ONE-SHOT COLLECTIONS

Reliving Nightmare

How can one moment, the moment I thought would be my happiest turn upside down in a split second? How could this happen?

Looking at the knife in my hand, I held back the sob and close my eyes. "It will end once I do this... I can't do this anymore. I am tired of being used for people's greed," rising my hand high, I dove the knife towards my middle but instead of the pain I wanted, nothing.

"Don't do this, please Ria," that voice said and I held the sob in, albeit shock how he found me, I won't succumb to him anymore! "Levi! Don't you dare stop me!" Trashing against his hold, I tried to hold onto my knife as tears spilled out my lids.

"You jerk! You are just the same as the guys before you!" He shook his head as he kept reaching for me and looked at the knife wearily, "Ria! I love you! What are you talking about?" He cried and froze when I aim the sharp object in his direction, my tears freely fall in anger and hatred. How dare he?! "What did you do?" Sneering sarcastically, I took a step closer, anger building in me, "How dare you dare ask me that!" My bloodshot eyes looked into his perplexed green ones.

"Please, I have no clue what you are on about! My secretary said you ran out of a moving car! What were you thinking!?" He exasperated as he looked at me as if he would break down any moment.

"I wouldn't have run away if you didn't use me! You are after my parent's will! You never loved me! You are just the same as those greedy and blood-thirsty shareholders!" He froze and looked at me as if I had killed someone.

"You lied to me! You used me to get to my wealth! So guess what!? If I am dead, all of that money would go to charity! Not a dime will be given to your sorry ass!"

"Who told you I that?" He calmly talked, his demeanor now changed into a cold one. His eyes bore into mine and I felt chills down my spine at the turn of the atmosphere. "How did you know that?" He took a step forward and this time, the knife didn't seem to be a problem for him. "Tell me Aria, who told you that?"

I stiffen as my back hit the wall, what was going on? My tears dried completely as I look at the man in front of me. I suddenly felt very scared and can not think of anything else, "Aria, I asked you a simple question. I want an answer," Levi gritted out and in a split second, the knife was out of my hand and crashed on the floor.

"Who told you!?" He roared and cornered me to the wall, "Y-yo-your mo-mom," I stammered when he slammed the wall by my sides, scared with his change and he grunted at my answer.

Everything happened too fast next. One moment I tried to kill myself and end my life, the next thing I know, I am being choked. "You know... Everything was going well until that b***h decided it was a good thing to interfere... Why did she have to tell you?" he tsked as he looked at me with cold empty eyes. "My mother's a b***h for ruining this!" He slapped me and I whimpered. The pain took over my senses and the air was thinning out of me.

"I even bought you a birthday cake to win you over! I did everything to please you! And my mother had the nerve to destroy my plans?!" I tried to stop his hands from suffocating me but he pressed harder and I was seeing stars.

My hand aimlessly tried to reach or anything, anything that could have helped me but nothing was there. I was falling into darkness.

"Aria! Aria!" Voices called to me but I couldn't open my eyes. I was gasping for air as my eyes couldn't see anything anymore.

My body shook as I gasped for air, looking around the room, and saw my husband, Theodore. He looked at me with sad and knowing eyes. "Theo!" I clung to him and cried.

Through my tears, I see my wedding ring shine from the moonlight, proof that I am not dead. That I am in the arms of my loving, protective and caring husband. That I am no longer with that demon I once called lover.

Theo had helped me heal from that awful night. That rainy night my crazy ex tried to kill me all because his mother told me of his ill intentions for me. He had wanted to marry me and then kill me for my parent's wealth.

Theo hugged me and peppered kisses on my forehead, he kept chanting "It was just a dream baby... Just a nightmare," I know it was, but it felt so real. Like I was still reliving it. Like it was happening and never stopping. Even tonight, it was raining heavily. The pitter-patter of rain does not help me ease my frightened heart.

"He won't come back for you. He's locked away for good and cannot hurt you anymore," nodding, I sobbed silently as the memories flashed. It always seemed to happen on my birthday, the eve of it.

Just like that night. Everything came undone for us, Levi and me.

Every night of my birthday, I would be haunted by that rainy night. The sound of rain and the sight of cakes would make me shake with fear. Greed turned the man I once cared about into a monster.