Stronger than lover’s love is lover’s hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make. — Euripides~•~AMANDA Time was speedily running by, yet Robert and his date were nowhere to be seen.What the hell was keeping them? I gripped my wine glass so tightly it almost shattered.They were supposed to arrive an hour ago, according to my watch. The masked ball had begun already. The evening had been busy, with wealthy socialites milling about, talking, and dining while most of the activities set aside for the ball had taken place. Charity donations and auctions which were the party’s main event had finished. Most people in attendance were making their way to the exits. Yet still, the man of the show—or my show—was nowhere to be found. So, where in the world were they? Had they decided to bail out? Had they decided not to attend the ball anymore? I shook my head, attempting to clear my mind of the thoughts and questions brewing. They couldn't bail. They just couldn’t. If there’s one th
RENEE I followed the waitress out of the hall and to the back of the magnificent building. The restroom was oddly located at the back of the building. Whoever designed this building had something up their sleeves. The idea amused me when we finally reached our destination.Murmuring my thanks, the young lady took her to leave, and I pushed the large door open to reveal an empty restroom.It was deserted. Well, lucky me! I mused, a small smile on my lips. I was feeling pressed, as I'd told Robert earlier. I needed privacy and time to myself after what’s happened since we'd arrived at the masquerade. On the outside, I'd acted fine and composed all night, but deep down, I was shaking with nerves. I expected this. I'd even prepared myself for whatever might happen tonight, but it didn't stop me from feeling completely overwhelmed, helpless, and tongue-tied. It’d been difficult not to panic with every camera click taking photos of Robert and me and the never-ending stream of questions
RENEE My heart broke like bricks tumbling down a wall. It shattered into pieces like an ice cube in the middle of December’s snow, and I couldn't string it back together. My soul had taken a back seat in my body, and my entire existence was now dependent on my legs moving, but I remained stiff. The pain grew stronger and sharper with each word this woman said. It was like a punch to my guts. It felt like someone was squeezing my heart until it was as hollow as the pit of my stomach. There was nothing left inside. And maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if I'd had something to hold onto, but now, I could only stare blankly at the wall behind her.Everything in my line of sight was jumbled and the words 'Mrs. Amanda Clarke' kept echoing in my head over and over. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't block it out, and it hurt so damn much. The things she was saying. The way she laughed as she spewed out the trash made me want to scream, but I couldn’t. "I believe I've gotten you e
ROBERT *A FEW MINUTES EARLIER*"Please give me a minute, Mr. and Mrs. Charles. I need to check on someone." I spoke to the elderly couple before me, and my gaze was drawn to the Rolex on my wrist. "Certainly, Mr. Clarke. We'll be patient. The party is still going on, and we're not going anywhere." Mr. Charles smiled at me, then returned his attention to his wife and whispered in her ear. They moved toward the crowded dance floor, where several elites and socialites had gathered, sipping their cocktails and mingling. With a sigh, I glanced at my wristwatch for the umpteenth time and then back at the hall's entrance door, where Renee had vanished. Not just a few seconds ago, but nearly a half-hour, and I was becoming increasingly concerned about her whereabouts with each tick of my watch. She should’ve returned by now. It was unusual for her to spend so much time in the restroom, and as time passed, worry ate at my stomach like acid. Renee was never late. She was always on time a
RENEE “What a beautiful elite family reunion. Isn’t this lovely?” As she spoke, her words dripped with phoniness and venom. My heartbeat quickened as I watched her saunter casually toward where Robert and I were standing, whistling and clapping her hands maniacally, keeping the attention on her. My stomach churned with shock and anger, but I couldn't talk or move a muscle. I was stuck, frozen to the spot in Robert's arms, afraid to blink lest she noticed my fear. But I did blink. My tear-stained lashes fluttered as I looked at Robert, our gazes briefly meeting before he turned away. His grip on my shoulders tightened painfully. That expression on his face. He looked like someone forced to endure a painful and awkward situation—like a student caught doing something wrong and desperately wanting to flee. His lips were drawn into a thin line that showed no emotion. His eyes were lifeless, and his face had turned deathly pale. Terrified. He was terrified, I realized, and by God, ho
ROBERT Regret! That word lingered in my mind, biting at me until I was too sick and tired to think of anything else. It was eroding the edges of my sanity, making it difficult for me to breathe properly or think clearly. I felt a deep sadness as I watched Renee's silhouette fade into the darkness. That's when I realized how much of a jerk I'd been. She had vanished. My woman was gone, and the worst part was that I couldn't chase after her like I used to. Instead, I’d told one of the nearby security guards to follow her and ensure she got home safely. I would keep an eye out for her. After a while, perhaps days, I'd get through to her and... 'And then what?' My mind screamed at me. Despite my best efforts at being strong, tears prickled behind my eyelids. Back in the hall, I’d seen the pain swimming in her eyes and the look of utter disbelief, fear, and disgust as she saw me for who I truly was.She had every right to flee—to turn around and run away from me as fast as she coul
Forewarned, forearmed— to be prepared is half the victory. ~Miguel de Cervantes.~•~AMANDA Victory! This one word rang out in my head like a triumphant yell. I let the adrenaline wash over me like an orgasmic wave as I stared out the car window, watching the buildings flash by. The cool breeze whipped through my hair, and I could almost taste freedom in the air, but there was also something bittersweet about it, an intangible longing that made my heart ache. That sense of power—of finally accomplishing what I’d been planning for days, if not months—was gone, replaced by an unsettling sense of regret and... ‘Regret? 'What in the world was I thinking?' I pondered sharply, shaking my head slightly and smiling broadly. I closed my eyes briefly as I let the sense of victory wash over me again, replaying the previous hours’ events in my mind. Robert and Renee. The paparazzi and commotion I initiated. The press, the cameras, and the gossip. Damn! I’d done well. And to think I was o
RENEE Monday came too fast, as usual. Watery eyes fluttering open, I looked at the clock by my bedside with a frown as the numbers blurred together. It was seven in the morning. I should be getting ready for my morning shift at work. I told myself this but couldn't drag myself out of bed. I felt trapped, strewn atop the soft mattress, with swollen eyes and aching bones. It wasn't just the lack of sleep—my nights had been spent crying my eyes out—or the fatigue. No. It was much more. The fortified walls built within me were no longer there. The barriers between me and the emotions that flooded my heart were long gone. And now, since the night of the masked ball, the floodgates of guilt, anger, shame, and repulsion. These emotions spilled forth when I thought of him. Whenever I saw his name light up my phone screen as he barraged me with never-ending streams of messages. Or heard, “Please call me!” coming from my voicemail after I refused to pick up.Gosh! How could I have been