(I do not own the images to these stories.) *********************************
Eve sat at her vanity as she was putting on her makeup. She had put on so much foundation, enough to put the most gratuitous made-up circus clown to shame. But what choice did she have? How else was she supposed to cover her bruise? Was she truly going to be able to learn how to act like a good wife? All she had to do was avoid angering him. How hard could that be?
She sighed, was this how she was going to live for the rest of her life? Was she really going to walk on eggshells until her husband's dying day? Or worse, her own dying day? Eve couldn't believe the thoughts that were going through her mind. She was actually going to enter a marriage where she hoped for her husband to die before she did, so that she could one day live with some piece of mind.
While looking at the woman staring back at her through her own reflection, all she felt was disgust. "What has become of you? What are you going to do?"
But of course, there were no answers. She didn't have a choice. He threatened to ruin her family. He had the power, and she knew he would use it. How could she had been so foolish? She thought he had changed, but he hadn't. He was just pretending to be someone else, just to get her to fall in love with him.
Through her grief, he manipulated her emotions and exploited her sorrow. But then again, manipulation and exploitation were his specialties. It was how he became successful at any cost. To him, no one else's feelings mattered; only his. And other people's needs, and feelings didn't mean a damn thing to him. Not even her own feelings; the woman he supposedly loves.
"Well don't you look beautiful?" she heard him say as he walked into the room. He then walked over to her, and gently placed his hand upon her shoulder. Fear gripped her very being as she could feel it right down into the pit of her stomach. His touch used to give her shivers of desire, but now the only thing she felt were shivers of terror.
But not wanting to feel his wrath, Eve just looked at him and smiled. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, my love." He said as he returned her smile. "I have a special present for you."
It was at that moment when she realized that he had been hiding something behind his back. As he showed her what he had been hiding, she immediately recognized the light blue box with the white satin ribbon. Tiffany and Company, she should have known. I guess he thought that an expensive piece of jewelry would make up for him hitting her earlier.
More than anything she wanted to tell him to, "go to hell!" But the last thing she wanted to do was draw anymore of his ire. So she forced herself to give him an ecstatic looking smile. "Oh my god! Malcolm! You shouldn't have!"
He must not have noticed her insincerity, because he returned her elated smile. "Why not? After all, you are engaged to a wealthy man who loves you more than anything. If anyone deserves the best, it's you. Go on, open it."
Eve took the box and untied the satin ribbon. She slowly began to remove the iconic light blue wrapping, and open the box. Inside was a large navy-blue velvet jewelry box. To say that she wasn't intrigued would have been a lie. Even though she had come to despise him, the luxurious box was too irresistible not to open. As she opened it, her eyes widened in disbelief. It was a beautiful diamond neckless, with a huge marquise shaped drop ruby pendent.
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