Ajie opened the door of his car with one hand while the other was keeping the struggling Allie to break free. He could feel the gritting of her teeth in anger and frustration but he couldn't care less about it now.
"I can go by myself!" Her voice was deep and sharp but no one knew how much self-restraint it took her to keep herself from shouting hysterically. If only she had the freedom to break free from her sanity and get as wild as she could, she would do all that it would take. Whatever were the ways to ease out the growing turmoil inside her heart, she would certainly die for it, if not for that rules of proper manners and conduct everyone seemed to care so much about.
Ajie smirked at her futile declaration while he used a force to shove her inside. No matter how much strength she would strain in order to resist, she was no match against his strength.
"Are you going to walk the distance towards the highway?"
"I don't care!." She sharply retorted. Her humiliation was too much that a single moment with him was like a fire to burn her up. That welling emotion was rising within her that she could no longer tell if it was anger, humiliation or pain which seared her heart the most. All that she knew was that it was simmering inside her and the only remedy to cool it down was to cry until her senses would become numb.
Ajie stole angry side glances at her while keeping his speed at a minimal rate, trying to drag down the time. "Where are you staying?" He asked as soon as Allie mellowed down to sniffs and empty stares.
"Drop me anywhere."
"You have to tell me because we have to get your things and then go home afterwards."
"I'm not entitled to your home anymore and speaking about it, you remind me of an important subject. Since you'll be remarrying, I will be taking my family out from you. They are already outsiders anyway."
Ajie was unprepared by the topic so it came like a wave of shock to him. That matter was really out of his mind until Allie brought it up now. He got so taken aback that he was not able to reply right away.
"I'll make it sure I can find a place today." Allie went ahead when Ajie remained silent.
"What nonsense are you talking about? We only stayed at Jane's place for safety. If you don't like it there, we still have our apartment."
"Your apartment, not ours." Allie stressed it out, reminding him again that she was not a part of it anymore.
"Don't be ridiculous. It has always been our home. I still go there everyday and 90 % of my things are still there. If not for Chloe, I would not go to Beautiful Haven every day."
"Of course. You still go there everyday because it gives both of you the perfect privacy!" The memory of seeing them coming out from that apartment suddenly tore her heart apart, adding to the current mess of her emotions. The more she yearned to be alone at the moment to crouch and cry her heart out.
Ajie's eyes darkened in anger and he instantly pulled over to the side. He just couldn't continue driving in this mad state or else he would send the car flying to the city.
"Stop accusing me of things I did not do! And if ever I did, I would still prefer to give the place some respect since that damn memories of you still hang alive in there."
"And may I remind you that it is you who stains our marriage, not me!" Ajie's face was already burning in suppressed anger and his eyes gathered tears instantly as the memories of her and Hayri flooded in his mind.
"It's already too late to defend myself after all. Why not enjoy your freedom to believe what you like?"
She looked at him straight in the eyes, showing him the boldness of her implied honesty.
"Who's kicking here to hear about the news of the freedom? Won't you celebrate, instead, that you are already free to marry him rather than putting up a fight with me?"
"Don't throw back your charges at me. What is there to gain? Let's better stop arguing who is guilty or not, none of us will believe each other anyway. Our trust for each other is already too broken." She went ahead when Ajie did not answer.
"Go ahead with your new journey. You have my blessing. My only concern now is only about Chloe's custody. I do not wish her to be denied with a father but I'm sure she will just be a burden to your coming children, so better leave her to my parents."
"What are you talking about?" Ajie was already roaring in anger. He was just too weak to handle sensitive subjects.
"Do not let me repeat. I always know you as a brilliant person."
As quick as a strike of a lightning, Allie opened the car door at her side and slid out before Ajie could react. She quickly ran away from the car and prayed for a taxi to pass by. Unfortunately, she felt how fool she was to realize that they were still yet in an empty road and both streetsides were open fields. Where would she run? Dive in the swamps?
Just as her prayer was answered and one taxi pulled over to her side, she was suddenly lifted up into the air. She squirmed and struggled but Ajie did not care. He dumped her back into the passenger's seat and drove silently at a threatening speed towards their apartment.
Once at their place, he lifted her up against her will and brought her to their bedroom. Allie was already too physically and emotionally tired to resist. Their time together, including that span during their college days, was only very short and she didn't see this side of him yet. An amicable settlements would probably work out than provoking further an angry man.
She sat down silently by the bed and and didn't care to look around. Yet, in her peripheral vision, she couldn't help noticing that the walls still had the same paintings. It also had the same furnitures except for the new sets of curtains and photo frame by the bedside table. She chuckled inwardly when she realized that the photo on the frame was taken during their stay at the hotel in Tuzla. She was smiling happily and Ajie was hugging her closely from behind.
Her train of thoughts were disrupted when Ajie's voice pierced into her ears. "Look at this! "
She only moved her glaring eyes towards him and saw him standing at the side of a life-sized photo frame at one corner of the room. She momentarily forgot her dejected mood as her gaze was diverted into her full-sized portrait on the wall. lf only it would not sound silly to lift her own chair, she would perhaps throw endless praises at how beautiful she looked. Her eyes were so alive and communicating as if her soul had dwelt inside of it.
"Do you see yourself?" He asked derisively, moving close to lift her chin when she did not answer.
"And what's with it?" She shrugged nonchalantly as she glared at him.
"If I did what you accused me of, would you think Jane could have an orgasm seeing your face everywhere here?"
She almost laugh audibly at the thought that the reason he forcibly brought her here was to prove himself. Unfortunately, she was no longer on the stage to accept bargaining.
"Now you know that it doesn't feel wonderful to be accused wrongly, does it?" This was the way of chiding him for his own wrong accusations against her.
"Because Jane does not deserve your lewd accusations. She may be a rival to you but she's not as evil as you think."
"And only I deserve it?" She could already feel her blood rising to her temples that the fine hairs at her nape crept up.
Before Ajie could retort, she stood up and raised her hands in surrender. "I think we should stop talking about this. What for? Our marriage is already over and both of us has already our different journeys to take. I'd better go and you also go home. Don"t let your fiancee worry about you."
Allie bent down to pick up her purse and hurried her steps towards the door but before she could twist the knob open, Ajie hovered her and hugged her from behind. She paused and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in frustration. Yet, when she opened her eyes, she was already too late to realize that she could no longer save herself from his lips from crushing hers. His moves were dangerous and she felt that resisting would only end in vain.
After who knew how long did it take him to finally release her, he looked at her squarely in the eyes. "Is this what you think that Jane will be worrying so much about?"
She looked away, stabilizing her breathing, but before it returned to its normal rhythm, he swept her off from her feet and threw her gently in the middle of the bed.
His next steps widened her eyes but her will was too weak to resist...