RENEE As I repeatedly vomited into the toilet, I battled to keep my breathing under control.This morning, I woke with a pounding headache and a parched tongue. My throat was like sandpaper, and my skin was clammy. I'd taken a long hot shower, eaten breakfast, and was about to start getting dressed when I realized I was feeling worse than ever. I felt lightheaded, and a wave of nausea came over me like an unexpected storm. From then on, everything went downhill. I'd run to the bathroom in nothing but a towel, throwing up everything I'd eaten. I retched uncontrollably till my stomach ached. My nostrils were filled with the icy stink of my vomit, my eyes burned with unshed tears, and my vision swirled erratically.The cold tiles of the bathroom floor dug into my bare knees, leaving behind icy, pinprick sensations that did nothing to relieve my suffering. This was horrible, and I was on the verge of passing out. But my sheer willpower kept me upright—that and Nicole's presence beside m
RENEE THERE WAS NOTHING BUT DARKNESS. A thick black veil engulfed me, and I couldn't see a thing. I couldn't move, and my limbs stiffened. Then SILENCE. It was smothering and left me feeling empty and hollow. Like a dead person. Like nothing. And all I wanted to do was scream for rescue. I wanted to scream, wail, and tear my throat out. But I couldn't. I could only stay motionless and silent. DARKNESS AGAIN. It threatened to suck me in. To suffocate and consume me. I wished it would all end. The terror. The agony.Then, all of a sudden, it did stop—and in its place, a weird sound echoed in my ears, making itself heard.It sounded like a gentle hum at first, but then I realized it was the steady tick of a nearby clock. But I was mistaken. It wasn't a clock that was ticking. The sound was a muted buzzing—constant beeping machines accompanied by various whirring noises and people conversing. It sounded far away. As I sought to figure out what they were saying, I burst through the dar
RENEE It took me thirty seconds to understand what Nicole said. Thirty seconds, during which the entire world slowed down. Every heartbeat pounding hard against my chest increasingly solidified as a single word echoed over and over in my head. Pregnant. I was carrying a child inside me. Robert’s child. Our child.My goodness! In nine months, I’d be a mother. For nine fucking months, I'd carry a living, breathing human inside of me! As I took it all in, a moment of clarity hit. This explained the weight gain Sally noticed, my persistent nausea, and the morning sickness. The feeling in the pit of my stomach that came when I overate or drank alcohol. This explained it all. Everything was starting to make sense. I also remembered a conversation with Robert the day before about having mini-us’s someday. It’d seemed like an idyllic fantasy at the time, but now the reality was so much crueler."Oh, my God." My voice cracked as tears streamed down my cheeks, mixed with the sweat and drie
ROBERT Cigarette smoke wafted down the corridor and into the cell where I'd been confined. My cuffed hands reflexively went to my nose, attempting to block out the stench but to no avail. My lungs were burning, and a gag formed in my throat.One day. It’d only been one goddamned day since everything had gone to shit. I'd gotten arrested and locked in a place I’d sworn never to step feet in again—a place filled with the memories of some of my worst nightmares. Oh, but I was on the verge of insanity. I was going crazy. Even though my cell was luxurious by jail standards, I couldn't breathe or sleep. There were two windows with a thin curtain that let in natural light. A vanity table and a broken mirror sat to one side. A little closet stood next to it, but it held nothing but the toiletries a guard would bring me every morning. The bed was also really comfy, with thick cotton sheets, a soft blanket with a pleasant scent, and pillows that supported my head as I leaned back on them.
RENEE “Renee.” Nicole ran toward me as I stepped out of the station house. She wrapped her arms around me, and we stood there, cuddling in the crisp, bright afternoon sunlight. “Are you okay?” As I drew back slightly, her eyes, anxious and sympathetic, searched mine. I mustered a smile. Despite my puffy cheeks and swollen red eyes from bawling my heart out, I managed to nod. “I believe I’m fine.” She remained silent as she studied my countenance. “How is Robert?” “He's alright. He'd be released on bond tomorrow.” I tried my hardest to sound convincing as I spoke, but judging by the frown on my friend's face, I wasn't very successful. "Is he getting excellent treatment in there or not?" Her voice was calm, but it was the kind of calm that implied I’d better speak the truth or else. "Physically? He's okay," I started with a sigh. "But emotionally...he's...he’s acting tough, but I know better. I know he's in pain and afraid. I know he's..." I trailed off as my voice broke into a so
But sometimes, we do sick and twisted things for the people we love. ~ Skye Warren. ~•~ AMANDA "Mother!" I heard the scream before the door to the suite even opened. Dylan. His face was flushed with rage, and his breathing was difficult as if he'd run a marathon. "What have you done?" The wine glass in my hand and that of Kent's froze midair as we exchanged glances, then back at my son, who stood panting and seething in the doorway. "Dylan," I exclaimed, putting my drink down. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?" He didn't respond. Instead, he took another step into the room and slammed a newspaper on the table. "Explain this," He demanded. I looked down, perplexed. Kent reached over and picked up the tabloid, bringing it closer. The front page read—BILLIONAIRE ROBERT CLARKE ARRESTED FOR MURDER. Photos of Robert being escorted out of his office building flanked by police officers were posted beneath the headline. He was handcuffed and looked miserable. Well, serves
ROBERT "I suggest you lay low for a while, Mr. Clarke," Mr. Patrick began as the sleek black car raced out of the station and into traffic. "The situation is delicate. Given your reputation, a lot of people are watching you right now. Watching your every move and anything you do."I was tempted to tell him to fuck it. And fuck them all. I didn't care what they said, how they perceived me, or what they did. The media and everyone else could go fuck themselves with their little white lies because my conscience was clear. I did not kill the man. I was being framed. That's all there was to this. But instead, I sat silently and listened to my lawyer speak. He droned on and on about the charges against me—like I hadn’t heard all of it before—and everything I needed to do to avoid getting into any further trouble. He discussed his plans, the ongoing investigations, and the legalities involved. I didn't pay much attention to the latter part. In fact, at some point, I stopped listening entir
RENEE ‘THIS IS WHAT YOUR VILE, DESPICABLE BOYFRIEND DID! YOU ARE SHARING YOUR HEART WITH A COLD-BLOODED MURDERER WHO GETS HIGH ON THE PUTRID FUMES OF DEATH AND DECAY, AND IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE YOU’RE JUST ANOTHER BODY BURIED IN HIS YARD. HE IS A SOULLESS BASTARD WHO LEAVES A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION IN HIS WAKE. HE SHATTERS LIVES & DESTROYS THINGS. HE DESTROYED HIS FAMILY, AND YOU’RE NEXT ON THE LIST. OR DO YOU THINK YOU’RE SPECIAL? YOU’RE NOT. LOVING HIM WILL DRAG YOU INTO THE ABYSS. IT WILL SUCK YOU DRY. IT WILL LEAVE YOU SCARRED, BROKEN, AND EMPTY. SO, GET OUT WHILE YOU STILL CAN. YOU SHOULD RUN BEFORE HE DESTROYS WHAT'S LEFT OF YOUR SANITY. RUN BEFORE HIS POISONOUS GRASP ENVELOPES YOU. RUN, RENEE MICHEAL. RUN. OR ELSE YOU WILL PAY IN THE MOST UNIMAGINABLE WAY.’As I said farewell to Nicole and watched her leave the suite with Harry, these words replayed in my mind like an endless echo. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't block or drive it out of my mind because it kept returning
ROBERTI watched as the officers led Amanda out of the courtroom, her shackled hands clasped behind her back and her head hanging low. She looked broken. Defeated. And whereas she'd walked in confidently earlier, flashing a smug grin at me, now her feet dragged, and she didn't dare to look up. She couldn't, though, not after all that’d happened. Seeing her like this, knowing she finally got her karma, a bitter satisfaction curled in my chest.Finally, she got what she deserved. After the chaos, the wreck—the way she'd torn through my life, Renee's, and so many others—she would finally pay. This was her end. Her retribution. And it was brutal, yes, but it was also entirely fitting. "Yes," I breathed out, an invisible weight, one I'd carried for far too long, lifting from my chest. "Damn, I feel good," I murmured under my breath, and a smile formed on my lips.God! I couldn't wait to get home to Renee. I couldn't wait to tell her it was all over. That we’d won, and Amanda would ne
Your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing. ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky. ~•~AMANDA TWO MONTHS LATER Typically, a day begins when the clock strikes midnight, and the seconds tick.For some, it begins at seven a.m. or earlier. But today, my day began when the courthouse doors swung open and the bailiff ushered me and my lawyer into the courtroom. As we walked in, a hushed murmur rippled through the room, and for a moment, my stomach clenched—not in nervousness, but in anticipation. Which was strange given my crimes.Any prisoner convicted of murder would probably feel fear. Fear of their impending punishment, fear of the unknown consequences of their actions, fear of being executed. They'd also feel guilty, combine that with a sense of helplessness, and voila!But see, I wasn't just any prisoner. I was Amanda Clarke, and I feared no one. I feared nothing. As a convict who'd hired the best defense attorney in the country—my lawyer's record was pristine wi
RENEE "Look who's getting out of these four bleached walls today!" Nicole squealed with delight the moment she entered the room. She ran toward me, arms outstretched. "I'm so happy, Renee." She sniffled. "So fucking happy." "As am I," I said, hugging her with all my strength. "Where's Mom?" I asked. "She's at home, er, the mansion, preparing for your arrival," Nicole said. "I suspect you're going to eat a lot today, my friend," she added, and I laughed. "I can only imagine." I groaned and let go of her when Robert and the nurse assigned to check me out of the hospital arrived. She pushed a wheelchair into the room, signaling it was time for me to leave. As Robert turned to greet Nicole, the nurse, a petite young lady, attended to me. She introduced herself, asked a few questions, provided some healthcare instructions, and then it was time to fill out the discharge paperwork, which Robert quickly took charge of. As usual, he wasn’t letting me lift a finger. It’d been
ROBERTShe was awake.God, she was awake.I couldn't believe it, but as my legs carried me across the room and toward her, yes, Renee was awake. She was alive. She was conscious. And she was looking at me with teary brown eyes, muttering my name repeatedly. As I reached her bedside in a flash, and despite the doctor's warnings to take things easy, I pulled her into my arms and hugged her hard. Tight. Bone crushingly. The tears dropped faster than ever, and I cried. I sobbed. I turned into a blubbering mess, not caring about the doctor or nurses in the room. I just let the fucking grief out because it was about damn time. "Oh, God... Oh, Renee..." I mumbled, my voice breaking as I buried my face in her hair. "I... I thought you wouldn't make it. I thought I had lost you forever." My body shook violently as I spoke, but it didn’t stop my arms from tightening around her. I wanted to permanently hold her close. To never, ever let go of her."You didn't lose me." She whispered, her v
RENEE My dreams were a blur. I saw everything and nothing. I remembered everything and nothing. There was sunshine, and there was rain. There was light, and there was darkness. It was all so beautiful, but so terrifying. It was like time stopped, and I could do nothing about it. Everything felt surreal and I couldn't make sense of it. But then, suddenly… a feeling overtook me—a familiar feeling. The feeling of being alive. Of being whole. Of being complete. There was no more pain, blurry dreams, distorted visions, or anything else. There was only peace. And that peace woke me up. That peace made me move. That peace snapped me from my trance. Eyes fluttering open, the first thing I saw was a white ceiling. Then white walls and curtains. I blinked several times to orient myself to where I was, but the room appeared unfamiliar. It looked like… a hospital room. But why would I be there? I blinked slowly, trying to adjust my eyes to the sunlight streaming through
‘You’re my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you… please don’t take my sunshine away.’The sky really was grey, almost black in its intensity. It looked like a storm could burst out at any moment and unleash its wrath on anything within sight. But he didn't care. Robert. He just stood in the field of daisies, arms crossed, staring up at the gray sky as if it were the most wondrous thing in the world. And he was singing. Singing with that bassy, beautiful voice of his. The one Renee had fallen for. That made her heart skip a beat and sent butterflies fluttering through her stomach. ‘When the sky is dark, and the clouds are thick, I will keep you warm through the rain. And I will always be with you through the wind and snow. I love you. I love you. I love you.’He kept singing, his voice carrying through the air and reverberating throughout the field, causing even the smallest flowers to sway gently to his me
ROBERT“…bad news, Robert. You need to get here. Renee… She was drugged. Or poisoned. I…I'm not sure, but she fainted. She’s in a critical condition, and her life is hanging on by a thread…”Nicole's words swarmed and raced in my mind like angry gnats as I rushed past the hospital's reception, the busy ER nurses and medics, and through the bustling hospital corridors to the VIP room reserved exclusively for the Clarke household.I could hear my heart thumping steadily, but the agony was nothing compared to the million terrifying thoughts flying through my mind. Every thought brought me back to that single word. Drugged. Or was it…Poisoned?Renee had been poisoned. Fuck no!This couldn’t be real. What I’d heard on the phone earlier wasn’t true, neither was this situation. It was a prank. Maybe someone, Nicole or Renee herself, was pulling a cruel joke on me.Yes. That’s it. And by the heavens, my woman was okay. She was at the mansion, and the party was still in full swing. She wasn’t
O, how the mighty fall! With ruin upon ruin, heap’d, and vengeance answer’d upon vengeance. ~ John Milton, Paradise Lost.~•~AMANDA“I didn't pay you thousands to stop at every fucking checkpoint, Mister.” I seethed, gritting my teeth in anger, as the driver pulled to a stop at another police roadblock, this one much busier than the other two we passed.“I have to fucking stop, missus.” He looked over his shoulder at me, scowling. “Either this or my cab is confiscated, and I'm fined. I damn well can't afford that, even with the scraps you're paying. So do me a favor, stop being a whiny bitch, and shut up.”My mouth flew open in surprise, and for a few seconds, all I could see were spots, my cheeks flaming with rage. What the fuck?Did this good-for-nothing asshole just call me a whiny bitch? And did he call the 2,000 extra dollars scraps? Scraps? The fuck!I almost laughed at the irony of my situation. Almost.Take deep breaths, Amanda. Deep… deep… deep fucking breaths, I told myself
RENEEI’d heard “congratulations” a million times tonight, and my ears were still buzzing from it all.Most were from people I barely knew—Robert's acquaintances and business associates—and I was grateful that they at least seemed genuine about it.Their words were kind and, for the most part, calmed my ruffled nerves, but they weren't enough to dispel the lingering fear that’d settled over me like a cloak all evening. There was a nagging voice in my head. A small whisper kept telling me that something bad would happen tonight. That danger was lurking around, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Sometimes, I worried that my pregnancy hormones were to blame and whether it was affecting my mental health. But no, it couldn't be. The growing child inside me did not cause my feelings of paranoia and continual dread.Instead, it had everything to do with what this party stood for. I mean, I'd had this feeling ever since Dylan came into the suite to talk, and then Robert had this elabora