Brazen Ultimatum
“It’s all your fault! You! You! You!”
The womans shrieks echoed down the terraced street, her voice splintering to a razor-sharp pitch. Her face was contorted in a blend of agony and fury, and hot tears streamed down her flushed cheeks, carving wet trails she didnt seem to notice she was lost to her rage. Suddenly, she hurled herself at the young man, hands trembling and reaching out as if she might claw at his coat and shake some sense into him. Her fingers clenched and unclenched in spasms, and there was such depthless pain in her eyes that, for a heartbeat, Nathan felt a chill travel up his spine.
He sidestepped her outburst with practiced ease, his brows arching as he almost rolled a finger beside his temple, unable to believe such a tempest could be aimed solely at him. Irritation and bafflement churned inside him. How could anyone pile all this blame onto one person?
“If it wasnt for you, my daughter would be safe and well the woman cried through her sobs, her shoulders shaking violently. Her words stumbled over the gravel of her own despair. Youve ruined her life! You!”
“Thats your perspective,” Nathan retorted coolly, his features hardening. He finally realised who she was Olivias mother but the accusations stung as absurd and unfair. Anger flickered in his chest; he certainly didnt deserve such vitriol. I never forced her to do anything. It was her own choice; she wanted attention, cant you see? Olivia just didnt get what she hoped for, thats all!
“Dont you dare insult her! Youre the one to blame! The woman flared up again, surging towards him.
But this time, her son a tall, haggard-looking lad shadowed by dark circles under his eyes grabbed her arm firm enough that she couldnt break free. He led her back gently but insistently, trying to calm her and steer her away from further outcry.
“Mum, please. Thats enough” he said softly, gripping her elbow. Weariness strained his voice, but there was an edge of resolve to it as if this wasnt the first time hed had to intervene. Lets go, please. Dont do this.
“Youve got your sister in hospital and not a word to the one who did it! You should have broken a bone or two at the very least! How dare he treat Olivia like that!”
“And Im the villain here, am I?” the young man muttered, slightly turning away, a bitter half-smile creeping into his reply, as if tired of being everyones scapegoat. If youd done a proper job raising Liv, none of us would be in this mess.
A crisp, taunting voice piped up at the edge of the pavement: Now, whats gone on here then? This sounds juicy!
Nathan groaned inwardly. Of all the bystanders, why did Sophie have to be here the neighbourhoods queen of gossip, a living repository of every secret, scandal and foible at the university? Even the professors bristled in her presence, wary of her unnerving recall for past slip-ups and indiscretions.
Right now, Sophie was practically buzzing next to them, her eyes alight with anticipation, lips curled in a wicked smile as her fingers impatiently tapped the strap of her satchel. She wasn’t about to budge until she got the story.
“Come on, spill. Ill put two and two together if you dont and trust me, my imaginations wild,” she grinned, leaning in, head cocked.
Nathan exhaled heavily and raked a hand through his hair, glancing over at Olivias mum and brother, who were retreating, still arguing in hushed, heated tones. Thered be no shaking Sophie off, not today.
“You wont let this go, will you?” he asked wearily, fixing her with a resigned look.
She shook her head, eyes shining with greedy curiosity.
“All right, listen,” Nathan relented, lowering his voice. “But you have to promise this goes no further. Its an ugly story and I dont want it splattered all over campus. Agreed?”
~~~~~~~~~~
It started a fortnight ago. Nathan had been feeling it for some time: his relationship with Olivia was spiralling somewhere he didnt want to go. That certainty grew stronger every day. Increasingly, he felt less like he was dating a person and more like he was feeding a bottomless pit of need. She was never satisfied, always demanding fresh proof of love like the words and gestures were never enough.
To be honest, Nathan was worn to the bone from the ceaseless drama and complaints. Anything that strayed from Olivias script triggered hysteria: I cant go on, shed declare. Whats the point anymore? The threats to hurt herself were the worst. Early on, hed genuinely panicked, tried placating her, doing whatever it took to keep her calm. But eventually, he realised: it was all manipulation. Each time, a part of him snapped maybe patience, maybe faith in her feelings, maybe even his ability to care. He became numb to her the warmth hed once felt drained away.
Recently, the threats escalated. Olivia threw a fit nearly every day maybe hed replied too slowly, glanced at the wrong girl, or forgot his nightly I love you. Shed spell out exactly what shed do if you ever leave me, the details chillingly rehearsed. Nathan found himself immune to the routine: the tears and screaming, the ultimatums, the desperate pleas, then an eerie silence as she waited, expectantly. He was exhausted from the cycle it felt like he was trapped in someone elses play.
One night, Olivia turned up at his flat uninvited. Nathan was at his desk, midway through an essay, when frantic pounding echoed from the hallway. Through the peephole, he saw her: frantic, wild-eyed, clearly just received his break-up text. Her face burned red, eyes fever-bright, hands shaking uncontrollably.
“Nathan! You can’t do this! If you leave me, Ill hurt myself! Do you hear me? I mean it!”
Nathan pressed his palm tight to the inside of the door, jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached. He wanted desperately to throw open the door, hold her, calm her, say everything would be okay. But his head was screaming: if you let her in, itll be another marathon of tears, accusations and threats. He knew her routine all too well now.
“You need professional help,” he called through the door; his tone was ice, clipped and tired. “Somethings not right with you and Im not carrying this any longer. I mean it. Its over.”
“Nathan! You can’t! Please!” Olivias cry cracked, and in a rage she kicked the door, yelping in pain. She gulped in air, fists balled, and tried to regain her composure. “Please, Nathan. Just talk to me! Only for a minute!”
At that moment, footsteps sounded on the staircase. Mrs. Webster Nathans elderly next-door neighbour was climbing the steps, leaning on the rail, her thin white hair in a tidy bun and thick glasses perched on her nose. Disapproval radiated from her glare.
“You should go home, young lady,” she said severely, pausing a safe distance away. “It isnt right, pestering a lad like this. Wheres your dignity? This isnt how decent English girls behave, is it?”
“Didnt ask your opinion, did I?” Olivia shot back, chin jutting in defiance. But the barb stung deeper than shed admit; a blush crept up her neck as shame reared its head inside her. For a heartbeat, she doubted herself but pride dug in its heels. Straightening, Olivia tried projecting an air of indifference, muttering a few more sharp words before stalking away, heels stomping loud on the stairs.
Her cheeks burned from Mrs. Websters words, from Nathans refusal. But already, Olivias stubborn mind was plotting. No, she wouldnt be brushed off so easily! Nathan belonged to her, and she wouldnt back down. She pictured, for the hundredth time perhaps, herself walking up the aisle in that white dress shed eyed in the window a fortnight ago. It would trail in elegant lace to the floor. The ring delicate, a little diamond shimmered in her mind. She wouldnt give up. Not like this. Hed see how serious she was.
A couple of hours later, Nathans phone buzzed with a strange message. He was in the kitchen, mug of lukewarm tea in hand, trying to clear his mind, when the screen lit up. With a heavy, bracing sigh, he unlocked the phone.
Olivia wrote she couldnt take it anymore, underscoring that none of this was Nathans fault. Then came a torrent of declarations how utterly she loved him, how her life was meaningless without him. The message was rambling, repetitive, riddled with exclamation points the hysterical scrawl of someone out of control. Nathan knew Olivia didnt drink, so this was all her own madness.
The sign-off was a plea: come to me, Im frightened to be alone. Nathan read it again, then leaned back, sighing hard. Anxiety gnawed him what if something really was wrong? But, stronger now, was the certainty it was another act. He knew her tricks.
“If I fold now,” he thought, “Ill never get rid of her. Shell know she can twist me forever.”
He stared at the wall for a while, then did what he had to do: dialled Olivias mother, explained briefly and forwarded the message. Replies came quickly: her mum was panicked, promised to head over instantly. Relief loosened Nathans muscles; at least now, someone else would take charge of the mess.
Duty done, he returned to study. Exams loomed and he was already behind. He switched off his phone, needing the silence to focus, not curious about the outside world.
Time slipped by in a blur of notes and highlighters, facts and dates. He drilled himself until the small hours, fighting the urge to slump, finishing the last revision just as the streets outside emptied of all but the foxes. He slumped back, kneading his aching neck, and powered on his phone. The screen exploded with notifications messages and missed calls, mostly from Olivias mum.
When he opened the first, a chill swept through him: Olivia’s in hospital. Doctor says it wasnt too late. Shell live.
Nathan froze, paralysed by horror. It wasnt just a threat shed actually gone and done it. In a heartbeat, he saw her as she had been that last night: breaking down at his door, wiping at streaming tears, crying out through sobs. He remembered her eyes once lively, then increasingly vacant, drifting from reality.
He pressed his fists to his temples, trying to quell the shaking in his hands. Inside, guilt, panic, and confusion surged, battling through memories of her countless threats and his growing numbness.
As he tried to unjumble his thoughts, his phone buzzed again with a new message. It cut him to the quick: This is your fault! She did this because of you! His fingers whitened against the phone as fresh guilt shuddered through his chest. He drew a shaky breath, words hammering in his skull.
Nathan called Olivias mother, his nerves taut with dread, as he waited for her to answer.
Get yourself to the hospital and get on your knees, beg her forgiveness! The womans voice was near hysterical, each word soaked with pain and reproach. Nathan imagined her, standing in some NHS corridor, pale and haggard, eyes swollen from crying. But he banished any sympathy as quickly as it came the blame was simply too much.
Do you want anything else from me? Nathan replied, voice trembling with anger he barely controlled. Im not apologising for something that isnt my fault. I suggested she get help, I told you she needed it. She wouldnt listen. Why should I sacrifice my own life for a spoiled girl who wont take responsibility for herself?
You have to! Shes in hospital because of you, you drove her to it! her mother insisted, voice ragged and getting shriller.
Im done with this conversation! Nathan snapped. Olivias playing a game, cant you see? If shed really meant it, she wouldnt have messaged begging me to come as well shed have just gone through with it. Goodbye. And please, dont call me again! He hung up, arms trembling, then leaned back against the wall, shutting his eyes and counting to ten, trying to pull himself together.
But Olivias mother wasnt finished; her voice leaked out of the phone, desperate and pressing: If you dont marry her, itll end badly do you hear? If you marry her, things will settle down, theyll go back to normal! You must, for her sake and the family. Life wont be right otherwise. You know how much she suffers because of you!
Nathan went rigid. That proposal sounded so grotesque, for a moment he lost his words. Fury and despair bubbled up. How could anyone imagine blackmail and ultimatums could fix something so broken? He gripped his phone until his knuckles went white, the plastic creaking in his palm. He felt hunted, cornered by a demand he didnt deserve.
Are you serious? he whispered, rage shimmering in his voice. You want me to marry your daughter because she threatened to hurt herself? Thats blackmail, pure and simple!
“Dont you call it that!” she snapped, on the verge of tears. “I just want to save my girl! You broke her, now fix it! Imagine watching your own child fade away every day thinner, lifeless, vacant She cant live without you! Her world revolves around you!”
“And if she does marry me, then what?” Nathan shot back, voice rising, holding back a storm. “You think a marriage certificate will cure these threats and manipulations? Thats not love thats sickness, dependency! And I refuse to become a prisoner to it!”
“You dont understand!” Olivias mother sobbed. “Shell change, I promise, she just needs support. Youre the only one. If you walk away now if you abandon her like this then everything that happens next is on you. Youll carry that guilt forever.”
Nathan squeezed his eyes shut, bracing against the new rush of guilt. He held his breath, counted to three, then let it out slowly. Her words wormed deep, but he knew what accepting them would mean: a life spent shackled to a misery machine, no peace, no hope, and no freedom.
Im not marrying your daughter, he said flatly, iron in every word, staring forward though she couldnt see. Not now or ever. I refuse to ruin my life for some illusion of salvation. Olivia needs professional help not a stand-in therapist, a babysitter, or a saviour. Thats not what I am. I wont play the part.
“Youre heartless!” she screamed, and her voice cracked with grief. “Youve destroyed my girl and now you’re running away! You havent a clue Shell never be herself again without you. Youre taking everything from her!”
“A proper chance for her would be therapy,” Nathan answered, voice chilly but steady while fury stewed inside. “Not clinging to someone who’s said, time and again, that he doesnt want to be there. Help her accept that, dont bully us both into a marriage wed regret. Thats not a solution, just postponing disaster.”
A heavy silence. Nathan could hear Olivias mother weeping, breathing hard, struggling for more words that wouldnt come.
“You never even loved her,” she said finally, bitter and hollow. You used her, and youre chucking her aside now its hard like shes just some toy.
“I never used Olivia, Nathan said slowly, carefully. I did love her, once. But love isnt meant to be torture. Not for her, not for me. I cant live under constant threats, waiting for the next breakdown. It isnt healthy. We both deserve more.
“Youre a coward,” the woman spat, voice dripping with contempt. Nathans grip on the phone tightened.
“Im afraid of ruining two lives instead of one,” Nathan replied, his tone the steeliest yet. “Marrying her wont save her itll trap us both. Shell never learn to face her fears. Ill spend my life imprisoned by someone elses pain. And that’s not right. Goodbye. Dont ever call me with this again.”
He hung up, gently lowering the phone as if it weighed a stone. His hands trembled, his chest a riot of anger, hurt, pity, and guilt. He drew a long, deliberate breath, then another, slower and steadier each time. Eventually the world stopped spinning and his thoughts grew clearer. He ran his hands over his face, straightened in his chair and closed his eyes, clinging to the silence.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
“So thats it,” Nathan finished, voice quiet and rough, attention drifting to the dusk outside. The grey Northampton sky was thickening with twilight, foreshadowing night. There was a heaviness in his slouched shoulders, as if hed aged years in the space of days. He brushed a hand through his dishevelled hair, trying to scrape away the remnants of the ordeal. And, by the way, Olivias brothers on my side. He reckons she planned the whole thing, just wanted a spectacle. Said shes always been dramatic; shes just cranked it up dangerously this time.
Sophie was uncharacteristically silent, twirling a strand of hair, head tilted as she watched him. In her sharp eyes lingered an unexpected compassion a rare moment of self-restraint from the campuss chief storyteller. There was no gleeful hunger for gossip now, just understanding, a quiet sort of kinship.
Bad luck, mate both with the girl and her mum. But listen. You did the right thing. Marriage under duress is a disaster, it always is. Olivia needs to stand on her own without all the mind games; her mum has to learn that force solves nothing. If you want my advice, block their numbers and walk away. Otherwise, shell keep dragging it out, bleeding you dry for pity. She wont let go on her own.
Thats exactly what I plan to do Nathan murmured, feeling the weight begin to slip from his shoulders. Slowly, he sat straighter, took a long, full breath, and let it out for the first time in ages, it felt like freedom.
