Dora had never believed in fairy-tale love stories. She had always kept her heart guarded, cautious of the fleeting passion that often ended in heartbreak. But everything changed the day she met Donald-a charming musician from a well-known family, whose persistence and undeniable allure slowly chipped away at her defenses. What began as an innocent, exhilarating romance soon spiraled into a toxic love that would consume her life, testing the limits of her endurance, self-worth, and ability to heal. Donald was not like the other men Dora had met. He was relentless in his pursuit, showering her with affection, grand romantic gestures, and sweet promises. He made her feel cherished, adored, and irreplaceable. Despite the rumors of his past and warnings from friends, Dora chose to believe in the man he presented himself to be. With each passing day, she fell deeper into his world, intoxicated by the idea of love and the promise of forever. For a while, their love felt perfect-like a dream she never wanted to wake up from. Late-night serenades, spontaneous road trips, whispered confessions under the stars-it was everything she had imagined love to be. But beneath the surface, cracks were beginning to form. Donald's possessiveness, at first masked as deep affection, soon turned into something darker. He wanted all of her-her time, her energy, her devotion. And Dora, blinded by love, willingly gave it to him, even as the price became too high. As the months passed, Donald's true nature began to unfold. He was not just possessive; he was controlling. The sweet words were slowly replaced by manipulation, and the warm touch that once comforted her turned cold. It started with small things-questioning her whereabouts, isolating her from friends, making her doubt herself. Then, the lies and betrayals surfaced. She ignored the warning signs, convinced that love was about patience, about understanding. She believed he would change, that their love was worth fighting for. But love should never come at the cost of one's sanity, one's dignity. Dora learned this the hard way. Donald was never faithful. While she remained loyal, giving all of herself to him, he entertained other women in secret. The very same lips that whispered sweet promises to her were speaking the same words to another. When confronted, he was an expert at deception-twisting words, shifting blame, making Dora question her own reality. And when words failed, he turned to something far worse-violence. The first time he hit her, she told herself it was a mistake. The second time, she believed his apologies. The third time, she realized she had lost control of her own life. Despite the bruises on her skin and the wounds in her heart, she stayed. She stayed because she loved him. Because she had invested too much of herself in this relationship. Because she was afraid of being alone. She stayed because leaving meant acknowledging that everything she had believed in was a lie. Then came the ultimate betrayal-Dora discovered she was pregnant. But instead of joy, her heart was filled with fear. Donald, unwilling to take responsibility, coerced her into an abortion. And it wasn't just once. Time and time again, she found herself at the mercy of his decisions, her body suffering the consequences of his recklessness. Until one day, the doctor's warning shattered everything: One more abortion, and you may never be able to have children again. Or worse, you may not survive. That was the moment she realized she had to escape. With nothing left but shattered dreams and a broken spirit, Dora walked away. She left behind the man she had sacrificed everything for, the city that had witnessed her downfall, and the life that had nearly destroyed her. She moved to a new town, enrolled in a university, and started anew. It was not easy. The ghosts of her past haunted her, the scars both visible and invisible a constant reminder of what she had endured. But she was not broken. Not completely. Through sheer determination, she rebuilt herself. She found solace in education, in self-discovery, in the quiet moments of healing. And slowly, she learned to love herself again. She learned that love was not meant to hurt. That true love does not strip you of your self-worth but nourishes it. Years later, Dora stood at the pinnacle of success, a woman reborn from the ashes of her suffering. She had graduated, achieved her dreams, and most importantly, she had found a love that was pure, kind, and real. A love that did not demand sacrifices of her soul but instead celebrated her strength. And as fate would have it, she crossed paths with Donald once again. But this time, she was not the naive girl who had once given her all to a man who never deserved it. This time, she was a woman who had conquered her pain, a woman who no longer needed closure because she had already found it within herself. Donald, once the man who held her heart captive, was now just a distant memory-a
Chapter 1 Love in the Air
CHAPTER ONE: love in the Air
As fairy tales, Dora never believed in love. I had seen far too many shattered hearts, I had seen so many women waiting for love that had never been there in the first place, while growing up. This surrounding of her heart, she grew up around and forced herself to be another girl not blinded by the fantasy of romance. Until that day, she hadn't seen Donald.
Donald was charming, improbably tenacious, and confidently casual. From a family of nobles, he was the singer with voice that is hypnotic, and everybody in town knew him by name. What women attacked him, he do not know but what he saw was Dora only.
The covert eyes over the street, sly but deliberate. Dora had become so aware of his staring when she passed his grand estate that belonged to his family. But at the beginning, she just dismissed it, it was something that first looked and first crush a man got on a woman, and she clearly was wrong to have. It wasn't that Donald gave up all.
It had been passive to start with-'may be He will come up' a few times as they approval at each place they ended up, a too brief time for a smile. A bouquet of roses at her doorstep, notes that were so beautifully written that made her heart skip, chocolate gift handed over to her giggling kids, who told her the chocolate was from a secret admirer.'
Dora wanted to resist, she truly did. But there was something disarming about Donald, something that made it hard to keep her defences up.
When the sun disappeared behind the horizon that evening, painting the sky with colors of orange and violet, Dora got cornered by his relentless charm.
Donald's voice was honey, smooth with just one dinner. "as there no expectations, no pressure. with great interest in good food and quick money."
Dora hesitated between her mind and her heart. She had been skirting this moment, but subconsciously she had known she was on the losing side. His eyes looked so sincere, he spoke as if she was the only woman on the earth-that was overwhelming.
"Fine," she finally breathed out. "One dinner."
Donald smiled and slipped her eyes with triumph. "You won't regret it, Dora. I promise."
And promises were staunch whispers +, and Dora knew no better: this was just the start of a love story to intoxicate and destroy her.
At the restaurant, they were amazed because it was breathtaking; a rooftop place overlooking the twinkling city lights. Everyone had found their way here to wait in a corner beneath a blackboard covered with notes, soft music in the background on a hum that crept into the tapestry of the night. That Donald knew how to make it happen, Dora could not say.
Donald said, ever so softly, "you look beautiful" as his eyes drank in her.
Warmth rose up Dora's cheeks. 'You don't look too bad yourself,' she said to herself, her walls were already crumbling.
Those two hours of visiting and laughing and talking over dinner came in a blur. She listened to his love of music, his dream for songs in the future who will live if he lives. In turn, he listened intently as she spoke of how teaching was her passion and she really wanted to shape young minds and make a difference.
Donald had served dessert and now admitted, 'you're unlike any one I've ever met.' "I want to be like you are, freaking know every single bit of you."
It was dangerous, letting herself believe that this moment was real, but Dora knew. She was safe and cherished for the first time in long while.
Unspoken, and almost as silent as a sigh, an unspoken promise hung in the air as Donald reached for her hand. He turned to murmured, 'Dora'. "I know you don't trust me, don't trust us." I will never hurt you," I swear to you."
Her heart pounded. He sounded sincere, his eyes never moving away from her as if she were the only woman that counted. And in that moment, Dora chose a path that was to change the course of her entire life.
Their love story was magical, it had unfolded like a dream. Donald was attentive, devoted - yes she never had a reason she doubted him. He wrote songs about her, played her melodies till late nights, and then left voice notes of him playing them with pieces of his heart in it. On long drives to nowhere, he sang along with the radio with her and laughed, taking her home. For every evening, he walked home with her and wouldn't let go of her fingers as if not holding her hand would mean never seeing her again.
On the beach, during the waves, past which they kissed the shore this one night, he whispered: "You're my world, Dora." "I don't know what I did to get you, but I will do anything not to take you for granted."
Dora believed him. This felt like love, consuming, passionate, undeniable love that she had never felt before. It was in that belief that she gave him her all to give him her heart, to give him her soul, and to give him her trust.
She didn't know that love was both the most beautiful dream and the most dangerous trap.
The first warning was a whisper against the wind.
Dora first noticed the way Donald had his eyes glued on another woman at a friend's birthday party. It was fleetingly unpleasant and something about it unsettled her. Later he laughed off her question when she questioned him.
He brushed the strand of hair behind her ear and asked, "Doubting? Me?" "It doesn't matter to you, Dora, you're the only one for me."
Her doubts had melted, and now just like that, the thought of her health being forfeit for his, if he needed it, was so unimaginable to her that...
Hushed whispers soon grew into louder ones. She was warned by friends about Donald's past, of other women who had been so taken with his charm that they were left broken hearted. They were dismissed by Dora; she preferred to think that their love was different.
Then came the first fight. It was a stupid thing-maybe even a missed call, maybe even a delayed text-but still Donald was angry, super sharp, his voice more so than she had ever heard before. The next day, roses and an apology worthy of the world, he came to her doorstep. So sincere -just a moment of passion, she thought it was.
Dora hoped she could believe that love was possible to overcome all that one would want to condemn. Real, untainted, that Donald's devotion was.
It was supposed to leave no red marks, on the heart or the flesh.
The days had turned into weeks and she knew the greatest danger was in the love that we will not walk away from.
Dora continues to be blind to the storm that is soon to rage around her, as she falls into Donald's arms even deeper. However, secrets do have a way of revealing themselves, and the man she loves might very well not be who she believes he is...