The sun had just set behind the dense forest, leaving a gloomy darkness that enveloped the residential area. Marlina recalled her conversation with her husband from a few weeks ago.
After five days away from home, Merilton finally returned. As usual, Marlina heard the sound of her husband’s luxury car entering the garage. She glanced at the clock on the wall; it was exactly 9 p.m.
Merilton walked into the house with tired steps. His stern face showed signs of exhaustion, but his eyes remained sharp. Marlina stood at the kitchen doorway, forcing a small, careful smile, greeting her husband with a cold yet cautious tone.
"Hi…" she said softly.
Merilton only nodded slightly before throwing his coat onto the sofa. He didn’t look at Marlina, walking straight to the bedroom. Without saying a word, he lay down on the bed and fell asleep instantly, worn out from his time at Orena's house. Marlina stood at the bedroom door, watching the man she once loved with all her heart. Now, she only saw a betrayer who carried the weight of hatred in her heart.
Early the next morning, Marlina gathered the courage to speak to Merilton. She knew this was the right time before he got busy again with his work. After preparing breakfast, Marlina sat in front of Merilton, who was sipping his coffee. Cautiously, she opened her mouth.
"Merilton," she said softly, carefully choosing her words. "I’d like to go back to the city to visit my parents. I haven’t seen them in a long time."
Merilton stopped bringing the bread to his mouth. He looked at Marlina with a sharp gaze, making her feel uncomfortable. "Why do you suddenly want to go back there?" he asked coldly.
"I miss them," Marlina replied, trying to appear as calm as possible. "I haven’t seen them in months. Just a few days…"
Before Marlina could finish her sentence, Merilton slammed his coffee cup onto the table. His eyes blazed with anger that he tried to suppress. "You don’t need to go back to the city. You have no business there. Besides, your parents have already gone abroad. Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you… your mother said she’ll call later."
"But they’re my parents, Merilton," Marlina retorted, her voice trembling slightly. "I just want to visit…"
"Listen here carefully," Merilton cut her off, his voice harsh, like a thunderclap that stunned Marlina. "You belong to me. I won’t let you go anywhere without my permission. Understand?"
Marlina was stunned. She hadn’t expected such a harsh response to a simple request. But before she could say anything, Merilton stood up from his seat, walking towards her with slow yet threatening steps. Marlina could feel the tension in the air around them.
"Do you think I’m stupid, Marlina?" Merilton said, standing directly in front of her. "I know what you’re trying to do. You want to run away, right? You’re bored here, aren’t you?"
"No!" Marlina protested, shocked by the accusation. "I just want to visit my family!"
"Enough with your excuses!" Merilton snapped. He pulled out his phone and showed her an app that he had installed. "You know what this is? This is a tracker I put on your car. Every time you leave the house, I’ll know where you’re going. You can’t hide anything from me."
Marlina felt her blood freeze. She couldn’t believe her husband had gone this far to control her every move. "Merilton, why are you doing this? I’m your wife…"
"And as my wife, your job is to stay here, wait for me to return, and not question anything," Merilton answered coldly. "I don’t care what you think, Marlina. If you try to fight or run, I’ll make sure you’re locked up here forever."
His words pierced Marlina’s heart like sharp bamboo spears. She no longer saw her husband as the man she once loved. Merilton was now the cruellest of enemies, a man who would do anything to maintain control over her.
After that conversation, Marlina felt like a bird trapped in a golden cage. Their large home, once a place of safety, had become a suffocating prison. Every time she left the house, she couldn’t shake the reality that Merilton was monitoring her every move.
Marlina tried to find a way to evade Merilton’s control, but she knew she had to be cautious. Merilton was not a man to be easily fooled. He was cunning and ruthless, and Marlina couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.
However, amidst the fear and pressure, Marlina felt her spirit to fight growing stronger. She knew she couldn’t live like this forever. She had to find a way out, even if it meant deceiving and outwitting the man who had once been her whole world.
That night, Marlina sat in her room, watching the footage she had gathered from the Grey Camera a few days earlier. She collected evidence of Merilton’s betrayal, but she knew it wasn’t enough to set her free. Marlina had to find a way to protect herself before Merilton realised what she was doing.
Suddenly, Marlina heard the sound of her bedroom door being slammed open. Merilton stood in the doorway, glaring at her with an angry expression. "What are you doing?" he asked sharply.
"Nothing," Marlina answered, trying to appear calm.
"Don’t lie to me, Marlina," Merilton said as he stepped into the room. "I know you’re planning something."
Marlina felt her entire body stiffen. She knew she had to play her part well if she wanted to get out of this situation. "I’m just… I’m just trying to understand why you’ve changed. I don’t understand what I did wrong…"
Merilton looked at her with a cold stare before saying, "You don’t need to understand anything. What you need to know is that you need to always be here. I’m in control. If you try to fight, you’ll regret it."
After Merilton left the room, Marlina sat on the edge of the bed, thinking about what she needed to do. She knew she couldn’t let herself become a victim. Marlina decided that she needed to play this game wisely. She would pretend to obey, but behind the scenes, she would plan her escape.