"The firm's having another business party in a couple weeks that you'll have to come to with me. I'll give you money to go out and get another dress."

I nodded politely, lending just a section of my attention to Zach as I stirred the veggies into the pasta for tonight's dinner.

It had only been a day since I had talked with Carrie and yet... something was different about me; about the way I thought. The moment the realization came that if I could have any man in the world, it wouldn't be Zach, it was like a switch flipped in my brain.

Kaleb had proved many times now that he wanted me; all of me. I hadn't believed it up to this point but as he persisted and even as Carrie spoke of how obvious it was that Kaleb and I had something special going on between us, the possibility kept creeping into my mind throughout the day.

What if Kaleb and I could be together? What would it be like to be... his? To have him hold me, protect me, love me?

The very thought thrilled and terrified me.

I had never entertained the thoughts or possibilities that Zach wasn't my end all, be all love. I always assumed that he and I would be together until the end because... well, I couldn't do any better and because we loved each other.

Yet, Carries words and warnings of her own personal experience had been bombarding my every thought as of late. If Zach wasn't going to change and I could be with someone else in a successful, loving relationship like Zach had said I never would be able to be if it wasn't with him... was it worth it?

Was every hurtful slander sent my way, every mindless beating, or the never ending stream of fear floating through my mind and body worth it? Just for love?

A love I wasn't even sure how present it was ever since that fateful night.

"Babe?"

My hand jerked at the sudden sound of Zach's voice, breaking me from my mind consuming thoughts.

"Huh?" I asked, spinning to face a very irritated looking Zach.

"I've asked you a question 3 times now, Lee," Zach gritted out, annoyance creased on his handsome features and radiating from his stare.

"Oh, sorry," I muttered, dropping my eyes from his. "What was the question?"

"I asked when you'd be finished with dinner. I'm starving."

"Oh, just a couple more minutes," I answered back quickly, turning back around to put the finishing touches on dinner.

"Listen next time, Leah. It's not that hard," I heard Zach mumbled out underneath his breath, yet still loud enough for me to hear of course.

Knowing he couldn't see me, my eyes rolled freely on their own accord. I worked to keep in the deep sigh of indignation as I began to spoon the steaming pasta onto the plates, bringing them over to the table and serving Zach who was engrossed within the riveting stories in the newspaper.

"Finally," Zach muttered out as I set his plate in front of him, picking up a fork and digging into it without waiting for me to even sit down.

Would Kaleb do that?

Sitting myself down gingerly in my seat across from Zach's, I picked up my fork and began twirling it around in my creamy pasta, watching as the noodles spun around my utensil elegantly.

I usually started up the conversation for dinner, asking about his day, if he liked the dinner, if there was anything he needed me to do for him the next day while he was at work.

But today, I just didn't feel like talking.

In fact, I didn't feel like participating in any of Zach and I's usual proceedings. I wanted a change from the norm. I wanted a different topic of conversation. I wanted to throw the meal we had eaten time and time again in the trash and order take out.

Sitting there, spinning my pasta on my fork and drowning in the deafening silence, I was bored.

For the first time since ever meeting Zach, I was bored with him. He was so by the book and stuck to his schedule. Usually, I was in the mindset of constantly yearning to please him in whatever way I could or I was cowering in anxious fright for the next time I would mess up and he would lash out.

I felt none of that.

"My day was fine by the way. Thanks for asking," Zach bit out sarcastically as he tore a piece of grilled chicken off of his fork and chewed it angrily.

"Oh, that's good. Sorry, I was just thinking about the play," I lied with a fake chuckle tumbling from my lips to add to the plausibility of the false statement.

"I swear that play is consuming way too much of your time and brain power. I can't wait till the stupid things over with," Zach growled out, stabbing a piece of broccoli with his fork and shoving it in between his frowning lips.

"I'm quite enjoying it."

The words were out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop them. Both of Zach and I's forks paused mid-air over our plates of food.

The all too familiar pulsing of dread began to course through my veins as the words I never would have normally spoke hung in the air around us, suffocating me with their defiant cogency.

Hesitantly, I raised my caution filled stare to Zach's, flinching internally as I took in the swirling vexation behind his sapphire stare. His lips contorted into a deep scowl as he spoke.

"What the fuck is wrong with you lately?" Zach asked, his brows dipped in deep, raging confusion.

"You've been so damn moody lately and I'm getting sick of it. Don't forget who's paying for you to live or whose apartment you live in next time you're feeling rebellious."

I knew I shouldn't have said it, but I couldn't even begin to stop the next set of words as they fell from my lips.

"I thought it was our apartment?"

A jolt of terror sliced through my mind and sent a violent jump through my body as I heard the sudden commotion of glass slamming against the kitchen wall and shattering on impact.

The noise was jarringly explosive and the seconds following... dead silent.

I kept my gaze trained on my plate, every muscle in my body frozen as I waited for Zach to say something.

"Look at me!" he yelled.

I complied immediately. I tore my gaze directly up to Zach's and forced myself to not cower back as I was met with a set of livid, burning eyes that pierced straight into my soul.

"One more time, Lee. That's all you fucking get. You speak out one more goddamn time and I will not hesitate to show you exactly where they fuck your place is in this relationship. Do not test me."

As we stared at each other, I nodded, knowing there was no other foreseeable correct answer that wouldn't result in a punishment of some sort. Yet, as my eyes stayed pinned on his face, scouring over every plane of his chiseled jawline, glazing over the bare skin of his clean shaven cheeks, and letting his raging eyes bore into mine... I felt empty.

The normal spark of familiar devotion wasn't present. The need to please and be accepted by the man sitting across the table was seemingly lost. The emotions that normally came with looking into the eyes of the one I had been with for three years now were severely absent.

Fear was there as it always was, yes, but something else was greatly lacking and as I searched through every nook and crevice of my heart, I found little to no trace of it left.

Had I fallen out of love with Zach?