Slowly opening my eye lids , I noticed I was in a room that seemed familiar, realizing I had been discharged. Glancing around, I spotted Dante near the dressing mirror, his face turned away. When he turned towards me, I quickly shut my eyes, attempting to fake I was asleep, but it was already too late.
He saw through my pretense, and without hesitation, he walked toward me, greeting me with an oddly cheerful, "Good morning, my sunshine."
Confusion engulfed me. "Good morning?" The realization dawned that I might have been unconscious since yesterday after the choking incident.
Opting for silence, I didn't respond. Dante sat beside me, trying to hold my hand. Instinctively, I pulled away, repelled by his touch. "Stay away from me, you monster," the words escaped before I could control them, fueled by the disgust I felt.
As I prepared to voice more protests, I realized that the king and queen were seated in the room, their expressions mirroring confusion at my sudden outburst. I looked at them and then back at Dante, sensing the anger simmering in his eyes.
In a swift attempt to divert attention, I concocted an excuse. "My apologies, my love. I had a nightmare."
Dante forced a smile, but I could see the insincerity behind it. The tension in the room lingered, leaving me uncertain about the true consequences of my words and actions.
The king and queen approached me with sympathetic eyes, their faces etched with sadness. Dante, meanwhile, wore a pathetic act of sweetness, attempting to play the caring husband role.
"My dear Elena," the queen began, her voice gentle , "we can't imagine the pain you've been through."
The king nodded in agreement, adding, "Our hearts ache for you."
I managed a faint smile, trying to convey gratitude for their concern. "Thank you," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
Dante, ever the charmer, spoke, "Elena, my love, I want to make everything right for you. I'll do whatever it takes to see you happy again."
Does he believe his own lies? Or is this just another performance for an audience that cannot see the truth? His words made my stomach churn, but I had to maintain the act. "I appreciate that, Dante," I said, forcing warmth into my tone.
The queen reached out and gently held my hand, her light brown eyes expressing genuine sorrow. "You're not alone, Elena. We're here for you."
I nodded, acknowledging their support while concealing the turmoil within me. Every sweet gesture from Dante felt like a dagger, a reminder of the lies and deceit.
With a heavy heart, I played my part in this elaborate performance, concealing my true emotions behind a mask of false composure.
As we kept talking, I moved through the maze of polite words, each one a careful step to keep up the act. My thoughts raced as I dealt with the fake show, wishing for a moment of truth among all the lies.
Every time I smiled and spoke, it felt like I was pretending in a play without a script. The weight of pretending made me feel heavy .
I wondered, " How long can I keep doing this? " Knowing that the more I pretend, the more I get stuck in Dante's web of lies. But, for now, I had to pretend, hiding my true feelings behind a well-made fake smile.
After several hours of cut and action , the king and queen bid their goodbyes and offered best wishes, a heavy silence settled in the room. The moment they left, Dante's demeanor shifted, and he was on me like a storm.
"What the hell was that?" he demanded, his words seething through gritted teeth.
Stammering, I replied, "I... I don't understand what you mean."
"You called me a monster in front of my parents. Do you want to ruin my chances of becoming king?" His anger simmered beneath the surfacen ,he seemed to care more about his reputation and I feel for the people who will be addressing him as their king.
The urge to roll my eyes surged within me, but I suppressed it, knowing any sign of defiance might lead to consequences.
"Why would you even call me a monster?" he pressed, his tone growing more aggressive.
I looked at him, my gaze steady, and kept quiet. The truth was I didn't even feel like crying anymore , the well of tears had dried up with each passing deception.
"Answer me, you b*tch!" he protested, the venom in his words hanging in the air. The room felt like a pressure cooker, the tension escalating with each passing moment.
Dante's rage boiled over, and he continued to shout, hurling insults and names at me. The room echoed with his anger, but I remained silent, a stoic figure amidst the storm.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Answer me, you worthless piece of..." His voice trembled with fury, his face contorted in a mix of frustration and anger.
I maintained my composure, avoiding eye contact as his words pierced through the air. The barrage of insults continued, each word cutting deeper, but I refused to let it show.
"You think you can ruin everything for me, ruin my life huh ? I should have never married you. You're nothing but a burden, a stain on my life!" His tirade intensified, fueled by his own insecurities.
I chose silence over retaliation, a quiet rebellion against the verbal onslaught. The room felt oppressive with every word he spat out.
His shouts echoed like thunder, but my silence stood firm, a shield against the storm of his anger. Deep down, I knew that maintaining my calm was the only way to preserve whatever remained of my dignity.
In the aftermath of Dante's outburst, he left the room with a final scream, leaving me alone in the suffocating silence. I knew he wouldn't dare to physically harm me at this moment; the watchful eyes of the queen and king could still be lingering around.
As the door closed behind him, a floodgate of emotions overwhelmed me, and I cried. Every tear carried the weight of frustration, fear, and heartbreak. I was trapped in a nightmarish situation, contemplating how to escape the mansion, surrounded by high walls and guards.
Despite Dante's cruel behavior, I still had love for him . However, his actions had pushed me away, fostering a growing hatred. I felt a desperate need to break free from this toxic relationship before it consumed me entirely.
In the midst of my tears, I began to strategize, formulating plans for a quick escape. The mansion's security posed a tough challenge, but I couldn't stay any longer.
Getting up, I held my extremely sore abdomen, the physical pain just as painful as my emotional pain . Rushing to the bathroom, I unzipped my dress, revealing the terrible marks and redness on my body. Sitting on the floor, I couldn't contain the cries, covering my mouth , muffling them with my hands to avoid being heard.
Cursing silently, I questioned what I had done to deserve such treatment. I had loved him and strived to make him happy, yet it was never enough. The realization that he had gone to the extent of harming our own child weighed heavily on my heart, intensifying the resolve to escape this nightmarish reality.
Panicking, I got up from the bathroom and soaked myself in a tub of warm water. When I finished with my shower and wrapped myself in one of Dante's towels, I remembered that my clothes were no longer clothes were no longer in this room. They were in the dungy room Dante gave me to use as my room.
I opened my old wardrobe hoping to find at least one of my clothes, only to find it full of Antonia's clothes. There was no god damned way I was going to wear her clothes.
"Great," I sighed and decided to return to my room . I approached the door and slightly opened it, only to be met with a disheartening sight. Guards stood outside, securing my door as if anticipating my every move.
Fear crept in , it was as if Dante had somehow sensed my intent to escape. The heavy security intensified the feeling of being trapped. I needed to find an alternative plan, a way to slip through the cracks of this meticulously guarded mansion , without raising suspicion. The urgency to escape heightened, and I began to strategize, searching for any opportunity that might present itself.
"Mercy ," I said to myself as a little bit of hope glimmered.