Hazel
The revelation had shattered the fragile façade of their marriage, leaving behind a gaping chasm of resentment and hatred. Hazel, stripped of his naivety, saw Evelyn for who she truly was: a woman consumed by the ghosts of the past, determined to make him pay for her pain.
Evelyn, her eyes burning with cold fury, snatched his phone from his trembling hand. With a cruel twist of her lips, she snapped it in half, leaving him isolated and disconnected from the world outside their gilded cage.
"You will have no contact with anyone, Hazel," she declared, her voice devoid of emotion. "From now on, your world is confined to these walls and to the consequences of your mother's actions."
The days that followed were a relentless assault on Hazel's sanity. Evelyn, a skilled manipulator, used every tool at her disposal to break him down. She subjected him to a regime of psychological torment, stripping him of his dignity and chipping away at his sense of self.
He was denied access to books, music, and any form of stimulation. He was forbidden to speak unless spoken to, his voice reduced to a mere whisper. The luxurious meals he once enjoyed were replaced with bland, meager portions, leaving him constantly hungry and weakened.
She would taunt him with stories of his mother, twisting the truth and painting Dr. Yates as a monster who had deliberately neglected her mother. She relished in his pain, feeding on his despair and using it to fuel her own sense of power.
One day, Evelyn announced with a chilling smile, "We have an appointment with my lawyer, Hazel. It's time for you to shed the skin of your past and embrace your new identity."
The sterile office of Evelyn's lawyer was a stark contrast to the opulence of their home. As Hazel sat across from the lawyer, a cold dread settled in his stomach. He knew that whatever was about to happen would be another step towards his complete annihilation.
The lawyer, a man with a cold, calculating demeanor, explained the legal process in a monotone voice. He spoke of name changes, identity modification, and the complete severance of Hazel from his past.
"From this day forward, you will be known as Hazel Evelyn Grey," the lawyer declared, handing him a stack of documents. "Your past, your family, your very existence before today will cease to be."
As Hazel signed the papers, a tear rolled down his cheek. He felt a part of himself dying with each signature, a piece of his identity being ripped away and discarded. He was no longer Hazel Yates, the son of a respected doctor, but Hazel Evelyn Grey, a prisoner of his wife's twisted vengeance.
Hazel looked at Evelyn, her eyes filled with a triumphant glint. He knew then that this was just the beginning of his descent into madness. He was trapped in a living hell, a prisoner of his own past, condemned to suffer for the sins of his mother.
Evelyn's eyes, once filled with love, now sparkled with a cruel glee as she watched Hazel crumble. The once vibrant man was now a shadow of his former self, his spirit crushed by her relentless torment.
One day, Hazel, driven by the gnawing hunger that had become his constant companion, dared to ask for more food. This simple request was met with a swift slap across his face. The sting of the blow was as much a physical pain as it was a reminder of his utter helplessness.
From that day on, physical violence became a regular part of his existence. Evelyn would lash out at the slightest provocation, her rage fueled by the ghosts of her past. She'd strike him with her fists, kick him with her stilettos, leaving him bruised and broken.
The once pristine walls of their mansion now bore the silent witness of his suffering. Bloodstains on the marble floor, cracks in the expensive furniture, all served as grim reminders of the cruelty he endured.
Evelyn's abuse wasn't limited to physical violence. She isolated him further, denying him any contact with the outside world. He was forbidden to leave the house, to see anyone, or to speak on the phone. He was trapped in a gilded prison, a living tomb where his only companions were his memories and his ever-growing despair.
The constant isolation chipped away at his sanity. He started seeing things, hearing voices in the silence. He would spend hours talking to himself, the only form of interaction he was allowed.
He tried to resist, to fight back, but Evelyn was always stronger. She would manipulate him with promises of affection, only to turn on him with renewed fury once he dared to hope for a better life.