Maria sat at the dinner table, her gaze fixed on the intricate patterns of the tablecloth, trying to ignore the icy presence of Anthony beside her. She hated being around him, despised the way he treated her like a possession rather than a person. But tonight, she had a mission—to retrieve her phone, which Anthony had confiscated earlier that morning.
"Anthony," she began, her voice steady but laced with underlying tension. "Can I have my phone back now?"
Anthony looked up from his plate, his expression unreadable. "Why the rush, Maria? We're just starting dinner."
Maria clenched her jaw, suppressing the urge to snap at him. She knew better than to provoke him, especially when she was at his mercy. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to maintain her composure. "I need my phone, Ant
