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Concept: A mysterious young woman flees from her troubled past only to discover it is impossible to escape THE SECRET that haunts her.
*PLEASE NOTE: This story was originally inspired by the movie "S...
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Ch1 - Sarah
"I'm sorry, Sarah," he whispered hoarsely into her ear. His hand gripped the back of her head, forcing her to listen. "It'll never happen again, sweetheart - I promise."
She looked down to avoid his desperate gaze. The bruises were already leaving their unsightly purple reminders along her aching arms.
"It's just...you make me so crazy sometimes," Steven continued. "When I saw him looking at you like that..."
Sarah shuddered, knowing exactly what he would say next. She'd heard it a hundred times before.
"I just get so jealous when I see other men around you. You're so beautiful, and I know I don't deserve you. If you ever left me..." his voice trailed off into a sob.
Without warning, Steven's face reddened and his polished fingers gripped her shoulders once again. "He's our fucking neighbor, for Christ's sake! I should have never agreed to attend his cookout. I've seen the way you two look at each other. Like you wish I wasn't there." He gave her a violent shake. "You will never leave me, Sarah," he spit out, "I won't let you."
Sarah cringed as his anger climaxed once more. Suddenly, he pushed her against the kitchen wall, her head thudding sharply against the textured surface. "Please, Steven," she begged, hating herself for sounding so frightened. If only she could get him to change!
"Please, Steven," he mocked. With one hand around her throat, he stuck his index finger in her face, "You like the attention from him, don't you? Don't you?!" he screamed. "You're a real piece of work, you know that?"
Sarah shook her head in protest; her long blonde hair falling in tangled waves as it skimmed the small of her back. "No, Steven. It wasn't like that. You have to believe - "
"I don't have to tell you what'll happen if I see you flirting with him," he threatened, cutting her off. His nose almost touched hers as their eyes locked. She knew all too well what he was alluding to, she had received that same warning countless times over the course of their short, yet turbulent marriage.
Tears filled Sarah's eyes as she contemplated her situation. She knew she was married to a monster, but didn't know how to break free from his possessive grip. Not without paying the price. He hadn't always been this way. In the beginning she had been very happy; he'd made sure of it. He was sweet and attentive; the perfect husband.
She knew now it had all been an act.
"I would never, Steven," she promised, turning her face away from him. Sarah knew if she protested, he would only get angrier, yet somehow she couldn't stop herself from trying to make him understand.
"I know you wouldn't," he screamed at her. Cupping her chin in his hand, he forced her to look at him. "Because I would kill you."
His words hung heavy in the air.
Sarah's heart dipped into her stomach. No matter how many times she had heard the menacing phrase, she could never get used to it. It had the same affect on her as the first time he'd thrown the ugly words in her face. The familiar sting of bile rose in her throat, and she knew she would deplete the contents of her stomach once she was locked in the safety of their master bath.
'If I make it through this time,' she agonized. Her biggest concern was that one day he would really lose his temper with her. Who knew what would happen then? She tried not to think about it.
Every day Sarah lived in fear, waiting for her husband's next outburst. They seemed to come in spurts, she had noticed. There were times when their life together was peaceful, almost happy, and she would wonder in vain if he had changed. But he always managed to let her down. She felt like a trapped animal, unable to escape.
Steven's jealousy was out of control. From the very start he dominated her, very subtly at first. He wouldn't allow her to work - not that she needed to - he had a high paying job that afforded them the luxury of living very comfortably. But his dictatorship grew. Soon, he controlled what she wore and who she socialized with; how long her hair was and what she ate. He even regulated how much sun she could get - heaven forbid she should have tan lines. Foolishly, she had convinced herself it was all because he cared.
Steven raised his hand in anger and Sarah squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for the next blow. To her surprise, it didn't come.
Tentatively, she peeked up at him. Anguish surfaced on his handsome face and his mouth twisted in despair. Gently, he brought his hand down, brushing the matted hair from her tear-soaked cheek.
"God, baby, I'm so sorry," he whispered, dragging his lips across her cheek to her hair. "You must hate me, and I don't blame you! Please say you forgive me. I don't know what I would do without you." His body slumped against hers and his broad shoulders quivered with his tormented release. "I'll make this up to you, I swear."
Sarah brought a shaky hand to his head, smoothing back his thick, brown hair the way she knew he liked. This is the same way most of their arguments ended. Steven would break down in tears and promises, finally making it up to her in the privacy of their bedroom.
But she couldn't do it anymore. It needed to stop. Her eyes scanned the spacious kitchen, landing on the sharp knife that lay waiting on the granite counter top.
'Next time...' she silently promised herself.
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I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of The Secret. This story is an unedited first draft, so if you see any corrections that need to be made, feel free to bring them to my attention!
Thank you for reading, and please remember that you can leave me a vote for each chapter and comment as much as you would like. These are the actions that will help my story reach more readers - and I would love to be able to do that! Each character's picture will be added to the media section on your screen if you are interested in seeing what everyone looks like.
This chapter is dedicated to @KatherineArlene as a thank you for tirelessly answering all of my ridiculous questions! :)
