*TRIGGER WARNING*
''Why aren't you home?"
The message sends a chill down her spine, and a wave of nausea comes across her. She wanted to lie; say she was stuck in traffic but with GPS on the car she knew that would never work. Instead, she texts back,
"Sorry, I didn't realize the time. On my way now."
7:24p.m Nicole's silver sedan pulls into the drive. She quickly exits the car and makes her way to the house, her mind turning but no real thoughts forming. On the way to the door Nicole's neighbor Sara greeted her.
"Good evening, how's your day going?" Sara smiled largely clearly anticipating a chat. Nicole temporarily snapped out of her fog and looked in her nosy neighbor's direction. 'Maybe calling her nosy wasn't fair' Nicole thought to herself. She was probably just being neighborly.
"Oh, I'm doing good! Just late starting dinner, so I can't visit right now, sorry... definitely later though!" Nicole lied never breaking her stride to the door. She knew Richard wouldn't be too happy if she were too close to the neighbors because they were just too... well...close.
"Oh, okay...well we'll catch up later then," Sara called back disappointedly and as she turned around, she grumbled crankily to herself, feeling offended "It's not like your husband ever comes home before eleven anyway," she turned around and retreated into her own house wishing she had better neighbors.
Once inside Nicole wasted no time in prepping and cooking dinner. Meatloaf, green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy. Once it was done, she placed it on warm in the oven. She looked at the clock on the wall. It was 9:15p.m so she went upstairs and showered. She felt a little better after standing under the water for a little while. She got dressed in some casual comfy clothes, brushed her hair and went downstairs. 10:32pm. Whatever calming affect her shower had begun to fade away as her heart began to pound.
Nicole took her seat at the end of a dark walnut table. Her stomach began to churn. She tried to distract herself by thinking of the upcoming hotel project but the constant tick...tick...tick of the grandfather clock invaded her mind. She grasped the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white, and she became queasy again.
When the clock struck 11p.m Nicole almost jumped out of her skin. She laughed a little at herself, and let out a sigh as she chided herself in her head to relax. After that her body began to relax again and her heart returned to a normal pace. But at 11:27p.m Nicole heard a car pull into the driveway and her heart rate began to pick up again. She heard the car door close, and she hurried from her chair and made her way to the front door. Her ears were hot, but she took in a deep breath and put on a smile as her husband opened the door.
As soon as he stepped inside a chill came with him. Richard was a tall muscular man, and very handsome. That was what first attracted Nicole to him, but what kept her attention were those light hazel green eyes and that charming cocky smirk thing he did. Girls swooned for him everywhere he went. He was so funny and sweet, and he spoiled her. She was young when they met. She thought it was love. He used a lure, then she was hooked. Now it's been years since she's seen any warmth come her way from those eyes. Instead, they are beady and cold. His mouth is set in a thin line as he set his cold gaze on her. Her smile almost faltered but she knew better than to betray her facade.
"Good evening, I've got dinner ready for you." she moved forward and removed his coat and hung it on the rack. He made his way to the table and sat down without a word. Nicole grabbed their plates from the oven and set the table. She grabbed a bottle of Richard's favorite wine and poured him a glass. She then took her own place at the other end of the table.
Elbows on the table, hands clasped together, Richard's silent stare bore into her, and she knew that things would not be going well that night. She wanted to make conversation to try to ease the tension, but she knew if she broke the rules and talked to him during mealtime it would only worsen the situation. She looked down so that she was not challenging his gaze. She stared at her plate as her food became colder. She didn't much care since she already ate at the restaurant earlier and her nerves had her stomach in a mess. But there were times she did care. Times that she would be so hungry, but she never dared to take a bite before he was finished.
Sometimes if her stomach growled and he heard it, he would take extra time to eat just to torture her a little bit more. Is that what he was doing now? Was he punishing her for being home late by making her hungry? Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all, she thought. I can take that tonight. Richard finally picked up his fork and began to eat his food one slow bite at a time. Nicole could only patiently watch his movements from her peripheral vision. He had eaten about half of his food when he looked at Nicole then at her plate. He placed his fork down leaned back and a sinister smile spread over his face.
"You know, you've waited a long time for me tonight, go ahead and eat with me."
He picked his fork back up, skewered some food and put it in his mouth. Alarm bells were going off in Nicoles mind because Richard never cared how long she waited on him to eat dinner before. There have been many nights where he decided to stay out until the early hours of the morning, but she was required to sit at the table to wait for him to eat before she could eat or go to bed. Every night he would check the cameras to make sure she followed the rules. So, when Richard suggested she eat with him she knew that danger was in the air, but she dared not offend him, so she just began to eat quietly.
"What? No appreciation for how good I am to you?" He snorted and glared at her and hit his fist and fork on the table.
"I'm sorry, you're right. That was rude of me. I'm actually pretty hungry, Thank you." She lied trying to sound as genuine as possible. Richard watched her poke her fork at her plate and not pull any food to eat.
" Eat Nicole, you're really too skinny. It's not healthy and honestly, it's not very attractive either. Finish every bite."
Nicole's nerves were so frazzled she really had no appetite at all, but she powered through and managed to eat all her food. It was a good thing that when she made the plates she had already made her portions a bit smaller than usual since she hadn't been hungry. Though the last bite went down with a bit of strain she was happy it was done. Richard had already finished his food and was leaned back in his chair his hands laced together behind his head, excitement in his eyes watching Nicole like a hungry wolf watches a sheep.
" Are you ready for bed?" Nicole asked gently now that they were done. Richard did not respond, he just stood up, grabbed Nicole's empty plate and walked to the counter. Nicole watched his movements with confusion. This was completely out of character of Richard. She wondered what he was doing. Was he was putting her plate in the sink? He'd never done that before. Instead, he stopped at the stove and put the last serving on Nicole's plate. He walked back, placed the plate back in front of her and took his seat. He set his gaze back on Nicole. "Eat." he commanded.
"Thank you so much, I really appreciate it, but I-I really don't think I can eat anymore." Nicole didn't want to offend him, but she was already on the verge of being sick from the combination of nerves and the amount of food already in her stomach. Richard smiled and picked up his plate. He held it for a moment looking at it then turned his sights on Nicole and hurled it towards her. She threw her head down to the left and her right arm up to block it but the plate skidded off her arm and hit the back of Nicole's high backed wooden chair. The plate broke into a hundred pieces and ceramic rained down onto Nicole's head and back. She looked at him. Fear and surprise in her eyes.
"Eat." he commanded again.
Without another word she began to eat the food on the plate that Richard put before her. Silent tears creeping down her face. After what seemed like a lifetime, she finished the second plate while Richard just stared mercilessly sipping his wine. He stood up and walked to her. He firmly grasped her face in his large hand and squeezed hard. Nicole winced from the pain. It was almost as though her own teeth were cutting into the sides of her cheeks.
" How many times do I need to remind you of the rules?" Richard's words slowly dripped like venom from his mouth.
"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry, I promise, please, it was a mistake. I'm sorry I let you down" she pleaded.
Nicole knew better than blaming it on work. He would take it away and she would have nothing left to distract her from this nightmare she called life. Honestly, she was surprised he hadn't already taken work away from her. She didn't fully understand it, but she didn't really try too hard to understand it either, she was just grateful she had it.
"Tsk, tsk" he clicked his tongue and chided as he forcefully lifted Nicole up by her face.
He brought his face to hers and huskily whispered in her ear" Do you really think a sorry will save you? When you break the rules, you get punished. "
Her eyes widened and before she had time to react, he held her close and sent an undercut straight to her abdomen. Immediately the contents of her stomach emptied on the floor. The pain radiated throughout her torso and her breath was knocked away. Nicole tried to suck in air but couldn't. She wanted to fall to the floor, but Richard held her up. As she began to catch her breath, he sent another hit to her ribs. She heard and felt a crack and this time Richard let her slump to the floor.
She curled up and held her stomach and side as hot tears began to flow down her face. His face became distorted when he saw her tears. His nostrils flared and he reared back and kicked her.
"Why are you crying? you stupid b****! This is all your fault. You know the rules."
Richard crouched next to her and violently wrapped his fingers in her hair and forced her to look at him. "Nicole, this is my world and you're just here in it, don't you ever forget it. You want to f*** with me? I'll ruin you. " He pushed her head away and pulled his hand back. It was covered in blood from the wound on her head the broken shards had made.
" Ugh you nasty b****, you bled on me. Clean all this up before you come to bed." He waved at all the debris and vomit and grabbed a paper towel from the counter. He began to walk upstairs as he wiped her blood off his hands off leaving Nicole in a broken mess on the dining room floor.