The door of Apartment 203 opened with a weary click. The interior was dark and silent, and the steady drumming of rain outside only deepened the gloom. Jessica stepped in, folding her umbrella and setting it by the door before making her way down the dim hallway. With a flick, she turned on the living room light—and immediately wrinkled her nose. The sharp stench of cigarettes and beer clung to the air.
She sighed, changed out of her office clothes in the bedroom, and then began picking up the clutter. Empty takeout boxes, crushed beer cans, and glass bottles littered the floor. She gathered them all into a garbage bag, her eyes lingering on the motionless bundle sprawled across the couch, shoes still on. Once the mess was cleared, she set the bag outside the door and retreated to the bathroom.
The hot water washed away the day's grime, but not her exhaustion. Wrapped in a towel, Jessica blow-dried her hair, then pulled on a pale T-shirt and soft shorts, tying her hair up neatly. She tied an apron at her waist as she entered the kitchen, switching on the light—only to freeze at the faint shuffle of movement from the living room.
She opened the fridge, praying for something useful. A single egg. Half a bottle of milk. That was it.
Jessica turned toward the living room and asked in a low voice, "Ethan… did you not do the groceries like I texted you?"
The man on the couch scratched his head and answered gruffly, "You know I was in auditions all day. So what if I forgot? Can't you handle it?"
Her lips pressed into a line, but she turned back to the cabinets. After rummaging, she found a pack of spaghetti and began cooking.
They sat down to eat in silence. Jessica forced a smile, trying to ease the tension. "Dear… how was today? Did you land a role?"
Ethan slammed his hand on the table. His voice thundered with fury. "How dare they! Offering me the role of some side character—auditioning me like I'm no one! I was born for greatness, not to be a prop!"
Before she could respond, he shoved his chair back and stormed out, leaving the steaming pasta untouched. Jessica quietly finished her own portion, then wrapped his plate, knowing he'd complain of hunger later and accuse her of neglect.
The week crawled by in much the same way. Then, on Saturday morning, Jessica sat on the balcony with a cup of steaming coffee and a stack of bills. One line on the credit card statement made her nearly spit her drink out. Her pulse raced as she shouted, "Ethan! Come here a moment!"
From inside, his voice bellowed around a mouthful of popcorn. "Can't you see I'm watching a movie? Handle it yourself!"
Frowning, Jessica stormed into the living room. He was sprawled on the couch, popcorn crumbs and empty beer bottles scattered around him. She thrust the bill in front of his face, her voice sharp. "Ethan, what on earth did you buy for a hundred thousand dollars?"
He snatched the paper, glanced at it, and shoved it away, eyes never leaving the screen. "So what if I spent a little? I treated some friends at that new Chinese restaurant. They'd always wanted to try it."
Jessica's brows knit. "Do you even realize how expensive that place is? They charge a thousand dollars for a single meal! I can't keep letting you do this. I need to pay for Mom's treatment, for Clara's tuition. You haven't brought in a single dollar, and yet you spend like this? Rent's gone up again, and this is still just a rented apartment." Her voice cracked, trembling as she pressed on. "Back then you promised… you promised that if you didn't get work soon, you'd take another job. You begged me for two years, and I gave them to you. We agreed—no children until we had our own home. And yet here we are, five years later. Ethan, you've only gotten angrier, lazier… you don't even try anymore. Why don't you just find steady work and let go of this fantasy?"
Ethan's head snapped toward her. He set his beer down with a loud thump, then rose and stalked over. His hand shot out, clamping around her wrist. Pain lanced through her arm as his grip tightened.
"Ethan! Let go—you're hurting me!" she hissed.
He ignored her plea, eyes blazing. "You want me to give up my dream? Just because you can't bankroll me anymore? You must already be sleeping around, huh? You make all this money but I can't touch it. Five years of marriage and you won't even share a bed with me—wasn't that your idea? Now you're off with someone else, aren't you?"
Spittle flew as he shouted, his face twisted with rage. Then his lips curled into a sneer. "If you're already whoring yourself out, why not make more money at it? I've got friends willing to pay twenty grand to spend a night with you. We could make a fortune."
Jessica froze, horror rooting her in place. The man before her bore no resemblance to the gentle, caring Ethan she once loved.
She yanked at her wrist, but his grip only tightened. Desperation flared. She lunged for the fruit bowl, snatched up a knife, and slashed at his hand. Blood welled instantly. He cursed, recoiling.
"Have you lost your mind, woman?" he snarled, clutching his wound.
Jessica advanced, knife trembling in her hand but her eyes blazing with fury. "Yes, I've lost my mind! Get the hell out of my house, you trash. How dare you try to sell me off!"
She drove him back step by step, her voice raw, shaking. Ethan raised his arms defensively, his tone suddenly soft, coaxing. "Jessica, come to your senses. I saved you back then, remember? How can you raise a blade against me?"
But she didn't falter. With a final shove, she forced him out the door and slammed it shut, locking it with trembling hands. The knife clattered to the floor as she collapsed, tears spilling down her cheeks. She buried her face in her knees and sobbed until her voice broke.
At last, hollow and drained, she rose. Her eyes were swollen, but her resolve was sharp. No more. First thing Monday, I'm filing for divorce.
She washed her face, covered the bruise on her wrist with long sleeves, and grabbed her purse. The taser she'd bought months ago—just in case—was recharged and clutched tight in her hand as she stepped outside. Her eyes darted around, but Ethan was gone.
At the supermarket, the clerk noticed her swollen eyes and the faint bruise. "Miss… do you need any help?"
Jessica forced a smile, tugging her sleeve lower. "It's nothing. I just fell at home."
The clerk gave her a doubtful look but nodded. "Alright. But if you ever need help, don't hesitate."
Jessica thanked her quietly, paid, and drove home. The apartment was still empty. She bolted the door, put the groceries away, and sank into bed, exhaustion pulling her under.
When she woke, dusk was settling outside. She prepared a simple meal, ate alone, then busied herself with cleaning. By nightfall, she wrapped herself in a blanket, coffee mug in hand, and sat out on the balcony. City lights glittered in the distance as the night air carried the faint hum of traffic.
Jessica sipped her coffee, tears pricking her eyes again as the morning replayed in her mind. She clutched the blanket tighter, leaning back in her chair. Somewhere between anger and grief, sleep stole over her, and she drifted off beneath the stars.
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HEY THERE !,
Its my first time trying to write in this genre , if you love this please don't forget to leave a review and send over some powerstones as well , and please tell me in the comment about what you think 😊😊😊.