Alec stood towering over Melissa, his bloodshot eyes locked onto hers with a rage so fierce it felt like fire scorching her skin. Without breaking their eye contact, he brought the bottle to his lips again—taking one furious sip after another. Each gulp seemed to fuel the storm brewing inside him.
Melissa’s heart pounded in terror, her breath shallow and shaky. The moment he finished the bottle, he raised it high above his head. Her eyes widened in panic. She thought he was going to strike her.
“No!” she screamed, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes shut, bracing for impact.
But instead of the blow, the sound of shattering glass exploded through the room as Alec hurled the empty bottle to the floor.
Melissa’s scream echoed into silence. Her body trembled. Slowly, she opened her ey
