Royale (Book #1 Royale Series) {Under Revision}

Chapter 31: Family Ties

Juliana's POV

I sat hunched over my desk analyzing the budget sheets that looked back at me. I unwillingly let my eyes wander to the amber colored drink that sat beside the papers on my desk and suddenly, it was now the only thing on that desk that had my attention.

One drink couldn't do too much damage, right? I dropped my pen and lifted my hand to grab the glass when the slamming of a door caused me to drop it. The glass shattered against the wood and the liquor was now splattered all over the budget sheets.

"What the hell are you doing?" My husband asked.

"I-It's just one drink, it won't hurt her." I said and then almost laughed at the absurdity of the statement.

"Oh yeah, I've heard that before. Just like the other ten drinks that you have probably had in my absence won't hurt her either, right?"

"Aspen I-"

He cut me off before I could lie to his face. He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me into the next room ignoring my whimpers. He all but threw me on the bed.

"Listen to me, Juliana. Frankly, I no longer give a damn if you want to destroy your body, but as long as you are carrying my daughter in your belly, you sure as hell are going to take care of it!" His face was so close to mine that I could smell the scotch on his breath.

"If I have to stop, so do you."

"Don't you dare give me any ultimatums! The only life I have to take care of is mine. You on the other hand have yours and my daughter's. Besides, with you around, alcohol is the only way I can get through the day without blowing my brains out!" He spat.

"Well how the hell am I suppose to get through the day without blowing my brains out?" I asked him.

"You figure that out yourself. I'm going out. Don't wait up."

I anxiously waited for my husband to leave the room when he stopped in front of the cabinet I had built for myself to hold my alcohol.

"Aspen, don't you dare."

"It's for the good of our baby." He said as reached in the cabinet and grabbed the first bottle, but I immediately snatched it out of his hand, but he quickly snatched it back and threw it against the wall.

I gasped, but he didn't stop there. Bottle after bottle, he smashed against the walls and floors of the room.

When he successfully smashed every bottle of my sanity, he said, "Get a maid to clean it up." And with that, he left the room and I didn't see him anymore that night.

I buried myself in the liquor that lied spilled over on my chamber bedroom floor and ignored the shards of glass that pressed into my thighs. I clutched my swollen belly and suddenly realized how pathetic I probably looked lying in pools of alcohol.

"It's okay, Mommy's not going to let anything happen to you. Everything's going to be okay. I promise," I said to my stomach through tears. "We're going to be okay."

I went into the next room where my desk with the budgets sheets and spilled alcohol still remained. I reached into the bottom drawer and opened the false bottom that only I knew about.

I pulled out the bottle of Chardonnay I had reserved for a rainy day, such as this one.

One drink won't hurt her. One drink won't hurt her. One drink won't hurt her.

I repeated this mantra to myself after each glass of wine I had that night.

~*~

I woke up screaming. Even when I had realized that I was now back in reality and that it was all a nightmare, I kept screaming. As loud as my lungs would allow. This nightmare was the nightmare to end all nightmares. No matter what night terror I would ever have again, nothing would ever compare to it.