| A mother's concern |

"Pathetic! You think you can taint my family's name by kill yourselves so Max gets blamed!" She said pushing my hand out the way, I was about to yell back at her when as froze.

The finger marks are quite visible to me. I wondered how much pressure that man applied to create marks on my skin. Because all I could think was a death that night. Mine or his.

"Did-" I had finally moved away from her and lost my patience.

"I wanna be left alone," I said. She kept staring at my neck. Never moved.

"Please don't tell me he did this" She whispered. "Fine, I won't" I replied. She stares at me with such disbelief in her eyes. "It did to me, Happy? Your son's reputation won't be tainted. So can I at least get the peace I deserve for all this?"

She cleared her throat looking away.

That was the first time I saw an actual emotion in that women's eyes. She was shocked.

"You don't have to show me that face, You hate me. You should be happy-"

"I am not a monster Evenly !" She yelled grabbing her bag and walking to the door.

"You need to be at that venue tonight or they'll just start stupid rumors. My car will pick you up at eight" She said never looking at me and leaving.

I just stood there. Watching the door shut close, soon letting my knees go weak and falling right there on the floor in the middle of the hall.

I thought I was healing till she came me hitting my head with it again.

I wore black, sleeves falling till my elbows, square neck. Fit and a very simple dress. I didn't wear anything other than a random clip in my hair to keep half out of my face and pinning it back.

I stood out the door staring at the dark sky, no stars. No moon. It was dead silent other than the cars passing from a nearby road.

I see the car pull up at the gates and sigh stepping down and walking towards the car. It took all my strength to drag myself towards that car because I was so over meeting people. I didn't wanna meet people who didn't care. Who never cared.

"Uh-" She looked at me as the door opened.

"We are late already so get in" I roll my eyes getting and sitting next to her.

"Half you covered those marks?" I felt my anger rise up as I snap my head at her. "If people find out-"

"Then it will be bad for your son, I got it " I started talking cutting her off right in the middle. But she just looked at me.

" It will show them how weak you are, You don't want that."

She said looking away. I frown staring at her and shifting my gaze to the road. It was weird seeing her not taunt me while we sat together. She had made it clear she hated me, it was only for her son that she never opposed this. It was for her son's sake she stopped belittling me for I may say something about him.

I didn't speak to anyone. I sat at the end of the table. The walls and sounds around closing around me yet again. The two people who tried to start a conversation with me soon realized for spaced out I was and stopped. His mother sat in the middle of the long table.

Maximilian was drinking with his brothers at the bar. I didn't even see his face. It pleased me.

I was happy to know how disgusted he was of himself that even glancing at me could bring his mood down. I was proud that I stood straight and didn't fall down.

I didn't speak to anyone. I sat at the end of the table. The walls and sounds around closing around me yet again. The two people who tried to start a conversation with me soon realized for spaced out I was and stopped. His mother sat in the middle of the long table.

Maximilian was drinking with his brothers at the bar. I didn't even see his face. It pleased me.

I was happy to know how disgusted he was of himself that even glancing at me could bring his mood down. I was proud that I stood straight and didn't fall down.

An hour into that evening and two drinks later I was left alone by my cousin-in-law and just lean back on the chair staring at the flowers and zoning off when my eyes met a man and he suddenly looked away in a weird way.

I stare at the man at the bar counter as he glanced at me and turned around. I moved my eyes to the other guy who had been staring at me for a while too. I just knew something was off. I look down leaving a sigh. When I looked up, Maximilian was walking towards me.

"We need to talk" He softly whispered pulling me off my chair but in a way, the others didn't notice. His hand was tight on my forearm as I hiss at the pain. Immediately glancing at his mother as she stopping laughing with her sister and frowns.

I gulp, a new fear setting inside my stomach and he dragged me to the roof of that hotel.

He pushed me ahead making me stumble stepping ahead. I stare at the ground as my hands suddenly go cold.

"Why did you come here?"

"Your mother said-"

"I don't care what my mother said dammit!" I flinched at his word as he paced around.

"Eve" He called but I did not look up, I refused to look up.

He grabbed my jaw roughly tilting my face up to look at him. I saw a blur as tears filled my eyes. His hands wrapped around my waist pushing his lips on mine.

I scream into that kiss struggling to push him off me but he grabbed my hand twisting it behind my back and biting my lower lip. I cried out at the pain of stepping on his foot when he pulled back and groaned.

I gasp for air staring at him in disbelief and shook my head. Turning around to leave but he grabbed my hair pulling me back.

"Ah!" I hiss he wrapped his hand around my throat.

"You are mine, Evey. My wife. You can't run away even though you want to"

I groan grabbing his hand.

"Stop it please," I said when he turned me around and tried to kiss my neck.

"Maximilian!" I yelled when someone pulled me away from him.

A familiar hand pulled me back by my wrist and staring at him. He huffs pushing his hair back and looking away.

"Just because she is your wife doesn't mean you can abuse her Max," She said walking towards him and slapping her son loudly.

He froze as his face turned to one side. He suddenly chuckled.

"She is mine, So I can actually." I could see her getting angry second by second as she stared at her son in disappointment.

"You hate her don't you mom? What did she do to make you take her side?"

She laughed rubbing her fingers on her temple.

"Because she is not yours she has never been, and you are not the man for her. I hated her because she was so ugly standing beside you. I realize it's not because of her face, she just doesn't fit in with you. If I have to take her side to get you away from her then I will do it" He stared at his mother with wide eyes as she looked away.

"Well fuck you then. I am not letting her getaway, I just got her back" He replied and I wrapped my hands around my body.

The memories hunted me as I stood there in front of this man who was once such a help to me. I realized he did all that just to get me back and lock me in his life. I was a doll to him. For him, I had no right to a normal life.

"You-" I whispered, "You just broke all the hopes I had in my heart. That you would be a better person. I thought you would respect me. But you never did. Just like my father" I stared at the ground as I finished.

"Your father hates you, Eve, I don't! You just have to be mine. I can do anything for you as long you submit to me"

Submit? submit!?

"That Maximilian, you will never get," I said.

"I wasn't ready too, but I know why he came back for you" I snap my head at her as she looked at me.

"What?" I asked when she looked behind me. I dare not turn my head around when two men walked past me and grabbed Maximilian. They were in formal attire but their badges made it obvious. They were cops. I gulp staring at them when I felt someone behind me.

Expecting a police officer, I fist my hands on my chest as my heart started beating harder.

What if he gets arrested for abusing me? Will my father doing something to me? Will he lock me up? Again.

"I-"