Back in my office, I sat briefly before rising restlessly and heading to the restroom.
I splashed cold water on my face and stared at my reflection in the mirror. The faint pink mark from her slap still glowed on my cheek.
“Enough. I’ve had enough of people hurting me for being so weak. I won’t let you walk all over me!”
Her words echoed relentlessly in my mind, sharp and accusing.
Frustrated, I grabbed anything within reach—soap dispensers, paper towels—and hurled them to the floor. The clatter echoed in the empty restroom. Eventually, I sank to the floor, drained and defeated.
I stumbled back to my office and reached for the bottle of wine I’d left on the desk days ago. After rinsing a glass, I poured myself a drink.
As the burn of the alcohol settled in my throat, an old memory surfaced, unbidden.
“Did you do that on purpose? Why would you hit a girl?”
My mother’s voice came rushing back. I was thirteen, hauled into the principal’s office for breaking a girl’s collarbone during a fight. She was older than me and had bruised my arms, but I thought I’d taught her a lesson—a life-changing one, or so I believed.
“She hit me first!” I had snapped defensively.
“Why did she hit you? She wouldn’t do that for no reason, right?”
“I called her and her mother ugly b**ches—because they are,” I said with a shrug.
My mother sighed deeply, shaking her head as she applied ointment to my bruises.
“You insulted her and her mother, and then you broke her collarbone? Prince, that’s not manly at all.”
“You know nothing about being a man! A man puts women in their place,” I shot back angrily.
Her expression softened into something unbearably sad.
“Then you’re not a good person. Someday, you’ll love someone deeply, and if you keep hurting them, they won’t stay. No one stays with an abuser.”
“But you stayed with my father, and you loved him,” I countered sharply.
Tears welled in her eyes, but she nodded. “You’re right. I stayed. But I can’t say the same for your father. Trust me, Prince, no one hurts someone they truly love.”
“Then I’ll never love my wife,” I declared coldly. “That way, I can hit her however I want. Father says love is a myth, anyway.”
Her lips trembled, but she forced a weak smile.
“That’s a lie. Love does exist.”
“How dare you say Father lied?”
“I can prove my love for you,” she said softly.
“How?” I scoffed, raising an eyebrow.
“I gave you my kidney, and I’d give my life for you, too.” She kissed my cheek gently.
“That’s your duty, so it doesn’t count,” I replied coldly.
Her smile faltered, and tears spilled down her face. Still, she didn’t raise her voice.
“Can you do me one favor, my little Prince?”
“What is it?”
“Don’t be like your father,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
I frowned and left the room, reporting her to my father that same day.
Later, I stood silently as he beat her to the brink of unconsciousness. My fists clenched at my sides, but I didn’t intervene. I had caused this, after all. Slowly, I released my fists.
Afterward, my father found me as she lay broken on the ground.
“You did the right thing, son. I’m proud of you. Don’t let her manipulate you into hating me. Women are like snakes—very manipulative. This is how you handle them.” He patted my hair and walked away.
That night, as she groaned in pain, she still kissed me goodnight as usual. She was pregnant with Zoey then.
I couldn’t sleep. Silent tears soaked my pillow. For the first time, I realized how horrible I was as a son. Instead of protecting her, I had thrown her into harm’s way.
Months later, I sat beside her deathbed as she clung to life. I apologized over and over, promising to never be like my father. But it wasn’t enough. She died anyway, leaving behind a day-old Zoey.
My father married her replacement almost immediately, claiming it was for Zoey’s sake.
I stared at the wine in my hand, downing another glass. And another. My chest felt heavy, and the buzz of the alcohol dulled the pain, if only slightly.
The telephone rang incessantly, cutting through the fog in my mind. Everything felt distorted, my surroundings shifting as if in a dream.
Clutching my ears, I screamed, “Who the hell is calling? What kind of idiot won’t stop? Piece of shit!”
VAL’S POV
I walked out of the conference room feeling a little lighter. All eyes turned to me, their whispers unmistakable. No doubt they were gossiping about my extended stay.
I moved slowly to the restroom, splashing water on my face and staring at my red, tear-swollen eyes. I took a deep breath and returned to my desk.
Dan glanced at me, his expression full of unspoken questions, but he didn’t say a word. He knew me too well to pry.
I popped some painkillers, rested my head on my desk, and forced my thoughts to clear.