Chapter 5

It's almost midday and Ava has been sitting alone all morning with no one to talk to except her thoughts. She went upstairs to her room and threw her body on the bed. As she lay she looked to her side she saw a blue file. She got up to see what it was about. 'CONFIDENTIAL' it read. 'It looks important,Tom must've forgotten it. ' she thought. 'I'll take it to him.'

Midday, Ava reached Tom's office and went straight to the secretary. "Good day ma'am," the secretary greeted enthusiastically. "Hi, uhm I was wondering is Mr Grey in a meeting or something, he forgot one of his files at home so I thought of bringing it," Ava explained. "Uhm ma'am I'd let you meet him,but the problem is Mr Grey hasn't been in all morning." Ava was confused. Tom said he was leaving for work in the morning but he didn't arrive at his office. It just didn't make any sense. "Are, are you sure?" Ava asked. "Yes ma'am he hasn't been in."

Ava sit alone in the dark waiting for Tom to arrive. She had waited for hours and hours. She checked the time,it was  8:15 pm. She tried calling Tom...again, for the 11th time today. Ava heard the front door unlock, she quickly rushed down stairs. "Why are all the lights off?" Tom asked as he flipped the switch on. The lights went on and the first thing he saw was Ava. "Hey," he said as he walked passed her up the stairs. "Where have you been?" Ava asked turning to Tom. "Excuse me?" Tom was shocked. He took a step back and faced her. "Were else could I be besides the office. Why are you asking me..."

"Tom I know you weren't at the office," Ava interrupted abruptly. "infact I was there looking for you and your secretary told me you hadn't come in the whole morning. Where were you?"

"Wow isn't this great!" he exclaimed. "You do know that people can attend meetings at hotels and restaurants right? And how dare you question me like this!" Tom was blazing with anger. "I'm your wife so I can ask you what I like," Ava replied courageously. "And let's say you were in a meeting or something, why didn't you answer my phone calls the whole day, a few meetings couldn't have took you the whole day that you can't even answer my calls!"

"Enough!" Tom's voice echoed through the house. "Not another word. I won't be questioned like a criminal in my own house. I'm Thomas Grey, the great businessman not some 8 year old you can yell at!"

"No you stop it!" Ava had had enough. "I'm tired of you, and your moods.I might be your wife but you are my husband too and I have the same right over you that you have over me!" Ava yelled."I won't allow you to treat me...," but before she could say another word she felt a hard sting on her left cheek and she fell to the ground. She could somehow feel the pale skin on her cheek turning red. Tom had slapped her. She was in disbelief, in shock. She tried crying but her voice seemed to have faded away. She could feel tears roll down her cheeks.

Tom bent down towards her."Ava baby listen," Tom held her by her arms and slowly pulled her up. He lift her chin and gently pulled her hair away from her face. He wiped her tears away. "I'm so sorry, actually I don't know what came over me," he begged for her forgiveness but Ava just stood silent and said nothing. She walked up the stairs lost in thought. How could he do that to her,she thought. He slapped her. Never in her life have her parents slapped her so how could Tom do this. Part of her wasn't surprised at all since Tom was a ruthless man after all but part of her was in disbelief since it was the first time he's raised his hand towards her. It was already hard to bare the emotional and mental abuse but domestic and physical. What was she supposed to do now. She couldn't stay in this marriage nor could she leave it. All she could do was cry.