Chapter 2 #2
“Where the fuck did you get that ugly ass dress?” Ross looks at me, and I can see the ever-burning rage dancing in his eyes.
“It was a gift from Talia,” I answer quietly, grinning up at him.
The smile on my face is strong and convincing. If someone were looking at us, we’d seem like a cute couple whispering to one another. He knows the smile is for show, after all, he taught me how to do it.
“I bought you a wardrobe worth thousands of dollars for a reason. Wear the fucking clothes that I buy for you.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“Shut up before you piss me off. If you embarrass me tonight, you’ll regret it.”
His threat strikes fear in my heart like never before. Ross is a heat-of-the-moment type of monster. His evil has never been premeditated, at least I don’t think it is.
We continue inside without stopping. Because Ross works with the owner of several clubs, including this one, we always get the VIP treatment whenever we’re here. I see there’s no special party going on, and it makes me wonder why I’m here. That thought makes me even more nervous.
I’ve had a reprieve for almost the entire month.
Ross hasn’t even mentioned a party. And because I hate coming to these things anyway, I never asked about why he stopped making me come.
One of the hardest parts about achieving peace in a relationship like mine is knowing that it is temporary.
And with his behavior tonight, I know my peace has been shattered.
Ross roughly pulls me through the large crowd to the far side of the club where the entrance to the VIP sections are. As soon as we get to the rope, the bouncer shifts to the side and lets us pass. It’s no surprise that the section is packed with a bunch of people I don’t recognize.
Ross finally lets me go to shake hands with a man who approaches us with a big, slimy grin on his face. I’ve seen him around a few times, and the feeling every time I see him is always the same… creep.
“Hey man, it’s good to see you. I got some prime ass waiting on you. They were damn near fighting each other for a spot at the table.”
I hold my face in a neutral expression even though the creep is looking directly at me. I know he’s trying to get a reaction, but I learned my lesson about making a scene about Ross’s whores. I still have to cover the scar on my cheek from the one time I questioned him.
No, I won’t react on the outside. But I die a little more on the inside. I would say my heart shatters more, but I don’t think that’s impossible because my heart is irreparable.
“You said that the last time, and you know how that turned out,” Ross responds.
The creep frowns, and I almost let a chuckle slip out. It’s always funny to me when Ross lets the facade fall in front of others. It’s like the devil can’t help but show himself. It’s just a pity I didn’t see it in time.
“That wasn’t my fault. I told you—”
Ross holds up his hand, and the creep instantly stops talking. I don’t know what happened, and obviously Ross doesn’t want me to know either. I’m sure it’s better if I don’t know. There’s absolutely no end to Ross’ depravity, so only the Lord knows what went down the last time.
“Go sit.” Ross pushes me slightly towards an empty table.
I swear I hate him. Commanding me like I’m his dog. How the hell did I get trapped with this devil?
I don’t let the hate for my husband show on my face. I don’t even look at him as I stride toward the table. I don’t look at anyone. I take my seat and stare out into the crowd. I do my best to relax, but there’s no use. I’ll be on edge until Ross is gone and I’m left alone.
I’m bored to tears, but I know not to pull out my phone. If Ross thinks I’m texting anyone, he will freak out. Even when I don’t think he’s watching me, he is. I learned that valuable lesson a few months ago when I was watching videos and laughing to pass the time, only to be left sitting alone.
Ross told me not to move, then proceeded to ignore me, so I figured I’d watch a few reels and send a few memes to Talia. I didn’t realize Ross was watching me until we got home. He attacked me as soon as we got in the house, snatching my purse and rummaging through it until he found my phone.
I was so confused as he scrolled through my phone. When he didn’t find what he was looking for, he accused me of cheating on him. When I denied it, he slapped me so hard that my nose bled and bruised my eye.
It wasn’t the first time he’d hit me, but it was the first time he didn’t pretend to be sorry. It was the first time that a gift didn’t come the next day. However, it was the first time that I realized I needed to find a way out of this fucked up relationship.
The loud music and the flashing lights should distract me.
However, my mind refuses to cooperate. I sit here trying to figure out how the hell I got here and how the hell I can get away.
But I can’t stop thinking about how bad the abuse has gotten, and how anything can trigger him.
I can only pray that he will find someone else to go home with tonight.
I feel crazy praying that my husband cheats, but it’s the only time I know for sure he will leave me alone.
Ross used to hide his cheating, but I guess he knows that I can’t leave him.
I have so much shame that he knows I won’t call my family and ask for help, and he’s isolated me from all of my friends except Talia.
I don’t have much money saved because I stupidly thought I could trust him to support me.
Ross got me to quit work, and because I believed in being a housewife, I didn’t put up a fight.
He wanted me to be like his mother and eventually be a stay-at-home mom.
A lot of women don’t work after marriage and kids, but now I know it was another form of control.
After meeting Sonya Stewart, I had a better understanding of how her son became the devil.
She raised him in her image. I’m just glad I never got pregnant, it’ll make it easier to get away from him forever.
Ross may not know this, but I refuse to be trapped. I’m getting out of this sham of a marriage one way or another.