Is Love Enough? | SEQUEL

Fragile

Derek's POV

I don't feel like I'm the same person anymore. As weeks passed by, I found myself falling into a routine, a routine that was so centered around Matthew that it didn't feel healthy.

All my thoughts were to please him. What else can I do?

After a long day of work, I head over to Matthew's place. He likes knowing where I am at all times, so I rarely go back over to my own place. I still make sure my houseplants are still fed and watered, but I live pretty much with Matthew.

He opens the door for me, a smile gracing his face. But I don't let it fool me. Over time, I have gotten to know who this man really is. Every smile is deceitful, every word is twisted.

"How was work?" he asks.

"It was okay," I say, because I don't want to talk about it. How do I tell him that every day drags on, and it only gets worse when I remember that I've got him to look forward to.

"That's nice," he says. Then he leads me into the living room. "Let's watch a movie."

"Okay."

He puts on a random movie for us to watch, but I can tell it's just background noise for us. He has a nervous look on his face. "What is it?" I ask. "What's going on?"

"I want you to quit your job," Matthew rushes out.

"What?"

"I mean, you don't really need it," he explains himself. "I'll provide for you. And you can move out from your apartment into my house! It works out perfectly."

He's trying to isolate me, make me depend on him. "Matthew, isn't it a bit too soon to move in with you? We've only been dating for three months."

"Don't you love me?" Matthew asks angrily.

Do I?

Maybe I did at some point, but I can see his manipulations. Yet, I'm too scared to leave him.

I stay silent, and he starts to go off in a rage. "Nobody else will ever love you, Derek," he growled. "Nobody. Hell, even your ex cheated on you because he couldn't stand you."

I want to protest, I want to say that's not what happened. I want to say that Jim just made a mistake, but even I wouldn't take that for an answer back then. I knew I was the problem, so maybe Matthew is right. He's my only option left in having happiness, no matter how much he intimidates me. Because sometimes, we're good, and that short period of time where we're good outweighs all the times he makes me feel empty.

"I need to keep my job," I say, because that's not something I'm giving up for a man. You can take my dignity, but you will not take away my independence.

"But you'll move in with me?" Matthew's voice is suddenly nicer, almost sugar-coated. One of his hands reaches up to cup my cheek.

I swallow, knowing this could potentially be the worst mistake I've made in a long time.

"Yes, I'll move in with you."