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
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
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
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 gorgeous pregnant
RENEE‘Yes, Dylan, fuck me harder.’‘You like it when I fuck you hard?’ ‘Oh yesssss… Oh yesssss Dylan…’I shut my eyes tightly, a whimper escaping my lips as I tried to block the taunting memories in my head.The memory was clear as day. Even as I closed my eyes now, I was hit with the illicit image of Dylan, my longtime boyfriend of four years, cheating on me with a blonde-haired bimbo in our bed. I’d found him fucking her on the bed we shared for years in our joint apartment. When I arrived home, the first thing I saw when I stepped into the building were clothes flung haphazardly, strewn around in the living room.Following the trail, picking up the bra and panties I’d seen on the way, I kept trying to tell myself that my worst nightmare was not about to happen. But then I heard screams and pleasure-filled echoes coming from my room, and I froze.Our room… Instantly, the steady pounding of my heartbeat increased, my chest tightening as a tear found its way down my cheek.Soft
RENEE “Apply the sunscreen all over your body. Don’t leave a part dry. We’re staying at the beach all through the afternoon, and we won’t be back till….” I rolled my eyes, my hands clumsily massaging my skin while I tried to obey my best friend’s orders. Finally, we were in Miami, ready to enjoy ourselves. With Nicole’s persistence and support, I was able to muster my courage and go back to the apartment I shared with my cheating ex-boyfriend to get my stuff. Luckily, he was not at home when I went there, and so I just left him a goodbye note.I didn’t care about the money or refund he owed me since I wasn’t staying all through the rental period and the groceries we’d bought together, I left it all for him. I was turning over a new leaf, just like Nicole suggested, and I was intent on seeing it through. Also, I’d cut all ties with him by erasing his information from my phone and blocking him on all my social media accounts. I knew I had to move on with my life, and slowly I was
RENEEWhat an egotistical prick! This statement left my lips the second he said those words. The thought enveloped me as his deep blue eyes entrapped me while I stared at him unabashedly. ‘I seemed pretty enraptured. Was there anything I’d like to say to him?’ I twisted his questions and thought to myself, was there anything I’d like to say to him? There was so much I’d like to mumble, maybe up close in his ears, my breasts brushing his chest, and my hands grazing the stubble on his chin. He quirked his brows as I took a small step back, embarrassed at being caught staring. I shook my head, trying to discard the illicit thoughts in my head. He placed his right elbow on the nearby counter, a clear indication that he wasn’t leaving anytime soon and that he intended to talk to me. His lips were still stretched in that sneaky smirk that did things to my insides, and I swallowed heavily. Damnit! I couldn’t stop looking at him.When I couldn’t look away, I realized this was the first m
ROBERT “Gently, gently…” I whispered as I held Renee’s hands tightly, brushing her skin now and then as we walked to my hotel suite. It was like a dream. The woman I’d fantasized about last night was in my arms, and every now and then, I kept shooting her a glance, wanting to know if she was real. I’d seen her at the beach party last night when I held a meeting with my business partners. The moment she’d stepped into my line of sight, the wheels in my head had began to turn. For the first time in years, I’d felt an insanely possessive urge to dominate a woman and I vowed within myself that I’d have her before leaving this damned city. Wherever I had to go to find her, whatever length I had to make, I’d do it. As long as it got that strawberry-blonde beauty underneath me. She’d been wearing large tops and long-fitted jeans, but still, I could see her every curve. The red cotton material hung over her large breasts, and even though she was duly covered, I could see the lines of he
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 gorgeous pregnant
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
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