2nd Chance

Chapter 2:Silent Bruises

Victoria stepped out of the cabin, her heart heavier than when she had entered. The cool breeze outside offered little comfort as she glanced at the other candidates, some nervously pacing, others staring blankly at their phones. Their faces mirrored the same mix of hope and anxiety that churned within her, but deep down, she felt a pang of demotivation creeping in.

She knew the stakes. For most of them, it was just another job interview. But for her, it was a lifeline - a fragile chance to escape the suffocating circumstances of her life, a life she had long considered a personal hell. Each job she applied for felt like a sliver of hope, a potential door to a better future. The constant weight of her situation pressed on her shoulders, threatening to drag her down, but she couldn't afford to give up now. Not today.

With a deep breath, Victoria straightened her jacket and forced herself to keep walking. There wasn't time to linger in doubt. She had several more interviews lined up that day, each as important as the last. She couldn't let herself dwell on the outcome of this one, not yet. Pushing her doubts aside, she stepped back into the city streets, determination etched into her every step.

It was almost nightfall when Victoria finally arrived home, her legs aching from the endless miles she had walked, her mind numb from the countless interviews. The dim apartment greeted her with its usual chaos—the kitchen sink was overflowing with dirty utensils, and the refrigerator stood hauntingly empty. 

She sighed, her stomach growling, and turned her gaze toward the figure lounging on the bed, eyes glued to his phone.

"Jake, babe, why aren't the dishes done?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.

Jake, her boyfriend of five years, barely looked up. He was someone she had once envisioned building a life with starting a family, dreaming of a future filled with love and mutual respect. But over time, that image had faded into something much darker.

"I was busy today, sorry babe," Jake mumbled without a hint of sincerity. He kept scrolling, his thumb gliding across the screen lazily. "I'm hungry, though. Can you cook something?"Victoria felt her blood boil. She stared at him, her hands shaking with a mix of exhaustion and frustration. 

The whole day, she had been running across the city, attending five gruelling interviews, trying to carve out some future And here he was, lounging around all day, not even bothering to clean or eat. He hadn't done anything. 

Her voice tightened as she confronted him. "You were busy? Busy doing what, Jake? Were you out there giving five interviews? Were you travelling all over the city ?"

Jake's tone shifted, laced with irritation as he responded. "I told you, I was busy. Stop nagging me."

"Busy with what, Jake?" she shot back, her patience slipping through her fingers like sand.

"You haven't done anything all day. You just sit here, and when I ask you for help, you act like I'm asking for the world."Her words cut through the room like ice, but Jake's expression remained unchanged. If anything, his irritation grew.

 Victoria knew that pushing him further would only escalate things. He would start a fight, as he always did. And fights with Jake never ended well. She had learned that the hard way. Each argument eventually led to the same outcome his temper flaring, his fists clenched, and her trying to avoid another bruise. It had become a sickening routine. He wasn't just indifferent. He was dangerous. Victoria felt the weight of her past decisions sink into her chest. She had stayed with him, hoping things would change, clinging to the dream they had once shared. But now, the reality was inescapable. Jake wasn't just a waste of time; he was a threat to her well-being. Every time she asked him for anything something as simple as washing the dishes he would twist it into an excuse for an argument, for another round of bruises she would have to cover up. Swallowing her anger, she quietly changed out of her work clothes and headed to the kitchen. As she began to prepare a meal, her movements were robotic, her mind already somewhere else, calculating how much longer she could endure this. She kept her head down, not out of submission, but out of self-preservation. Jake continued lounging, oblivious to the battle raging inside her. Victoria knew better than to provoke him tonight. She wasn't ready for another confrontation. Not now. Not after the day she'd had. She would cook, she would eat, and she would wait for the bruises physical and emotional that had yet to come.