Alone in Marriage

Chapter Eight

Erica woke up with a heavy feeling. Even though she felt hurt when Arnold had been distant, but it never this bad till she put hundreds miles distant between them. She thought coming back to her hometown could ease her pain, but looked like she was very wrong. Not just she wasn't feeling lighter, but worse, she had felt suffocated.

Last night, when she arrived, her parents had scolded her for running away from problem. Not that she had told them the truth. They merely thought she and Arnold had a fight. She was an obedient person, but she could be stubborn sometimes. She didn't want to correct them. My husband manipulated me in to this marriage, we slept on separate room and he never let me see him even a glance. Imagined what kind of reaction would she got if she said that out loud. They knew she loved him, but they had no clue he didn't feel the same. The revelation would just made them furious, especially her former soldier father. He maybe a reasonable person, but if anyone tried to hurt his family, they would have a hell to pay.

Growing up as a soldier's daughter, Erica had learnt to be responsible on her actions. She was the one to blame for creating this mess and she couldn't let her parents to clean it up.

She need this. This distant would give her chance to look at her marriage from different point of view. She had to decided whether to continue or end their marriage. Her decision would affect their future and both families. She knew she would beg for his affection, but how did they make their marriage work if she had to do all the hard work. But would he be willing to compromise?

She would analyse everything while she was here. She didn't think Arnold would realize her escape for few days, and she had begged her parents to not inform him till she said so which they reluctantly agreed. She knew she had a little amount of time till her parents took matter on their own against her wish.

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Arnold woke up with the worst feeling he ever had. He felt like there was a huge hole in his life and nothing could fill it. He knew it's because of Erica's disappearance, he never thought she would take that huge part of his life. But he would not describe this loss as love, he was incapable of love and that won't change forever.

He knew he had hurt her last week for ignoring her again. It was hard on his part too. But he was determined to never fall in love again and her mere existence already put his effort to distant himself in danger. He was sure she wasn't a gold digger, but how much close would she get if he let her.

He felt like he was losing his common sense and would went crazy any minute. He had to do something or he would really lose his mind.

He went to her room. He walked to her bed and pull off the cover, he then swept her stuffs on the dressing table. If these stuffs are unworthy for her to bring along, then I won't let them stay either. He climbed the bed and took off their picture, then smashed it to the floor. The glass shattered in million pieces and he pulled out the picture and ripped it.

As if that wasn't enough he went to his room and destroyed every single item he had in it. Even his precious Ninja Turtles collection wasn't unharmed. After he was done, he stared at his work and that didn't ease his pain at all. Still in rage he took a shower and went straight to office. When he arrived, everyone backed off, they never saw him this furious before. He had been in rage before over a stubborn client who won't cooperated, but this was a lot different and more scary. No one dare to approached him, In attempt to calm him down, Heather had called Sean and he had come immediately.

"What's up, Buddy? You look like you are ready to kill somebody." It had been long since the last time he saw Arnold in this state. The last time was when Cameron Biston betrayed him which had caused his friend to lost his joy in viewing life.