The bathroom door slammed shut behind her, a desperate act of escape. Rose, pale and drawn, stumbled towards the toilet, the heat of panic burning in her veins. She doubled over, her hands gripping the cool porcelain, and the meager lunch she'd shared with Sandy erupted from her stomach, a bitter, unwelcome tide. Each heave, each agonizing expulsion, seemed to echo the turmoil within her. Was it the fear that gnawed at her insides or the fragile life growing within that was responsible for this relentless nausea? The question hung heavy in the air, unanswered, as Rose continued to retch, her body wracked with the desperate need to purge the unwelcome feeling.
The porcelain bowl felt cold against her trembling hands. Each heave ripped through her, leaving her gasping for air and her body aching with the effort. She was empty and drained, and the world spun as she leaned against the cool white tiles. Her heart beat frantically against her ribs as she realized her secret was now in the open.
Stephan knows.
The knowledge hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Her husband was too sharp and perceptive to miss the telltale signs, the whispers of truth she'd tried so desperately to bury. She couldn't lie her way out this time. The inevitable confrontation that was sure to happen loomed over her heart like a dark shadow, compounding her agitation. She already knew his reaction, a chilling certainty that filled her with terror, which she fought to suppress but couldn't deny.
The bathroom tiles felt cold against her back, a stark reminder of the icy dread gripping her. Hiding here, in the bathroom, would only buy her a few stolen moments, a brief respite from the storm brewing outside, but it wouldn't change a thing. Her heart already knew what awaited her, and she had no choice. She must go in and face the music, whatever it may be.
Rose forced herself to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her. When she stood, her head spun, making her nauseous, which worsened her anxiety. The room tilted, making a grotesque mockery of her reality, forcing her to reach out blindly, grasping for anything to steady herself. Her grappling hand found the cool, smooth surface of the sink, which she clung to like a lifeline to steady herself.
The chill from the sink penetrated her pale and unfeeling hands, pushing past the swirling storm in her head, which helped to ground her. Slowly, the dizziness subsided, but the anxiety in her heart remained. She calmed down enough to perform the mundane art of washing her hands without her anxiety manifesting itself in her hands. She took her time washing her hands, each motion deliberate, a facade of composure that masked the loudness of her frantic drumming heart. She focused intently on washing her hands, pretending briefly as if nothing awaited her in the other room.
Slowly, as if beckoned by something, Rose lifted her eyes to the mirror on the wall. Her reflection stared back at her, a mask of stoicism etched on her face. But as she held her gaze, a flicker of truth betrayed her facade. Her brown eyes, usually icy and detached, were now a dark pool of unfathomable depth, holding her secret and something else she fought so hard to bury deep within her.
Her fear.
She blinked in a desperate attempt to banish the truth that reflected at her, but when that proved futile, Rose looked away and returned to her task, which she completed quickly. She saw no sense in lingering anymore. She walked out of the bathroom, her expression a facade of bravado lacking in her inside.
When Rose reached the door, she paused, hesitating to walk in and face her husband, even though she knew she had to. The air in her lungs seemed to catch, like a silent scream trapped within her chest. Finally, she exhaled deeply, as if releasing her fear and anxiety, and walked through the door to face the music.
Stephan paced, a caged animal fueled by fury, waiting for his wife's return. Something felt off, a nagging suspicion gnawing at him. He couldn't wait any longer to pry the truth from her. The thought of his wife lying to him and keeping secrets left him agitated, and his restlessness was a physical manifestation of his disbelief. How dare she hide something like that from him?
YOU ARE READING
THE DARKNESS WITHIN
عاطفيةIs this love? When they were kids, she pledged to be his forever, words he took seriously and upheld. He guards her jealously and punishes her mercilessly when she misbehaves. He is very possessive of her and beats any man who looks at her the wron...
