Beyond the veil

“Do you think I'm a fool? I overheard everything!” Bryan's words came in a yell, causing Alessia to flinch a bit. She batted her lashes, pinching herself to be sure if this was really her fiance—the one she'd be getting married to in three days. He changed completely from being a gentle and loving man to something else. “Bryan, stop it. Besides, how dare you eavesdrop on my mother's conversation with me?” she asked in a tone that wasn't harsh or blunt.

“Don't ask questions; I need an answer,” he said with a serious expression. “Your mother gave you a box containing treasures and she asked you to keep it, Where is the box?” He asked and Alessia scoffed. The room had on its ceiling a dim light that cast a faint glow on them and the white walls. Nothing else filled the air but their voices.

“I’m sure you eavesdropped on the full conversation and you heard the part when she clearly asked me to keep it a secret! I haven't even checked its content yet; she asked me to do so on our wedding day and when I'll be twenty-five, which is just three days away.” She replied, getting upset already.

“We planned on spending the remaining days of our wedding together; why are you ruining things by bringing up issues that don't even concern you?” she asked further. “Because I want the treasures; I'm your husband-to-be and I should be the one controlling our money and not you,” he said, sweating profusely. Alessia's brows scrunched up on their own in disappointment.

“I can see you're just being jealous. The safe box's contents are my father's family's treasure, something that is passed to every firstborn; I can't break the rule of giving it to an outsider.” She spewed out without thinking twice. “An outsider?” Bryan scoffed.

“Err… I meant to say..” her voice trailed off. “Are you even marrying me out of love or because of my late father's wealth?” she raised her voice, digressing. “All of it! Can't you see it, I'm just a poor orphan; I need money and you are the only one that can give me access to that,” he said with desperation obvious in his voice. Alessia was shocked to the core, She shook her head sideways, taking a step backward. “Have you been deceiving me all this while? Pretending to love me just because of my father's wealth?” her tears dropped.

“I love you Alessia, in sincerest speaking. Tell me where the box is, that's all!” his last words came with a yell. “I will not,” Alessia said stubbornly and tried leaving his sight but Bryan was quick; he grabbed her arm before she could move, pinning her to the rough wall.

“What are you doing?” Alessia asked, staring at his lips. A part of her assumed he wanted to take her lips in his, but judging from his expression, he obviously wasn't interested in that. “For the last time before I lose it completely, tell me where you kept the box,” he muttered in a voice that wasn't so audible. “Get away from me,” she said, trying to push him off, but Bryan's temper wasn't as gentle as he seemed. He lost it completely, and without warning, he raised his hand to her neck, tightening his grip on it.

“Bryan, stop it.” Alessia managed to say as she almost choked, struggling to get away from his grip. At that point, she saw criminal intentions in his eyes, but they disappeared immediately.

“The fact that I love you doesn't mean I can't hurt you,” he smirked. “Where's it?” he said further, yelling with a questioning tone. “Stop…” Alessia's tears dropped, and in frustration, he let go of her neck, sighing while she coughed repeatedly, trying to calm her nerves. “You are a monster!” she cried. “I’m not! You're only making me feel like one,” he said. Each time he spoke, his voice was always different from the previous, depicting the swing in his mood and expressions. “Talk to me, Alessia; don't keep me waiting,” he said, becoming serious again.

“Do your worst; I'm not going to say anything!” She yelled stubbornly, and a wave of anger rushed down his spine. It was uncontrollable and, at the same time, overwhelming.

Silence! Screams! The body's red liquid! Silence again! These were what flashed in his head, like he was being programmed and without a second thought, he grabbed a flower vase and smashed it on her head. “Arrgh!” Alessia screamed in pain as the base was destroyed completely, its flowers falling down in bits. Immediately, the doorbell rang and he spared her a last glance, watching her groan in pain before leaving the room. It was like he was being brainwashed because desperation pushed out some actions he couldn't control. He descended the stairs with long strides and getting to the main door in the sitting room, he opened the door to see a delivery girl. Earlier, he had ordered food for both him and his fiancée.

“Greetings from Wine and Dine restaurant; you ordered...” the young lady was saying but Bryan really wasn't in the mood for that, he cut her short immediately. “Come back in an hour!” he yelled thoughtlessly and closed the door immediately. The delivery girl looked on in surprise, blinking repeatedly. “Some clients could be annoying. How am I supposed to leave and come back again within an hour?” she rolled her eyes. “I'm just going to wait,” she said, looking around to get a place to sit.

“You still won't say something, right?” Bryan yelled from the door and immediately he barged into the room. His eyes caught Alessia's lifeless body in the flood her body's red liquid flowing freely from her head and other holes in her body. His senses returned to him immediately and realization hit him like a ton of bricks, exposing the effects of his actions. ”Alessia?” he called, getting scared. He bent over to her level and shook her body repeatedly but she remained still. “Get up, please; we are getting married in three days.” His lips shivered as his sweat drops fell on her wrist. “What have I done?” he breathed heavily, looking with widened eyes. Memories came rushing and stabbing his heart a million times. Her cheerful smiles, the gifts he receives from her, how she succeeded in making him seem rich to her family for the marriage to be approved, the numerous times she cleared his debts, how he secretly watched her mother giving her their family's treasure, and now what desperation had led him into eliminating the life of his bride!

“Noooo!!” his loud screams echoed in the air and with that, a teardrop fell from his eyes. Soon, he couldn't cry or scream again. The heartache he was feeling was excruciating, and no expression of his could describe it completely. He raised his hand; it was stained with her red liquid already.