and switched on her flashlight pointing it directly at him, looked at him with pure hatred radiating from every part of her. But what she saw confused her. He he didn't look like a rogue, he looked like a gentle man, well trimmed beards with nice skin. His clothes looked very expensive. He looked like he could someone who would have gotten any girl of his choice without stress and yet…… She couldn't wrap her head around why such a man would force himself on her. She brought out her phone and took several pictures of him. Maybe not now but she was determined to find out who and why he had come to hurt her so much. Then she left again, this time for good and aa she moved through the silent corridors of the hotel, she could hear her own heart beat, he would pay. No, they will all pay!!