Ways Of Life

Four Years Later

Maya was washing the clothes. Her hands had begun to ache but she didn’t have the privilege to stop. She sighed at the sight of a heap of clothes waiting for her attention and resumed her work. The pangs of hunger assaulted her stomach. She hadn’t eaten anything since last night. Marrying Pablo had turned out to be her worst nightmare. Now that she had become mature and the rose-tinted glasses were finally off, she could see what a horrible beast Pablo was. He started showing his color soon after their wedding. He was immensely disappointed to know that Maya had brought nothing from her home. He was just using her for her money. His disappointment slowly grew into hatred and now he didn’t even hesitate from beating her. He didn’t even let her continue her studies claiming it to be an unnecessary expense. The only reason he was keeping her was his greed for her father’s property. As Maya was her parents’ only child, he was planning to claim her right on the property one day.

“Get up. Give me food,” Pablo kicked her as if she was a stray dog.

‘I am washing clothes,” she murmured, scared of his temper.

“You dare refuse me?” Pablo kicked her hard in her guts. She cried out in pain, clutching her stomach.

“Lose your fucking attitude before I kill you, you cunt. You are no longer a princess but a whore…A useless, dumb whore…Dare refuse me again and I’ll fucking tear you apart,” Pablo rained down kicks on her as she lay curled in a fetal position, crying loudly.

After what felt like an eternity, he stopped.

“Get me the food,” he commanded before staggering his way towards the bed. She didn’t know back then Pablo was a drunkard. He had hidden lots of things from her. He had never landed a job. He had lied so that she didn’t slip through his fingers.

“Your cunt of a dad is a bloody bastard. I should just kill him. It seems your mom’s cunt isn’t satisfying him anymore, he fucks money at night. That explains his..”

“Don’t cuss my parents. My dad has done nothing to you,” Maya retorted. She had learned to bite her tongue with him but how could she allow him to cuss her parents? Even though they had disowned her, she still considered them her own. Maya was aware of the injustice she had done to him in her immaturity. They already had suffered a lot because of her.

“Look at you defending your dad,” he remarked as he rose from the bed. His voice carried a chill, causing hair to rise on her nape. He approached her on his wobbling legs, stinking of alcohol. As he neared her, he harshly pulled on her hair, making her wince in pain.  

“I wonder if there’s something going on between you and your dad. He comes here to satisfy your little cunt in my absence, doesn’t he?” he snickered. Maya was sickened to her stomach. Her hand raised in the air and landed across his cheek with a sharp smack. How dare he spew such disgusting words?

“You bitch,” Pablo thundered before throwing her against a wall. She moaned in pain as her head hit the wall. Her head began to spin. She clutched her head to steady herself.

“I’ll fucking kill you,” he seethed, yanking her up by her hair and punching her jaw with all his strength. She landed on the floor with a thud.

“Leave,” she murmured through her pain. As she lay disoriented on the floor, he came over her and gripped her throat.

“I’ll kill you tonight….you don’t deserve to live,” he spat in her face while choking her without holding back. Maya struggled under his hold. He knew he was going to kill her tonight if she didn’t stop him. When she couldn’t have him loosen his grip, she fumbled around for anything to attack him. She felt a beer bottle lying close and grabbed it. Swinging it up, she struck his head with the bottle without missing a beat. Pablo’s hold slackened and he staggered backward, clutching his head. Maya shoved him off her and scrambled to her feet. Her frantic eyes darted around until they found a stick in the corner. She grabbed it and lashed down at him until he fainted.

She was breathing heavily and had tears in her eyes as she stared at his unconscious form. This was her only chance to get away from this monster. And she was going to grab it.

She threw the stick to the other side and dashed to the door.

The chilly gusts of night bit into her bones as she ran with no aim in her head. She had nowhere to go. Her parents had already disowned her, and Pablo had made her sever connection with her friends long ago. She had no one to fall back on. He was a toxic man who had disguised himself as a good soul. But when she realized it, it was already too late.

Having nowhere to go, she took temporary shelter under a bus stand and crouched down on a bench. A sob tore away from her throat as she reflected on her life. What had she become? Hands that had never touched a rough object before were now rough with all the hardwork. She ruined her life with her own hands.

The woman had to eat out of dumpsters as she was penniless. Her parents had long disowned her. They had already made it clear that they would rather have her dead than contact them again. She knew her condition wouldn’t melt them. The humiliation she had made them endure was beyond forgiveness. She should have stolen some money from Paul but in her haste to escape, she didn’t think about it.

Three days she spent sleeping on the roadside. The terror of being caught by Paul kept her on edge all the time. Every night she cried herself to sleep. Her clothes had turned dirtier than the road she was sleeping on. The harsh concrete would dig into her skin, making it impossible for her to fall asleep. Her body had begun to wilt against the biting cold of the city. But her worst struggle was to fend off leering, predatory men who freely roamed the streets. It was scary being a homeless woman. She could be killed and raped anytime.

On the fourth day, she was wandering along the street when her eyes landed on a crowd gathered before a lofty building. There were reporters as well. The hustle and bustle made her wonder if some celebrity was coming. Curious, she stood under a nearby tree and awaited the anticipated arrival. After about twenty minutes, a sleek black car glided into her view. It drew everyone’s attention instantly. 

She watched from afar as the car came to a smooth halt. The chauffeur got down and approached the rear door in two large strides. He opened the door with a practiced gesture and stepped away. From inside emerged a man clad in a sleek black suit, exuding class and raw power as he stepped out into view. Her heart stopped for a second as he lifted his head, allowing her to see his face. Even though he was wearing shades, she could tell it was him.