Rosebud's Revenge

Chapter 4: Morning After

*This Chapter is dedicated to @natb21. I want to thank you for liking and commenting on the book. You've inspired me...

Opening her eyes, Athena was immediately met by the sight of her bedroom's hardwood floors.

In a brief state of shock, Athena tried to recall last nights events that ended with her passed out on her bedroom floor-only to come up with absolutely nothing.

Going to sit up-an indescribable and excruciating pain shot all throughout her body making her cry out in agony.

It felt as if she was just in a plane crash. Her head was pounding. Her ears were ringing. Her arms and legs were throbbing, and her chest felt like it was on literal fire.

She didn't know what to do, but one thing was for certain...she couldn't just lay there on the floor like some dead animal.

With that in mind, Athena took several deep and painful breaths before using her elbows to help drag her body towards the ensuite bathroom...several feet away.

Mustering up what little strength she had left, Athena tightly grasped onto the edge of the sink trying to ignore the pain in her chest every time she breathed in.

Groaning in absolute pain she counted in her head to three before she quickly-and carefully- lifted herself to her unstable feet.

Having to lean against the vanity for support, Athena was completely out of breath and felt like her lungs were going to collapse at any second.

She took a moment to gather herself before looking in the mirror...only to have her knees nearly give out from underneath her.

There she stood...completely naked. Covered in large reddish handprints, and a series of purple, black, and blue bruises of various sizes and shapes that lay scattered all over her body. They were everywhere...everywhere except for the one place where people were sure to notice if any other "discoloration" were to appear...her face.

This wasn't the first time handprints and colorful bruises decorated her body...but never to this extent.

Staring out the bathrooms open door at her husbands sleeping figure she felt the tears begin to prickle at the corner of her eyes.

"He did this to you." She whispered to herself.

Turning her attention back to the mirror, she stared at herself in disgust, "No. You did this to yourself. You deserved this Athena." She mumbled to her reflection silently watching the tears she tried so hard to hold back fall down her face.

She was just moments away from breaking- seconds away from having a full blown meltdown when the sudden movement in her peripheral vision stopped her from doing so.

She froze momentarily as she watched from the corner of her eye as her husband let out an inaudible groan before turning his back to her.

Now was not the time nor the place to have mental breakdown-especially with her husband being just a mere ten feet away.

"Pull your shit together Athena." She scorned, splashing a handful of cold water on her face.

Quickly pulling herself-and her thoughts together-Athena cautiously stands as best as she could to her full height before slowly limping towards the shower. Silently praying that the hot stream of water would be enough to soothe away the pain and relax her tense muscles.

However, that was not the case here, because Athena felt no more relaxed than when she stepped into the shower to begin with. If anything it made her more tense.

She even tried standing under the shower head, and letting the warm water rush down her body like the countless of women she had seen do in several movies. Only that did absolutely nothing, but make her fingers look like little raisins.