"Shattered Vows: A Tale of Toxicity"

16. Slap

Amelia scanned through the food options, her eyes lingering on the sweets.Just as she reached out, a man accidentally collided with her. "Sorry," he muttered, extending a sweet towards her. "You should try this, it's amazing." Grateful, Amelia smiled, accepting the treat.

Meanwhile, William observed from afar, a twinge of dissatisfaction creasing his brow as he watched the interaction unfold.

Host: "Thank you all for coming tonight! Your presence makes this party truly special. Now, the floor is yours! Let's dance!"

[Music starts playing, filling the room with lively beats. Couples make their way to the dance floor, including William and Amelia.]

William: extends his hand to Amelia "will you dance with me?"

Amelia: smiles and takes his hand "I'd love to."

[They step onto the dance floor, finding their rhythm amidst the crowd.]

William: "You look stunning tonight, Amelia."

Amelia: blushes "Thank you, William. You look handsome today ."

[They sway to the music, lost in the moment.]

William: "I'm glad we could share this dance together."

Amelia: "Me too."

[They share a smile as they continue dancing, enjoying the magic of the moment.]

As William excused himself to take the call, Amelia stood on the corner, her heart still racing from the dance they shared. Just as she was about to catch her breath, the man who had bumped into her earlier appeared beside her.

"Excuse me, miss," he said, extending his hand towards her. "Would you care for another dance?"

Amelia hesitated, her mind racing with thoughts of William. With a hesitant smile, she replied, "I hope It's not a bad etiquette to reject a dance, is it?"

The man nodded, understandingly. "No, it isn't," he agreed. "I won't force you if you don't want to."

Amelia looked into his eyes, seeing a kindness and sincerity that put her at ease. Despite her initial reservations, she found herself drawn to his genuineness.

she reached out and took his hand. "Okay," she said softly. "Let's dance."

Amelia swirled gracefully across the dance floor, her black gown twirling with her movements. In the midst of the lively music, she found herself in the dancing with the mysterious stranger.

Suddenly, his voice cut through the music like a sharp blade. "I know you," he said, his tone laced with surprise.

Amelia's heart skipped a beat. "You know me?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Yes," he replied, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "You're William's wife, Amelia."

Amelia's eyes widened in astonishment. "How do you know my husband?"

A sly grin spread across the man's face. "Oh, I know him much better than you think. We used to be childhood friends."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Used to be?"

He nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "Indeed. Though we're not anymore."

Amelia's mind raced with questions, but before she could utter a word, a familiar voice shattered the moment.

"Amelia!"

She turned to see William, his expression dark with anger.

"Go back to your husband," the stranger said, his voice cool and detached. "He looks angry."

Amelia's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she realized the gravity of the situation. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, taking a step back.

But before she could say anything else, the stranger reached out and gently took her hand. He raised it to his lips and pressed a soft kiss upon her knuckles.

With a final, genuine smile, he wishpered "I feel sympathy for you." then he released her hand and vanished into the crowd, leaving Amelia standing there, bewildered yet strangely intrigued by the encounter.

As she made her way back to William, her mind raced with thoughts of the mysterious stranger named Jake and his cryptic words.

"I'm sorry, William I didn't listen to you" Amelia murmured, breaking the tense silence between them. "That man... I couldn't refuse his request for a dance.He said he is an old friend of yours."

William's voice was strained when he finally spoke, barely concealing the simmering anger beneath his composed facade. "I see."

Amelia reached out carefully, her fingers brushing against his arm. "William, please... I didn't mean to upset you."

He shook his head, refusing to meet her gaze. "Let's just go home."

As they pulled into the driveway of their home, William wasted no time in exiting the car. Amelia lingered for a moment, watching as he disappeared into the darkness of the house. She knew she had to confront him, to break through the wall of silence that had settled between them like a suffocating fog.Taking a deep breath, she followed him inside.

Amelia stood in the doorway, her heart pounding, as she watched William facing the window, his back rigid with tension. She took a hesitant step forward, her voice barely above a whisper. "William, I'm sorry if I hurt you. I didn't want to dance, but he asked, and..."

Before she could finish, the air crackled with tension, and then came the sharp sound of a slap. Her hand instinctively flew to her left cheek, stinging from the impact. Shock and disbelief washed over her as she stared at William, her eyes wide with hurt and confusion.

"Why?" she managed to choke out, her voice trembling. "Why did you...?"

William came forward with his expression unreadable, his jaw clenched with anger. "You embarrassed me, Amelia," he spat out, his voice low and venomous. "You let him touch you, dance with you, as if you were his..."

His words trailed off, but the accusation hung heavily in the air. Tears welled up in Amelia's eyes as she shook her head, unable to comprehend with William's anger.

"I-I didn't mean to," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I didn't want to hurt you."

William's gaze softened momentarily, but then hardened again, his fists clenched at his sides. "You should have refused," he said, his voice colder now. "You should have known better."

Amelia felt the weight of his words crushing her spirit, suffocating her with guilt and shame. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the pounding of her heart. "I'm so sorry, William."

But her apology seemed to fall on deaf ears as William turned away, his shoulders tense with anger. Amelia watched helplessly as he stormed out of the room, leaving her alone with her tears and her shattered heart.

As the silence enveloped her, she sank to her knees, her body racked with sobs of anguish and regret. She had never imagined that a simple dance could cause such devastation, tearing apart the fragile bonds of trust and love that had once bound them together.

And as she wept alone in the darkness, she knew that nothing would ever be the same again.