Valerie sat on the couch with a remote in hand as she tried to watch the TV but her mind was all over the place. She was traumatised and couldn't think of anything else aside from begging and pleading to be freed.
It was hard. It was brutal. She was further broken when the blindfold fell off her face by mistake and she was able to catch the face of her assailant. That face…he was sleeping peacefully not minding the state he had left her in.
She had cried hard at that time. She cried till she fell asleep and when she woke up she was already at the hospital with Lucas by her side. They then told her their plan to make Oliver marry her. She didn't have much of a choice since her father threatened her.
She left the hospital the same day just to be shipped with the same person that raped her. She had thought that he would kill her within the first three days and had always been tensed around him but after a while of silence she had gotten used to it.
He didn't want to kill her but torture her like he did that night. No matter how much she washed her body the stain would always be there. She cried only when he was out of the house to drink and probably rape more helpless women.
She regretted going out that night. She just wanted to go to the store nearby and get some milk. 'Damn milk.' She could've used something else in that stupid tea but she insisted on getting milk.
Along the way she was grabbed from behind by someone she didn't know. That person would later turn out to be Oliver. She hated herself. She wished she hadn't gone out that night. It was only 8p.m. at that time!
As much as she hated herself now she hated Oliver even more for ruining her life. She even had thoughts to end his miserable life by either poisoning or by putting a knife into his heart. The fool slept like an even bigger fool!
Despite these strong resolves to end his life, a part of her held her back. It didn't feel right. What would happen after killing him? Would she get her life back? Would she get her dignity back? Would she get Brandon back?
The answers to these questions were as clear as the day. It would be a waste of time and it would only add to her misfortune. Maybe she should let him live and suffer. He should come home every night and see her face. That alone was torture enough for her.
She continued to watch the programme absentmindedly till the door creaked open. It was Oliver who was back from his late night drinking. 'He probably thought I was asleep.' She thought and retracted her gaze.
Silence returned to the room. Their usual way of life since moving in together. She wanted to leave the suffocating room but changed her mind. It was time she stood her ground against him.
Oliver avoided her like a plague. He walked by but his feet caught her leg and he almost fell into the table. He became furious. "Watch where you keep your leg!"
"Keep your dirty hands off me!" Valerie slapped his hand which had rested on her shoulder due to the fall.
He quickly retracted his hand with a dark look. "Who do you call dirty? Maybe you should look in the mirror!"
Never would she have imagined that their first argument as a couple would be like this. She didn't even want to talk to him in the first place but she didn't want to watch him gloat all over her.
"And I wonder who put the mud on me!" she scoffed and stood up. She threw the remote on the ground and it shattered. She left the living room and went to the bedroom. The apartment had only one bedroom.
On silent mutual agreement, she had taken the bed while Oliver had taken the living room couch. Everyone was happy at the end of the day.
Oliver looked at the broken remote with darkened eyes. The shattered pieces reminded him that he didn't have a steady job. He would have to find something soon just to support himself. His stomach made sounds but he ignored it and jumped on the couch.
If only the hunger would kill him. 'Or better yet, kill yourself.' The small voice in his head advised. He shook his head, 'if I kill myself then I will never prove my innocence in this matter.'
He slept.
….
The next morning, Valerie washed a few clothes in the washing machine. They didn't have a drying machine so she settled for hanging them out outside.
She woke up a bit late today and when she woke up she hadn't seen Oliver around the house and it was a good thing too. She'd rather that he would stay out of her way and maybe go out one day and never come back.
She snapped out of her murderous thoughts and hung up another clothe. She glanced at the house next to theirs but the owner was out early too. She hadn't met any of the neighbours since they moved in and she wasn't enthusiastic to bond.
She'd hate it if they asked her if she was Oliver's wife. She'd rather die than admit it. She hung another cloth then bent down to get another one from the basket but someone grabbed her arm roughly and swung her around.
She almost fell under the violent pull and turn. She managed to stagger to a stand with her heart thumping like war drums. She came face to face with Brandon—the man who had promised to marry her.
Her heart sank. She had no words to explain to him. How could she explain that she married someone else? How could she explain that she was raped? What was she to say to him?
Looking into his eyes, he saw a kind of beastly instincts. She knew that Brandon was mad.