"Shattered Vows: A Tale of Toxicity"

12. Nightmare

Amelia extended her hand towards the man, and he clasped it warmly, his eyes sparkling with familiarity. William watched the exchange with a growing sense of unease, his features hardening as he observed the relationship between Amelia and the newcomer.

"Amelia, it's been too long," Max said, his voice smooth and charismatic. "You look stunning, as always."

Amelia's smile widened at the compliment. "Thank you, Max. It's wonderful to see you."

As they continued to chat, William's resentment simmered beneath the surface. He couldn't shake the feeling of being intruded upon, of being overshadowed by this newcomer who seemed to have a special connection with Amelia.

Finally, Amelia turned to William, her eyes bright with excitement. "William, I'd like you to meet Max. We were classmates back in college."

William forced a polite smile, though his eyes betrayed his true feelings. "Nice to meet you, Max," he said, his tone clipped with suppressed anger.

As they exchanged pleasantries, William couldn't help but feel anger. He gritted his teeth, struggling to maintain his composure in the face of this unexpected intrusion into their evening.

Amelia, unaware of the tension brewing within William, continued to chat happily with Max, catching up on old memories and shared experiences. But William's anger only grew with each passing moment with his jealousy consuming him from within.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, William excused himself from the table, his movements stiff with anger. As he retreated to the balcony of the restaurant, he couldn't shake the sinister feelings that was coming from him.

Meanwhile, back at the table, Amelia and Max laughed and reminisced with Amelia oblivious to the storm their reunion had caused.

As the sleek car pulled up to the grand entrance of the mansion, William's face was masked in shadows, his expression dark and foreboding. Amelia couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in her stomach as she glanced nervously at him. Something about his demeanor had changed since their dinner date, and now, as they arrived home, she couldn't shake the sense of impending dread.

As the car came to a stop, the first droplets of rain splattered against the windshield, casting a gloomy weather over the night. Stepping out of the car, Amelia hesitated for a moment, her eyes scanning the ominous clouds gathering overhead. The air felt heavy with tension, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong.

William reached out, his hand clasping hers with a tight grip, pulling her towards the mansion.His steps were fast, as Amelia struggled to keep pace, her heart pounding in her chest.

"William, what's wrong?" she ventured, her voice barely above a whisper as they crossed the threshold of the door.

But William didn't respond, his jaw clenched tightly as he dragged her through the corridors of the mansion. The sound of their footsteps echoed ominously against the marble floors, each step bringing Amelia deeper into the darkness.

Amelia's nerves were on edge, her mind racing with a thousand unanswered questions. She had never seen William like this before, his usual charm replaced by a simmering rage

"William, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear as they ascended the grand staircase. "My hand... it hurts. Can't you slow down?"

But William remained silent, his grip unyielding as he dragged her, his eyes burning with an intensity that made her blood run cold.

As they reached the top of the stairs, a flash of lightning illuminated the hallway, casting eerie shadows against the walls. The storm raged outside, matching the turmoil that churned within Amelia's heart.

"William, stop!" she cried out, her voice echoing through the empty corridors. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

But her words fell on deaf ears as William continued to pull her along, his steps quickening as they approached the door of their bedroom at the end of the hallway and shoved open the door his face contorted with rage, he grabbed Amelia by the arm and threw her onto the bed with a violent force. "How dare you!" he roared, his voice echoing off the walls. The sound of shattering glass filled the air as he began to break objects across the room, with his anger unrestrained.

Amelia's heart raced with fear as she cowered on the bed, her eyes wide with terror. She had never seen William like this before, and it terrified her to the core. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched him destroy everything in the room.

"Please, William, stop!" she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear. But her words only seemed to fuel his anger further as he turned his gaze towards her, his eyes dark with fury.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do!" he snarled, his voice dripping with anger. He stalked towards her, his steps heavy and menacing, until he stood towering over her trembling body.

Amelia's breath caught in her throat as he reached out and grabbed her chin roughly, forcing her to meet his gaze. "How can you talk to another man?" he demanded, his grip tightening with each word. "Do you want to cheat on me?"

Tears streamed down Amelia's cheeks as she shook her head frantically. "N-no, William, I would never..." she stammered, but her words were cut off as he pushed her roughly onto the bed once more, his face twisted with rage.

"You are mine!" he bellowed, his voice filling the room with a chilling intensity. "Don't you ever forget that!"

Amelia whimpered as she lay on the bed, her body trembling with fear. She had never felt so helpless, so trapped.

As William's rage began to subside, Slowly, she climbed down from the bed and approached him cautiously, her movements tentative and cautious. As she reached out to touch his shoulder, he receded, pushing her roughly to the ground.

Amelia's heart shattered as she looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain and confusion. She had never felt so alone, so abandoned.

And as he turned and walked away from the room, leaving her lying there on the floor, she thought  she was trapped in a nightmare from which she could not wake up.