The Kidnapped Bride

"You see, God saved you from such kind of women... who knows what might have actually happened otherwise." 

At this point, Hannah literally felt that this man's luck was in his favor 

Otherwise, he would've been in a marriage which would surely end up in divorce, ruining his entire life.

"Correct. Although it has been long enough now, it still pains me to recall that everything was shaped because I loved the wrong person." Muttering in between his breath, he suffered his hand into his hair.

Taking another sip of his tea, he kept on adding more woods to the current fireplace. 

'Don't be too hard..' Hannah's heart was feeling as if she had now shared the sense of loneliness with someone.

Despite having Jennifer by her side, it was hard on the reveal since Jennfier herself never experienced the real relationship. 

Unlike her, she is as pure as sand without any knowledge of how love functions.

Because of the same  Jennifer wasn't able to connect with her at a much higher level and this made Hannah a little bit mad as well.

In the end, she shared what was important with her.

Somehow, today was different. The way Ellen elaborated his past tale was enough to make her heart feel kind of another ease, 'how much sensible...'

But it wasn't her who was curious about his past. 

On his part as well, Ellen had the urge to ask. What stopped him was his own mental thoughts, if she would be comfortable in sharing or not.

After all, he is aware that a toxic relationship is much worse as compared to betrayal.

Averting his eyes in her direction, he saw her lowered face, "would you mind sharing your story?"

Not expecting this out of him, it took a few seconds for her to realize the comment. Afterward, she adjusted herself on the chair and coughed slightly.

"Hmm… it started back in university days. A school president.. heartthrob of the entire campus. Just like other stories of love and other things."

"It started as infatuation, flirting, and other. Jennifer always warned me to make distance because.. she had heard that the man's information and rumors aren't good. But I always somehow  pacified her into convincing them that her contacts are wrong."

Her words made some sense that she had expected nothing less. The way her body reacted, in contrast to her fake smile, already indicated that it wasn't something easy to adjust to.

"You know you can stop anyhow." That was all that they said in order to make her feel comfortable, to which she nodded her head in u dressings.

Clutching her side of the shawl tightly, Hannah bite her lower lip to control her tears which were at bay. 

Just recalling a single glimpse of the start, made her realize how she ignored the initial red signs as well.

"It went on… we met at the classes, canteens, grounds.. I used to cheer him up whenever he had to speak on the stage.. it kept on continuing until it blossomed into more.. and we ended up getting into a relationship by the end of my first year and his second year."

"Although I knew that he used to flirt with others too, I never minded since that was his behavior. Jennifer saw him quite a time with girls but I always ignored, with the belief that it must be her imagination.. or whatsoever!"

Her words are enough for him to take his kindness that The man never cared for her. 

Neither did she try her best to talk about these reasons because, in her eyes, she took it on very lightly.

Not averting his eyes from hers, he waited for her to stabilize when he motioned that he wasn't done listing neither was she done telling.

Taking the sip of the tea, Hannah closed her eyes but her mouth never shut, "I remember… It went well through the years. But after I guess.. three years.. things started to get dirtier."

"He… wanted me physically.. that was fine but.. hitting me? Just because I wasn't in a mood to watch a movie with him or.. can't talk lovey-dovey? That was the first time.. I realized that something was definitely wrong."

"I..I..told Jennifer. She immediately asked me to leave that man.. but my love was at its peak so I once again ignored the large red flag! When we started to go to our respective jobs, the conversation became much less during the day and in the night  there were already too many restrictions on me."

"I wasn't allowed to wear this.. that or what not! Chatting with other female friends became difficult, forget about males already." 

She stopped in the middle to take a deep breath to calm her nerves. 

On the other hand, Ellen stood and came behind her. Giving her pats on her shoulders, he asked her to take a deep breath and calm herself otherwise it would be too late to even realize 

At last, she successfully managed to calm down when the only words that came out of her mouth were, "I found him…. With another girl in our bedroom. I returned early from the office and it was a break for him. Find him there.. already broke my heart. But what made me curious and realize my own mistake was.. afterward.. it's just.."

"What did he say?" He asked to which he opened her mouth.

"H..He said that.. this was his right to do.. because I was a weak person.. not giving him much of the satisfaction. Not only that, I should agree to an open relationship from his side.. but I wasn't allowed to even meet a man. He wanted to be a girl while staying with me, not allowing me to even get close to any of the males ever in this life!"

Ellen listened quietly until he felt his own nerves start to feel the need to punch this idiot man. The one who had abused her and wants to keep in her a cage which.. wasn't built for her.

"At least you got out.." was all he said since he was at a loss of words to say further.

At last, Hannah smiled when she looked into his eyes to say, "Maybe... god has planned something more beautiful for me…"