POWER, PASSION AND PROFITS

Alyssa's Predicament

Alyssa Howard, known in these parts as Rebecca Moon, has always been a good judge of character. She had liked Robert from the very first time she set her eyes on him at a colleague's party. His aura was enchanting and alluring. He had been the life of the party, making everyone laugh. He had also taken an immediate liking to her, and they immediately got off on the right foot.

Their romance had blossomed for two years. Robert was always attentive to her needs and always made her feel so special. She had fallen hard for him. Everyone was always telling her about how lucky she was to have found a man like Robert, and she had totally agreed with them.

Unknown to her that he would soon reveal his true nature to her. It started with little comments here and there, where he would make silly comments and would brush them off whenever she confronted him about them, always accusing her of being overly sensitive.

She most times would also attribute it to her being paranoid and wave them off. After all, relationships aren't supposed to be perfect. Over time, she realized that they were signs she couldn't ignore anymore or sweep under the carpet as his temper would flare over the smallest things.

He wasn't the caring, loving man he had always shown her anymore. He would stand her up for dinner or when they were to go to an event with no explanations for his actions. Rather, he would lash out at her and claim that she was trying to monitor his movements.

On one of such occasions, Robert hadn't shown up for a dinner fundraiser they were both supposed to attend together. She had called several times, but his calls kept going to his voicemail. She had been worried as she thought something bad might have happened to him.

Robert finally returned at about 3am smelling of alcohol and eyes shining brightly like he was high on some kind of drug with lipstick stains on his shirt. He didn't look like himself at all. When she tried to find out where he had been, he completely ignored her.

His attitude had infuriated her, but she tried to keep as calm as she could. “Robert, we were supposed to be at the dinner fundraiser, but you didn't show up”, she said.

“Enough with the questions, miss busybody”, Robert had retorted “I'm not your baby. I had things to attend to” he continued in a tone that she had never heard him use on her before.

“You could have called Robert. I was worried something might have happened to you”

“I just told you I was busy”, Robert had shouted while moving rapidly towards her, making her heart pound rapidly in her chest from fear and she stepped back.

Robert looked menacingly at her, his fists clenched and tone angry. “I'm tired of your constant nagging Rebecca, and your need to want to control and monitor where I go and what I do.”

“That's not true Robert, all I'm asking for is just a phone call if….” but before she could complete her sentence, Robert pushed her so hard that she had to hold on to the chair to steady herself. As she tried to pull herself together she saw Robert quickly pick up a white substance in a small sachet.

It seemed to have fallen out of his pocket. She knew immediately he was doing drugs. She didn't know how she had ended up falling for Robert. How she had never seen these signs before now. The tears flowed freely as she couldn't take the pain anymore.

“Robert, you have completely changed” she had said amidst tears. “Why are you doing this? Why this sudden change? Where did all the promises of love and protection suddenly disappear?” She cried as she looked up at Robert.

“And whose fault is that?” Robert said angrily, gripping her so tight while she struggled to free herself from his grip. “Get your hands off me Robert, you're hurting me" she cried and, without a warning, Robert landed a slap across her face, causing her to fall down hard and flat on her bum.

A heavy silence descended on the room. Robert stood breathing heavily, angrily staring at her. She couldn't help crying as she had never been treated this badly before by a man. She felt so helpless at the moment —reduced to nothing.

Her world had come tumbling down at that moment, and she couldn't place it at all, how Robert had gradually become the monster that he is now. How had he managed to fool her all along? Robert just stormed out of the room, leaving her crying on the floor.