Once, my paranoid love

After taking a quick shower, Paul made his way towards Elena’s room. As he walked, a storm of regret and remorse swirled in his mind. He couldn’t shake the memory of what had transpired the previous night. Thoughts of the harsh words and actions he had inflicted upon Elena haunted him, and he knew he had crossed a line.

Paul’s inner turmoil was palpable as he thought, ‘Last night, I beat her with my belt. Elena, I got infuriated and hit you, but I’m sorry. From now on, whatever you say, I swear to listen to everything you say.’ It was a moment of profound self-reflection and a vow to change his ways.

When he reached Elena’s door, he knocked, hoping for a response. Yet there was only silence on the other side. Fearing the worst, Paul gently pushed the door open and stepped into the room, calling out Elena’s name with a mixture of concern and remorse in his voice.

“Elena.”

Paul entered Elena’s room only to find it empty, which immediately raised concerns in his mind. ‘Is she angry with me?’ he wondered, his face tensing with worry. His heart ached at the thought that Elena might be upset or hurt because of his actions the previous night.

As he stood there, lost in his thoughts, a maid’s voice startled him. She informed him, “Sir, Robert sir, is calling you.” Paul was taken aback by her sudden presence; he hadn’t even heard her approach.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Paul’s expression darkened as he thought, ‘What does he want now?’ Nevertheless, he nodded in acknowledgment and stepped out of Elena’s room, trying to compose himself as if everything were okay.

He didn’t bother knocking on Robert’s bedroom door because it was already half-opened. Paul walked in and immediately noticed his mother, who was seated next to Robert, engrossed in reviewing some documents. She seemed to be in a rather pleasant mood.

“Did you call me?” Paul inquired, addressing Robert. There was an air of curiosity in his voice as he wondered about the reason for this summons. The dynamics within the household were becoming increasingly complex, and Paul couldn’t help but feel like a pawn in a game he didn’t fully understand.

Robert’s indifference continued to weigh heavily on the atmosphere in the room. He remained engrossed in his work, as if Paul’s presence was of little consequence. Anne, however, was determined to bridge the gap.

“Babe, Paul is here,” she gently informed Robert, grasping his arm to get his attention. With a subtle nod, Robert acknowledged her statement, still not fully engaging with Paul.

Paul’s patience was wearing thin. He had his own commitments, including college, and he wasn’t inclined to waste time in a standoff with his quasi-stepfather. He made his intentions clear, trying to keep his annoyance at bay.

“I’m quite busy right now,” Paul declared, his tone a mixture of frustration and impatience. “If you tell me what you want right now, I won’t be late for college.”

Anne, however, remained calm and soothing in her response, attempting to mediate the situation. “Relax, Paul,” she urged. “Dad is working.”

Paul shot her a disapproving look, his irritation mounting. He had told her countless times that Robert was not his father, but she persisted in calling him that.

Robert, sensing the escalating tension, finally decided to break away from his work. He closed the document he had been studying and fixed his gaze squarely on Paul, as if the younger man’s presence had suddenly become impossible to ignore.

“How’s college going for you?” Robert inquired, making an effort to engage Paul in conversation.

Paul’s response was curt and to the point. “Good,” he replied, not offering any more details than necessary. His irritation with the entire situation was palpable.

Robert, observing Paul’s demeanor and sensing the underlying animosity, stood up and approached him cautiously. They exchanged tense glances, the air heavy with unspoken grievances.

‘Slap…’

And then, without warning, it happened-a sudden, unexpected act of violence. Robert, his face a mixture of frustration and anger, delivered two sharp slaps to Paul’s face. The sound echoed in the room, leaving a stunned silence in its wake.

Paul stumbled backward, his cheek stinging from the force of the blows. He couldn’t believe what had just occurred. Shock and disbelief washed over him, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Anne got out of bed when she heard the sound of slapping and dashed over to Robert. She was taken aback and had not expected to see such a thing.

Paul, his hand covering his reddening cheek, was in shock. His mind churned with a mix of emotions, primarily rage and disbelief. He couldn’t fathom how Robert could resort to violence, especially over something as seemingly innocuous as a conversation about college.

‘He had no right to slap me,’ Paul seethed internally, his eyes burning with indignation. The pain on his face was not just physical; it was a manifestation of the deep hurt he felt in that moment.

Robert, on the other hand, had lost his composure entirely. His anger was palpable as he grabbed Paul’s collar, his voice dripping with venom.

“How dare you touch my princess?” Robert snarled, his words laced with a possessiveness that sent a shiver down Anne’s spine. She had never seen this side of him before, and it frightened her.

Hearing Robert’s accusation, Anne’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected her husband to react this way, especially not in front of Paul. She fixed her gaze on Robert, torn between defending her son and trying to understand how he had discovered the truth.

‘How did he find out the truth?’ Anne wondered, her mind racing. She couldn’t help but suspect that Elena might have said something to him. Fear welled up in her eyes as she considered the implications of this revelation.

Meanwhile, outside the room, the maids had come to a halt, their curiosity piqued by the escalating confrontation. They huddled together, trying to listen in on the heated conversation taking place inside.

One of the maids whispered, “What did sir do?” Her eyes were wide with concern and intrigue.

The other maid, equally curious, replied, “I’m not sure. But I’m sure Pom was aware of something. I’m guessing that’s why she left.” She lowered her voice, aware that their speculation could have far-reaching consequences.

“You have your hands on Elena? How dare you make such a fuck up?” Robert unbuckled his belt as he said this. All of a sudden, Robert began whipping Paul with his belt.

“Is it hurting me the same way it hurt you last night, Elena?” Paul mused, his thoughts a torrent of guilt and regret. He couldn’t help but wonder how Elena had felt when Robert had lashed out. The image of her pain haunted him; her tear-filled eyes were a constant presence in his mind.

Robert whipped Paul with his belt numerous times, but he was unaffected. Maybe it was because he was deserving of that pain.

‘Yes, I am worthy of it,’ Paul whispered to himself, his voice barely audible in the oppressive silence of his room. He couldn’t deny the twisted satisfaction he had derived from the pain. It was as if the physical torment somehow mirrored the emotional anguish he had caused Elena.

A conflicted desire stirred within him. ‘I’d like him to smack me harder,’ he admitted to himself, his cheeks flushing with a mixture of shame and yearning. It was a dark, inexplicable urge that he couldn’t quite comprehend, let alone confront.

His thoughts then turned to Elena, the one person who had consumed his every waking moment. ‘Elena, did you tell everyone about me?’ Paul wondered, his mind racing with a torrent of emotions. The idea of being exposed, of having his actions laid bare for all to see, should have filled him with dread. But at this moment, it held an odd allure.

‘If you do, it doesn’t matter to me right now,’ he reasoned, his heart pounding in his chest. The consequences of his actions-the potential fallout-sounded distant and inconsequential compared to the complex web of emotions that bound him to her.

‘Because I know you love me,’ Paul thought, his lips forming a wistful smile even as he lay in the darkness. It was a conviction that had taken root in his heart-a belief in Elena’s unwavering affection that defied reason and defied logic.

‘And I saw it last night in your eyes,’ he whispered to himself, his eyelids heavy as he conjured her face in his mind. The memory of her gaze, filled with pain and yet, in his interpretation, tinged with love, offered him solace in the midst of his inner turmoil.

Anne’s heart raced as she witnessed the volatile situation unfolding before her. She recognized the dangerous mix of Paul’s paranoid disorder and Robert’s explosive anger as a recipe for potential disaster. She knew she had to act swiftly to prevent any further harm.

‘Damn it! He has a paranoid disorder,’ Anne concluded with a sinking feeling, her heart heavy with concern for her troubled son. The signs were all too familiar the irrational fears, the heightened emotions-it was a cycle that had tormented Paul.