Done With My Ex, Moving To The Next

Chapter 8: A Slap And Worse

Chapter 8: A Slap And Worse

My eyes tore up along with the sky. I didn't sob or roll on the ground..I remained on the ground, letting the raindrops fall on me—wash my tears off if they could.

I watched him walk away under the rain that evening like he'd done something award-deserving but, something in me had already turned rebellious, the exact moment he raised his hands at me.

I felt my heart lose life for a second as my world seemed to stop.

I'd never been hit by any man—not even my Father. But my own husband—he was the first. And I wasn't ready to let it slide.

The thunder struck again, this time with lightning but I remained on the ground till I'd had enough.

If I couldn't confront him, my parents would at least, stand for me.

They'd have my back— or so I thought.

Totally drenched, I made my move into the house but when I walked in, Dylan had changed his clothes and was settled in the living area—with a guest and that guest of his was the same man who had visited while he was away. And I had sent him away.

A feeling of shame, curiosity and uncertainty washed over me as I walked into the living area where my husband and that same man were seated.

“Oh, honey. I thought I had told you to come in," Dylan smiled at me lovingly, stretching his arm to have me in them while he sat, entertaining his visitor who didn't look so entertained. For the first time since we got married, he called me something sweet as that.

I was taken aback for an eyeblink but thankfully, no one could tell I had cried—even though I was still crying inwards. Not even him.

Drops of the rain still trickled down the strands of my hair to my face. “I have to get changed, I'll be right back" I said, passing by the living area as I made my way to the upper floor—where our rooms were.

He muttered something like an “I love you,", but I didn't wait to listen.

How could the man who had just hit me in the garden, less than 20 minutes ago become as sweet as that?

Not much later, I went downstairs after I changed and this time, he was being sweeter.

My instincts warned and I could swear that something was wrong. Dylan was nothing like this person.

“You and your wife sure look happy," His visitor smiled but I could tell there was something behind that smile—something we weren't seeing.

I couldn't raise my face to look at the man who I'd embarrassed terribly, even without knowing who he was.

Even though I stylishly waited for my husband to introduce this stranger to me, I couldn't bring myself to say it. I was uncomfortable but somehow, my mouth wouldn't open to say it.

He was probably a business partner or an old friend of his, telling from how they conversed but something was still not right.

I knew it.

I decided to take a sip of the juice my maid had served us.

“Honey, that's Rhys…the big bad brother himself” He finally found the intellect to introduce him to me and they both chuckled it off like it was nothing.

My skin burned in an inconveniently light tone.

That was Rhys, his half-brother whom he'd talked about to me, the leading CEO of their late father's companies and….I'd just worsened things between them because it seemed they had never been at good terms??

“Fuck." I muttered on low breath, realizing how much of mistake I'd made. He was practically my brother-in-law and I'd embarrassed and sent him away the day he visited.

Now I knew why Dylan was putting more effort into making us seem like a happy couple but I wished I could tell him how embarrassingly obvious what he was trying to fake was.

His grip on my shoulder tightened and his claw-like nails clawed into my skin, leaving tiny marks.

For heaven's sake, I wish I could tell him my insides were gumming up with the force he used to pull me closer.

My mind was far away from everything they spoke about. All I knew was that I'd done things wrongly and I needed to correct my mistakes by tendering and apology to my brother-in-law….Maybe I'd misjudged him by not wanting to think about the first time I'd seen—which he most definitely never took note of.

I stood abruptly, earning sudden stares from both brothers.

“I am sorry, Rhys. I apologize for sending you away on your past visits. If I had known who you are, I wouldn't have asked twice before letting you in.” i lowered my head for a bow before I returned back Dylan’s spread arms for another round of “forced lovey-dovey" but I could feel the tightness from Dylan.

I thought I'd done the wisest thing ever but little did I know I'd stepped on the sleeping dog’s tail.

"You really don't know or you're just pretending?”Rhys asked, leaning further as his tone pitched low, spreading across the room from the other side he sat.

My head on Dylan's chest brought his fast heartpump to my hearing.

“I'm sorry, I don't un—"

“Honey, you'd like to go upstairs for some seconds, right?" Dylan asked but it wasn't a question. It was more of an authoritative suggestion that I didn't know when I nodded a “yeah", chuckling nervously.

I knew there was more but, it was probably family matters to discuss so, I stepped out.

I remained on my bed in my room till the day perfectly transitioned into night.

My face still ached from the slap in the garden and I still sobbed—there was no way I could control my own tears when I was seeing myself slowly drown in the exact life I'd always feared, all my life.

My face turned up to the top as tears fell from my eyes to my ears, I wondered if I was about to make the right decision.

I’d just taken a photo of my sore—”Dylan's palm print" cheek and was contemplating if he really deserved another chance when the door flung open.

Dylan!

He was burning red as he charged at me with full force.

“What did you think you were doing outside there?" He roared, grabbing my neck so tight that I could neither inhale air through my nose or mouth.

“Dy…”—I coughed—”pl—”

As hard as I tried to loosen his grip, I failed until he finally released me.

“What did I do?" I managed to ask but instead of an answer, he questioned me. “When did you meet with Rhys?" He asked as I tried to regain balance.

"Answer me!” He roared again, birthing anxiety and unease that ran through my blood vessels.

“What is wrong with you, Dylan?" I screamed on top of my voice. One side of his lips tucked up in a shocked but relaxed manner as he stepped back a bit. That smirk was unmistakeable—he wanted this side of me and he was getting it.

“Do not talk back at me, princess. Do not push me" He warned in an eerily low tone that should have made me have a second thought but instead of instilling fear, his words seemed to erase my fear. I burned inside with hatred for the level of disrespect he was dishing out to me.

“Dylan, don't treat me like I am some kind of ordinary person who has no say. You can't just keep shouting at me because I apologized to your brother for some f*****g mistake I made” I paused to catch my breath again but he wasn't looking. He turned his back at me. I couldn't tell if he was distracted or merely avoiding eye contact.

"Fine. Are you jealous? Well, that's because of your stupid insecurity and ego! He's your brother and I am not someone who would stoop too low to have an extra-marital affair with some fuckers outside—”

And again!

He slapped me so hard that I saw white. My face fell flat to the bed while I managed to regain composure. A sudden sharp pain ran through my head,sending terrible aches from different parts, all joined into one that connected around my whole face.

I didn't cry, I didn't argue, neither was I shocked nor going to let a drop of tear fall of my eyes.

“Stella, you have managed to bring out the beast in me and now, what do you get out of it?” He chuckled like he really meant business.

"No one will save you while I beat your arse up and show you a million and one reasons why you should never talk back at me.” He paused then leaned in to grip my hair and pull me closer.

“I married you!” He shouted to my face, pushing my hair backwards to make me look at him but I looked down instead. My lips didn't make a sound except for my shaky breath.

"I married you, I will f**k you at any time I want and you will carry my f*****g babies! I would shove my c**k inside you, EVERY. BIT. OF. IT. and I never want to hear anything from your garbage of a mouth. Is that understood?”

I waited till he was done before I said the one sentence I knew would hurt his ego.

He'd lean in to probably hear me say I understood but instead, I administered a plot twist.

"f**k you, Dylan. You're just a few inches down there”

I didn't regret it even when he sent heavy slaps across my face that caused my lips bled. The pleasure of seeing his pained face boosted my ego and I knew we were just into it.

I endured it all but I made up my mind at that moment—my Father had to hear about it.

My Mother too.

Valerie too.

Everyone had to.

The world had to see the pretentious beast I'd married.

I dialed my Father's number and placed the phone on my ear when the worst happened.

That night, I faced reality.

Dylan made me a punching bag even when my parents were on the phone.