CHAPTER 29
Amara swallowed hard, heart racing.
The look on Rafael’s face screamed with utter rage as he gritted his teeth. The softness in his eyes was replaced with hard volatile emotions.
Rafael's face contorted with anger, his brow furrowing deeply, and his eyes narrowing into an intense glare. His jaw tightened, and the muscles in his cheeks tensed.
“Where were you?” As he asked, his voice was sharp, each word punctuated with the underlying fury that simmered beneath the surface. The lines on his forehead became more pronounced, and his nostrils flared subtly with each controlled breath, signalling the brewing storm within.
Amara swallowed hard, clenching her fists as her lips wobbled. She had no answer to give him. Instead, she lowered her head in shame. “I-I was…out.”
Rafael thundered taking a threatening step towards her as she unconsciously backed against the door. “With whom?”
Rafael paced, frustration evident. Amara shook her head. The lie instantly dripped on her tongue.
“No-no one.”
Rafael laughed humorlessly. “Now you know how to lie, huh? To your fucking husband?” Amara stilled against the door and struggled to find words; her gaze fixed on the floor.
She bit her lips hard closing her eyes as her uneven breathing ragged. Shame and embarrassment wrapped around her and she desperately shook her head. “I…I am sorry.”
Rafael scoffed, his frustration escalating.
“Sorry? Sorry for what? For how many things? Tell me. For lying to me? For leaving the apartment when I strictly said not to? Or for cheating on me?” Amara’ s head immediately snapped up at him as her eyes widened and she desperately took a step forward.
The tears gathered at the rims of her terrorized eyes.
“No! I…I did not cheat on you! I swear!” Her voice rose in panic. Rafael read her. So, fucking easy to read. “Is that so? You did not? Then what will you call this? Sneaking behind my back to meet my brother? To spend the whole day with him walking hand in hand knowing you have a husband.”
Amara defensively shoots back. “I was rotting in here. Kaelith just took me out for a stroll.”
“Hand in hand?”
Amara stammered, her voice tinged with panic. “It wasn’t like that! We were just walking and talking. There's nothing between us.”
Rafael's skepticism intensified, his anger simmering. “Walking hand in hand, Amara? That's not just a stroll.”
Amara, frustrated, wiped away a tear. “I felt I was held captive in here. You were out most of the time and the walls were eating me. I just…couldn’t stay inside waiting for you, expecting you to come home when you get drunk at bars.”
Rafael's eyes narrow, his anger giving way to a hint of hurt. “So, you confide in my brother instead of me?”
“I didn't mean for it to happen like this. It just did.” Amara, regretful, struggled for words.
The room fell into an uneasy silence, tension hanging heavy as she grappled with the unravelling of their relationship.
Rafael tilted his head back and let out another humorless chuckle. “I thought I could make you love me again. But guess what, you just care about yourself, not about me. I am just a tool you use.”
“I…I didn’t mean it to sound that way. There’s nothing between me and Kaelith.”
“Then why did you go with him? He is not a man to be around. He is a dangerous man. You don’ t even know what he thinks about you.” He said and Amara’s eyes twitched. Rafael noticed. And let out another humorless laugh.
“You do know, huh? Just fantastic!” He said in frustration as Amara felt guilt tripping her.
“Rafael—" she took a step forward.
“Don’t come near me!” He yelled taking a step back as if her presence was burning him. As if she disgusted him.
“Rafael please—"
“You know he wants you and despite that, you went with him? I just can’t believe it!” Rafael yelled pulling his hair as he slammed his fist on the table making Amara jump. “I fucking work day and night to provide for you.”
Tears streaming down her face, she tried to reason. “It’s not like that. Kaelith was just there when I needed someone. It wasn't about wanting him.”
Rafael mocked. “Wasn't it about wanting him? That's hard to believe. You're telling me you don't find him attractive? That you don't enjoy the attention?”
He leaned in, his tone calculated as he continued. “Maybe this was your plan all along, to make me the bad guy. To drive me away so you could run into his arms guilt-free.”
Amara shaken, attempted to defend herself. “No, you're twisting everything. Kaelith was just being…. helpful. You're reading too much into it.”
Rafael smirked. “Helpful? Right. I see how helpful he is. Maybe you wanted him all along.”
Rafael's voice deepened, casting doubt in Amara’s head.
Amara feeling the weight of Rafael's accusations, pleads with desperation. “Please, you're not seeing it. You’re my husband, not Kaelith. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.” Rafael smirks cynically taking a step forward.
“Husband? If you saw me as your husband, you wouldn't be cozying up to my brother behind my back. You're playing the victim well, Amara.” Amara crushed, struggled to find words shaking her head.
“I'm not playing anything. Can't you understand that I needed someone to talk to? Someone who was there when you weren't?” Rafael unrelenting took another step forward. His jaw clenched and eyes simmering.
“Convenient, isn't it? Suddenly, I'm the distant one, and Kaelith is your savior. Classic manipulation.”
The room hung heavy with the toxic silence as he curled his lips. “Fine then, I’ll leave and send you the divorce papers. Sign them and marry Kaelith. The better brother.”
Amara’s eyes widened as she took another desperate step forward clutching onto his arm. Her teary eyes looked at him like a pup being abandoned by their owner. “No! Please don’t say things like that!”
Rafael immediately grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. “Then tell me you love me not him. Tell me you’re my wife and not his! Tell me you want me and not him!”
Amara stammered, her eyes wide as she processed his words and swallowed hard.
Rafael noticed the hesitation and jerked her to his body.
“See, you can’t even say the words.” He pushed her away as she stumbled against the table holding her eyes for support as her eyes watered.
Her chest heaved up and down as the voices rang wildly into her head.
Rafael strode towards her grabbed her by the bicep and pulled her to the couch before throwing her down on the couch and straddling her waist. “If not your words, then show me I’m your husband with your body.”
Amara’s eyes widened as she realized what he was about to do as he fisted the top of her dress and pulled it down harshly tearing the cloth as some part kept hanging on her skin. She screamed with terror.
“N-No!” She tried to stop moving but he was heavier and stronger than her as he fisted her hair and snuggled her neck biting the skin. She panicked in disgust.
“You fucking smell of him!” He seethed marking her neck as his other hand roamed down her body shamelessly stopping above her clothes breast “Always pretend to be a saint in my presence wearing long sleeves but when with him, you chose to wear this filthy,” he ripped the dress off her shoulder followed by her scream. “Dress for him. To seduce him, right?”
“Rafael! No! Please!” She cried thrashing violently as his kisses became harsher and more forceful. He squeezed her breasts as she closed her eyes in disgust and several unrecognizable voices rang in her head.
“NO!” She yelled. “PLEASE! I BEG YOU! NOT THIS! NOT THIS!” The images flashing before her closed eyes were blurred. But she could feel hands on her. Another pair of invisible hands — repulsive and shameless.
When she felt Rafael’s hand bunching her dress up, she screamed at the top of her lungs. “I love you! I love you!” She’d not expected to say these words. But survival instincts kicked in and she realized she’d do anything to not be a used and abused wife—even lie.
Rafael stilled, his hands stalling as he pulled his head away from her neck and looked into her teary red eyes. Swollen lips and red nose. Pink cheeks and terrorized gaze.
“What did you just say?” He asked in a low voice.
Amara sniffed still feeling the ghost of his touches.
“I love you, please! Don’t do this! Don’t do this!
I’ll never go out! I’ll stay here! In my room!
Never even disobey you! But please don’t do this!
Punish me however you want but not this!
” But Rafael refused to see fear in her eyes and his eyes gleamed with joy.
“You love me, right?” He asked like a child being treated with his favorite treat.
She trembled nodding. Her tears streaming down her face. She felt coldness seeping through her. The remnants of her dignity clinging indecently to her body in shattered pieces. When she didn’t see any remorse or guilt in Rafael’s eyes, she flinched.
Rafael smiled—innocently and gently, pulling her up and hugging her as she shut her eyes and clenched her jaw holding her sobs as he murmured against her hair.
“Good then. Go and prepare dinner. I’m hungry.”