2nd Chance

Chapter 7: Fragile Affection

Victoria sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the darkened room, her eyes swollen from crying. Her once-strong spirit felt shattered, and she could barely recognize the girl she had become. The silence around her was suffocating, filled only with the echoes of her thoughts.

 "Aachi, I miss you so much, bro," she whispered, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her cheeks. 

"I wish you were here. It's so hard; I don't want to do this anymore. Please... please take me with you." She clutched her pillow tightly as if holding onto a memory, her heart aching with a longing she could hardly bear. All night, she lay there, sobbing and pleading, wishing she could have gone with Aachi on the day he left this world. The loneliness was too much, and the pain too heavy. Then, a sudden noise broke through the silence. 

"Ring...ring...ring..." Her phone buzzed loudly on the bedside table, shattering her moment of despair. She glanced at the screen and saw Jake's name flashing. Her heart skipped a beat. She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she picked up the phone, unsure if she should answer. But in the end, she did.

 "Hello?" she said, her voice barely a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Vic," Jake said, his tone soft, almost gentle. "I didn't mean it. I was angry, and I shouldn't have said those things. Please, believe me. I'm really sorry." 

Victoria closed her eyes, biting her lip to hold back another wave of tears. She wanted to believe him. She needed to believe him. After all, he was the only one she felt she had left. She had clung to the hope that maybe, just maybe, Jake was the person Aachi had sent to save her from drowning in grief. She desperately wanted to see him as her lifeline, a connection to her brother, a person she could trust. But deep down, she knew the truth. His apologies always came with a price, and each time, her heart paid for it. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to let go.

 "Okay," she whispered, wiping her eyes. "I believe you."

From that night on, the cycle repeated. Jake's harsh words, his insults, his manipulative apologies, and her quiet acceptance. It became a pattern, a dark dance she couldn't escape. With each call, he pulled her deeper into a pit of despair, slowly breaking her down, piece by piece. She became distant from her family, her friends, and the world outside. Her life shrank to the confines of Jake's cruel love, and she found herself trapped in a bond she couldn't break, even though it was slowly destroying her. Victoria didn't see it as a trap; she saw it as love. A twisted, painful love that tied her to him, making her believe she was nothing without him. And so, she stayed, even when it hurt, even when it felt like she was losing herself completely.

One day, Jake called Victoria and casually asked if she was free that evening. It had been a while since they had spent time together, so she eagerly said yes, not realizing the dark turn the night would take. They met up and decided to watch a movie. For Victoria, the simple act of being with him was enough to make her feel valued, even if just for a few hours. But Jake had other plans.

After the movie, they walked back to his car, and he suddenly turned to her, his eyes intense. "Can we be intimate?" he asked, his voice low but insistent. Victoria hesitated, her heart pounding.

 "No, Jake... I'm not ready for that," she replied, her voice almost a whisper. She hoped he would understand, that he would respect her boundaries. But Jake's expression darkened, and his gentle facade slipped. "Come on, Vic, you said you love me, right? This is what people do when they're in love," he said, his tone hardening. 

Before she could respond, he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer, ignoring her weak attempts to resist. "Jake, please, not like this..." she pleaded, her eyes filling with tears, but her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. He forced his way in, and in that moment, a part of Victoria shattered. He told her afterwards that this was love, that she just needed to accept it. Confused and hurt, she wanted to believe him, even though deep down, she knew it wasn't right. 

From that night on, everything changed. Jake became distant, barely answering her calls, only showing up when he wanted something. For two long years, Victoria's life revolved around his whims. He called her whenever he felt like it, but whenever she reached out, her calls went unanswered. She found herself trapped, too afraid to share her pain, convinced that if she told anyone, they would only blame her. Her self-worth crumbled as Jake continued to use her, manipulating her into thinking that as long as she obeyed, he would stay by her side. One day, Jake announced he was moving to Houston for a new job opportunity. "I'll call you when I can," he said, barely looking at her as he packed his things. Victoria, feeling desperate to hold onto whatever was left, decided she would see him off at the airport, even though she was burning up with fever. She arrived late, struggling through the crowds, her vision blurry from exhaustion and sickness. But when she got there, Jake was already gone. She had missed him by just a minute, and he hadn't even waited. She tried calling him, hoping he was still somewhere in the terminal.