ROBERT"Where are you taking me?" Renee asked for the millionth time since I picked her up from her apartment building. "It's a surprise, love." I told her with a sly grin, sneaking a brief glimpse at her in my car's passenger seat. Sporting a ponytail, Renee was dressed in a comfy pair of trousers, a tank top, and tennis shoes with holes along the borders and laces that could easily be ripped off. She looked adorable. Wrinkled brows accented her rosy skin and pink cheeks as she pouted at me. “You're being secretive, Robert. You know how much I despise that." "Secretive?" I repeated, and she nodded. "Darling, I'm not keeping anything from you.""Of course you are. If you weren't, you'd have told me everything about your talk with Nicole when you came to pick me up." Her voice dropped an octave, becoming more accusatory, and I couldn't stop the laughter bubbling out of my chest.I reached over the center console and took her hand in mine, bringing her knuckles to my lips and kissin
RENEE"…We've reached our destination." Robert spoke up, mischief dancing in his eyes as he glanced at me.The Jeep accelerated slightly before coming to a halt in front of large, automated gates, opening of their own accord. As we were scanned by a state of the art security system, a narrow red light flashed over us, accompanied by a peculiar whirring sound from the back of the car. Then everything went quiet. The car crept forward, but slowly, until I could see what lay ahead of us, and my jaw dropped in surprise. "What is this place?" I muttered, my gaze riveted on the massive structure beyond the gate. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen.The architecture itself appeared to be formed of an alloyed metal and glistened, looking like something out of a sci-fi film. I took a look around. Men in full black uniforms flanked the entrance door of the enormous facility. Guns slung about their waists. Some wore earpieces and held walkie-talkies over their mouths. They all appeared serio
RENEEI awoke with a start, disoriented and unsure of my surroundings. The last thing I remembered was warm, masculine hands gently stroking my hair until I fell asleep. And then it all came rushing back—the surprise trip and the thrilling ride to Robert's cabin in Aspen, as I'd later discovered.Last night was a blur, but I remembered the incredible ride. I got to just be with Robert, and small talk with the love of my life. A cheesy grin spread across my face at the memory. When we arrived at the luxury cabin, he showed me around briefly—saving the rest for morning, before taking me straight to the bedroom, where I fell asleep immediately. With the sun shining brightly through the windows and into my eyes, I stretched out my limbs, groaning as my joints popped. I whispered Robert's name and looked at his side of the bed. It was empty, and I blinked, perplexed. Last night, I distinctly remembered Robert caressing my brow and kissing my forehead before lying beside me. He'd wrapped
ROBERT Renee's mouth gaped open as she stood, silently staring at me, astonished. Her dark eyes were filled with shock and dismay. It tore my heart apart. I resisted the urge to curse. Silence descended on the room like a frigid fog. It was dense with tension—the kind that’d be difficult to break from. This was not how I’d envisioned our evening. Not even close. Work had been stressful, but I still wanted to spend quality time with her when she returned from her day out. I was excited to make dinner plans, walk around the cabin while she told me about her day, and then have a calm, relaxed night watching vintage movies in the chalet's lounge. Not this!The uncomfortable silence dragged on for far too long as I waited for her to say something—anything. I chastised myself for even telling her about the blackmail. I shouldn’t have said a word. I should’ve lied or changed the subject. When she spoke, she broke me. “No more secrets, Robert. You promised, and you keep your promise. So d
RENEEIt had been four days since I arrived in Aspen—four blissful days since Robert had whisked me away on a private plane to the luxurious cabin he owned. A beautiful recap? So, the day after we arrived, he was mostly involved in work-related activities while I was out and about in the city. On the second, however, we spent meaningful time together. The next day, he took me to a car racing event, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then, we had lunch at a prominent Italian restaurant. When we returned to the cabin, Robert took me on a long romantic walk over the cabin grounds before taking me to the bedroom, where he passionately made love to me for hours. And I loved every minute of it. I could still feel his body against mine, his firm, warm hands grabbing my hips as he pushed into my feminine warmth. The sensation of him between my thighs and being entirely consumed by him would always be etched into my brain. Being with Robert constantly altered my brain chemistry. It was nothing new.
ROBERT"The lady is with me." I firmly repeated, wrapping my arms around Renee's waist and drawing her close. I sized up the man before me, noting his thin frame, dark eyes, and brown hair trimmed short and spiked at one end. He was impeccably dressed, as was everyone else in the room, but something about him stood out. I suddenly became wary of him for no apparent reason. Perhaps it was the determined expression on his face and his straight stance. Or maybe it was how he held his head high, a cheeky grin on his face as he scrutinized me with undisguised attention. "And you are?" He asked, his attention drawn back to Renee as if anticipating an answer from her. He made no mistake concealing his feelings for her.I hated it. Hated the way he fucking looked at her, like a predator assessing its prey. It enraged me and made me want to strike him in the face and wipe that arrogant look off. But I restrained myself. I forced myself to remain calm, maintaining a neutral expression even as
Envy is the cowardly side of Hate, and all her ways are bleak and desolate. ~ Henry Abbey.~•~AMANDA I was listening to a crime podcast about a woman who committed suicide in her toilet with an acid bath. The only thing that kept her from dying on impact was a tiny piece of metal that had embedded itself into her skin, preventing the chemical from spreading — it sounded absurd that something as insignificant as a metallic piece could delay her death for a few seconds. But this was a crime story. That tidbit was probably fabricated to make the story more twisted and dramatic. The show was a popular one called Serial. I'd become accustomed to hearing the voices of detectives and crime fans debating unsolved murders. It was the type of show where one might listen to everything from common facts to conspiracy theories and deep evil secrets, ranging from drug overdoses to random acts of violence, such as serial killer cases and accidents. Each one appealed to my dark side and entertaine
RENEE The silk fabric covering my eyes was tight and uncomfortable, but the anticipation of where Robert was taking me made the discomfort bearable. The sensation kept me going, and my heart pounded as I followed him with a barely restrained thrill. He kept my body pressed against his, his arms possessively clutching my waist. Now and then, my lips would touch the back of his neck in a fleeting kiss — one that would have been more intimate if not for our current circumstances. Nevertheless, the aroma of piney forests and lush grasses confirmed my guess - we were on the cabin grounds.We'd left the art exhibit moments before, and in the limo, Robert pulled out a blindfold from his pocket and urged me to close my eyes. My brows furrowed in astonishment, and I'd wanted to object, but he didn't give me the chance. Instead, smiling, he’d kissed me sweetly on the forehead and said, “This is part of something special I've prepared for you tonight, baby girl. So obey me.” He finished. Bef
RENEEI had no idea where Robert was taking me tonight, and I didn't ask.He'd told me it was a surprise, and though I was used to him spoiling me, tonight felt different.Was it because this was our first date in months or because we had so much to celebrate? I couldn’t say.And so, when our vehicle stopped in front of a large, automated gate I instantly recognized from the first—and only—time he brought me here, I didn't try to hide my confusion."The hangar?!" I asked after we bypassed security, and the car crept forward to the main building.Robert got out, walking around to open my door. He held his arm out to help me down, but I ignored him and stepped out on my own."Are we flying out for this date?" I asked again as we approached the building, its massive entrance doors sliding open."Yes, we are, baby," he replied immediately, wrapping an arm around me from behind and guiding me through the doors.As we entered the hangar, which looked exactly as I remembered it, with its bri
ROBERT On the way home, my phone buzzed with a text. ‘All is set, sir,’ it read, followed by a wink emoji. ‘Congratulations in advance!’ The text was from Mark, who was to coordinate the surprise I’d planned for Renee tonight—the surprise marking the start of our new chapter. Smirking as I read the message, I quickly typed thanks, before sliding the phone into my breast pocket and taking a glance out the window. The car pulled into the driveway, and before the driver could get out to open my door, I was stepping out. The house staff warmly greeted me as I entered, and one informed me that Renee was in the backyard garden. Nodding gratefully, I made my way there. Sure enough, I spotted her. She stood near the daisies—her miracle flowers she called them. She once told me about a dream where she saw a whole field of daisies. And now she was determined to grow them everywhere in our garden. I smiled softly as I stood there, admiring and taking in every detail of her gorge
ROBERT I 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 Aman
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