𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐁 [COMPLETED]

1: Battered Woman

Fresno, California

Saturday,
October 18, 2014

5:21 p.m.

Omniscient

"I...I got all dressed up for you babe." Bianca said, sitting up straight as she pushed her hair out of her face.

Looking up from his phone as he stood at the front door, her husband Neil looked at her and frowned. "Go wipe that shit off. You look like a prostitute." He told her.

Bianca stared at him in disbelief before looking away.

All she'd wanted to do was please him since it seemed as if she could never do that. Feeling unattractive because of how he'd always talked down on her all of these years she never liked to dress up. She was always a plain Jane who wore little to no make-up and normally kept her hair up in a ponytail or high bun. If she did anything that seemed too over the top he'd beat her because he thought she was trying to gain the attention of other men like his pals who'd come over for poker nights.

She sat on the sofa trying to keep her composure because even if she made a certain face or rolled her eyes he'd slap her. For some odd reason, he thought she was disrespecting him when she did those things. She slowly exhaled and grabbed the glass of wine off the coffee table and stood up.

"It wasn't my intention to look that way. I just wanted to make tonight special for us. That's all." She shrugged.

"Yeah, well, you do. Tonight is my poker night with the guys so go wipe that shit off your face and change your clothes. Then go set something up for us to eat. You've already wasted enough damn time on this..." He looked her up and down in disgust. "Go make yourself useful and do what the fuck a wife is supposed to do you stupid bitch. Serve your man and stop trying to get attention. Nobody wants you but me, and that's only sometimes." He laughed, walking past her. Bianca quickly stepped out of the way, afraid he'd hit her. When he didn't, she let out the breath she'd been holding in as he went into the kitchen.

Never in a million years had she thought she'd be in a predicament like this, but here she was. For seven years she'd been cut off from her family. For seven years she'd been married to a monster. A man who'd force himself on her and beat her until she was almost unconscious when she refused to have intercourse. A man who'd gotten her pregnant right before she'd even turned 14 but was the cause of her not having that child because of his temper and abusive ways.

Over the last few years, Bianca found herself pregnant multiple times, but she'd only delivered one child. A child who was taken from her arms immediately after giving birth. She had major trust issues that stemmed from being betrayed by her parents who'd sold her to an older man for money. In her heart, she knew that the same thing had probably happened to her younger sister Briyelle who was only 12 years old back then.

As she sipped her wine, the only thing that made her smile was Ace's voice in her head telling her how beautiful she was.

"Bianca..." Neil's stern voice caught her attention as he walked out of the kitchen. "Go change and do what the hell I told you to do. The guys will be here at 7, and I don't want you anywhere in sight."

"How long am I going to be a secret Neil? Do people still not know that I'm your wife and—"

"Now." He clenched his jaw heading up the stairs to go shower and get ready for his poker night.

Bianca scoffed but not loud enough for him to hear her. "Okay." She said taking a seat on the couch putting her drink to the side instead of doing what he'd told her right away.

She pulled the secret phone Ace had given her out of her pocket and stared over at the stairs contemplating what she should do. Finally, she got up.

She was about to call him but decided against it stuffing the phone back into her pocket. He'd been telling her for weeks now that if she ever wanted out that all she had to do was say the word, and he'd take care of it.

Bianca knew what that meant and as bad as she wanted to get away she was no killer, and she couldn't see herself setting someone up to be harmed when she'd never hurt a fly herself. Moreover, she'd become dependent on Neil. Sure she could have him killed, but what would that mean for her financially? His friends had never even seen her before because he always made her stay in the room when they came over. If they didn't know he was married, then she was sure that no one else did. She didn't have access to anything. Not his money. Nothing.

• •

6:40 p.m.

"Are you fucking stupid? And why the fuck would I let you call them? You're my property and when they say that they're ready to speak with you then I may consider it." Neil told her as he sat on the bed putting on his shoes. He'd gotten dressed in case he and his friends decided to go out after the poker game for drinks at the bar.

"Look..." Bianca exhaled. "I'm not trying to piss you off." She told him as she looked down at the floor before looking back up at him.

"Then don't." He stood walking up on her as she backed away staring up at him with a frown on her face.

"And I've told you about looking at me that way!" He yelled backhanding her hard as she screamed and fell to the floor. "Look at me that way again! LOOK AT ME THAT WAY AGAIN!" He punched her in the face busting her nose and lip as she let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Neil, please. I...I'm sorry." She whimpered as her eyes watered.

"You disrespectful ungrateful worthless BITCH!" He kicked her in the stomach as she lay on her side touching her bloody face shaking in fear. As he yelled at her telling her she'd never be anything besides a servant and a whore he kicked her in the stomach over and over until Bianca found herself crying out for him to just kill her already. The pain was so bad that she found herself wishing that she was dead rather than being alive suffering like this. She wanted out, and she'd rather kill herself than live like this one more day. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the room. Forcing her to stand up he stood behind her as they both looked in the mirror.

"Look at you. Just look at yourself." He yanked her head back, and she hissed in pain as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Her vision was blurred, and she could feel the blood leaking from her nose and mouth. She could barely even stand. The only thing holding her up was him.

"Nobody wants you bitch. NOBODY. Not even your parents and as soon as you get that shit through your empty ass skull, maybe you'll learn to start fucking appreciating me and what I do for you around here." He let her go and walked away letting her fall, but thankfully she'd fallen back on the bed. She was barely conscious when she heard him say...

"Clean yourself up."