Shattered Vows

THIRD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

CHAPTER ONE

It was dawn. Darkness had erupted the earth as not a single image could be sighted outside.

There was a cool breeze outside and its sensation sent goosebumps to my skin.

I laid on the mattress, wrapped in a heavy duvet as I scrolled endlessly with my phone watching some reels with little interest or excitement.

I straightened up and looked at the wall clock again for the umpteenth time as I waited endlessly for my husband.

My heart pounded heavily and my heart beat could be heard even from miles away.

My hands clung to my phone as various thoughts enveloped my mind.

I checked the time and it was already late in the night and I concluded to call my husband.

I dialed his number once but there was not a single response and was about dialing it again when I suddenly remembered that he had warned me severally never to call his number more than once.

I stared at the ceiling as I counted them multiple times while waiting for my husband.

Today was our third wedding anniversary but my husband was nowhere to be found.

I dropped the phone, heaving a sigh of relief.

A wave of trepidation flowed across my veins as I heard a knock on the door.

Patting myself and taking down deep breaths, I walked to the door.

I jerked the doorknob and a man appeared. He was handsome and tall-looking. He was handsome as a god from ancient Greek painting.

His well-defined jawline and pointed nose accentuated his pointed nose and masculine figure.

“Where have you been all night?” I asked, as I furrowed her eyebrows.

“Who made you a watchdog over me,Andrea?” Leo reacted, his big blue eyes narrowing as he made to walk past me.

His voice was as cold as ice.

“Could you at least tell me where you have been to?” I queried as I followed him.

“I deserve to know” I pressed further.

“Andrea, I am not in for your endless complaints and nagging, I need some rest” he sassed as he made his way into the bathroom.

His voice was as cold as ice.

“Do you remember what today is?” I asked as I shoved away his careless attitude.

“ Could you at least go straight to the point and spare me your endless illusions?” he asked me as my smiling face disappeared, giving in disappointment.

“Ahh, —

“you___you don't remember what this special day is?” I stammered, this time expecting an encouraging answer.

“Ma’am, today has been so exhausting and hectic, so I don't think I would let you drain me of my energy with your endless and irrelevant questions” he dropped, his voice void of expression.

I stared at him like one who had seen a dwarf fish as my tongue was kept tied to my mouth.

I swallowed a lump as I proceeded to tell him what today was.

“Today is our special day, our third anniversary!!!” I shouted as I made my way towards him to give him a hug.

My smiling face was welcomed with a great push which sent me rolling to the floor as I writhed in pain.

“Special day?” he mimicked

“You referred to our anniversary as a special day?” he furthered, not caring of how I yelled in pain on the floor due to the headache and pain from the fall.

“What is special about being in a marriage with you?” He asked which left me gobsmacked.

“Are we to celebrate your endless miscarriages or the fact that you eat up all the children planted in your womb?”

“ Huh??”

“ Or your fat belly and large nose which you suddenly developed after succeeding in luring me into getting married to you or–?”.

“ Huh, oh my bad, I nearly forgot, the suffocating odor from your body each time I try coming close to you is worth celebrating?” He furthered as he smirked.

“Come on sweetheart, let's celebrate you, let's celebrate the large decayed teeth in the front of your mouth with its intoxicating smell?” he mocked.

“Let's celebrate the burnt side of your face which has always made you look like an old, retired witch,” he continued.

“Cheers to more years of barrenness and multiple miscarriages” he continued as he made his way away from my sight.

I stood transfixed on one spot, shocked to my wits as streaks of tears flowed down my eyes with no restrictions.

He moved closer to me as he attempted to hug me but withdrew immediately.

He moved his mouth closer to my ears and muttered.

“ You smell so bad like a fat dirty pig”.

“ You look awful and ugly and there is totally nothing worth celebrating with you,” he whispered as I clenched my fists in utter shock.

I stared at him and tears flowed down my cheeks, making their way to my arms.

“Babe…, I ….” I stammered with quivering lips.

My legs were shaking vigorously and they could hardly carry me anymore.

“Was Leo gaslighting me?”

“ Was he actually trying to blame for the scars of my face which I had sustained while trying to save him and his best friend; our family friend?” I asked rhetorically.

I could swear that this was not the Leo I got married to.

The once, loving, cheerful and kind Leo had turned out to be a beast and ruthless husband.

We had met while we were still in secondary school and he had always been an extraordinary and doting husband.

We had always been fond of ourselves which made outsiders think that we were siblings.

When my father in-law was about to pass away, he had arranged for us to get married owing to the fact that he had always loved me.

Few years after my marriage with Leo, I got pregnant and Leo had advised me to quit work, handing over my family's company to him.

But my life took an unexpected turn when I got involved in a fire accident and lost my unborn child.

I could remember that day vividly……