Abigail
The sound of footsteps echoed down the empty corridor, making me perk up as each step grew closer. I didn’t need anyone to tell me I was getting out today. I had already seen the news segment that exposed Conrad, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better from Alexander. He had gone to the best. The fact that Channel 15—the station Conrad swore by and was always his first go to for news—had been the first to break the story was the cherry on top. I could almost picture the way his face must have twisted in shock and rage as he helplessly saw his perfect image splinter on live television.
When the officer finally appeared at my cell door, jangling his keys, I was already standing. I tilted my head at him as he unlocked the door, my lips quirking into the faintest hint of a smirk.“Do I have a visitor?” I asked, my voice low and calm, though I already knew the answer.The officer shook his head, pushing the cell doorAbigailConrad was still standing there, radiating that maddening arrogance of his, like he had any right to play the victim. As I turned away, I could feel his eyes boring into my back. I didn’t need to turn around to know he was fuming, probably chewing over some pathetic excuse to wriggle his way out of the noose he’d tied for himself. His footsteps followed after me, and before I could get far, he called out, his voice sharp and commanding.“Abigail, wait.”I stopped dead in my tracks. Not because I wanted to hear anything he had to say, but because I wanted to make it clear—this wasn’t me walking away out of weakness. This was me walking away because I was done. Finished.“What now, Conrad?” I turned to face him, arms
AbigailConrad’s voice shifted, though he tried to mask it with a pleading tone. “You can’t just walk away,” he said, his voice clipped and strained, like he was trying to maintain some semblance of control. “I need you to come with me.”I yanked my arm out of his grip, glaring at him.. “I don’t care what you need, Conrad.”His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he was going to yell. Instead, he pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. “You don’t get it, do you? Coming with me to the press conference wouldn’t just help me. It would help you too. The media’s already chewing us both apart. But if you’re seen with me, standing by my side, it’ll bolster my image—and yours. People will see that you’re not the pitiful humiliated wife they’re calling you right now. You’ll look like the bigger person.”I stared at him, dumbfounded by his gall. “What makes you think I’d want to do anything to help you? After everything you’v
AbigailThe ride was suffocating and the silence heavy with an uncomfortable tension. I sat rigidly in my seat, staring out the window as the city streets blurred into one another. I wanted to be anywhere but here, trapped in this confined space with Conrad’s oppressive presence. He sat beside me, scrolling through his phone as if this was just another day for him. Meanwhile, my heart carried a storm of worry and anxiety that threatened to swallow me whole.The thought of my mother—frail, sick, and waiting for me—was like a knife twisting in my chest. Conrad’s words rang in my ears, cruel and manipulative, the way he’d casually mentioned her worsening condition. I knew it was a calculated move, meant to reel me in and keep me under his thumb, but that didn’t stop the panic from setting in. What if he wasn’t lying? What
AbigailHis words struck me like a slap to the face, leaving me momentarily stunned and trying to make sense of what he had just said.It wasn’t the words themselves that unsettled me—it was the man saying them. My brother, Liam, who had once left a final exam early because of a single emergency text about our mother, only to find out I’d already sorted the issue before he even arrived at the hospital. That was the kind of man my brother was— always putting family first. For as long as I could remember, there was nothing more important to Liam than Mom’s well-being, and I knew that better than anyone.So why was he suddenly acting like a press conference organized by Conrad mattered more than me wanting to see our mother? Over the woman who had worked herself to the bone to raise us?I opened my mouth to ask him that very question, but before I could speak, my phone buzzed in my hand, startling me. I glanced down, gr
AbigailThe shower did little to cool my temper. If anything, it gave me time to stew in the anger boiling in my stomach. My mind raced, running through every possible scenario, every hidden location where Conrad could’ve stowed my mother away. St. Mary’s Memorial was a dead end, and my gut told me it was possible wherever he had moved her to wasn’t even another hospital.Steam curled around me as the hot water poured over my skin, but my fury burned hotter. Conrad might think he had won because I agreed to go to the press conference, but he was sorely mistaken. This wasn’t over—not by a long shot. I would find my mother, and when I did, I’d make him regret ever dragging her into this.When I stepped out of the bathroom, the air outside felt like ice against my skin, but I welcome
SusannaThe hallway felt colder than usual as I made my way to my room. My thoughts were like a stream that was flowing violently, swallowing me in waves of regret and paranoia. How could I have been so reckless?Liliana had warned me, her voice dripping with that irritating mix of wisdom and condescension she loved to wield. “Don’t confront Abigail while she’s in police custody,” she’d said. “Don’t risk leaving evidence. Be smarter than that.”But no, I hadn’t listened. I’d let Abigail’s words over the phone ignite a fire in me, one I couldn’t control. And then I had been stupid enough to storm down to the polic
SusannaLiliana didn’t miss a beat. “Stop. Don’t say another word over the phone. Come to my house. Now.”She hung up before I could respond, and I stood there for a moment, staring at the blank screen, her clipped tone replying in my ears. Liliana never panicked, but even she sounded tense, and that only made my anxiety worse.I quickly changed into something casual, a plain dress and flats, and slipped out of the house without a word to anyone. The drive to Liliana’s felt like an eternity as my eyes looked at the road but not really seeing anything. How had Alexander gotten the report? Was there someone else involved? And if he knew… God, if he knew, what would happen to me?
AbigailThe sound of a car woke me up, and I realized I had fallen asleep amidst a pile of documents. Lately, I’ve been getting sleepier and sleepier, probably because of the chaos at home. I’ve been busy taking over the burdens Conrad, my husband, has been carrying, hoping he’ll stop looking so troubled all the time.Looking out the window, I saw Conrad's car pull up. After getting out from the driver’s seat, he bent down to open the door for the passenger side. A woman stepped out and walked into the house. I couldn’t see the woman’s face from the window as it was hidden by her hat. Filled with curiosity, I went downstairs to greet them.As I came down to the bottom and moved toward the foyer, I couldn’t see who it was at first, only Conrad by the doorway, his head bent as he spoke to the woman just beyond my view. I couldn’t make out her words, but the voice was familiar. He was smiling—a smile so wide and bright it made me pause. I took a step closer, and that’s when she came into
SusannaLiliana didn’t miss a beat. “Stop. Don’t say another word over the phone. Come to my house. Now.”She hung up before I could respond, and I stood there for a moment, staring at the blank screen, her clipped tone replying in my ears. Liliana never panicked, but even she sounded tense, and that only made my anxiety worse.I quickly changed into something casual, a plain dress and flats, and slipped out of the house without a word to anyone. The drive to Liliana’s felt like an eternity as my eyes looked at the road but not really seeing anything. How had Alexander gotten the report? Was there someone else involved? And if he knew… God, if he knew, what would happen to me?
SusannaThe hallway felt colder than usual as I made my way to my room. My thoughts were like a stream that was flowing violently, swallowing me in waves of regret and paranoia. How could I have been so reckless?Liliana had warned me, her voice dripping with that irritating mix of wisdom and condescension she loved to wield. “Don’t confront Abigail while she’s in police custody,” she’d said. “Don’t risk leaving evidence. Be smarter than that.”But no, I hadn’t listened. I’d let Abigail’s words over the phone ignite a fire in me, one I couldn’t control. And then I had been stupid enough to storm down to the polic
AbigailThe shower did little to cool my temper. If anything, it gave me time to stew in the anger boiling in my stomach. My mind raced, running through every possible scenario, every hidden location where Conrad could’ve stowed my mother away. St. Mary’s Memorial was a dead end, and my gut told me it was possible wherever he had moved her to wasn’t even another hospital.Steam curled around me as the hot water poured over my skin, but my fury burned hotter. Conrad might think he had won because I agreed to go to the press conference, but he was sorely mistaken. This wasn’t over—not by a long shot. I would find my mother, and when I did, I’d make him regret ever dragging her into this.When I stepped out of the bathroom, the air outside felt like ice against my skin, but I welcome
AbigailHis words struck me like a slap to the face, leaving me momentarily stunned and trying to make sense of what he had just said.It wasn’t the words themselves that unsettled me—it was the man saying them. My brother, Liam, who had once left a final exam early because of a single emergency text about our mother, only to find out I’d already sorted the issue before he even arrived at the hospital. That was the kind of man my brother was— always putting family first. For as long as I could remember, there was nothing more important to Liam than Mom’s well-being, and I knew that better than anyone.So why was he suddenly acting like a press conference organized by Conrad mattered more than me wanting to see our mother? Over the woman who had worked herself to the bone to raise us?I opened my mouth to ask him that very question, but before I could speak, my phone buzzed in my hand, startling me. I glanced down, gr
AbigailThe ride was suffocating and the silence heavy with an uncomfortable tension. I sat rigidly in my seat, staring out the window as the city streets blurred into one another. I wanted to be anywhere but here, trapped in this confined space with Conrad’s oppressive presence. He sat beside me, scrolling through his phone as if this was just another day for him. Meanwhile, my heart carried a storm of worry and anxiety that threatened to swallow me whole.The thought of my mother—frail, sick, and waiting for me—was like a knife twisting in my chest. Conrad’s words rang in my ears, cruel and manipulative, the way he’d casually mentioned her worsening condition. I knew it was a calculated move, meant to reel me in and keep me under his thumb, but that didn’t stop the panic from setting in. What if he wasn’t lying? What
AbigailConrad’s voice shifted, though he tried to mask it with a pleading tone. “You can’t just walk away,” he said, his voice clipped and strained, like he was trying to maintain some semblance of control. “I need you to come with me.”I yanked my arm out of his grip, glaring at him.. “I don’t care what you need, Conrad.”His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he was going to yell. Instead, he pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. “You don’t get it, do you? Coming with me to the press conference wouldn’t just help me. It would help you too. The media’s already chewing us both apart. But if you’re seen with me, standing by my side, it’ll bolster my image—and yours. People will see that you’re not the pitiful humiliated wife they’re calling you right now. You’ll look like the bigger person.”I stared at him, dumbfounded by his gall. “What makes you think I’d want to do anything to help you? After everything you’v
AbigailConrad was still standing there, radiating that maddening arrogance of his, like he had any right to play the victim. As I turned away, I could feel his eyes boring into my back. I didn’t need to turn around to know he was fuming, probably chewing over some pathetic excuse to wriggle his way out of the noose he’d tied for himself. His footsteps followed after me, and before I could get far, he called out, his voice sharp and commanding.“Abigail, wait.”I stopped dead in my tracks. Not because I wanted to hear anything he had to say, but because I wanted to make it clear—this wasn’t me walking away out of weakness. This was me walking away because I was done. Finished.“What now, Conrad?” I turned to face him, arms
AbigailThe sound of footsteps echoed down the empty corridor, making me perk up as each step grew closer. I didn’t need anyone to tell me I was getting out today. I had already seen the news segment that exposed Conrad, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better from Alexander. He had gone to the best. The fact that Channel 15—the station Conrad swore by and was always his first go to for news—had been the first to break the story was the cherry on top. I could almost picture the way his face must have twisted in shock and rage as he helplessly saw his perfect image splinter on live television.When the officer finally appeared at my cell door, jangling his keys, I was already standing. I tilted my head at him as he unlocked the door, my lips quirking into the faintest hint of a smirk.“Do I have a visitor?” I asked, my voice low and calm, though I already knew the answer.The officer shook his head, pushing the cell door
ConradSean Miller’s voice was deceptively calm as he began to speak, but I could hear the steel underneath, the quiet venom that made every word cut sharper than it should have.“The evidence of Conrad Remington’s affair is difficult to ignore,” Sean said, his tone heavy with implication. “In fact, it’s downright embarrassing. After seeing what we’ve seen, I’m sure our viewers will agree.”The screen flickered, and three images appeared side by side. I froze. My heart stopped, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.I knew the video those pictures were pulled from. I’d know it anywhere.The first image showed me clearly—my face unmistakable—kissing Susanna. It wasn’t just a kiss; it was heated, passionate, and incriminating. The second photo was worse: my hand gripping Susanna’s waist as she leaned into me, her face blurred but my identity clear to anyone who was watchi