Mariska's POV

Dylan was out drinking again. It's not a surprise..it happens a lot.

Another day returning an empty house, another meal for one.

He is mine and I love him but I hardly see him anymore, he spends all his time at the bar now days.

I turn on the hob, fill a pan with water and pasta and put a sauce packet in the microwave.

I pull out my phone and sent Dylan a text;

To: Dylan3

Baby, I love you. Please come home so we can spend some time together like a real couple.

Mariska xxx

I switch the tv on and watch reruns of Friends whilst eating my pasta and waiting for Dylan to come home.

An hour and 5 episodes of Friends later, he staggered home with 4 of his mates, stinking of alcohol and drunk off his face.

I got rid of his mates and tried to help him into bed, but he didn't want to go to bed. At least to sleep that is...

"Baby, come here" he slurred his words and grabbed at me. "Come to bed with me"

"No Dylan, your drunk, sleep it off and we can talk in the morning." There was no way I was getting into bed with him like he was, it was safer on the sofa.

"But I want you now, come here and take your clothes off!" he ordered, jumping up off the bed and lunging at me, pinning me against the wall.

"No Dylan! I will not." I tried to stay calm, I needed to be sane to deal with him. I put my hands on his arms and pushed, but he wouldn't budge.

"I l-love you, let me show you how much I love you, I want to show you now" He was confusing himself now.

I struggled away and pushed his head to the side, putting my lips to his ear and whispering,

"I'm sorry for what I'm about to do but you need to get off me. NOW!" I punctuated the now with a kick to his crotch.

As he keeled over clutching himself I took the opportunity to make a break for the bathroom and lock myself in.

"You shouldn't have done that bitch!" He was outside pounding against the door. I squeezed into the tiny gap in between the sink and the toilet and pressed myself against the wall.

The latch on the door gave way under his weight and he busted in. He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me out of my safe spot.

"That's". punch. "For" punch. "kicking me and" punch. "That's" punch. "for not giving me" punch. "What I want" punch.

He started kissing me, pressing his lips against mine and forcing his tongue into my mouth.

I tried to squirm away but suddenly he stopped kissing me and his full body weight landed on top of me crushing my airways.

He had passed out.

I rolled him off of me and wiped the blood from my lip.

I decided to leave him in the bathroom and go to shower in the upstairs bathroom.

I stripped my clothes off in front of the mirror and examined the bruises, my lip was swollen and my chest was sore, probably meaning cracked ribs and my arms were bruised where he had held me against the wall.

Tears formed in my eyes as I turned away from the mirror and stepped into the warm cascade of the water.

I can't tell anybody. Me, Mariska Hargitay, founder of the Joyful Heart Foundation and part of the No More, anti domestic violence and sexual assault campaign, bruised and broken. No. I'm not telling anybody, I will just end it with Dylan tomorrow.

I stepped out of the shower and dried off, put on my pajamas and got into my side of the bed. Dylan's side empty, better get used to that.

Stay beautiful 💕

- Lauren x