15

"Daliah, please, listen to me. I did it all out of love, to protect you," he pleaded, attempting to justify the years of abuse. But his words fell on deaf ears, and the twisted sense of love he professed only intensified my repulsion.

Drake, relentless in his pursuit, continued to move forward. His words, laced with desperation, reverberated through the room, but I tuned them out, focusing solely on finding a means of defense. My hand brushed against a small table, and I seized a decorative figurine, its weight providing a meager sense of reassurance.

With the makeshift weapon in hand, I faced Drake's relentless approach. His eyes, clouded with a mix of emotions, betrayed a manic determination that sent shivers down my spine. As he lunged forward, I sidestepped, the reflexes honed by years of navigating his unpredictable rage.

The dance between predator and prey unfolded in the confined space, the room bearing witness to a struggle that transcended the physical. Each step I took in re