TRIGGER WARNING! This chapter mentions domestic violence. Not in much detail but it is in there.
As the triplets climbed out of the car and headed into the house they were immediately met with the sight of their worried mother. "Mal!" She exclaimed as she was her three children enter the family room. "Thank god. Did that ass hat lay his hands on you?" Maleficent asked her middle child as she pulled Mal into a tight embrace. The purplette tried not to flinch as her felt her mother press against the part of her arm where Josh had made a bruise.
"Mom, I'm fine." Mal responded as she looked over her mom's shoulder and saw Ben looking at her with a worried look. She also noticed that Evie, Jay and Carlos had joined Bree and Henry at the house. As she managed to shuffle out of her mom's embrace the purple haired woman walked over to her boyfriend, knowing she had to tell him the truth. "Can we talk upstairs, Ben?" The purplette asked causing Ben to nod immediately. The pair headed upstairs and Mal could hear Malice, Amy and their friends talking about Josh and what had happened.
The couple walked into their bedroom and Mal instantly sat on the bed, Ben following her example after he closed the bedroom door sat on the bed next to his girlfriend. "So is this about Josh?" Ben asked his purple haired beauty.
To say Mal was shocked would be an understatement. She hadn't been expecting him to ask that question, at least not without her mentioning him first. "Where did you hear his name?" The purplette asked. She knew she had never mentioned him before so she had to wonder if maybe Malice, Amy or one of the others had already told Ben about him.
"Your mom and Malice were talking about him before they left to find you." He responded.
Mal couldn't help but let out a sigh as she realized they hadn't meant to say anything in front of Ben and they hadn't told him anything without her permission. "Josh is my ex husband." She stated shocking Ben. He turned to face her with wide eyes as this information sunk in. But before he could speak Mal carried on talking. The purplette knew if she let Ben interrupt her then she would stop talking and he deserved to know what was going on. "I was in the process of divorcing him when Malice started dating Bree which is why you've never heard of him before." She told him.
Sensing this was a difficult topic for Mal to talk about, Ben turned to fully face her and gently grasped her hand in his own. "He was sweet when we first met, but after we got married things turned bad, fast. He started hitting me and controlling me as soon as we got home after our honeymoon." She stated feeling herself tear up as memories flooded her mind. "It continued like that for a few years until he actually beat me that badly I ended up in hospital. I rang Malice and Amy to come and get me so I could come home. I couldn't stay with him any longer. I was actually fearing for my life at this point." She said, pain and sadness lacing every word she spoke.
"I haven't seen or heard from him since our divorce, until today." The purplette said. "I went to the store to pick something up and as I walked out I got the strange feeling I was being watched, but I brushed off the feeling as me being paranoid. But as a reached my car I felt someone grab my arm. So I turned around and he was stood there smiling at me as he tightened his hold on my arm. He said I had to go with his because it's where I belonged. Thankfully Malice and Amy showed up before he could drag me too far away." She explained, shivering at what had happened outside the store and what could have happened if Malice and Amy hadn't shown up when they did.
Seeing Mal shiver in fear Ben pulled his purple haired beauty towards him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. But he immediately noticed her flinch causing him to loosen his hold and lean backwards so he could look at her. "Mal, did he hurt you today? Had he bruised or marked you anywhere?" The brunette questioned as he became concerned for his girlfriend. He watched as Mal nodded and took off her jacket revealing a bright red, angry looking hand print, that was already starting to bruise. He pulled the purplette into another hug, being careful to avoid her arm this time. "I won't let him hurt you again, Mal. I promise." He said to her.
After a few minutes Ben kissed the top of Mal's head. "You ready to head back downstairs? I'm sure they're all worried about you."
Mal nodded to him and hand in hand they walked down the stairs of their home and into the family room. "What the hell are you talking about!?" The couple heard Amy exclaim. Ben and Mal immediately turned towards the angry looking pink haired woman, the same as everyone else in the room was doing. "No. My children are not to leave with him." Amy stated, clearly angry with whoever she was on the phone with. "No. Listen to me carefully. They do not have an Uncle Josh. He is not to go anywhere near my children, do you understand?" The pinkette snapped and horror dawned on Mal as she realized what was happening. "I'm on my way. Until I get there Violet and Arthur do not leave your sight." She snapped before hanging up the phone.
"Lets go get our kids." Henry stated. He had heard every word of the conversation since he had been stood next to his wife.
Malice stepped towards them with an angry look. "I'll come with you." He stated, both Amy and Henry nodded to him in agreement.
As the trio turned to leave Mal's voice stopped them. "I'll come with you as well." She said, causing all three of them to turn towards her.
"Mal, no." Amy stated, walking towards her sister and gently taking hold of her hands. "We don't want you anywhere near him. Stay here. We won't be long." The pinkette stated before turning and leaving the house with Henry and Malice. Mal couldn't help but feel awful. She turned into Ben's chest and began crying. If Josh had hurt her niece and nephew she would never forgive herself. This would never have happened if she had simply gone with him earlier.
Author's Note: I hope you guys liked this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think x