Chapter 1

Lindsay's POV

That moment when you realize you made a terrible mistake. When you feel stuck, suffocated, and lonely. That moment when you look into the eyes of the man who once loved you, but see nothing but hatred. I felt it when I looked into the eyes of my husband.

"Let me go!!" I screamed at Asher as I tried to release my hand from his tight grip.

"Stay still" he struggled with me because I was relentless.

"Please. Asher. It's not what you think. He just wanted to...."

He didn't let me finish before cutting me off. "You have sinned against God and me. I can't tolerate that" he said, gazing at me with his wrath-filled brown eyes. I felt cold instantly, but I still didn't give up.

"Let me go!" I screamed as loud as I could, but that only made the situation worse. He slapped me on my already bruised cheek. The impact made my face collide with the wall. My head stung so much that I knew for sure it was bleeding.

He bent to my level, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and pulled it for me to look at him. "Lust is of the flesh. You desired another man other than me. You are disgusting" he said in a deadly tone. I shuddered, praying to heaven that I survived this.

"I wasn't. He is just..."

"Shut up!" he screamed in my face and I immediately kept shut.

He grabbed me by the arm and started dragging me again.

"Asher, please. You are not listening to me"

"I will not listen to the words of a sinner until you repent"

He was crazy, too crazy, but he was my husband. The man who once loved me. I remembered how we walked down the aisle with smiles on our faces. Thinking back on that moment, I couldn't help but feel regret. He had always been religious, but I didn't know it would get so bad to use it to hurt me.

Life was hell. Living with him was hell. He claimed he still loved me and always begged for forgiveness whenever he laid his hands on me, but I didn't believe he did. Asher Harrington was a devil I couldn't get rid of_ A religious devil.

He pushed me roughly into the room and locked the door before I had the chance to stand up.

"Asher?" I banged my fist on the door, ready to pull it down.

"Lindsay listen to me" he tried to speak, but I was too thrown off to listen.

"Lindsay" he called out from outside, but I was still screaming. "Lindsay!" He yelled my name in anger and I froze. All my rage turned into fear.. "listen to me" This time his voice was calmer. "Pray to God, tell him to forgive you your sin. Reflect on your sins and...."

I started crying hard. "Please" I let out a whimper.

"No no, don't cry, my love. Just do what I asked you to do. Please" he begged.

I slipped to the floor as tears rolled down my cheeks. I couldn't breathe. The only thing I wanted was to get out of there, but I knew that wasn't going to happen.

"When you are done, I will open the door for you to get out," he said while I sobbed quietly.

"I'm leaving now Lindsay," he said and I heard his footsteps afterward, signaling he was gone.

This was how the chaos started...