“What is happening here?!” Jacey gasped when she saw Sam on the ground, rushing to him.

…Ignoring ‘my’ wife’s condition?

“Ask your damn fiancé what he was doing?!” Growling, I pulled away from Saafia and pointed my finger furiously at Sam.

“I didn't do anything! She called me! She is just like Veronica! Desperate for a man to leave-” Sam shouted, wiping the blood with his sleeves.

“Shut your goddammit mouth!!”

“Dariel, stop it! You know Sam for years. You know he wouldn't do it. Ask her!” Jacey shouted back… defending this disgusting man?

“I saw myself, Jacey. He was hurting her!” I argued. I believe in my eyes. 

“I was defending myself! She was saying to keep things a secret between us!” Sam continued. My jaw clenched.

“Stop lying! I didn’t do anything!” Saafia yelled, crying as she fell on the bed, holding her dress with tears glistening on her face, shaking tremendously in fright.

“I couldn’t believe you would turn out to be like Veronica, Saafia. To escape Dariel… you were using my fiancé?” Jacey also started degrading Saafia which baffled me for a moment to think why they were targeting her.

“No… no, no, no, I swear, I didn't do anything. Dariel-” Saafia whispered, shaking her head in denial, almost pleading with her.

“Now you are calling him by his name, huh?! What a manipulator you are, Saafia? You are worse than her.” Jacey hissed, helping Sam to stand and I was not shameless to let her yell at my wife when he did wrong.

“Enough, Jacey. Control your man. He came.” I hissed.

Standing beside Saafia, holding her shoulders to keep her close to me while not removing my glare from Sam who was terrified of me.

“She initiated! She came to me. I was only trying to push her away.” Sam shouted, repeating the same thing.

“See? Do you want to hear more? Why don't you control your woman who is being sweet in front but bad mouthing you behind?!” 

When she said it. I paused immediately. Pulling away gradually from Saafia, looking down at her in disbelief. Her mouth gaped, holding my sleeves.

“What…?”

“Do you want to know what she told me about you? He is not worth it, he is hubris. That you are ruthless, self-centered! She says such things behind your back!” Jacey hissed, letting everyone know what she thought about me. Making my marriage notorious a second time.

Shattering the privacy and boundary I had, making everyone public as I stood stunned, removing myself from Saafia who held horror on her face.

“I trust my Sam and now I feel horrible for trusting her! She is a Bitch!” Jacey shouted and I pointed my finger outrageously at her.

“ENOUGH.” 

Stop ruining my marriage! Stop ruining the image I cleared after all this effort! Stop making my matter public! Stop it!

My lips quivered but curling them in a fist, I moved back. My throat dried, unaware whose evil eye cursed my home.

“Don't yell at me, Dariel. Ask her.” Jacey growled, taking Sam with her.

Inhaling deeply, I turned to Saafia who was convulsing, holding her hand out to me with pure desperation but I needed answers.

“Saafia…? What is she saying?” I asked in a low, hopeless whisper. 

Of all the things, she was not a person who talked behind someone’s back. She... wouldn’t do this. Saafia was not like this.  

“ I- I.. uh..”

“Got your tongue, huh?”

Tell me a lie. Please, tell me a lie. At this moment, I would believe it. 

I continued to stare at her, growing breathless, impatient at her lack of reply which was distressing me. 

Lowering her eyes from shame, she broke the pride I had in her.

“She is speaking the truth… I said it. But, I didn't mean it like that. I was angry, I didn't-”

A stress making my head throb in pain. I couldn’t look into her eyes anymore. The guilt in her eyes would scatter me.

Everything I began to imagine, to feel faded. My vision blurred but I quickly wiped it. Refusing to break before people.

“Shh.”

“Hmph. See? Saafia, I thought you were the one for him but sadly, you are worse than Veronica.” Jacey scoffed, shaking her head in disappointment.

“No. I am not…. Please…” Saafia pleaded, shaking her head in denial but no one listened to her.

“Let’s go, Sam. Let's not ruin our moment because of a woman like her.” Jacey muttered, taking Sam also glaring at the crowd of people which gathered. 

“Why are you standing here? Go!” She yelled, taking everyone alone but what's the point of it anymore?

My marriage had become a drama for everyone. 

When we were left alone, I exhaled loudly with a retreating step. An uncontrollable flame burned my core, inducing rage in me. 

When everyone was gone, Saafia rushed to me to make me listen but I had heard enough.

“Listen, please, ah!”

Before he could continue to fake her innocence, I grabbed her arm harshly and twisted it, making her gasp in pain.

Holding her jaw with my other hand, I glared into her soul as I whispered dangerously.

“You are going to stay in this room for the rest of the event. Take a step outside this room and I will show you a nightmare.”

“Please, don’t you believe in me, Da-”

Growling at her futile attempt to call my name to melt me, I pushed her away, making her fall on the bed as I yelled furiously.

“DO YOU FUCKING UNDERSTAND?!”

Scared to no extent, she shivered, looking down, not daring to disobey me as she nodded weakly.

“Y-yes…”

With a scoff, I glared at her for the next two seconds. Disappointment flashed in my eyes. Scoffing, I walked out, leaving her all alone in the room. 

A strong sensation of anguish stung me. I felt horrible for thinking that I could feel, that I could know warmth, that I could- never mind.

It was my fault in the first place to hold expectations. She proved it today that no matter what I do or try.

I am a ruthless man in the end after all…