Dropping The Crown

(Be advised! This chapter contains description of domestic/physical abuse which may be triggering to some readers.)

Adani's POV.

"I can't take your shit anymore! WHY CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT?" he yelled at me right before striking me across the face. I hit the floor with a loud thud, and he took that opportunity to kick me in the stomach.

Ouch!

"Get the hell up, Adani!" he shouted again. He pulled me to my feet by my hair, strands of hair yanked from the scalp. A trail of blood escaped from my lips and rolled down my chin. His hazel green eyes narrowed in on me.

"Get yourself clean up. You look like crap," he ordered and shoved me into our bathroom. My trembling fingers turned the shower on. The water came down like a raging bee attack, causing a sting as it met my wounded lip. I stripped from my clothes, stood in one place and allowed the water to drench me as I somewhat managed to get myself cleaned up.

I got out the shower, dried myself off and got into a robe. I went back into the bedroom and found Wayan getting dressed.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm going out. Don't wait up for me."

"Where are you going?" I asked. He turned in my direction with anger.

"Did you just question me about my whereabouts, huh?"

I gulped.

He walked over to me, and I stepped backwards against the bedroom door.

"What have I told you about questioning me?"

"That I shouldn't, but as your fiancée, I should know where you're going. It's late. What if

something happens to you, Wayan?"

"What good would you be if something happens to me, you're useless!"

I nodded and he moved past me and went out the door. I heard the slam of the front door as he made his exit from the house. He got into his car and drove away.

I heaved a sigh and sat on the bed, looking at myself in the tall body length mirror from across the room. Tears welled up and slipped from my eyes as I stared at my reflection.

This wasn't the way things were supposed to be and this wasn't the man I fell in love with right after college. Wayan was a sweet, caring and loving human being. We've been together for six years and were engaged for two and a half. We bought a house together and had our respective vehicles.

He was a supervisor at his family-owned job at an electrical company and made a decent income.

He didn't want me working though. He made me quit my previous job and supported me financially but that reduced over the past few months.

I tried my all to please my fiancé and to keep him happy but for some reason, he just wasn't. I felt so alone in our engagement. Alone and beaten.

"Maybe I should cook his favorite meal as a surprise for when he gets back. Do something to cheer him up," I said to myself. I picked myself up and went into the kitchen. He loved meatballs and spaghetti topped with parmesan cheese. He was such a child.

When I was done preparing, I poured myself a glass of wine and sat down on the couch with the television on.

The next morning, I found myself in our bed. I sat up quickly and looked around. I must have fell asleep looking at the TV while drinking.

I drew the curtains open a bit to let in the rays of sunlight. He entered the room, wrapped in a microfiber robe.

"Good morning," I greeted him.

"Morning," he answered dryly.

"I made your favorite last night. Did you eat it?"

"Yeah."

"Did you like it?"

"Yeah, you want an award for cooking something so basic too?"

"Of course not, I just..."

"Adani! Please! I don't like your nagging this early in the morning. All you ever do is talk and nag. It's annoying! You're annoying!" he shouted.

"Wayan, what did I do to deserve this?"

"Another question."

"All I ever wanted was to become your fiancée, then your wife and the mother of our children." He burst into laughter as he headed towards his closet. "That's funny," he said once he regained composure. I stood up from the bed.

"Seems like it's a joke to you now. Once upon a time, you said those exact words to me, and I didn't react that way. We're engaged but that's where it seems to stop," I spoke up.

"And it will stop there until you're worthy to be my wife and the mother of my children. You can't even go to your own damn bed at night! Just what kind of mother would you be? And the next time you fall asleep on the couch, I'm not going to carry you, I'll literally drag you!"

He finished getting dressed, took his briefcase and walked out the door. The front door was slammed as usual, something to indicate whenever he was upset.

I went into the kitchen, made myself breakfast and decided to go shopping for some groceries.

I double checked and checked myself one more time in my car's mirror, making certain the

makeup covered my bruises and my lipstick covered the cut on my bottom lip.

I exited my vehicle, got a cart and walked into the local supermarket. I took out my shopping list

and started walking through the aisle, ticking off every item as I placed them in. "Adani!" someone called.

I looked up from my list and saw our next-door neighbor, Roselyn Hernandez heading in my direction.

I put on my best fake smile to greet her. Mrs. Hernandez was a much older woman than I was and became like a grandmother figure to me after Wayan alienated me from mine and the rest of my family.

Wayan wasn't fond of her. He said she was too nosey, and I shouldn't interact with her but whenever I wanted someone to talk about certain situations in my life, I would go to her house when Wayan left for work.

"Good morning, how are you?" I asked as she reached me.

"I'm fantastic. My husband and I are having a BBQ this weekend at the beach. I hardly see you

out so I thought I should invite you. Some of my nieces in your age group would be there. You

should come. Make some friends."

"Oh, um, I'll check with Wayan."

"He's not invited," she stated quickly and firmly.

"I see," I said, "Well, thanks for the invite. I have to finish up on my shopping now."

"Of course." We exchanged waves and went our separate ways in the aisles.

I was never clear to Mrs. Hernandez about my relationship and the ways I was treated by Wayan.

I always tried to paint my fiancé in a good light even when he didn't deserve to be, but she was

no fool. She knew I was being ill-treated. She just wasn't aware of how bad it was.

I knew I wouldn't be able to attend her beach BBQ, especially if Wayan wasn't invited. There was no way he would allow me to go by myself.

I can recall perfectly that one incident when I attended a concert with one of my girlfriends. She had come over to the house and basically dragged me out with her without Wayan's approval and knowledge.

When I returned, I was beaten so badly that I couldn't pick myself up off the floor for ten hours. I finished my shopping and made my way back to the house. I texted Wayan that I was back and went to put the groceries away. I had picked up a few feminine and masculine products for

myself and him. When I was putting his away in his drawer, I found an envelope with his name on

it.

Curiosity got the better of me. I opened it and found a picture.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at it.

It was us. The day of our engagement.

"He loves me," I said to myself, "He just doesn't know how to. It should be my job to show him."