What did you do to her?
When Dora told Sienna about the mysterious call she received from an unknown number, Sienna shouted from the kitchen, urging her to answer it. Both of them assumed it was the food delivery guy calling. But what they didn’t expect was that it was Austin on the line. As soon as Dora picked up the call, Austin, who was about to say something, hesitated. He let out a sigh of relief on the other end, but then, as if second-guessing himself, he abruptly hung up.
Dora’s heart raced. She knew Austin all too well. After everything that had happened to Paulina, the mere thought of someone even touching his wife made his blood boil. Dora had been trying to escape him, and now, it seemed like he was closing in.
“Who was it?” Sienna asked, curious.
“They hung up,” Dora replied with a shrug, trying to sound casual.
Sienna, ever the joker, teased her, “You need a shower, babe,” fanning her nose dramatically. Dora, who looked like she was on the verge of breaking down, just mumbled, “I don’t want to,” as she collapsed onto the couch.
“Yes, you do,” Sienna insisted. “And what happened to your leg?” she added, noticing the bandage peeking out from under Dora’s trousers.
Dora pulled up her pant leg to reveal the bandage, and the memory of that morning came rushing back. She scowled at herself, ashamed of how low she had stooped in her desperation. She had been so overwhelmed by fear and hysteria that she had almost made a terrible decision. Too embarrassed to admit it to Sienna, she made up an excuse and headed to the shower.
As the cool water cascaded over her exhausted body, Dora tried to clear her mind. She was determined not to go back to Austin. The legal ties between them complicated things, but she was resolved to find a way out. Whether it meant staying with Sienna or running to her sister’s place, she was ready to do whatever it took to heal her scarred soul. She would rather have her parents’ support than be trapped in the same room as Austin.
When she stepped out of the shower, she felt a little better. Sienna was there with a warm cup of tea, just what she needed. The two of them were still discussing how to avoid Austin when there was a knock at the door.
“That must be our food!” Sienna squealed, rushing to answer it. But her excitement turned to scorn when she saw Austin standing there instead of the delivery guy.
“What do you want?” Sienna demanded, scowling at his smug smile.
“Sorry,” Austin said calmly. Before Sienna could process his apology, she collapsed to the floor with a loud thud, unconscious.
Hearing the commotion, Dora rushed out of the bathroom and let out a scream. “What did you do to her?” she yelled at Austin.
“Nothing, just some chloroform,” he replied casually. “Are you coming with me, or do you want to end up like her?” he added, pointing at Sienna.
Dora’s mind screamed at her to run, but Austin was faster. Before she could react, he grabbed her by the waist and covered her mouth with the same chloroform-soaked cloth he had used on Sienna. Her struggles soon faded, and she fell unconscious in his arms.
“I thought so,” he murmured, carrying her back to their apartment. The food was forgotten; all Austin wanted now was some peace and quiet. After laying Dora on the bed, he took a shower to wash away the day’s stress. Once freshened up, he changed into clean clothes and lay down beside his wife.
Austin cuddled Dora, who was still unconscious, and kissed her forehead. But then he noticed something and murmured, “Are you putting on weight?”
Despite his tough exterior, Austin was exhausted. The day had taken its toll on him, overthinking, running around, and surviving on just a cup of coffee. He wasn’t made of iron; he felt weak too.
Later, Dora stirred, feeling someone gently touching her face. Subconsciously, she leaned into the touch and smiled. But when her eyes fluttered open, she saw Austin staring at her with an intensity that made her flinch. Memories of the previous night came flooding back, and she crawled away from him, her voice shaking. “Stay… stay away from me.”
“Are you scared of me?” Austin asked, his tone softening.
“What did you do to Sienna? What…?” Dora stammered, looking down at her clothes, which were the same ones she had been wearing at Sienna’s house. “You… you carry chloroform like it’s perfume! You kidnapped me! Are you… are you going to lock me up?”
Austin looked hurt. “What? Do you think I’d do something like that? Do I really seem like an obsessive stalker to you?”
When Dora didn’t respond, he realized she truly saw him as a dangerous, controlling man. “Just freshen up and come out for breakfast, or we’ll be late,” he said, trying to sound calm.
“Late for what?” Dora asked, still suspicious.
“Office,” Austin replied, shrugging. “Or do you want me to lock you up until I get back? The choice is yours.” He was annoyed that she could even think he would hurt her.
But deep down, a part of him wondered if she was right to doubt him. His good side whispered, Isn’t she justified? You’ve hurt her before. His darker side smirked, If that’s what it takes to make her listen, so be it.
“I’m not going anywhere with you. I already resigned,” Dora snapped, her anger rising. She couldn’t understand why she was so emotional around him, why she kept losing her composure whenever he was near.
Austin sighed, realizing this was going to be harder than he thought. But he wasn’t ready to give up-not yet.
Realizing her guard was still up, he walked towards her with a menacing stride, his eyes deliberately scanning her body. His gaze made her feel like he had ulterior motives, and Dora felt trapped. She was glued to the headboard, unable to break eye contact, with nowhere to escape. When he leaned in, just an inch away from her ear, his voice was low and threatening. "Either you come to the office with me, or we stay in bed all day, doing what couples do."
His words sent a shiver down her spine. She could sense the sincerity in his tone, and it terrified her. If she wanted to get away from him, she knew she had to choose her battles wisely. She doubted he would let her escape once they were at the office. In a sudden burst of courage, she jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.
"Just pretend," she whispered to herself, trying to calm her racing heart.
Later, she ate breakfast obediently, which seemed unusual to Austin. He noticed her behavior but masked his suspicion, choosing not to say anything. As they drove to the office, her phone rang. The moment she answered, she had to pull the phone away from her ear because of the yelling on the other end.
"Dora, where the hell is that devil son of a bitch? How dare he drug me and leave me unconscious on the floor all night? I’m going to sue that bastard for trespassing on my property!" Sienna’s voice was filled with rage.
Before Dora could respond, Austin’s voice cut in. "Ms. Addison, why don’t we discuss this in my office? I don’t want you to stress my wife unnecessarily."
Sienna could swear she heard him smirking as he spoke. Before she could retort, the call ended. "What the hell is Dora doing with him?" she muttered, furious and confused.
Austin chuckled to himself, recalling his little revenge from the night before. He had considered putting Sienna on the couch, but given her resentment toward him, he decided to leave her lying on the cold floor.
When they arrived at the office, Austin parked the car and noticed Dora wasn’t moving. Before he could tell her to get out, she spoke up.
"You asked me the other day why I was working in this office," she began, her voice trembling slightly.
Her question made him frown.
"I didn’t want to leave my previous job," she continued. "Do you know why I left?"
She turned to look at him, her eyes filled with pain. "After my divorce, the news spread like wildfire. I became a joke overnight. I was so overwhelmed with the idea of starting a family with you that I didn’t notice how people were talking behind my back. They thought you were too good for me, that I didn’t deserve a man like you. I tried to stay strong, but their taunts became vicious. Some men said I wasn’t good in bed, and some women claimed I couldn’t even keep my husband happy. I was humiliated for no reason."
Her voice broke as she continued. "I felt like a coward, running away because the thought of losing my child and my husband in one night drove me insane. If it weren’t for my parents, I would have given up. And now, here I am again, in the same situation. The only difference is that you’re here to enjoy watching me get humiliated." She let out a bitter laugh, tears streaming down her face.
She stepped out of the car and walked toward the office, wiping away her tears. But she stopped when he spoke again.
"I would love to see that," he said, his voice cold and mocking.
A sob threatened to escape her lips, but she bit them to hold it back. Despite all her mental preparation, his words cut deep.
Just as she thought he was done, he added, "I would love to see how someone who means nothing to you can crush you. I would love to see how hopeless you are, depending on others’ opinions instead of your own. I would love to see how you cower when you’ve done nothing wrong."
Dora was stunned by his confession, but he wasn’t finished. "Is it only for me that you act like a tigress? You pretend to be strong, but deep down, you’re just a mouse running away. I’m going to enjoy every bit of watching you get laughed at today." He smirked at her and walked away, leaving her seething with rage.
She wanted to tear that smirk off his face and make him pay for his cruelty. As she stalked into the office, she could feel the disdainful gazes and hear the murmurs of her colleagues. One of them snorted as she reached her desk.
"Look who’s back! I thought you resigned or something. Let me guess, it was all for attention, wasn’t it? I heard about your little stunt at the party."
Dora laughed sarcastically. "Oh, I wish you could use your brain for work as much as you use your mouth to talk nonsense. No wonder you’ve been stuck in the same position for five years. Too bad licking people’s boots doesn’t get you far."
The colleague’s face turned red with anger. "Oh, did I hit a nerve? By the way, how’s your retention report going? I heard you couldn’t finish it until Alex helped you. How did you return the favor, your place or his?" Dora whispered the last part, but in the silence of the office, everyone heard it.
The woman’s eyes widened in shock. "How dare you? Who the hell do you think you are?"
Before she could say more, Austin’s voice cut through the tension. "She’s my wife."
The room fell silent, and Dora felt a small sense of victory, even as her heart ached. She knew the battle was far from over, but for now, she had stood her ground.
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