After five years of marriage, I realized I was her substitute.

For our fifth wedding anniversary, Julian's 'gift' to Eleanor was forcing her to drink nine hundred ninety-nine bottles of strong liquor.

"Julian, I really can't drink any more..." I pleaded, my voice hoarse.

He scoffed, leaning closer to me. "Your parents loved drinking so much, didn't they? Loved it enough to drive drunk and wipe out my entire family. As their daughter, you must share their passion."

"I'm so sorry." My eyes burned with desperate tears. "Sorry" – I'd said it a million times, it was a habit now. "But my parents already paid for their sin with their lives. Isn't that...