Bittersweet Symphony

Chapter 21 - Beyond Scared Straight

As our eyes locked, I felt a sudden surge of anger and frustration. I had been so careful, so careful to hide everything. And now, it seemed, it was all for nothing. I knew I should run and should get away from him before it was too late. But my feet felt rooted to the floor, my mind spinning with fear and confusion.

Alister's lips curled into a cruel smile. "You know," he said, "I always thought you were smarter than this. I always thought you could keep your head on straight. But it seems I was wrong about you, Calista. Very wrong."

With a sudden move, he grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards him. I tried to pull away, but his grip was like iron. I felt myself being drawn closer and closer, until I could really feel his breath on my face.

"You've made your choice, Calista," he whispered. "Don't think you'll ever get away from me. You'll never escape."

Before I could react, he spun me around and pushed me against the wall, his body pressed tightly against mine. I could feel his heart racing, just as fast as my own. His breath tickled my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

His free hand reached for my throat, his fingers digging into my skin, cutting off my air supply. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. I could feel myself losing consciousness, the world growing dark around me.

And then, just as suddenly as it had started, it was over. He released his grip, and I collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. I could hear him walking away, his footsteps echoing in the silent hallway.

I lay there, curled up in a ball, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I had never known Alister to be so violent, so cruel. I mean, I do remember what happened after we got married, but I had never imagined he would resort to physical violence.

A huge turn on.

No.

Danger.

Tears streaming down my face, I struggled to my feet and stumbled towards the stairs. I needed to get out of there, to get away from him. But as I reached for the banister, I saw him standing at the top of the stairs, his eyes burning into mine.

"You can't run from this, Calista," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "Not anymore."

"You bastard," I growled. "I don't plan to."

But he didn't respond, he just stared at me, his eyes empty and cold. I felt like I was standing on the edge of an abyss, and with every passing moment, I felt myself being pulled closer and closer to the darkness.

Finally, with a deep sigh, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there alone. I heard the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance, and for a moment, I thought I was safe.

I had no idea what he was planning, but I knew I had to find a way out of this mess. I couldn't keep running away from him. It was only a matter of time before he found me. And what would he do then? The thought sent a chill throughout my body.

As I reached my room, I closed the door behind me, locking it tight. I leaned against it, trying to catch my breath. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was still watching me, that he was waiting for me to make a real mistake.

I knew I had to do something, but what? I couldn't just keep running from him. I couldn't keep putting Astin in danger. I had to find a way to make things right, to fix this mess.

I thought about calling the police, but I knew that wouldn't end well. Alister was too powerful, too connected. They'd never believe me. And even if they did, they might not be able to protect Astin, too.

I considered reaching out to Astin, telling him to get out of town, to hide until this all blew over. But what if Alister found him? What if he hurt him? The thought was too much to bear.