Broken: An Abuse Survivor's Tale💜Part 5

Welcome, everyone, to the thrilling finale of Broken: An Abuse Survivor's Tale! Thank you all for your continued support in this project that means the world to me.

In the future, I plan to release a collection of other stories about other domestic abuse survivors. After all, each situation is unique and deserves its own spotlight!

Please enjoy!

Rain Dayze

Ch 5: And Then... I Had A Happy Ending

It had been a year since I had heard anything about Michael. This made me think he was just messing with me, trying to get me to come back to him out of fear. It didn't work. Because now I had Hector, my new fiancée. That's right, he proposed to me about two months after we slept together. 

We started seeing each other, then grew very close. Hector had confessed that he had feelings for me before the incident. Once he laid eyes on me, it was like love at first sight. It didn't bother me, or Hector, that I was still technically married, because I had already made my choice. I would divorce Michael.

In May, just over two years after I left Michael, and filled with bravery from my new man, I went to a courthouse and filed for divorce. It was a lot of paperwork, and I would need to use a lawyer to be the mediator between us, but none of that mattered anymore. I wanted to start my life over. Thankfully, I could make money working nights at a gentlemen's club, bartending, not stripping, and Hector contracted several jobs there as well. Our collective wages, and the substantial amount Daniella contributed as an engagement present, paid for a brilliant lawyer who expedited the process.

We collected the medical records from the hospital and the body cam footage from Hector's suit from that night. Additionally, Daniella, Monica, Sara, and Elena all gave written testimonies to Michael's excessive anger, controlling behavior, and abusive tendencies. I had a restraining order drafted months back, but as Hector said, it was a piece of paper. If Michael wished to violate it, he could, with minimal legal resistance.

Lawrence Strode sent everything in and promised to keep us updated on the situation. Hector and I thanked him, then hugged each other. Grateful for the opportunity to be together forever. We just needed to be patient a little longer and pray there wouldn’t be any complications.

Later, we went out for drinks and dancing. To celebrate our new beginning. An hour or two of tequila and dancing left me in dire need.

While I ground my hips against his groin, I rasped, "I'm going to the ladies' room, meet me there in five minutes. I'll be ready for you." Then I kissed him deeply, leaving to keep my promise.

I freshened up a little and removed my panties. Then I touched up my makeup as I waited for Hector.

The door creaked open. I smiled devilishly. "That wasn't five minutes! You must be-"

I turned around and saw Michael. He was wearing his usual business suit. However, he had not kept it pressed and tidy. His suit looked disheveled, his hair was all over the place, and he hadn't shaved, with bloodshot eyes. He stalked toward me, swerving back and forth, a sign that he was drunk.

"Who the fuck do you think you are!?" he roared, his fists clenched at his side. "First you leave me, then you fuck that dirty wet-back motherfucker, and now you try to divorce me? Me, your fucking husband!?"

I backed into the wall behind me. Nowhere to run. Before I could stand my ground and tell him off, Michael sprinted over and wrapped his hand around my throat. He applied pressure as he growled, "You said five minutes, right? Well, this won't take long. Maybe I'll use the extra time to have some fun."

A chill ran up my spine as my vision blurred. I clawed at his hands, kicked his stomach, and thrashed around with all of my strength. Then I grew weak. Michael's grip tightened, almost crushing my windpipe.

My life flashed before my eyes; I felt a sudden warmth that made me want to give in. Then, someone threw Michael against the sink with a loud thud. I slumped to the ground, not fully awake, but aware of the situation. Hector was fighting Michael. He was saving me again.

No, not again. Not this time!

I summoned what bit of strength I had left and stood up. Hector and Michael were punching each other and yelling obscenities. Then Michael pulled out a knife and jabbed Hector in the leg. This made him fall over in agony, but still fighting Michael. Michael gained the advantage and pressed his knee into Hector's neck. Choking the life out of my love.

"Don't you even think about it, you bastard!" I shoved the bathroom stall open, grabbed the porcelain lid.

Michael ignored me while crushing Hector's throat, calling him every racist name imaginable.

This was his mistake. I raised the lid and slammed it into his skull. Blood splattered everywhere. Michael collapsed onto the tiled floor. He didn't move or breathe. He was dead, and I had killed him.

I lost consciousness after that. Later, I woke up in the emergency room in a bed next to a heavily bandaged Hector. "Good morning, mi amor," he rasped. "How do you feel?"

I shrugged. Honestly, I'm not sure how to feel. On one hand, I saved the love of my life, but on the other, I murdered my husband. Such a strange feeling of relief and guilt washed over me as I sobbed. "I-I wasn't trying to k-k-kill him!"

Hector reached over and touched my hand through the bedrail. "It's okay. The police said it was self-defense. He assaulted you in the bathroom, and he broke the restraining order. He was pretty drunk, too."

A nurse kept a police officer from entering the room, saying we needed privacy for a bit. He reluctantly left.

"Is it over?" I asked, my voice hoarse from the strangulation. Rot in peace, Michael.

Hector nodded. His eyes were full of love and devotion. "Yes, it's all over."

I sighed in relief. Seven years. I lived in fear and pain for seven years, and now it was over. Finally, I was free.

What happened to me? Well, Hector and I got married the following month, once he could stand upright. It was a private ceremony with only a few friends and a small portion of his family. With a kiss, I became Mrs. Hector, Alonzo Ramirez. Six months after that, I got pregnant! Yes, pregnant! With twins nonetheless. It was a welcome miracle for us.

Michael's father contacted me last year and apologized for his son's behavior. As if it made up for it all. He said Michael never filed for a pre-nup, and thus, it entitled me to half of his money given our separation. He had drunk most of it away, but it left behind a few million after legal fees. He emailed me the papers to accept the money.

Hector and I spoke briefly, but ultimately we chose to take it. We would use it to fund a new life for ourselves, one free of Michael's menace.

We used the money to buy a house near the beach, helped Daniella establish a group home for abused women, and set some aside for our twin daughters, Alicia and Sofia.

I became a stay-at-home mom while Hector and his cousin upgraded their business.

And above all else, I started over. With a new name, a new home, and a new love. Because Michael's love was brutal and full of conditions. And that wasn't right. Love shouldn't hurt.

If anyone you know is being abused, suspected of being abused, or are a victim yourself, there is help available. Local shelters and organizations are a good way to start. However, if more in-depth help is needed, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

And remember, love shouldn't hurt.

Disclaimer:

This is a work of fiction. All characters, names, places, and incidents are fictitious and the product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, organizations, or events are entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. Thank you for reading this eBook. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the author.