The Hook of Love
930 Words
The Long Silence
Bella sat on her bed with her phone clutched tightly in her hand. It had been two days since Peace’s warning, but her words still echoed relentlessly in her mind.
He’s stealing your identity.
Don’t let this man ruin you.
Real love doesn’t hurt like this.
Bella replayed them over and over, as though testing them against her heart. Yet, every time she tried to imagine cutting Eric off completely, her chest seized with panic. It felt like ripping out her own lungs.
She opened w******p, scrolling to his name, staring at the chat window. No message had come in since yesterday. He hadn’t called either. And the silence was killing her.
Maybe he’s just busy.
Maybe he’s testing me to see if I’ll reach out first.
Maybe… maybe he’s angry.
Her mind spun in a thousand directions, but all roads led back to one truth: she needed to hear his voice.
The Craving
She typed:
Bella: Hey, are you okay?
She hovered over the send button for a long time before deleting it. Her pride resisted, but her heart screamed louder.
Why did it feel like this? Why did missing him feel like a physical ache in her bones?
Bella lay back against the pillow and closed her eyes, remembering the first time Eric kissed her. The warmth of his lips, the way his hands had framed her face so gently, as though she was precious. In that moment, she had felt alive in a way she never had before.
Every time he touched her, every time he called her baby, every time he leaned close and whispered, “You’re mine” those moments stitched themselves into her soul. And no matter how much pain came after, she kept going back to those memories like a thirsty traveler returning to a poisoned well.
Flashbacks of “Love”
Bella remembered the night Eric surprised her with dinner. It hadn’t been extravagant, just shawarma and cold drinks at his apartment. But he had looked into her eyes and said, “I don’t want anyone else, Bella. You’re special to me.”
That night, she had slept in his arms, and for once, the world felt safe. She wanted that feeling again. She craved it.
The truth was ugly, but she couldn’t deny it Eric had become her drug. And like any addict, she was chasing the high of those sweet moments, no matter how rare they were.
Peace’s Visit
Peace barged into her room that evening, holding a bag of groceries. “You look like you haven’t eaten all day,” she scolded.
Bella managed a weak smile. “Thanks. You’re always looking out for me.”
Peace studied her face for a long moment, then sighed. “You’ve been quiet since we talked. Tell me the truth, Bella… are you still holding on to him?”
Bella’s throat tightened. She lowered her gaze, twisting the edge of her bedsheet in her fingers.
Peace sat down beside her, her voice gentler now. “Talk to me.”
Bella inhaled shakily, then whispered the words she had been afraid to admit out loud:
“I can’t let him go, Peace.”
The Confession
Tears spilled down Bella’s cheeks as the confession tumbled out of her.
“I’ve tried. I’ve thought about everything you said. I’ve replayed every hurtful thing he’s done. But when I think about never seeing him again, never hearing his voice, never feeling his arms around me… it feels like dying. I don’t know who I am without him anymore.”
Peace’s eyes softened with sorrow, but her jaw tightened in frustration. “Bella, that’s exactly what I mean he’s made you forget who you are. He’s taken so much of you that you can’t even see life without him. That’s not love, it’s bondage.”
Bella shook her head desperately. “No, it’s love. It has to be. Because why else would it feel this strong? Why else would I keep coming back?”
Peace whispered, almost to herself, “Because you’re addicted to him.”
The War Within
That night, after Peace left, Bella sat by the window staring at the moon.
She hated herself for her weakness. She hated that she couldn’t follow the logical path that Peace had drawn for her. She hated that her heart was louder than her mind.
Why can’t I just let him go? she screamed silently. Why can’t I walk away like Peace says?
But deep inside, she knew the answer. Because every part of her identity her happiness, her sense of being wanted, her hope was now tied to Eric. Letting him go meant unraveling herself completely.
The Hook Tightens
At midnight, her phone buzzed. Her heart leapt.
Eric: Hey, babe. Missed you.
Her hands shook as she typed back instantly.
Bella: Missed you too.
And just like that, all the tears, all the warnings, all the sleepless nights faded into the background. One message was enough to soothe her pain, to convince her she was still wanted.
That was the hook. That was the chain. That was the cycle.
Bella’s Final Reflection
As she lay in bed afterward, her phone pressed to her chest, Bella whispered into the dark:
“I know he hurts me… I know Peace is right… but I can’t let him go. Not yet.”
And even though she hated herself for it, she closed her eyes with a small, broken smile. Because for tonight, Eric still wanted her. And that was enough to silence the storm inside her heart.
- Writer
