Chapter 2 - Mr. Fauler

For some odd reason, Zaria thought that her husband would become crazy again after their encounter with Cronous. However, he's awfully quiet, too quiet. It's driving her nuts trying to guess what's going on in his head. 

After getting home, minutes turn into hours. 

He's still not talking to her or even acknowledging her. As the night fell, she fell asleep anxiously anticipating that he might do something bad again. Unexpectedly, nothing came of it. 

There was peace and quiet when she woke up in the morning. She looked around the room and saw a small note on her nightstand. “I'm going on a business trip…” she read the tiny paper. 

No mention of where he will be and how long the trip is. 

Just as she thought, it might not be so bad to have a break from seeing him. After all, his temper is unpredictable. 

Zaria walked to the kitchen to look for food but found nothing in the fridge. She sliced an apple and ate it before she decided to get some groceries. Taking her wallet and a tote bag, she headed for the market just a few minutes away from their home. 

“Are you following me?” she accused after seeing none other than Cronous who was staring back with a smirk. He was wearing a white polo shirt tucked in black pants, with leather brown shoes. 

“What an accusation. Just doing grocery shopping too,” he responded and glanced back and forth inside the grocery store. She raised an eyebrow and decided to ignore him. She turned around and walked away. 

Zaria heard footsteps following behind her while going through different aisles. “Your husband made quite a stir, hmm?” he suddenly spoke. She stopped walking and turned around, glaring at him.

Cronous stepped closer, now towering over her. “Do you know how I restrain myself from ruining his career?” he said in a low, baritone voice. He stared down at her while she looked up with her bright blue eyes. 

She knew he was right, without his mercy they’re at his feet begging. 

“What do you really want? You’ve been gone a year and now you’re bothering me?” she uttered with annoyance and he scoffed. 

“You.” He tilted his head. 

“You know what I want,” he reiterated. 

Zaria sighed and clenched her jaw. She stepped closer and got on her tip-toes and answered, “You can’t always have what you want.” Cronous chuckled and was about to answer her when they were suddenly interrupted. 

“Zaria?” 

She turned around and saw a familiar face. A woman with blonde hair and brown eyes approached them with her lips turned upward. “I didn’t know you were friends with Mr. Fauler,” she said with a giggle while checking out Cronous. 

“You’re mistaken–” Zaria was cut off. 

“We’re more than friends,” Cronous said, trying to hide his smirk. 

“What–” Both Zaria and the woman said. 

“I meant we were childhood friends of some sort. Closer than just friends,” he retorted and the woman awkwardly laughed. 

“If you don’t mind, Mr. Fauler, can we meet again next time?” Zaria opened her mouth in shock, but she expected something like this already. She looked up at Cronous who had a cold stare.

“Can’t you tell we’re busy?” he said with a clenched jaw and she laughed awkwardly. 

“O-of course. Uh… Zaria! I’d call you, okay?” she said before backing away and leaving. Zaria rolled her eyes before pushing her cart forward. 

“That’s Carmen Anderson, she’s something…” She opened the conversation unsure on how to describe the blonde woman. She already had a few conversations and interactions with her but the vibe was just off. She would always flirt with men regardless of their marital status. 

“Here.” Cronous handed her something, ignoring what she was saying about another woman. She looked down at the card and raised an eyebrow. “It’s made just for you,” he said and slipped it into her hand. 

“Why would I need this?” she said in confusion. 

“My home address is there, just in case you need me,” he said with a smirk before winking at her. She blinked slowly before rolling her eyes. “No–” She tried giving it back but he walked away before she could do anything. 

She may not admit it but being with Cronous Fauler gives her a sense of comfort. Maybe because of their past? Whatever it is, she feels a bit of comfort with him. 

Little did she know, the moment she gets home, it’ll be chaos. 

“You’re hurting me!” she shouted while Clyde, her picture perfect husband, was dragging her by her wrist to their bedroom. He pushed her down on the bed and towered over her. She can smell the alcohol on his breath. “Where were you?” he hissed while pinning her down. 

“I bought groceries,” she tried to answer in a calm voice. 

“Is that really it?” he asked and she opened her mouth to answer, only to meet his own. He started to kiss her aggressively, her words turned into muffles. She tried to free her hands but he was much stronger than her. His grip was so strong, she couldn’t even squeeze her hands shut. 

“Stop!” she managed to shout as she tried to catch her breath. He continued kissing her with his thigh in between her legs, rubbing against her. Zaria bit his lips hard and he groaned in pain. “I said stop!” As his grip loosened, she pushed him away. 

When she thought it was over, she felt a hard slap against her right cheek. She looked at Clyde, who was on top of her, with shock. Her eyes welled up tears and for a moment, he faltered. “I– I’m sorry,” he whispered, almost getting back to his senses. 

She pushed him off of her and fixed the straps on her top and put on a jacket. 

“Don’t leave,” he commanded once he saw her walking to the door. When she wouldn’t listen, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back in. “Let go of me!” she screamed in anger. 

“You know I don’t hit you for no reason. Forgive me again, please?” he said in a sweet voice, a devil in disguise. She felt horrible and disgusted. 

She couldn’t live like this anymore, a year is enough. It’s too much for her to handle all this temper and changes in behavior. Her body reacted before her mind could. He stepped on his foot and hit the back of her head on his face. “Fuck!” he screamed in pain as he stumbled back. 

Zaria bolted outside their house while he chased after her. Rain poured down as she ran towards the gate. She looked back and saw him closing in. With no other choice, she ran in the middle of the streets, almost getting hit. “Zaria, get back over here!” his screams echoed while thunder roared. 

Spotting a taxi, she jumped at the back with her heart beating fast. “Please just leave this area!” she shouted and the driver nodded, speeding past Clyde. While she caught her breath, she felt something inside her pocket. 

“Right… his card,” she whispered while looking at the address written on it. She sighed heavily and handed it to the driver. “Please take me here.” 

After the long ride in silence, she finally reached his residence. Unlike her house, it was much larger and grand. A guard stationed at the front gate approached her with an umbrella. “Mr. Fauler is not receiving visitors,” he said. 

“Tell him it’s Zaria Akurst.” The guard looked surprised and nodded. 

The next few things that happened felt like a blur. The next thing she knew was she was already inside his mansion, sitting and waiting for him to get home. “Mr. Fauler is currently at the company in a meeting, he’s been informed of your arrival.” A man who looked like a secretary bowed his head and left. 

The door suddenly burst open and Cronous Fauler rushed to her side. Instead of being happy to see her here, his face twisted in worry. “What happened to–” Before he could finish what he was saying, she stood up and hugged him. 

“You’re right, I’ve been living in hell…” She whispered before looking up at him. Her blue eyes seemed darker and her bright red hair soaked in rainwater. She took a deep breath and as her body relaxed knowing she was safe, her body felt heavy. “Zaria? Can you hear me?” His voice sounded like it was from a distance. 

“Bring me a change of clothes for her and a doctor. NOW!” He shouted as she passed out in his arms. He picked her up and rushed her to the nearest bedroom and laid her down on the bed. He removed her jacket and he grabbed a towel and started drying her face, arms, and hair. 

“She’s burning up…” he whispered and sighed in worry. 

When the doctor arrived, he started checking on her while Cronous paced back and forth. Suddenly, they heard coughing. “Zaria–” He breathed a sigh of relief once she woke up. 

“She needs a change of clothes, she can’t stay in wet clothing,” the doctor said while writing something on her notes. 

“Help me sit…” she said in a quiet tone and Cronous gently lifted her. 

“Leave. I’ll help her,” Cronous commanded and the doctor bowed and walked out of the room. Cronous sighed while Zaria leaned against him. “You leave too. I’ll change my own clothes,” she whispered while her head was pounding. 

“Can you even do it yourself?” 

Zaria stubbornly tried to do it herself but inevitably failed to do so. Her hands and arms were too weak to do anything while her vision was spinning. “I’m scared you’ll be shocked,” she suddenly admitted. 

“Nonsense,” he whispered. 

Zaria stared blankly at him before saying, “Okay. Help me change.” 

Cronous started lifting her top that was clinging to her body. Her breasts clinging on her black laced bra, yet his mind wandered elsewhere. “What… Did he do this to you?” His jaw clenched in anger as he saw new and old bruises on her stomach and shoulders. 

Fresh bright violet bruises and healing ones are seen across her torso. Her wrists still leave the marks left by Clyde and her face still red from the slap. He did not even notice these on her due to her jacket and her burning fever. “I’m going to fucking kill that son of a bitch!” 

He pulled her into a hug and she burst into tears. They sat there, Cronous listening to her cries as he caressed her head. “You’re safe here. No one here will lay a finger on you,” he whispered, trying his best to comfort her.