Gabriel's Obsession

A Mother's Strength

I found myself locked away in that dimly lit room, its oppressive atmosphere mirroring the despair that had taken residence within my chest. My tears flowed freely, cascading like a river of sorrow, each droplet carrying the weight of profound regret. How had I allowed myself to embrace Gabriel as my better half? It was a notion that had once held profound significance, a promise of love and unwavering trust, but now it felt like a cruel jest, a cruel mockery of the love I had once held sacred.

Lies. It was the one transgression I could not abide, the one boundary I had firmly established. And Gabriel had shattered it, pulverizing my trust into a million splintered fragments. The fact that he could become engaged to Anna while maintaining an unrelenting grip on me was beyond reason, a sickening contradiction that left me reeling.

Our confrontation had served as a harsh awakening, a painful glimpse into the darkest depths of Gabriel's obsession and possessiveness. It felt as though he had regressed to the time when he had first abducted me, his eyes reflecting that same menacing intensity which had both terrified and inexplicably captivated me.

Yet, after that ordeal, he had seemed to change. He had revealed to me a different facet of himself, a man capable of tenderness and love. I had fallen for him, heart and soul, believing in his transformation.

And it had all been a lie.

I sat perched on the edge of my bed, my sobs resonating through the otherwise silent room. Loneliness, the most profound of my companions, enveloped me. I couldn't bear the thought of being separated from my daughters, and the knowledge that they were irrevocably tethered to this world of deceit and darkness weighed on me like an unmovable anchor, dragging me ever deeper into a pit of desolation.

Desperation gripped me, and my fists began to pound against the door with an unrelenting rhythm. I needed to see my twin girls, to nourish them, to hold them close. Hours had slipped by since I had last tended to their needs, and I knew that their hunger must be gnawing at them, their tiny souls yearning for the embrace of their mother.

Yet, no one answered my cries. I was abandoned, relegated to this room as though I were a prisoner, my only "crime" being my love for my own flesh and blood.

As hope dwindled and I slumped against the wall, my mind cast back to a time before Gabriel had entered my life, before I had been thrust into this nightmarish world through his abduction. Life had once been simple, characterized by the warmth of my parents' affection, the laughter shared with my brother and the security of family bonds.

In my mind's eye, I fervently begged for that life to be restored, for the chance to rewind time and erase the dark chapter that had tarnished my existence. But wishes held no power here, and I was left with the cold, unforgiving reality of my present.

Suddenly, the faint click of the door roused me from my thoughts. I assumed it was Gabriel, returning to further torment me. However, to my surprise, it was Anna who entered, a malevolent smirk playing upon her lips. Her presence alone sent shivers coursing down my spine, but the cruel utterances that flowed from her mouth were a torment I had not anticipated.

"Well, well, well," she taunted, her voice laced with venom. "Look who we have here—the discarded wife."

I remained resolutely silent, refusing to dignify her words with a response. Yet, Anna was relentless, her cruelty unchecked.

"Did you honestly believe that you could keep Gabriel to yourself?" she continued, her tone dripping with condescension. "Engaged to me, darling. Engaged. He's mine now, and you're nothing but a pitiful relic of his past."

The barbs stung, but I refused to let them break me. I had endured too much to allow Anna's words to reduce me to tears.

But then, she crossed a line, a line I could not ignore—a line that ignited the dormant embers of anger within me.