Episode 2: The Man I Once Loved
1127 Words
"The man I once loved still exists... only in the memories that refuse to let me go."
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After Damien left, the silence that returned to the room felt heavy and suffocating.
Elaris remained on the cold marble floor, staring blankly at the scattered porcelain around her. It was the exact same cup Damien had thrown—the same cup she normally would have replaced before he even noticed it was gone. Because that was her role in this house. She fixed things, cleaned up the messes, and apologized for the damage even when she hadn’t caused it.
Slowly, she reached for the broken pieces. A sharp edge cut into her finger, and a dark drop of blood fell onto the floor, but she didn’t even flinch. Pain had long since become a familiar companion.
Grabbing a cloth from the kitchen, she began wiping the coffee stain from the marble. Her movements were slow and automatic, guided by a body that already knew the routine, even if her heart no longer had the strength to care. Another stain, another mess, another trace of Damien left behind.
Her fingers paused on a shard of porcelain. For a split second, a memory flashed in her mind—a time from seven years ago, when Damien had held a broken cup and looked absolutely terrified of hurting her. Back when his eyes were still filled with love. Or at least, what she used to think was love.
Her gaze softened before she could stop herself. It was before the bruises, before the fear, and long before she learned that love could double as a cage.
She never had a simple answer when people asked when she knew she loved Damien Sterling. She couldn't even remember the exact moment she fell in love with Damien. Somehow, it simply happened. Until she woke up one day and realized he was the first person she searched for in a crowded room. Back then, he was the man everyone admired, and she genuinely believed he would never hurt her.
To the world, Damien was a man who had everything: wealth, power, and influence. The Sterling name opened doors before he even stepped inside. He was respected from a distance, the kind of man who never needed to raise his voice to command a room. But Elaris thought she saw the man behind the perfect image.
Their first meeting had been on a rainy evening in the lobby of a corporate building. Elaris was rushing, clutching documents against her chest while trying not to spill her coffee. Naturally, the papers slipped, scattering across the floor. But before the coffee could stain her blouse, a hand caught the cup.
“Careful,” a voice said.
When she looked up, she saw Damien Sterling. At that moment, he wasn’t the feared businessman everyone whispered about, nor the man whose name would later become her prison. He was just a stranger helping her pick up her things.
“I’m sorry,” she had said quickly, watching him look at the mess. “Because I almost ruined your suit.”
Damien had stared at her for a moment, and then he smiled—a real, genuine smile, not the controlled expression he saved for investors. “You were worried about my suit?”
“I mean… it’s expensive,” she admitted, embarrassed.
“And your papers?”
“They can be replaced.”
Damien raised an eyebrow, his tone gentle and patient. “So can my suit.”
That was the side of him she fell for, the illusion she clung to for years.
A sharp sting in her hand snapped her back to reality. The memory faded, replaced instantly by the cold, oppressive silence of the Sterling mansion. She looked down at the thin line of blood running along her finger. Seven years ago, Damien would have panicked at the sight of her bleeding. He would have cleaned the wound himself, offering apologies even if it wasn't his fault.
Now, he was the reason she was bleeding.
The realization hurt worse than the cut.
Elaris stood up, tossing the broken pieces into the trash one by one. Each clink against the bin felt strangely final, like discarding pieces of memories she could never bring back. She wished memories could be thrown away as easily as broken porcelain.
Unfortunately...
They never were.
She walked into the downstairs bathroom and locked the door. The mirror greeted her with a stranger's face. A faint purple mark was already blooming beneath her cheekbone, her lower lip was split, and her eyes looked completely hollow.
Her phone vibrated against the sink.
Mom Calling.....
Elaris watched it ring until it went to voicemail. A second later, a text popped up: “Dad and I are thinking of visiting this weekend. Is Damien free? We miss you, sweetheart.”
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. Every fiber of her being wanted to type the truth: Please don't come. He isn't the man you think he is. I'm scared.
Instead, her thumbs moved on autopilot, typing out the familiar script: “Of course! We'd love to see you. Damien has been busy with work, but he's doing well. I miss you too.”
She pressed send.
One more lie.
One more illusion kept alive.
When the doorbell rang at nine-fifteen, her heart skipped a beat. She wasn't expecting anyone. Opening the front door cautiously, she found a delivery man holding a large white box wrapped in a satin ribbon.
"Mrs. Sterling? Special delivery," he said.
She signed for it automatically, and once the door was closed, she untied the ribbon. Inside were dozens of fresh, fragrant white lilies. Nestled between the petals was a small envelope with his unmistakable handwriting: I'm sorry about this morning. Wear these tonight. Love, Damien.
Elaris crumpled the card in her hand. Damien never forgot the flowers. Every bruise came with an apology, and every apology came with a bouquet, as though petals could magically erase pain.
Without a second thought, she walked to the kitchen, opened the trash bin, and dropped the card inside. Then, one by one, she threw the flowers away, watching the white petals disappear beneath yesterday's garbage. For the first time in seven years, she didn't keep them.
Her phone vibrated.
Damien: I trust you won't embarrass me tonight.
Elaris stared at the screen.
She didn't reply.
She simply locked her phone and looked at the empty trash bin, where the lilies lay buried beneath yesterday's garbage.
Tonight, she would still wear the white dress. She would still stand beside him, and everyone would see the perfect couple they believed in. But no one would know that behind her smile, Elaris was finally planning her escape.
- Writer
