Clink... Clink
The sound of the cutlery hitting the dinner plates could be heard in the quiet dining room. The two newlyweds were enjoying their dinner in silence.
"I'll take care of everything. You don't have to worry about..."
Brooklyn chuckled. "Why would I be worried?"
"I mean with everything going on, who wouldn't be worried?"
"Exactly. I'm not everyone." She got up from her seat, slowly approaching Felix.
Brooklyn bent down a little to meet Felix's eye level. She caressed his face while staring deeply in his eyes.
"Why would I be worried when I have you to fix this for me?" She smiled, revealing her dimples.
Felix couldn't help but be drawn in by that captivating and alluring hearty smile that made her face light up.
Does she know just how hypnotizing that smile of hers is? Now that I'm married to her for life, will I ever be able to say no to her if she smiles at me like that when she wants something from me? I don't think so. Damn, I'm screwed.
Brooklyn pecked his cheek before leaving Felix's side and retreating to her bedroom.
×××××× (Flashback) ××××××
Brooklyn shakily rung the doorbell. She was nervous to see him again. A maid came up and opened the door for her. The house was awfully quiet.
Brooklyn made her way upstairs. Just as she was about to knock on her parents' bedroom door, Penelope came out from her bedroom.
"There you are." She said, closing the door behind her.
Penelope held her daughters hand, leading her down the staircase to the living room. Brooklyn was confused.
"Mom! I thought I was here to see him? Why are you dragging me away?"
"Shhh." She shushed Brooklyn. "After much difficulty, I was finally able to put him to sleep. I won't have you disturb him."
"Why didn't you just say so?" Brooklyn scowled, rubbing her wrist. "Hey, Rita. Bring me a bowl of fruit salad."
Rita, the maid nodded her head and went to the kitchen to prepare the fruit salad.
"Anyways. This gives us enough time to catch up. Tell me all about your honeymoon. How'd it go?" She smirked.
"It was okay."
"What's with that bland attitude? I was guessing you'd be jumping up and down with excitement."
"Well, you thought wrong."
"That's disappointing."
Brooklyn just shrugged as she enjoyed her fruit salad which Rita had just brought over.
In no time, evening came by pretty fast. Brooklyn and Jay were already seated at the dining table, waiting for their parents, so that they eat together as one big happy family.
Penelope came downstairs alone. She approached Brooklyn and lightly squeezed her shoulder.
"He wants to see you." Penelope saw the hesitation in her daughter's eyes. "Don't worry, he's now bound to a wheelchair. He won't do anything to you. Trust me. He just wants to have a word with you."
As soon as Brooklyn stepped inside Austin's home office and closed the door behind her, he pounced on her. His eyes were filled with rage as he successfully pinned Brooklyn to the floor, choking her with both of his hands.
Brooklyn desperately tried prying his hands off her neck as she gasped for air. Her legs were scratching against the marbled floor.
When Austin saw that Brooklyn was on the verge of passing out, he let her go. He got up as poor Brooklyn caressed her neck in tears, on the cold marbled floor.
Austin walked to his wine cabinet and poured himself a glass of booze. He chugged it down before abruptly throwing the whole bottle of booze at Brooklyn who at the time was in the process of standing up.
"Aahh!" She cried out in pain.
Everything happened so fast. If she had seen it sooner, maybe then Brooklyn would've dodged the attack from the bottle of booze that was mercilessly thrown at her.
Brooklyn's forehead sustained a huge cut. Blood kept oozing out from the injury. Why was this happening to her?
"Oh. You're crying? It seems I was very lenient with my throw." Austin yanked Brooklyn's hair when she attempted to escape. "Get back here!"
Austin let out a hearty, evil laugh. "Why'd you think I'll let you off the hook when you're the one who reported me? Huh?!"
Slap!
"If not for you, I wouldn't have spent that much time in jail!"
Punch!
"This is all you fault, you brat!"
Austin carried Brooklyn's flail and battered body and threw her against the wall. Thud! Brooklyn's battered body fell back down on the cold marbled floor.
Having had enough, Austin exhaled, satisfied with the injuries he had inflicted on Brooklyn's body. He had dreamnt of this day for the longest time ever since he was locked away in prison for 2 years.
Before twisting the doorknob, Austin looked over his shoulder to see Brooklyn glaring at him from the floor she lay. "You still have the energy to glare back at me?"
His hand was making its way down to Brooklyn at great speed. Her heart raced frantically as she feared what more damage he'd inflict on her.
××××××
"Aahh!"
Brooklyn bolted awake from that nightmare, in cold sweat. She wailed in agonizing pain as she frantically gasped for air with her whole body trembling.
"You're okay. Brook, I need you to focus on my breathing. Please, baby. Just focus on me." Felix said to Brooklyn who was experiencing a panick attack.