Chapter 0001
ITS HIS DEMONS. ELENA "Don't leave me Lena, please stay with me. I love you." Evan said holding my hands. "You keep doing this Evan, I can't do this anymore. I said and walked away. "Nooooh stop saying that." He yelled, shaking his head in disagreement, anger in his eyes. You can't leave me, I'll never let you." He yelled, pulling me back. "Let me go Evan," I screamed, trying to get his hands off me. I woke up with a pool of sweat all over me, my night clothes clinging to my body, I had been dreaming. Realizing that I had fallen asleep on the sofa waiting for Evan, I reached for my phone to check the time. Still in my confused state, I was jolted out of my reverie by the knock on the door, jumping in fright as I turned on my phone. It was after 2 am, As Evan stumbled into the room, his words slurred and his breath heavy with the smell of alcohol, I tried my best to hide my disappointment. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear the knock," I mumbled, trying not to provoke him any further. He paused and turned to me, walking slowly toward me. As he staggered towards me, anger burning in his eyes, all I could think about was how much longer I could endure this toxic relationship. With each step Evan took toward me, a knot tightened in my stomach. His drunken state only exacerbated his already volatile temper. It felt like walking on thin ice around him these days - one wrong move and everything would come crashing down. "Sorry!!" He asked angrily, "Shame!!! How do you manage to sleep when your husband isn't home?" I didn't know how to answer, "It was a mistake, I fell asleep, I'm sorry." I said apologetically, hoping he would understand. "You fell asleep, are you crazy Lena?" He thundered, his eyes blood red with anger as he came into the room. He approached me and slapped me. I held on to my cheeks, the sound of the slap echoing in my head as I groaned in pain. "I'm sorry, please don't hurt me." I cried and after a moment of hesitation he slowly nodded and smiled faintly as he approached me and held me by the neck as if he was going to strangle me. "You're hurting me, Evan," I stammered as I struggled to speak, tears streaming freely down my cheeks. He smiled mischievously and pressed his lips to mine. "You can't keep me waiting Lena, all right?" He said as he unbuckled his belt. "Why did I sleep off?" I muttered to myself, I knew I was going to get a beating for my mistake. He leaned over and held my hands as he began to unbuckle his belt. I was wearing a loose nightgown. He planted a kiss on my lips and pulled my pants off. "Don't do this, Evan, please." I pleaded, pain in my voice as I begged to be released from being held up like an animal to be slaughtered. "You know how much I love seeing you like this, having you beg me while I fuck you amuses me." He said as he took off his pants and pulled me onto the couch. "Ouch." I groaned in pain from being pushed onto the couch, my face hurt, my back hurt and Evan didn't care, he wanted to have sex and that was all that mattered. “Please...." I groaned and pleaded with Evan as I lay helpless. I couldn't fight him any more and decided to let him have his way. From where I lay helpless, my legs spread apart, I could see his cock erect as the surge of veins that ran through it. He planted a kiss on my lips and inserted his cork into my vagina, causing me great pain. I moaned in pain and he laughed, clearly amused at punishing me. He was thrusting back and forth and moaning clearly excited. "Ahhhhh." he exclaimed as he came, he got off of me and pushed me to the side as he got up to go to the bedroom. Evan had raped me again. I lay on the sofa crying uncontrollably. Being married to Evan at such a young age was overwhelming. It wasn't so bad at first, but it got worse over time. It felt like I was dying, but I soon got used to the abuse. Buried in my misery, I cried when I remembered how I met Evan. He was the sweetest soul, or so I thought, but months into our marriage, Evan became the beast he was, or just showed his true colors. I remembered my mother's words when she introduced us. "Evan is the best man for you, his father is the prestigious owner of one of the universities. Our families were friends and our parents couldn't have it any other way. Evan's demons made him harass me every time. It was hard, but I loved him anyway. Growing up in a home where marriage was important, I couldn't afford to let my family down. My marriage had to work. Every time I got pregnant, Evan beat me until I lost the baby. After several miscarriages and injuries, you would wonder why I stayed. As much as I wanted to leave. There seemed to be no way out for me. I could hardly sleep through the night. I cried so much that I soon fell asleep. The buzzing sound of the alarm woke me up in the morning. I opened my eyes to see Evan holding a tray over my head. He had brought me breakfast. “ Hello beautiful, sorry about last night, I don't know what happened.” He apologized, sincerity laced in his voice. I got up and sat by the bed, “ I brought you breakfast." He said as he dropped the tray and handed me a cup of coffee. “ No Evan, you don't get to do this, not after last night, you hit me, raped me and now a cup of coffee makes it fine.” I blurted out pushing the coffee away, it spilled all over the sheets and poured on him. “ Shit!!! Are you crazy Lena?" He asked me with fury in his eyes. “ Look what you did." He said pointing at the sheets and he raised his hand to hit me. " I am sorry.” I pleaded, tears welling up my eyes and I trembled in fear. He paused and looked at me for a while. “ I love you Lena, stop being stubborn."he said and kissed me, " Take this, have some food, it took me a deal to make this for you.” he said, handing me the tray full of scrambled eggs and some toasted bread. I took a bite and smiled. “ Thank you." I said amidst tears. As he left I dropped the food and since I had a class that morning, I hurriedly got ready to leave for work. I applied makeup to cover the scars on my face. After the slap from last night I had a black eye and could not afford anyone seeing it. I got some sunshade and wore it and just as I was about to leave, Evan's voice stopped me, “ I am so sorry about yesterday, you know I love you." " I do and I love you too. “ I faked a smile and grabbed my keys to leave. I drove to work drowning myself in the songs that played from the CD player in the car, my mind filled with thoughts of what had transpired the night before. “ Will Evan ever learn to treat me right?" I thought to myself. Still consumed in my thoughts, the car soon came to a halt. I looked at the mirror, “ You are stronger than you know, Lena." I told myself, staring at my reflection on the rear view mirror. I got off with my bag and pile of papers. They were the tests from last week. I was going to hand it back to the students so they could see their scores. I walked to the class trying not to think too much about my miserable life and as I got to the hallway, I stumbled as a feeling of unease overcame me. The sounds of the students surrounding me dwindled into the background as the air became heavier. It was then that I saw him. He was standing close to me, he was strangely familiar and just then, a sudden realization hit me when his gaze met mine. “ THIS CAN'T BE, YOU ARE DEAD. I muttered inaudibly. My surroundings became hazy, and darkness covered everywhere. The only thing visible in the darkness was the man covered in a hoodie. He moved closer, I was scared to my bones and could barely move. I stood staring at him, unable to do anything. His presence was overwhelming and it numbed me. “You can’t run forever, Lena,” he said, his voice echoing as he spoke in the darkness. “ITS HIS DEMONS OR YOURS.” Suddenly, everything fell back to place. I gasped, my heart pounding as I quickly blinked, attempting to ground myself. The hallway was as it had been before. Students shuffled past, laughing and chatting, ignorant about what had just happened to me. “Ma’am? Are you okay?” I turned to see a young man in front of me holding the papers I had dropped. He was one of the students, he stared at me, his brow furrowed in concern. “You dropped these,” he said, offering them to me, staring at me suspiciously. I stared at him, trying to make sense of what had just happened. My hands trembled as I took the papers from him. “Thank you,” I murmured, my voice shaky. The student hesitated. “Are you sure you’re alright?” I nodded, forcing a smile. “I’m fine. Just... a little distracted.” He gave me a suspicious look but when he pressed further, I snapped at him and walked away clutching the papers to my chest. “You can’t run forever, Lena. It’s his demons… or yours.” As I walked away, the words echoed in my mind as my heart raced. HE IS BACK… I muttered quietly as I walked to my office, scared to my bones about what had just happened. My sins were haunting me, he was back to make me pay.Chapter 130TOGETHER FOREVERELENAThe first light of dawn crept softly into the bedroom, casting a gentle glow over everything it touched. The world outside was waking up, but inside our new home, there was a peaceful stillness — a quiet promise that this was only the beginning.I lay beside Ryan, my fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest. His steady heartbeat beneath my palm was a comforting rhythm, a reminder that after all the chaos, the pain, and the uncertainty, we were here — safe, together, and free.“Good morning,” he whispered, his voice thick with sleep and something deeper — something I could feel in the warmth of his eyes.“Good morning,” I murmured back, my voice soft and full.He smiled, brushing his fingers gently through my hair. “I still can’t believe this is real.”“Neither can I,” I admitted, my heart swelling with a happiness I hadn’t dared hope for.We had fought for this. Every battle, every tear, every sleepless night had led to this moment — to a life we c
Chapter 129A NEW CHAPTER BEGINSELENAThe morning sun spilled gently through the bedroom curtains, painting soft streaks of gold across the walls. For the first time in what felt like forever, I woke without the heavy weight of anxiety crushing my chest. There was a quiet calm, the kind that feels like the eye of a storm — a fragile peace earned after months of fighting, of clawing through shadows and lies.I turned to find Ryan already awake. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed casually in a simple gray shirt and jeans, his dark hair tousled from sleep. His gaze was fixed on me, warm and steady, full of the quiet certainty that made me believe in us, in this life we were starting to build.“Good morning,” I murmured, my voice still thick with sleep.He smiled, that slow, easy smile that always made my heart race. “Good morning, Elena. You look beautiful.”I blinked, caught off guard by the tenderness in his voice. “You’re lucky I’m still half asleep.”He laughed softly an
Chapter 128QUIET VICTORY, LOUD HEARTSELENAThe world outside was still buzzing with news and whispers, but inside Ryan’s apartment, time slowed. It was just us—no cameras, no accusations, no judgment. Just the two of us, finally able to breathe without the weight of the past crushing down.Ryan had insisted we celebrate quietly, away from the prying eyes and flashing cameras. “This victory is ours,” he said, “and I want it to feel like a win for us, not just a headline.”I hadn’t realized how much I needed that until I walked through his door. The scent of fresh flowers mingled with the soft flicker of candlelight, casting a warm glow across the room. A simple meal was laid out on the table, but the true feast was the look in Ryan’s eyes—steady, proud, and utterly devoted.I closed the door behind me and let the moment wash over me. After everything—the betrayals, the courtroom battles, the nights spent wondering if justice would ever come—I felt something I hadn’t felt in months: p
Chapter 127REDEMPTION QUIET DAWNELENAI sat alone in the small, stark waiting room, the hum of the air conditioning a low drone beneath the chaos spinning in my mind. Outside, the courthouse buzzed with life—people milling about, voices rising and falling like waves—but inside, I was trapped in a cocoon of silence and waiting.The last few weeks had been a whirlwind. Accusations, betrayals, court filings, and public scrutiny had wrapped around me like a suffocating shroud. Every news headline, every whisper, every sideways glance had cut deeper than I wanted to admit.But now, the hearing was over. The truth was out. And soon, the final verdict would be read.I clenched my fists, trying to steady the tremble in my hands. It felt surreal. So many times, I’d imagined this moment—standing in that courtroom, vindicated, free from the chains of lies and deceit. But now that it was here, the fear of disappointment gripped me tighter than hope.What if they didn’t believe me?What if Jason
Chapter 126THE COURT ROOM RECKONINGELENA,The morning of the hearing arrived, gray and heavy with rain. I woke up feeling like the weight of the world was pressing down on my chest — the kind of weight that makes it hard to breathe but impossible to ignore. This hearing wasn’t just a formality anymore; it was everything. The chance to expose Emily and Jason’s lies, to finally clear my name and take back my life. But the fear? It still gripped me, stubborn and cold.Ryan sat next to me at the kitchen table, looking calm — almost too calm. His fingers idly traced circles on the back of his hand, and I could tell his mind was racing beneath that composed exterior. I reached out, letting my fingers brush his. “You ready for this?” I whispered.He looked at me then, really looked, and smiled softly. “As ready as I’ll ever be. We’re going to win. Together.”His confidence was the only thing keeping me grounded, the anchor in the storm. I squeezed his hand back and swallowed the lump risin
Chapter 125FALLING APARTELENAI woke up that morning with a fragile hope I hadn’t felt in a long time. After months of crawling through this nightmare, dodging lies, and chasing down scraps of truth, Ryan and I finally had something real to hold on to. The kind of hope that makes you think maybe, just maybe, the nightmare is ending.But hope is a tricky thing—fragile and easily shattered. And that morning, it came crashing down faster than I could catch my breath.My phone buzzed with a message from Ryan: Meet me at the office. Urgent.My heart sank. “Urgent” was never good news when it came from him.I threw on the first clothes I could find—old jeans and a hoodie that smelled faintly like him—and rushed out the door. The city was still waking up, but my mind was already racing ahead, spinning with worst-case scenarios. I kept telling myself, Maybe it’s not bad. Maybe it’s just something small.When I stepped into Ryan’s office, he was pacing, a file clutched tightly in his hands.