ROBERT The woman staring at me from across the table was the polar opposite of the bubbly woman I'd fallen in love with as a teenager. She had a mischievous, almost frightening expression, which seemed out of place in the small, cozy, expensive restaurant. She couldn't have looked more ridiculous—at least to me—in a skintight dress that exposed too much of her skin and fake curves. She'd gone overboard with the dressing tonight, trying to impress me and up her game. But I didn't care. I never gave a damn.On the outside, she was beautiful in a plastic way. Her lips were smeared red with lipstick, and heavy makeup covered her face. But on the inside, she was sorely lacking. She appeared as a caricature of herself. A caricature I despised and loathed with every fiber of my being. Just a few years ago, I'd sworn to spend my life with this caricature who'd given birth to my son.But now?Now, we were strangers, staring at each other from across a table. Despite how warm the building
RENEE 'Please accept my apologies, Renee. I wasn't in the right frame of mind then, and...' As I thought of Dylan's apologies from last night, bubbles of laughter rose in my throat. I lay back and stared at the ceiling of my room dreamily. My eyes fluttered open and closed as I tried to stop thinking about Dylan and the rowdy conversation we'd had the day before, but I couldn't. His demeanor, audacity, and the way he casually guilt-tripped me with his story made me suspect he was up to no good. I never found out his true intentions though and dare say I felt a bit relieved. I didn’t want to know, or did I? Oh well. Again, I remembered the useless bouquet of roses he'd brought, and I couldn't keep the mocking giggle that escaped my lips. What the hell? Dylan thought he could apologize and bring me flowers, and everything would be alright. Why would he do that all of a sudden? He was so pitiful for someone who'd broken up with me without thinking twice. Just thinking about him ir
ROBERT “Please wait a moment, Mr. Bradley.” I stepped away from the estate manager, grabbing my vibrating phone from my pocket to answer the call. As I continued to walk away from the mansion’s busy corridor, the ringing became louder and I looked at the screen, where I saw Renee’s name flash across.Swiping the answer button while simultaneously pushing open a set of wooden doors, my eyes darted around and caught sight of the balcony.The sky outside was cloudless and a little dark because it was getting late, but the view was still lovely, and hearing Renee's voice would make it even better. “Robert?….” She sounded nervous and confused, making me worry for a split second.“Hello, baby girl. Are you okay?” “Why are you asking that? Of course, I am okay.” She replied, chuckling on the other end. The sound made me relax again.“You didn’t sound alright at first. Is there a problem? Talk to me….” I trailed off as I gently closed the door and walked to the large balcony, gripping t
RENEE “That was the plan, baby girl. The plan... the freaking plan...” I shivered as Robert's husky voice whispered in my ear, his breath fanning my skin. As he trailed kisses down my throat, the sharp stubble of his beard grazed the exposed skin at the side of my shoulders, and I let out a soft whimper. He didn't stop until he reached the crook of my neck, his mouth sucking hungrily at the flesh there and nibbling with his teeth. I felt shocks run through my body like little lightning bolts, making me visibly shudder. “Oh, God! Please, Robert.” I muttered, pushing gently with my shoulders. “For goodness' sake, I'm cooking...”“Good evening to you, too as well, baby girl.” He chuckled darkly, and before I could say anything else, Robert's right hand reached for the spoon I was holding. He turned me around, dropped the steel utensil on the kitchen countertop, and pushed me away from the cooking island. “Rob... Robert? What are you doing?” I asked, my eyes widening as I looked at
ROBERT Sunday arrived sooner than I’d hoped, bringing a tense atmosphere that I didn’t enjoy. Last night's scuffle between Renee and me had escalated quickly, as I should’ve expected. Even though I eventually calmed her down, the warm evening was filled with an awkward tension I didn't know how to handle. We'd watched movies, cuddled, and even had sex, but Renee remained distant. She wasn't herself at all. The bubbly, loving, and pestering woman I'd grown to adore had vanished, replaced by a quiet, moody, and withdrawn woman. She wasn't avoiding me per se, but she wasn't saying much either, and it was driving me insane. I didn’t like this attitude, and I wasn’t too fond of her silence either. 'But you were the one who started it. You brought this upon yourself.' As I sat on the bed, watching her dress, I couldn’t stop thinking about how to make it up to her.What could I do? What could fix this? 'You know what you should do, Robert. Stop overthinking and start talking to her
All it takes for people to go insane is one night alone with themselves and their greatest fear. “Hex” by Thomas Olde Heuvelt.~•~ HOTEL DE GRANDE, ORLANDO, FLORIDA.August 18th. 2***17:25pm. GMT-5. ~•~ AMANDA I had to do something, and it had to be soon. The sound of my stiletto heels kept striking the car’s floorboard, and it echoed alongside the eerily soothing music blasting from the vehicle’s speaker system. Ever since I’d driven into this hotel parking lot after getting Robert’s exact location by tracking his cell phone number, I’d known there was no turning back. The nagging feeling that I was about to discover a shocking revelation bored a hole in my mind, and sure enough, I’d gotten what I’d signed up for. “What the hell?” I murmured as I continued staring at Robert and the strawberry blonde-haired bimbo walking next to him. The woman he was fucking recently and spending extravagant amounts of money on, according to the information I got from my private informant.
RENEE“Are we there yet?” I asked impatiently as Robert continued leading me to wherever his hands covering my eyes. We'd been walking for nearly a half hour since he'd pulled over by the side of the road, and I had no idea where we were or where he was taking me.Because his nose nuzzled the soft strands of my hair, his words were muffled, but I heard him say, “Yes, we are.”“Then let me see.” “Sure.” He muttered, kissing my right cheek chastely before removing his hands from my face, and I softly gasped. My vision was distorted and hazy at first, so adjusting took some time, but it soon cleared. “Woah, Robert!” I exclaimed as I stared at the magnificent building in front of me. It was a mansion—a huge structure—the kind where wealthy people lived with their families over generations. My eyes widened even more. The view was breathtaking, and the mansion stood proud, its massive façade reflecting the evening sky above. The dawning sunset painted the sky with orange and purple hu
RENEE “Fuck. Renee. You’ll. Be. The. Death. Of. Me!” As he thrust deeper into my pussy, Robert growled, his eyes screwed shut in ecstasy. He had my legs wrapped around his waist as he fucked me hard against the tiled wall of one of the mansion's bathrooms. We'd just finished a quick tour of the large house some minutes ago, and after excusing ourselves from Mr. Bradley, the realtor, Robert dragged me into one of the rooms and proceeded to have his way with me. “Oh, Renee!” He cried out again, this time with his eyes open, as he continued to plunge his dick inside of me mercilessly. “Yes, Daddy!” I moaned loudly, my nails digging into his back as he stretched my walls, going in and out and repeating the movement that had my legs shaking fervently.“I'm going to fucking come!” Robert growled, his right hand cupping one of my freed breasts, and he started pumping faster and harder, his pace quickening. “Yes, Daddy!” “Fucking pussy. Fucking mine!” Robert yelled hoarsely, his voice
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