You were in your own home resting on a Saturday afternoon when you heard someone knocking on the door so softly that if you weren't alert you wouldn't have heard it. You got up from the sofa and when you opened the door you found a small female figure with jet hair and a sad look looking at you with a certain shyness. You could tell by the way she was dressed that she was cooking something because her apron was stained with something that looked like chocolate

"Neighbor, I-I'm sorry to bother you at this hour and... I'm really embarrassed to have to do this but..." She fiddles with her flowered skirt shyly as she seemed to be looking for courage to speak "Can't you give me some butter? It's just that I'm making a chocolate cake and I didn't remember I was out of it..."

Lissa couldn't help but smile shyly at the compliment. "Oh, thank you... He's... busy," she said softly, looking down at her feet. "I-is everything alright?" She asked timidly.

Lissa hesitated, her eyes darting back and forth before finally settling on the floor. "It's... nothing important," she murmured softly. "I-I just get that way sometimes. Sorry to bother you with it." She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a sadness he couldn't quite place.

There was something about her demeanor that made Agent74 feel uncomfortable and guilty. He didn't want to pry but he knew he needed to say something to try and cheer her up. "Listen Lissa, I know it's none of my business but you seem... I don't know sad? Or maybe just lonely?"

Lissa didn't answer right away. Instead, she looked down at the floor, tears threatening to spill over. After a long moment, she took a deep breath and whispered, "It's my husband..."

His anger caught her off guard, and Lissa's eyes widened with shock. She slowly nodded, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, "He... he doesn't touch me like that. But..." She hesitated, shame and fear battling within her. Finally, she forced the words out: "He just doesn't love me anymore."

There was a long silence between them. Agent74 felt his stomach knot as he listened to Lissa pour out her heartache. He didn't know what to say or do in that moment. All he could think about was how this woman, who had become a part of his life over the years, had suffered silently through such pain and isolation.

"Lissa," he started, his voice gentle but firm, "you don't deserve this. No one deserves to be treated like that." She looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen from crying. He took a step closer, hesitating for only a moment before reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. "I... I wish there was something I could do. Anything."

Her face crumpled even further as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. Agent74 felt an overwhelming urge to comfort her, to take away some of the pain he knew she had been feeling for far too long. But what could he possibly do? He

Lissa could hardly believe what had just happened. The simple gesture of comfort from Agent74 was enough to make her feel like someone actually cared about her pain. As he handed her the butter and wiped away her tears, she couldn't help but be moved by his kindness. She hesitated for a moment before whispering, "T-thank you."

With shaking hands, she accepted the butter and nodded, regaining some of her composure. "I... I will. Thank you again, Agent74. For everything." With one last shy smile, she turned and left, closing the door quietly behind her. As Lissa walked back to her own house, carrying the stolen butter and feeling a weight lifted from her chest, she couldn't help but wonder what would come of this unexpected encounter. Would their conversation change anything? Or was she destined to remain alone in her unhappy marriage, forever grateful for brief moments of kindness amidst the darkness?

Lissa couldn't help but smile shyly as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her. The fragrance of cookies filled her nose, and she felt oddly self-conscious about how good they smelled coming from her own hands. "Th-thank you again, Agent74," she stammered, averting her eyes. "They smell wonderful."

She couldn't believe how much better she felt after her bath and the change of clothes. For once, she didn't feel like a neglected wife, but rather someone who deserved some attention. The warmth in Agent74's voice and expression made her heart skip a beat. It was all so foreign to her; kindness had been such a rare commodity in her life for so long that she wasn't quite sure how to process it.

"I-is there something you wanted to talk about, Agent74?" she asked tentatively, not wanting to intrude any further on his day. Her heart ached at the thought of losing this brief glimmer of light in her otherwise dark existence, but she was also afraid that once he learned how truly unhappy she was with her marriage, he might no longer want anything to do with her.

Lissa felt her breath catch in her throat as Agent74 revealed Eric's infidelity. She had known it deep down but had refused to acknowledge the truth, hoping against hope that he really did love her and was just too busy with his work to show it properly. The weight of shame and embarrassment settled like a leaden cloak across her shoulders, making it hard for her to breathe.

As Agent74 pulled her close, offering comfort and promises of help, Lissa couldn't help but feel a strange sense of hope blossoming within her chest. No one had ever done anything like this for her before; no one had even shown her the tiniest sliver of kindness or understanding. And yet here was Agent74, offering to help her escape from the nightmare that was her marriage.

She hesitated, her fingers trembling as she pulled back enough to look him in the eye. "I... I don't know what to say," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "It means so much to me that you'd want to help me like this, but..." Tears welled up in her eyes once more as she struggled for the words. "Do you think it would be... okay? To leave him? To start over?"

There was so much uncertainty and fear in her voice; Agent74 could hear the weight of years of isolation and self-d

Lissa stared at the documents in Agent74's hand as if they were some sort of foreign object she'd never seen before. Her eyes darted back and forth between him and the papers, her lips parting slightly. She had never dreamed that this day would come; that Eric's reign over her life would finally be at an end. But even with the chance for freedom staring her in the face, she hesitated.

"I-it's just... I don't know," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of her own heart pounding in her ears. "It feels so surreal. And what about my house? What will happen to all my things?" She gestured vaguely at the sparse furnishings of their small living room, her eyes suddenly distant as she imagined herself having no home at all.

Agent74 wrapped his arm around Lissa's shoulders and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head gently. "I've already taken care of that," he said reassuringly. "Your house is yours to keep, along with everything in it. You won't have to worry about anything except what you want to do next."

Lissa looked up at him with wide, teary eyes. For the first time since she could remember, someone was being kind to her and not asking for anything in return. It was a terrifying and ex

She buried her face against his shoulder, inhaling deeply the scent of him that was so comforting and familiar. It had been so long since she'd felt safe, cherished... loved. The weight of all those years alone, feeling invisible and unimportant, threatened to crush her once more as the reality of what Agent74 was offering sank in: freedom from Eric and a chance at happiness.

"I-I don't know what to say," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't understand. I've never... nobody has ever done anything like this for me before." She looked up at him with eyes full of disbelief and gratitude, searching his face for any sign that he was just saying what she wanted to hear.

But there it was: the genuine concern and caring in his expression, the softness in his touch as he held her close. It was enough to make her heart soar even as tears streamed down her cheeks once more. "I-I'll do it," she whispered finally, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'll sign the papers."

She didn't know where this newfound courage came from or what their future together might hold, but for the first time in a very long time, Lissa felt hopeful. And as she leaned against Agent74's strong and steady presence, she knew that whatever happened

Her heart hammering against her ribcage, Lissa nodded slowly as she tried to regain control over her emotions. It was her birthday today; a day that should have been filled with joy and celebration but had instead been marked by despair and isolation. And yet now, in this moment, standing beside Agent74 with the promise of freedom within reach, she couldn't help but feel as though something amazing was about to happen.

"My husband?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper. "He should be back from his work soon... He always comes home at this time." She hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you really think we should call the police? Won't that make things more complicated?" Her gaze darted nervously to the door as she imagined Eric's reaction if he found out what was happening.

Agent74 pulled back enough to look her in the eye and gave her a reassuring smile. "Trust me, it will be okay," he said softly. "I know it seems scary right now, but we'll get through this together, and you won't have to worry about him ever again." He took her hands in his own and squeezed gently, offering what little comfort and reassurance he could manage at the moment.

Lissa closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath as she fought against the kn

When the police and judge arrived at Agent74's house, Lissa felt a mixture of fear and determination coursing through her veins. She took a deep breath and began to tell them everything about Eric's abuse, his cheating, and how he had isolated her from everyone she knew. Throughout her testimony, Agent74 was by her side, offering silent support and encouragement with a squeeze of her hand or a reassuring smile.

As the story spilled out of her, Lissa felt an odd sense of relief at finally being able to speak about what had happened to her. The shame and self-doubt that had plagued her for so long began to fade away, replaced by a growing confidence in herself and in Agent74's promise that things were going to change.

When she finished speaking, the judge thanked her for her bravery and assured her that they would do everything in their power to ensure Eric was brought to justice. As they waited for him to arrive home, Lissa leaned against Agent74, feeling safer and more protected than she ever thought possible. It seemed impossible that this could really be happening; that after all these years of pain and suffering, she might finally be able to escape from her nightmare. But as the minutes ticked by and Eric's arrival grew closer, Lissa found herself filled with a nervous energy she hadn't experienced in a very long time.

I couldn't help but feel a small amount of satisfaction as I watched Eric sign the papers and storm out of my house. It had been so long since anyone had stood up to him like that; spoken to him in such a way. Even though it was only Agent74 and the police who truly backed me up, hearing Lissa speak with such defiance made me feel stronger than I'd ever felt before.

As Eric slammed the door behind him, leaving us alone with the judge and officers, I turned to face Lissa. Her eyes were bright with tears, but there was a newfound determination in them that I couldn't help but admire. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."

I smiled gently at her and took her hand in mine, squeezing it reassuringly. "You don't have to thank me," I replied. "I'm just glad I was able to help you out of that awful situation." The truth was, a part of me wished things could stay like this forever: Lissa safe and happy in my life; my home filled with her presence and the laughter we shared together. But I knew that reality would eventually intrude upon our peaceful bubble, and we'd have to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

For now, though, I was content simply to be there for Lissa... to show her what it meant to truly be loved and cared for.

I smiled up at him shyly as he hugged me, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude wash over me. "I don't really know," I admitted. "It's hard to believe that it's actually happened. Everything feels so surreal." As I thought about it more, an idea began to form in my mind. "You know what? We could go somewhere... just the two of us. Celebrate this new beginning together."

The words seemed to catch in my throat as soon as they were out; the thought of spending time alone with him was both thrilling and terrifying at the same time. But there was something about Agent74 that made me feel safe, cherished... maybe even loved. It was a feeling I hadn't experienced in so long, and I found myself wanting to explore it further, if only for tonight.

Her eyes widened as he confessed to knowing about Eric's infidelity for months. For a moment, she felt a twinge of guilt and shame creep back in; if he had known all this time, why hadn't he done something sooner? But then the weight of his words sank in: "I can't just come and disturb what you had so..." He'd respected her choice to stay with Eric even when he knew the truth.

Emotion choked off her words for a moment, making it hard to speak. She reached up and cupped Agent74's cheek in her hand, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes as she said softly, "You've been so kind to me, more than anyone ever has... I don't know what I would have done without you." Her voice trailed off, thick with emotion.

As their gazes locked, a new understanding blossomed between them: they had formed a bond that went beyond mere friendship or alliance. It was something deeper; something that transcended the pain and heartache of their pasts. And as she leaned in closer to him, her eyes searching his for any sign of duplicity or guile, she knew with certainty that she could trust this man... and that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance for love and happiness after all.