confidence. He also wanted
to know exactly where she was every second of the day, so much so, that she
felt like she was living with a warden. At first, she had put up with it, but
as time went by, it annoyed her to the point she had to say something.
That was the first time he’d hit her.
Abby remembered that night so clearly. She had gotten home
late from work after a big party at the restaurant. Charlie had been drunk by
the time she’d arrived, and he was furious that she hadn’t been answering his
text messages. He had raged at her, saying she was his wife and that she needed
to respect him. When she told him he needed to stop bothering her at work, she
hadn’t been prepared when his hand had lashed out.
The backhand hadn’t hurt as much as it had shocked her. He’d
been immediately contrite, but she hadn’t been willing to forgive him so
easily. She’d never been struck before, and it unnerved her. He kept
apologizing, but Abby had warned him that if he ever did it again, she would
leave.
Two months went by, and their relationship had been like it
had before they’d gotten married. Charlie was on his best behavior until they
attended a New Year’s Eve party together. He’d gotten drunk and claimed that
she was flirting with the other men at the party. When she denied it, he had
completely lost control, hitting and kicking her until she was covered with
bruises and could barely move.
Abby hadn’t been fucking around when she had warned him she
would leave him. She waited until he’d passed out, then she went to the
hospital to get her injuries treated. The nurse had called the police when Abby
had asked, but the cops that had showed up weren’t exactly sympathetic since
they were friends with Charlie.
Not willing to put up with their bullshit, Abby had driven
to another precinct in the city to report what had happened. The new cops had
taken one look at her and made it clear they had no problem going after another
police officer after what he’d done to her. She’d waited at the police station
while they went to arrest her husband, then they had escorted her home to collect
her things.
Abby knew better than to expect Charlie to be held for
long, so she took what she wanted and left their home behind. The following
morning, she met with a divorce attorney. Her co-workers had been horrified by
her bruised and battered appearance, and her boss helped her move into a small
apartment he owned near the restaurant where she worked.
Despite being charged with assault and battery, Charlie had
enough connections to get off without jail time. Infuriated by the injustice,
Abby’s attorney wanted to go after him during the divorce, but she just wanted
it done quickly and quietly. Abby hadn’t been shocked when Charlie had tried to
fight it, but the evidence of her injuries were enough to get her divorce
granted quickly.
She had thought she’d be free of Charlie after the divorce
was final, but she’d been very wrong. Charlie’s friends seemed to give her
problems whenever she ran into any of them, and worse, Charlie had begun
stalking her. A part of her didn’t understand why. She was pretty enough with
her bright hazel eyes, long, dark, curly hair, and delicate features, but she
was nothing to incite such obsession from anyone.
Then again, Charlie’s behavior actually had very little to
do with her. It was all about power and his need to control her. Charlie’s ego
had taken a huge blow when she’d left him, and she realized that his need to
get her back had more to do with saving face than any real desire for her.
She could never prove anything Charlie did since he always
seemed to have an alibi, but he made it clear he wasn’t done with her yet, and
that she would pay for leaving him. The restraining order she’d gotten didn’t
help one bit. He called her all the time, and showed up when she was coming
home from work. When she refused to speak to him, her car tires had been
slashed and when
to know exactly where she was every second of the day, so much so, that she
felt like she was living with a warden. At first, she had put up with it, but
as time went by, it annoyed her to the point she had to say something.
That was the first time he’d hit her.
Abby remembered that night so clearly. She had gotten home
late from work after a big party at the restaurant. Charlie had been drunk by
the time she’d arrived, and he was furious that she hadn’t been answering his
text messages. He had raged at her, saying she was his wife and that she needed
to respect him. When she told him he needed to stop bothering her at work, she
hadn’t been prepared when his hand had lashed out.
The backhand hadn’t hurt as much as it had shocked her. He’d
been immediately contrite, but she hadn’t been willing to forgive him so
easily. She’d never been struck before, and it unnerved her. He kept
apologizing, but Abby had warned him that if he ever did it again, she would
leave.
Two months went by, and their relationship had been like it
had before they’d gotten married. Charlie was on his best behavior until they
attended a New Year’s Eve party together. He’d gotten drunk and claimed that
she was flirting with the other men at the party. When she denied it, he had
completely lost control, hitting and kicking her until she was covered with
bruises and could barely move.
Abby hadn’t been fucking around when she had warned him she
would leave him. She waited until he’d passed out, then she went to the
hospital to get her injuries treated. The nurse had called the police when Abby
had asked, but the cops that had showed up weren’t exactly sympathetic since
they were friends with Charlie.
Not willing to put up with their bullshit, Abby had driven
to another precinct in the city to report what had happened. The new cops had
taken one look at her and made it clear they had no problem going after another
police officer after what he’d done to her. She’d waited at the police station
while they went to arrest her husband, then they had escorted her home to collect
her things.
Abby knew better than to expect Charlie to be held for
long, so she took what she wanted and left their home behind. The following
morning, she met with a divorce attorney. Her co-workers had been horrified by
her bruised and battered appearance, and her boss helped her move into a small
apartment he owned near the restaurant where she worked.
Despite being charged with assault and battery, Charlie had
enough connections to get off without jail time. Infuriated by the injustice,
Abby’s attorney wanted to go after him during the divorce, but she just wanted
it done quickly and quietly. Abby hadn’t been shocked when Charlie had tried to
fight it, but the evidence of her injuries were enough to get her divorce
granted quickly.
She had thought she’d be free of Charlie after the divorce
was final, but she’d been very wrong. Charlie’s friends seemed to give her
problems whenever she ran into any of them, and worse, Charlie had begun
stalking her. A part of her didn’t understand why. She was pretty enough with
her bright hazel eyes, long, dark, curly hair, and delicate features, but she
was nothing to incite such obsession from anyone.
Then again, Charlie’s behavior actually had very little to
do with her. It was all about power and his need to control her. Charlie’s ego
had taken a huge blow when she’d left him, and she realized that his need to
get her back had more to do with saving face than any real desire for her.
She could never prove anything Charlie did since he always
seemed to have an alibi, but he made it clear he wasn’t done with her yet, and
that she would pay for leaving him. The restraining order she’d gotten didn’t
help one bit. He called her all the time, and showed up when she was coming
home from work. When she refused to speak to him, her car tires had been
slashed and when
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