tolerate it

Her life was not a pleasant one. Home was never safe or comfortable.

Her father was a powerful, dominating presence. He controlled her and her mother - always keeping tabs on them.

Her mother resisted him passively. She kept secrets and deceived him, such as hiding the extra gold from him.

She had to bear the parental abuse. When things got too much, she retreated to her room, daydreaming of a man who would marry her and take her away from this mess.

Once she had grown up, she left the house and cut all ties with her family.

She took on different jobs, but they didn't give her any satisfaction. To her, marriage was what she believed that would fulfil her.

She wanted stability in the marriage, so she pursued the rich and powerful men in Slugterra. She would put on her best dress and make herself look pretty. She would go to important events, where such men would be present.

One day, she caught the eye of the founder of Blakk Industries, the one and only Dr. Thaddius Blakk. She had heard stories about him - how he defeated the gangster Viggo Dare and took over his cavern, and how he took a broken-down cart line and turned it into the SlugTerran Express, the backbone of commerce in Slugterra. He was rich, powerful, smart and ambitious - just like her ideal man.

Her beauty and skills sparked interest in him. He went to ask for her hand in marriage. She said yes.

The wedding was held in the matter of days. It was done in secret.

Dr. Blakk's reasoning was that she could be targeted if anyone in Slugterra knew that she was his wife.

She accepted it, even though she was disappointed that it was not a big event as she imagined when she was young.

The only people who knew about their marriage was the judge who officiated their marriage, and Maurice, Dr. Blakk's right hand man.

Nevertheless, she was the happiest on their wedding day. She felt that her childhood dream - her fairy tale - finally came true. Dr. Blakk was her saviour - saving her from a horrible life. She would now be known as Mrs. Blakk.

She would now live happily ever after with this man as her husband.

Or so she thought.

Every day was a routine. She would wake up earlier than him. She would watch him breathing with his eyes closed.

She would prepare breakfast for him. He would leave for work once he finished his meal.

Since they both lived in the Citadel, which served as their residence and his workplace, she was not allowed to go anywhere in the Citadel during working hours. He did not want anyone to be suspicious by her presence.

While he was working, she did everything what a good wife would do. She would wash the dishes, clean the residential area, make the bed, wash and dry the clothes. She would polish plates until they gleamed and glistened. She would go out and buy groceries. She would cook dinner and lay the dishes on the table when the time of him returning home was approaching. She would then wait by the door like she was a kid. As he came home, she would greet him with a battle hero's welcome.

After dinner, she would sit and watch him reading with his head low. She noticed everything he would do and would not do. She found him to be older and wiser than her. It would go on until sleep began to take over. Occasionally, she would perform her sacred duty as his wife - all to satisfy him in the bedroom before they slept.

She knew that her love should be celebrated, even in private.

But he just tolerated her - her duties as a good wife, her love, and even her presence.

She never received any compliments or any comforting words.

He only told her what to do and what not to do.

She was confused, frustrated and disappointed.

She tried to win his love.

She bought fancy things to lay on the table. She would occasionally buy slugs for him.

She used her best colours for his portrait. He even hung it in his workplace, but there was no mention of her name.

He was out building other worlds, but she was left out.

She made him her temple and her mural.

Now she was silently begging for footnotes in the story of his life.

She wondered if she had gotten it wrong with his love, or that she was just imagining things.

She asked Maurice if she had done anything wrong, but he said that she was doing fine.

She tried to believe his statement but to no avail.

One day, she snapped and demanded answers from her husband. She laid out all her frustrations and her anxiety. She wanted to receive his love as she was his wife.

He just retreated from the argument. He refused to give any answers. Instead, he gave her time and space.

The time and space eventually became too much.

He assumed that she was fine, but she was not.

She could no longer carry the weight of him.

She felt that her heart had been pierced by a dagger.

Finally, one day, while he had gone to work, she packed up her items and secretly left.

At last, she broke free from this marriage.

She gathered the courage to remove the dagger in her heart.

She finally lost the weight of her husband crushing her down.

She felt relieved at first, but soon she realized the consequences of her actions.

She had ruined their marriage.

How would her husband feel?

He might not be bothered to find her.

Or he might search for her, drag her back home and confine her to this horrible marriage.

She knew that she must find a place to hide from him.

A place where he would never find her.

As night fell, she knocked on a door.

The door opened, revealing to be the Shane.

"I need your help," she said.