Intertwined Souls

Chapter 25 (part 3)

Beth was seated at her desk in the soft glow of the afternoon light, penning a simple note to her brother, Robin. The letter was warm and filled with trivial updates about her life and inquiries about the family. She wrote about the garden, the new book she was reading, and asked how everyone was doing.

Jacob walked into the room; his footsteps quiet but with an underlying tension that immediately made Beth tense. He leaned against the doorframe, watching her write.

"Who are you writing to?" Jacob's voice was casual, but there was a sharpness to it that Beth recognized all too well.

"Just sending a little update to Robin," Beth replied, keeping her voice light, hoping to avoid any of Jacob's unpredictable outbursts.

Jacob's eyes narrowed slightly as he pushed off from the doorframe and strolled over to her. "Let me see," he demanded, extending his hand with an air of faux politeness that Beth knew better than to contradict.

She hesitated for just a split second before handing him the letter, her pulse racing. Jacob scanned the contents, his expression growing darker by the second.

"This is quite the detailed update, isn't it, Beth?" Jacob said, his tone deceptively calm as he looked up from the letter. "You seem very keen to keep your brother informed about every little aspect of your life."

Beth felt a chill run down her spine. "It's just a letter, Jacob. I thought Robin would like to know how things are going," she stammered, trying to sound reasonable.

Jacob chuckled, but the sound was devoid of humor. "Oh, I'm sure he would," he replied. "But why do you feel the need to share so much, Beth? Are you getting ready to leave me? Planning to run back to your family?"

Beth's eyes widened in shock. "No! I... I'm just writing to my brother. That's all."

Jacob crumpled the letter in his fist, his other hand gripping her chin and forcing her to meet his gaze. "You belong to me, Beth. Your thoughts, your words, your every action," he hissed, his fingers tightening painfully on her jaw. "I don't appreciate you sharing pieces of your life with anyone else. Do you understand?"

Beth's heart was pounding, fear mingling with a desperate wish to escape his grip. "I am not doing anything wrong, Jacob. Why do you always act like this? Leave me, you're hurting me," she pleaded, tears starting to form in her eyes.

Jacob's response was swift and brutal. His hand released her chin only to deliver a sharp slap across her face, the sound echoing through the room. Beth was knocked off the chair, hitting the floor with a soft thud, her hand flying to her cheek, where the pain was blooming into a deep, throbbing ache.

"Leave you?" Jacob spat out, looking down at her with cold eyes. "You are mine. Your feelings, your words, your loyalty. Don't ever forget that."

Beth lay on the floor, cradling her cheek, sobs breaking through her controlled façade. "I haven't forgotten," she whispered through her tears, her voice barely audible.

Jacob surveyed her for a moment longer before turning and leaving the room with the crumpled letter still in his hand. "I am never going to leave you," he called back over his shoulder.

Alone, Beth slowly picked herself up, wincing as she touched the tender skin of her face. She looked at her reflection in a small mirror and saw the beginnings of a bruise that would soon be difficult to hide. Her eyes were filled with tears, not just from the physical pain but from the emotional and psychological torment of living with Jacob's controlling and abusive behavior.

She knew she had to tread carefully, to keep her true thoughts and feelings hidden to avoid further punishment. She wiped away her tears and began to tidy up the scattered papers on the floor.