"You look lovely, darling."

Lorelai gazed into the mirror. Her long brown hair hung in curls down past her shoulder. Her long black dress had long sleeves, but a low, plunging neckline. Just like Chris likes. She was covered, but still flaunting what he owned.

She watched him through the mirror walk up behind her and sensually put his hands on her hips, roll them downward, and just hold her tightly against his body. "I would do you, that's for sure." He whispered into her ear.

And what scared Lorelai was the fact that she didn't even recoil at his touch. Or his words. It was just business as usual.

They were on their way to one of his work parties. Something they did almost once a week. It was one of the only times she got out of the house. That and when she had to go get things for groceries or do shopping for the house. He never told her where they were going or who they were going to see. She didn't need to know. She was there for him, and nothing else.

He pulled her hair back, exposing her earrings made of an expensive jewel. "I am glad you liked your last present from me."

She smiled, like the faithful woman she was. "They're beautiful, Chris."

He just nodded, and led her to the door, where a limo was waiting to take them out. Opening the door for her, he let her get in, then he walked around to the other side of the car, and got in, signaling the driver to drive on.

She hated the tinted windows. Not because she wanted to see where they were going. It didn't matter where they went. She still had the same job at each of the functions. She was there to make all the other men jealous of her husband. She was to flirt, make men want her, then act like the loving wife – enticing the men to make business deals with her husband, just so they could get another look at her sometime in the future. It had been this way for almost three months. She could care less right now.

She hated the tinted windows because she couldn't see the lights. She couldn't see the people. She wanted to see that life existed outside of her sad existence of flirting and having sex with her husband. She wanted to see the mother's walking with their children. To see young children playing in the parks – to see life.

She wasn't sure how long of a drive it had been – she was used to spacing out while driving – her husband was usually on his phone making deals or calls with the business. But the car stopped. And she waited for the chauffer to open her door. She took his hand when offered it and stepped out onto the concrete with her high heels.

What greeted her was something she was not expecting. Chris as always was right by her side. She grabbed his arm out of habit – something that she was supposed to do. But her mind was not on what she was supposed to do. It was still staring at the house they were about to go into.

What are we doing at my parent's house? She wanted to ask. But she just turned and looked into his icy blue eyes. Questioning, she wondered whether he would explain. And he took great joy in her look.

And he explained. "It's your parent's anniversary. We wouldn't miss that, would we?"

Her heart was pounding. This wasn't in her job description. She could tell he was taking great pleasure in making her feel uncomfortable – like he had that power over her – and he did. Just normally he exercised that in the bedroom. He must be expanding.

She hadn't spoken to anyone since leaving that night at the hospital. She had no access to anything back home, and she didn't want to right now. She didn't want Chris to take back his promise to leave Rory alone. She couldn't speak to her parents – not because Chris forbade it – but because she couldn't bring herself to speak to those people who gave her no choice but to live with this monster.

She still owned part of the inn. But Chris didn't know – and she had only sent Sookie a letter to make sure she ran it how she saw fit for the time being. She hoped that eventally she would be able to get back to some type of administration from home. Something to be able to do during her days of waiting for him to come home.

He pulled her back into the present fearful situation by squeezing her hand a bit too hard. She looked up at him, unsure of what he wanted her to do. This was uncharted territory.

And he leaned over, his usual smile on his face like he was doting on his loving wife, and said, "You need to make them love me." She smiled back at him, accepting the kiss he planted on her lips, and nodded so he knew she heard him. He didn't need to clarify. Not threaten. If she didn't do as he asked, she would pay for it later. That was just how it worked – she didn't fear it too much normally – but this was a whole new situation.

Walking up to the grand door, the door that had been threatening every Friday night for four years, the door that had been a welcome barrier between her parents and her at the end of each Friday night dinner. And now, she didn't know what it was – was it a welcoming door into the past that she could interact in. Or was it a challenge that she would never overcome.

As it opened, she remembered back to the first time she had been there with her little girl. Rory. Her heart would have broken if it already hadn't been shattered so many times everytime she thought of her daughter. But tonight she was afraid again for her daughter.

Chris had promised that he would not get close to Rory if Lorelai left with him. If he was willing to get this close just to impress her family, she wondered whether he would get closer to her daughter just to make her afraid again.

She hoped that she would not see her daughter here – for the first time in her life, she didn't want her daughter to be where she could see her.

Walking into the foyer, the maid offered to take their coats. Lorelai handed her wrap and purse to the maid, cautiously looking around for people she knew. So far it was just people her parents knew. She smiled at them, always hanging on the arm of her husband. It was her job.

"Christopher."

Emily's voice called out to Chris first. They're unbelievable. She turned to find her mother standing there, looking elegant in a beautiful dress, nothing else having changed. Except that she saw something in her mother's eyes that she hadn't seen before. Approval. And it made Lorelai even more hurt. But of course she didn't show it. They have no idea. As long as it looks good on the outside, as long as everyone else approves, she's happy. All about appearances. That was the motto of Lorelai's life anyway.

Emily gave Chris a peck on the cheek, a polite way of showing affection. Emily leaned over to give her daughter a emotionless hug. "So glad you could make it tonight, Lorelai." Her voice was just as if she was talking to another guest coming into her house – doing her job as a good hostess.

Lorelai disguised the disgust in her voice. She had done much worse, "Lovely party you're throwing here, Emily."

That threw Emily into a confused look. But she didn't say anything. She just gestured to where the caterers had food spread, and said, "Please, help yourself." And walked off to talk to another guest.

Chris leaned over, again squeezing her arm painfully. "What the hell was that? Talk about making it awkward." She just nodded, hoping she could keep him mellow. Which involved keeping him away from the alcohol. The nights he spent at the open bar at parties made her nights with him even worse at home. Which was saying something.

They walked over, and both picked up a small finger food. She just held hers, because she wasn't allowed to eat at functions like this – Chris didn't want her to. He had to keep her looking as wonderful as possible. But she held hers while he ate his, then she handed hers to him. It was just what they did.

Chris grabbed a glass of scotch from the bar, and Lorelai tried to steer him away from it, but he just sneered at her, making her watch as he drank not one but two before venturing over to where some of the older men were gathered. And this was where Lorelai did what she was here for.

"Well now," One of the gentlemen said looking her up and down, "Christopher Hayden, you have found yourself a wonderful date for the night."

Chris had it down to a science. "Of course, Thomas. There's something to be said of those streetcorners" They laughed, looking straight down her neckline. He continued, "What do rich men do when they've donated to charity as much as they can? They take in charity."

Lorelai just smiled, laughed even, and leaned over to give her husband a sexy kiss on the cheek, to which he smiled at the men and said, "See, men, this is the life."

And now it was her line, "For me, that is." And everyone laughed. The man who had asked about her in the first place, Lorelai remembered Chris calling him Thomas, leaned over and touched her arm, pulling her over to him and saying, "Now, girl, if you ever get bored with this young whippersnapper, you just give me a call."

And she seductively looked at him and said, "Maybe the old dog could show me some new tricks."

And everyone laughed. But they all looked at her with the lust that she had been trying to achieve. Because that was what Chris wanted. And what Chris wanted, she wanted.

She looked up past the men, and she found her eyes meet someone who didn't laugh at their dirty joke.

Dad.

His face was white. Like he had seen a ghost. He looked away, like he couldn't bear to look at her.

And she didn't even feel ashamed.