The sharp edge of the acrylic pierces through my skin, threatening to draw blood as I dig my nails into my skin. The soft, silky material of my backless dress hug my body with a sense of physical peace.
My temples pulsates with an imminent headache and I hiss in pain as I turn to face to the window to avoid Theron's unsettling gaze.
"What did you just do?" He questions, anger evident in his tone.
I ignore him and keep looking out the window, hoping he would stop asking if he realises I'm uninterested in talking to him.
I wince and grind my teeth in agony, my hand scratching as Theron's hand as he grabs a handful of my hair and tugs me backwards.
"Answer the question. What did you just do?" He asks again.
"What do you think it was?" I retort.
My eyes threatens to close and the pain in my temples has doubled as he tighten his grip on my hair.
"Stubborn eh?"
I shut my eyes tightly as tears begin to form in them from pain, scratching at his hand with increased pace.
"Let go." I ask.
"Impolite. Try again."
I scream as he twist my hair with even more strength and tugs me backwards even more. The pain is excruciating and I'm slowly losing my strength.
I stop scratching at him and open my eyes, letting the tears flow freely from my eyes.
"What did you do, Snack?" He ask as he release his hold on my hair a little bit.
It is no use. If I don't answer, he would torture me until I do.
"I hissed. I'm sorry." I apologise with defeat.
He let go of my hair and shoves my hair forward, causing me to smack my forehead against the window shield.
I keep my head there, rubbing the side of my side as I sob inaudibly.
This is the life I'll now have to live for as long as I'm alive. I am now married to my worst nightmare, someone who derives joy in breaking me until there's nothing left to break.
All hopes of ever getting out of even annulling the marriage had flown out the window immediately Serene told me what she heard.
My father is a merciless man. He wouldn't hesitate to give off his family if it meant he wouldn't be put to shame. He had now given me away to a wolf in order to keep his business moving.
"Can I ask you something?" I turn to Theron.
He ignores me. His eyes are glued to his phone, laughing at what seems to be a text.
"Can I ask you something?" I ask again.
He lift his eyes towards my direction with an angry stare. The intensity of his gaze could scare one away but I wouldn't show him how scared of him I am. He must never know I am.
"Are we going to live together in the same house?" That is my major fear. If I am going to live in the same house as Theron, I might as well know that my life ahead is going to be one of utter hatred and suffering. If he despises me and my presence as much as he shows and decides to allow me live separately, my marriage to him wouldn't be as bad as I have imagined it will be.
"Remind me how dumb you are again."
I keep staring at him in the eyes as I clamp my lips shut.
"Remind me. How dumb are you?"
If I don't give him an answer, he might grab me again and the unknown of what he might do next is beyond scary.
"Very dumb. Dumber than a sloth." I answer.
"Good girl." He nods and smile, scooting close to pat my head.
"What was your question again?" He ask, caressing my cheeks with his hands.
"Are we going to live together?" I fixate on him, refusing to break eye contact as I repeat my question.
He removes his hand from my cheek and retreat to his initial position, facing a window for a split second before turning back to me.
"Do you want to live separately?" He asks.
A faint sadness flashes across his eyes and within a second, it is gone like it was never there.
Maybe It is just my imagination.
He continues to stare at me, waiting for my response.
"Snack, do you want to live separately?"
I bite my lip in fear, my mind racing with fear as I doubt he is asking to make things easier for me. I'm torn between what I want and what he might agree to. I make up my mind to give him the opposite answer of what I want in hopes that he might give me the opposite as well.
"No." I shake my head.
"Good. We would live together then." He answers and goes back to his phone.
My heart is shattered as I realise I had shot myself in the leg. I should have known he would not make things easier for me.
There is no way Theron was ever going to allow his prey to slip away from him so easily, especially since I am said prey.
I turn to face the window as I register my defeat, staring at the huge houses and trees we were passing by. We are on our way to a hotel close to the airport where we would sleep before our flight to Russia, his hometown, the next morning.
My phone vibrates in my sling bag that lay beside me.
A text flashes across the screen. It's a text from Serene.
"You should see this." It read.
I open the link attached to the text, waiting for it to load.
"There's only one bed in the room." Theron states.
"I'll sleep on the floor." I'd rather sleep there than on the bed with the asshole I now had to called my husband.
"We'll see." He chuckles.
I ignore him and return to my phone. The link finally opens and a video behind to play on the screen.
A slightly familiar eyelashes are closed and his head is facing downwards with his feets tied to the ceiling with a rope. His body is soaked in blood and sweat as he dangles side to side. He turns his body to face the screen and I scream, my eyes widening in horror as my brother's battered face come in view.