Chapter 3 I'll Be With You, Abel.

That night, the ballroom of a grand hotel was filled with invited guests dressed in their finest. Men in expensive suits and women in fancy dresses mingled, smiling at each other in formal conversations full of pleasantries. The sound of glasses clinking could be heard over the classical music played by a small orchestra in the corner of the room.

Abel stood at Aaron's side, wearing the long black dress that the man had chosen for her. The dress was beautiful, with a perfect cut that accentuated her beauty. However, Abel felt like a doll in a fancy package.

Aaron grasped his arm tightly, leading him into the center of the room with a fake smile plastered on his face. He looked extremely confident, his dominant aura exuding power, making the people around him automatically direct their attention to him.

"Abel, stay by my side," Aaron whispered softly but firmly, before he released his grip and stepped forward to greet his business partner.

Abel could only nod, obeying the order as usual. She stood up straight, trying to give the impression of a perfect wife - graceful, obedient, and silent. Her gaze swept the room, searching for something to distract her mind, but Aaron's loud voice immediately drew her back.

Aaron was talking to a middle-aged man, complete with a young wife smiling politely beside him. Aaron laughed, pointing at Abel as he said, "And this is my wife, Abel. Isn't she beautiful?"

Abel smiled a little, trying to hide his awkward feelings. The man looked at Abel with an appraising gaze, while his wife nodded with a stiff smile.

"You're very lucky, Aaron," the man commented.

"Of course," Aaron replied in a proud tone, then continued talking about their business project, as if Abel was just an accessory beside him.

Abel stood there, listening half-heartedly. He wasn't familiar with the business terms they were talking about, and he was sure Aaron didn't care whether he was paying attention or not. His presence here was for one purpose only: to be a display wife, someone who completed Aaron's perfect image in front of others.

After a while, Aaron called her to the stage. "Honey, accompany me to give a speech."

Abel followed Aaron without saying much. On stage, Aaron introduced him with great pride, praised his beauty and called him the "biggest supporter" in his life. People applauded, smiles and admiration gracing their faces.

However, Abel knew better than anyone. Aaron's words were just lies spoken to build his image. He didn't really care what Abel felt or thought.

After the speech was over, Aaron held Abel's hand for just a few moments before leaving him alone at the side of the stage. The man instantly rejoined his group of relations, laughing and conversing as if Abel wasn't there.

Abel stood transfixed, feeling like a lifeless ornament. He tried to find a place to slip away, but every time he moved, the sight of the other guests made him feel trapped. He knew that if he moved too far away, Aaron would scold or even punish him later.

The night continued to go by slowly. Abel decided to sit in one corner of the room, away from the crowd. He took a sip from his glass of water, feeling very small in the midst of all this glitz and glamor.

He saw Aaron from a distance, the man looked so comfortable talking to people who were considered important. His face was full of smiles, his gaze confident. But there was no hint of concern for Abel.

Abel squeezed the glass in his hand, feeling a tightness in his chest. He wanted to be angry, wanted to demand Aaron to treat him like a wife, not a showpiece. But he knew it was just an empty dream. Aaron would never listen, let alone care.

"Excuse me, miss, you look like you need something," the waiter's voice greeted him softly, making Abel flinch.

Abel shook his head with a small smile. "No, thank you."

The waiter walked away, leaving Abel alone again. Inwardly, he felt tired of being someone who only existed to reinforce the image of the man who was supposed to love him.

When the event was finally over, Aaron came back to him. He pulled Abel's hand wordlessly, leading him out of the hall like someone dragging luggage.

"Well done, you managed to maintain my image tonight," he said without emotion as they entered the car.

Abel didn't answer. He just stared out the window, letting his tears fall silently. Amidst the glittering city they passed through, he could only ask himself: how long did he have to live like this?

***

After a few hours of being caught up in the glitter of Aaron's business event, Abel decided to seek some alone time. His feet stepped carefully towards the restroom at the back of the ballroom. The classical music playing in the main room sounded faintly behind him, providing a bit of calm amidst the noise of formality.

As she finished tidying up and exited the restroom, her steps suddenly stopped. In the deserted corridor, stood Reynald. The man was dressed in a neat suit, his hair perfectly coiffed, but his gaze instantly turned serious when his eyes met Abel's.

"Abel," Reynald called in a low tone, but it was enough to make Abel freeze in place.

Abel let out a long breath, nervousness instantly running through his body. Feelings of guilt, anxiety, and fear mixed together. He looked away, trying to avoid Reynald's gaze. "Reynald, I don't have time for this," she said firmly, trying to step past him.

However, Reynald immediately blocked his way. "Wait, Abel. We need to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about," Abel retorted sharply, his voice rising. "I don't want anything to do with you. Not after what happened."

Reynald's face turned regretful. "I know I was wrong, Abel. I know that night should never have happened. But please, let me explain-"

"Explain what?" Abel cut in, his eyes looking at Reynald angrily. "What do you want to explain, Reynald? That I made a big mistake that ruined my life even more? I don't need your explanation. What I need is for you to stay out of my life!"

Reynald was silent for a moment, but he did not give up. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Abel. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Fine?" Abel chuckled, full of sarcasm. "You think I'm okay? I got so scolded by Aaron last night, Reynald. He hit me! All because of you!"

Reynald's eyes widened at that admission. His jaw hardened, and his angry gaze began to appear. "He hit you?" he asked, his voice low but full of anger. "It wasn't my fault, Abel. It was her fault. He had no right to touch you like that!"

Abel shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "You don't understand, Reynald. Aaron was angry because I came home late, because he knew I'd been drinking. And it's all because of that night-because I spent the night with you!"

"No, Abel," Reynald said firmly, taking a step closer. "Aaron is angry because he's a violent man and can't control himself. It's not about me, or what happened that night. He hit you because he felt entitled to. And that's wrong!"

Abel looked away, his tears finally spilling over. He wanted to deny Reynald's words, but he knew they were true. However, his fear of Aaron was so great, it overshadowed all the logic that tried to penetrate his mind.

"Reynald, I can't..." he whispered softly, almost inaudibly.

"You can, Abel," Reynald cut in, his voice softening. "You don't deserve to live like this. You don't deserve to be hurt by someone who is supposed to protect and love you."

"And I don't deserve to be with someone like you," Abel replied in a trembling voice. "What we did that night... it was wrong. I broke my marriage vows, and I'll never forgive myself for that."

Reynald let out a long sigh, the guilt returning to his face. "I know that night was wrong. I know I was wrong, Abel. But I can't let you go on living like this, in a relationship that only makes you suffer. You can get out of it. I can help you."

Abel looked up at Reynald, his eyes red from crying. "You don't know what you're saying. You don't know what Aaron could do if I left. I'm already trapped, Reynald. I have nowhere else to go."

"You have me," Reynald said without hesitation. "Abel, I will protect you. I don't care what the risks are. All I care about is you."

Abel was silent, Reynald's words penetrating his fear for a moment. However, the image of Aaron, his threats, his violence, all of it came back to haunt his mind like a storm that he could not fight.

"I can't, Reynald," Abel finally said, his voice almost breaking. "I can't. Please don't make this harder for me."

Reynald looked like he wanted to say something more, but he saw the fear in Abel's eyes. He took a deep breath, looked down for a moment before saying in a soft tone, "I won't force you, Abel. But remember this: you're not alone. Whenever you need help, I'll be here."

Abel only gave a small nod before turning around and walking quickly away from Reynald, tears still running down his cheeks. He knew Reynald's words were true, but the fear Aaron had instilled in him was too strong to fight.

Reynald stood in the corridor, staring at Abel's retreating back. In his heart, he vowed to do whatever it took to save the woman he loved, even if Abel wasn't ready to accept his help.