Unexpected Love

6. Trying My Best

Morning arrived all too soon, casting a pale light over the rumpled bed and its exhausted occupants. Lucy stirred, her limbs heavy and sore from the events of the previous night. As she attempted to sit up, the room spun around her and she fell back against the pillows with a groan. Her lips were tingling, a sure sign that her blood sugar had plummeted dangerously low. Chris lay beside her, oblivious to her struggle as he snored softly. She reached for her insulin kit on the nightstand, her hands shaking.

"No insulin Luce we discussed this babe." chris spoke unexpectedly.

Chris's words hung in the air like a dark cloud as he woke up and saw Lucy reaching for her insulin. His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. With a sigh, she set the kit aside, knowing better than to defy him. As he pulled her into his arms, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, Lucy couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of gratitude. His touch was comforting, even as his words cut deep. *Maybe he's right*, she thought, guilt settling heavy in her chest. *Maybe if I just lose weight, things will go back to normal.*

As Lucy gingerly rose from the bed, the harsh reality of the previous night came rushing back in the form of a searing pain between her thighs. She winced, gripping the edge of the mattress for support. Chris's rough love-making had taken its toll, leaving her body bruised and battered. She could feel the tender spots where he had held her down, where his fingers had dug into her flesh.

Forcing herself to move, Lucy hobbled towards the bathroom, her mind awhirl with thoughts and emotions. How had it come to this? When did their love become something so twisted and painful? As she went through the motions of getting ready for work, she couldn't shake off the feeling of violation. *This isn't love*, she reminded herself sternly, her reflection in the mirror showing a woman far older than her years. *This is abuse, and I deserve better.* But even as she silently vowed to leave Chris, her heart ached at the thought of losing him. She was trapped, ensnared in a web of fear, guilt, and misplaced loyalty.

Chris's insistence that Lucy walk to work for weight loss was yet another cruel reminder of his control over her life. As she stumbled through the door of the station.

The signs of her low blood sugar were evident: her lips were numb and tingling, her movements unsteady, and her face pale. Despite her body's pleas for rest and nourishment, Lucy trudged towards the changing rooms, each step a painful reminder of Chris's hold on her. Once inside, she slumped onto the bench, letting out a long, slow breath. She closed her eyes, willing the pounding in her head to subside, but it only grew stronger.

The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows on the walls as Lucy tried to steady herself. She knew she needed to eat something, anything, to bring her blood sugar levels back up. But the thought of facing Chris's wrath if she didn't stick to their 'plan' was too much to bear. So she took a deep breath, pushed aside the fear, and forced herself to change into her uniform. After all, she couldn't afford to lose her job - it was her one chance at independence, her only means of escaping this nightmare.

586 words!!
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