Breaking Free from Toxic Love

My boyfriend Kade Thomas wouldn't let me wear skirts or makeup, fearing other men might find me attractive.

"Do you really need to dress up so flamboyantly for a music festival?" he questioned.

"I just want to please myself, "I replied.

"Take off that makeup, or you're not going anywhere!" he insisted.

Reluctantly, I removed my makeup and changed into jeans.

At the festival, he proposed with a ring.

I couldn't take it anymore.

"Get lost, you dominant tyrant"

1.

"Jenny, could you not dress so revealingly?" Kade pulled me up from the chair.

I was speechless.

"It's just a floral dress, and it's long. How is it revealing?"

"Hmph, you don't even bother with makeup at home, but for a music festival? Who are you trying to impress?"

"Why would I dress up at home? It's only for going out that I put on makeup!"

"Sure, sure, your idol is coming to the festival, and you're just trying to seduce him. Why don't you go have his baby instead of being with me?"

With that, Kade slumped onto the sofa with dissatisfaction.

Today, I was going to see the idol I'd admired for five years.

I was excited and didn't want to argue with Kade.

I continued applying my makeup.

The more he looked at me, the more annoyed he became.

"When we go out to eat, you never wear fake eyelashes, " he grumbled.

I ignored him.

"Take off the makeup, or you're not going, " he suddenly snapped.

I paused with the eyeliner in my hand, frustrated. "This is the closest I'll ever get to him!"

"Then go wash it off, " he demanded.

I hesitated but eventually went to the bathroom to wash my face clean.

At the music festival, the crowd was overwhelming.

I wanted to get closer to the stage, so I squeezed through the crowd.

Kade grabbed me, "Why go so far? If you want to go wild, why not get naked?"

I took a deep breath, holding back my anger.

He dragged me to the back row.

I couldn't see anything.

My idol finished performing, and I didn't even hear a note clearly.

Feeling down, I scrolled through videos on my phone.

Kade proposed to me. "Jenny, marry me. Those people with great reputation; none of them would care for you like I do."

He knelt on one knee, presenting flowers and a ring in a proposal gesture.

Ridiculous, the flowers looked like they were from a clearance sale, and the ring was a cheap knockoff from an online store.

I glanced at the onlookers cheering us on.

Memories of the past three years with him flashed before my eyes.

I couldn't find a single reason to marry him.

"Sorry, I won't marry you."

Kade jumped up, throwing the cheap flowers aside.

"What did you say? Say it again if you dare!"

"I said I won't marry you! Get lost! You're such a control freak"

I enunciated each word clearly.

It was obvious I had angered him.

"I've done so much for you, and you just say no?"

I laughed sarcastically, retorting, "How much have you done? You miser. I don't even know if this bouquet of flowers plus the ring is worth fifty dollars."

He didn't expect me to embarrass him in public.

He raised his hand to hit me.

Instinctively, I ducked.

A girl stepped in, pulling me away.

"What? You want to hit someone in public? Be careful, or you'll be arrested, "

she warned, flashing her police badge.

"Do you need any help?" she asked me.

I knew with Kade's current attitude, if I went back with him, I'd never escape him.

"Thanks, can you come with me to his place to pack my things?"

"My name is Danna Ahmed. I'll go with you. I am adept at boxing, "

she agreed without a hesitation.

2.

I started dating Kade in my junior year of college, and it had been three years.

When he was pursuing me, he brought me flowers every day. He was always attentive. He never missed a chance to greet me morning and night and even bought me dresses and makeup.

He promised that once he made it big, he'd take me traveling everywhere.

I grew from a single-parent family. And he said he'd treat my mom like his own.

I remember once, after being harassed by some guys, he fought them for me and ended up at the police station.

When he came out, bruised and battered, he told me, "It's okay, I'll protect you for life."

And so, I believed in his empty promises for three years.

After we got together, he changed.

He became both self-deprecating and narcissistic.

Despite being a college graduate, he looked down on those more accomplished than him.

Moreover, he began a three-year-long control over me.

"Hey, isn't that neckline too low? It might show when you bend over. Change it! Why is that skirt so short? Anyone can see if they look down. Change it! You look so pretty; other men will harass you again."

I once tried to argue with him.

"Nowadays, people have the freedom to dress as they like. Why are you so conservative?"

"But I'm just looking out for you. What if someone has bad intentions towards you?"