The Toxic Marriage

A captive in her own home, Olivia watched from the windows of her bedroom as a familiar black Benz pulled up in the driveway. Goosebumps of anxiety covered her skin. Sure, she sometimes grew lonely in the afternoons after her daughter had gone to school, but she would choose loneliness over the visitor's company, any day.

She went downstairs to welcome the unwanted guest. Priscilla Gilbert, Olivia’s mother-in-law, walked in like the queen of the mansion.

"Welcome, Priscilla." Olivia greeted the woman, who did not even spare her a second glance.

"Home sweet home!" Priscilla sighed as she walked past her daughter-in-law.

She took a seat on her favorite couch and crossed her legs. "Laurel! Laurel!" The older woman called for her grandchild.

"She's in school, Priscilla.” Olivia informed her mother-in-law.

"Come here, Olivia." Priscilla called.

Olivia walked up to the woman, with anxious feet. "Yes?"

Priscilla glared at Olivia. “Oh, you ugly little thing. How have you been treating my son?”

It was no secret to Olivia that her mother-in-law hated her with a passion.

"Look how dull your skin looks.” Priscilla continued, staring at Olivia with pure disgust. “If only there was a little child here to lighten up the mood so I don't have to stare at your hideous face all day."

Olivia decided not to respond rudely to the insults. "Laurel will be back in the afternoon---"

Priscilla cut her short. "I don't care about that little beast! She's just like you!" Priscilla shouted whilst pointing a finger at Olivia's face.

“My daughter’s not a beast, choose your words carefully.” Olivia snapped. She would tolerate anything but insults to her daughter.

Priscilla’s frown grew. "Don't you think it's about time you gave my son a son? An heir to inherit his riches and to continue the Gilbert line!"

Those words always hurt Olivia, but she was determined to never let it show. "My daughter is Sebastian's heir. This is the 21st century---"

"Oh, will you shut up?" Priscilla snapped. "You think you're smart and all. Soon, Sebastian will divorce you and marry a woman who can conceive an heir. I will be happy to help him throw you and your daughter out!" Priscilla threatened.

Olivia decided that she had heard enough. "I will be in my room." Olivia said, then walked away.

For hours, Olivia stayed in her room with her thoughts. She wondered if her husband would ever heed his mother’s advice and divorce her because she had not given him a son. She only stopped brooding over her mother-in-law’s words when her five year old daughter, Laurel came home.

The rest of the day went by quickly. Olivia fed her daughter dinner and watched her fall asleep. She kissed her little girl goodnight, then went downstairs to play the piano.

She played a soft lullaby for hours until she heard footsteps. His footsteps.

"You know how much I hate that trash." His deep baritone voice boomed behind her.

Olivia stopped playing the piano, then turned to face her husband. "It's just music, Sebastian."

"Stop it." He ordered, then walked towards the dinning room. "Let's eat, Olivia.”

Olivia followed her husband glumly, sensing that he was in a bad mood and any word she said could provoke him.

They sat and dined in silence for several minutes, before Sebastian spoke up. "Where's the girl?" He asked.

"Laurel's asleep." Olivia answered. She hated it when he referred to their daughter like that, but she would not dare correct him while he was already moody.

"She's lazy.” Sebastian scowled. “She should stay awake and wait till her father is home---"

"You always come home late, Sebastian." Olivia cut in, but immediately regretted it as she watched Sebastian’s eyes darken with rage. He threw a mug across the room, making Olivia jump as the glass shattered against the wall behind her.

"Did you just interrupt me?" Sebastian asked whilst glaring at Olivia with bloodshot eyes.

Olivia did not move. She would not make the mistake of provoking him further.

"Can you believe that we lost the deal I told you about? That deal would have been a game changer for my company. If it had been endorsed, our profits would have skyrocketed massively!"

Sitting and listening to her husband's rants about his billion dollar empire was a routine for Olivia. She knew she had to choose her next words carefully.

"It is unfortunate that you did not secure the deal." She said.

"Why are you making it sound like it's my fault?" Sebastian's temper was rising. "Wrightwood technologies stole it from us! That bastard, Desmond!" Sebastian threw another mug across the room, making Olivia flinch.

"Please calm down." Olivia begged, knowing that the sound of ceramics shattering could wake their daughter.

Sebastian only got more aggravated. "Do not tell me what to do, wench!" Olivia kept quiet as Sebastian continued. "Desmond Wrightwood is a thief and a scumbag! He tags himself a self made billionaire meanwhile all he does is steal ideas and womanize!"

"Something you both have in common." Olivia whispered underneath her breath.

Sebastian's eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

Olivia trembled with fear as she realized her husband heard her. Sebastian slammed his fists on the table, then stood.

Olivia's breathing quickened as Sebastian walked towards her, but she did not attempt to run, it would be useless. All she could do was sit there and tremble.

As she expected, Sebastian grabbed her by her hair, bringing her to her feet. "What did you just say?" He repeated.

Olivia bit her lip, trying to hold back a scream. Her scalp was burning but she would not wake her daughter with noise. The less she struggled, the better.

"I work hard day and night, to care for you and that unwanted daughter you gave me, and you have the nerve to insult me?" Sebastian yelled in Olivia’s face.

"I did not---" Olivia attempted to speak but instantly fell silent as Sebastian’s palm met her face faster than the speed of light.

She lost balance and fell to the floor, with blood dropping from her lips. Her vision was blurry for several seconds and it felt like the world was spinning.

Olivia looked up at her husband, with tears in her eyes, but as usual, his face showed no remorse.

"That will teach you to watch your mouth." Sebastian spat, then threw a napkin at Olivia to clean the blood dropping from her lips.

Olivia watched her husband leave the room, fuming and ranting about his nemesis, Desmond Wrightwood, while she sat on the floor, with an aching head and broken lip, surrounded by broken glass.

Dawn came earlier than Olivia expected. She had cried herself to sleep and taken a concerning amount of painkillers in the morning. She let the cooks prepare breakfast while she got her daughter ready for school.

Laurel’s breakfast was brought up to her room, as was the routine on school days. It made Olivia happy that her daughter had all the luxury and comforts she was deprived of as a child.

"Mummy, what's wrong with your face" Laurel’s small voice interrupted Olivia’s thoughts. The little girl had been studying her mother’s bruised face while she ate breakfast.

Olivia was surprised that her daughter had noticed her bruises even after she had skillfully applied makeup to cover them up.

"I fell off the bed, baby." Olivia lied, then quickly changed the conversation. “Are you excited to go to the beach this summer?”

“Yes!” Laurel squealed with excitement. “I want seashells. Esther brought a seashell to school.”

“We’ll collect a lot of seashells, don’t worry.” Olivia assured Laurel.

Laurel was a summer child. She had her father’s green eyes and her mother’s blonde hair with long lashes. Olivia’s world revolved around the little girl.

Laurel raised a palm to her head and winced. “I have a headache, mummy.”

“Did you fall?” Olivia asked her daughter who shook her head in response. “I’ll get you painkillers---"

“Olivia.” Mother and daughter turned to see Sebastian standing by the door.

“Good morning, daddy.” Laurel greeted.

“Good morning, Laurel.” Sebastian walked in, already dressed for work. “Sleep well?” He asked.

Laurel nodded. “Mummy and I were talking about summer.”

Sebastian finally met Olivia’s eyes. “A word.” He signaled her to follow him.

Olivia ruffled Laurel’s blonde hair, then left the room to join Sebastian in the hallway. Olivia searched for any type of emotion behind his eyes as they stood, facing each other, but didn’t find any.

Sebastian cleared his throat like he always did when he had to say something difficult. “You’re not going to like what I’m about to say.”