Past the Point of No Return

Chapter 2

TW!!!! Graphic descriptions o physical assault.

"CHRISTINE!!!" Raoul shouted when he walked in the door.
"Yes, dear?" Christine answered as she rushed toward him. She reached out to take his coat from him but he shook her off.

"Get off me!" Raoul shouted. Christine retreated back a step. "And what is that smell? I certainly hope it isn't meatballs. You know how much I hate them," Raoul asked Christine with a glare.

Anger flashed in Christine's eyes but she quickly surpressed it and tried to remain sweet and calm. Sometimes she could put him to sleep if she used that tactic.

"Yes my dear. Have you forgotten what today is?" Christine questioned.

"DADDY!!!" Ebony screamed as she ran into the room, her arms out stretched.

Christine's face turned white in terror.

"Ebony, honey? Not now. Daddy's got a terrible headache," Christine said as she rushed forward, scooping up her daughter before she got any closer to Raoul.

"But Mommy, Daddy's always got a headache. And today's my birthday," Ebony said, and she started to pout. Then and idea seemed to strike her. "What if I whisper?" Ebony whispered, cupping her hands around her mouth.

"No, Ebony. And that's final. I'm very sorry that this happened on your birthday, but we'll still have meatballs, just like you asked. Daddy and I both know how much you love them, right Raoul?" Christine said, giving a warning glare at her husband.

"Oh, is that why we're having that disgusting dinner tonight? Well I'll tell you what, Ebony. We are not having meatballs ever again. I don't care that it's your birthday. We're not having them," Raoul stated harshly.

Christine's mouth dropped open a bit and Ebony's eyes widened in shock and started making that face she makes before she starts crying.

"Oh great. Now she's going to start crying. Well that's how the world is, Ebony. Hard and harsh. You don't always get your way. You are going to have to start to learn that you can't just be handed everything," Raoul spat at the poor girl.

Ebony started crying and Christine pressed Ebony's head onto her shoulder and started cradling her. She turned ever so slightly to shield Ebony from Raoul.

"Raoul! She is 8 years old! It's not like she's 15 and a spoiled brat or something!!! She's just an inno-AHHH!!!" Christine was cut off by Raoul aggressively grabbing her hair at the crown of her head and yanking it down. Christine fell to the floor, but made sure Ebony wouldn't get hurt. She then instinctively got on top of Ebony to once again shield her from Raoul.

"GET OFF OF HER!!!" Raoul yelled at Christine. Christine was crying now. "Ah so I make you tremble do I? Well," Raoul grabbed Christine's hair again and pulled her up.

Ebony was sobbing now and clinging onto Christine like a life support. No doubt thinking that her once loving father was under some evil spell and was about to kill them.

"OH SHUT UP!!!! YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!!" Raoul tore Ebony from Christine's arms and grabbed her by the wrist, standing up. Christine made an attempt to rescue poor Ebony, but Raoul kicked her in the chest, knocking the wind out of her. Christine's vision blurred a bit and sat dazed for a moment. Then her vision came back, but her breath didn't.

"YOU WANNA CRY?!?! I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT!!!"

And that's when it happened. Time seemed to slow down for Christine. She watched in horror as Raoul brought his hand up high, then struck their- no. Christine's- little girl across the face.

There was a loud slap that seemed to echo throughout the house.

Ebony screamed. Christine's hear broke into a million pieces. Raoul pushed Ebony down. Then he turned to Christine, who was still struggling to breath. He knelt down and roughly grabbed her wrist and made her stand up to face him. Christine finally took a deep breath. He smiled evilly. "I suppose that's bad enough for you both, isn't it? If only you had given me a son. None of this would have happened. You know that, don't you, Christine?" Raoul sneered. Then he chuckled a bit before shouting in her face, spitting a bit. "ANSWER ME!!!"

"Y-yes, Raoul. I know that," Christine said timidly. Raoul smiled, satisfied, and let go of Christine, pushing her back down to the floor in the process. "You never let me forget it," Christine whispered softly, remembering her baby that had died inside of her.

As Christine said this, Raoul turned around to leave, but unfortunately, also toward Ebony, whose cheek had already started to swell and was still whimpering.

"Stop that whimpering. It's annoying," Raoul snapped at Ebony. He kicked her a bit and Christine gasped in horror? Shock? She couldn't tell which. Raoul turned around to face her.

"Oh, so you want more, do you?" Raoul shouted at Christine, causing her to shrink back. He strutted back towards Christine and kicked her right in the stomach full force. Christine screamed and made eye contact with Ebony.

Don't make a sound. Christine thought to herself. For Ebony.

Raoul continued with his torment, catching her face a few times. When he was done, he crouched down to Christine's ear and whispered, "Perhaps you were just destined for this life because if your precious Angle of Music hadn't pushed you away, I doubts he could treat you better then this. That hell spawn demon."

He turned back around. The servants had all gathered around the corners to watch the horrifying scene. Even though Raoul technically had more power than Christine, they all favorited the mistress of the house much more than the master. "Don't you all have work to do?!" He yelled at them, some flinching. The once gentle de Changey staggered off toward their bedroom, bumping into things and knocking things over on his way there. Vomiting all over the expensive carpet a few times as well.

Christine didn't spare any time. She rushed over to her daughter and gently pulled Ebony into her arms. Ebony eagerly gave into her mother's comforting and safe embrace.

"Shhhhh.....shhhhh," Christine cooed at her daughter in an attempt to comfort her, but she knew it wouldn't make her stop crying. "There there, my darling. It's alright. He's gone now, and I'm here," Christine said in a soft loving voice. Ebony had calmed down a little bit, finding sanctuary in her mother's arms.

"Why did he do it, Mommy? He's never done that before," Ebony whimpered quietly into Christine's chest.

Christine hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to tell Ebony. She took a deep breath and decided to tell a little white lie.

"I don't know sweetie. I don't know," Christine whispered the last part, holding back an entire dam of tears herself.
They stayed like that for awhile. Ebony cried herself to sleep as Christine gently rocked her, continuing to murmur comforting words into her ear. Christine stood up and began to walk to Ebony's room to put her down, but decided to put Ebony on the couch instead to keep her close while she cleaned up the kitchen.

I suppose Raoul got his way, Christine thought. We won't be having meatballs for dinner anymore tonight. In fact, we're not having dinner in general anymore.

As Christine cleaned up the kitchen, she repeatedly checked on Ebony while she slept.

When she was done, she wiped her hands on a towel and walked over to Ebony's sleeping form. She gently turned Ebony onto her back, careful not to wake her up. Christine gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. There was a huge hand shaped bruise on Ebony's left cheek. It was at that moment Christine knew that she couldn't live like this anymore. It still hurt, since Raoul was still that boy from the Opera, but unfortunately, only when he was sober, which was becoming less and less.

However, she knew with all her heart that she couldn't keep putting herself and Ebony through this. They were leavening tonight.

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Woah! That was a long chapter XD
I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please let me know in the comments, and if you find any errors, please let me know.

Again, please let me know your thoughts in the comments. Have a good day/night😌

-AJU