AMANDA I lay still on the dirt, staring dumbly ahead. The throbbing in my shoulder continued, and waves of hot, searing agony shot through my entire left arm. What the hell did they shoot or zap me with? “Hands on your head!” The voice ordered, and footsteps approached me rapidly. “Now!” Someone reached out and grabbed the lapel of my coat, yanking me to my feet. Cool metallic handcuffs wrapped over my wrist in seconds, and I let out another pained moan. “Amanda Clarke, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.” “Let…let me go,” I croaked, shaking my head weakly and attempting to free my wrists, only to realize that the cuffs wouldn't budge no matter how hard I tugged. “And don't touch me!” I yelled at the officers dragging me along. “Leave me alone. I can walk.” They ignored me and dragged me further down the street. “We have her,” I heard one of them whisper into his radio. “Sure thing, Mr. Clarke.” Mr. Clarke? Well, of course. “Bastard.” I hissed and looked ahead for the first time since I was caught. In the distance, police vans were parked, red lights flashing brightly over their windshields, and the sounds of sirens rang in the usually busy street. Also a crowd had formed as expected, and all eyes were on me. There was also an ambulance, but that wasn’t what got my complete attention. The black Jeep pulling up next to it did. The doors opened quickly, and two people walked out. One of them was my ex-husband. Robert. He looked… furious. And there was no mistaking the hate on his face as he stormed toward me. When he got closer, his face changed from hatred to disgust to something else entirely. “Jesus Christ, Amanda!” He spat, stopping right in front of me. His cold eyes met mine. Anger and hurt flickering in their depths. “You really are a piece of shit, aren't you?”I didn’t answer, did not dare to speak. I merely returned his glare, refusing to look away as I continued to fight against the officers still holding me. “Will you just give up already? Stop this crazy act. There’s nothing you can do anymore. You’ve been caught!” Rage laced his voice as he spoke. There was the slightest hint of sadness, too…or was it pity? I ground my teeth. “Why?” He asked. My head straightened in surprise. “Excuse me?” His blue, piercing eyes flashed dangerously as he repeated the question. “Why? Why did you do these things? Why did you kill an innocent man? Why—" “Darren was never innocent,” I cut in bluntly with a sneer. “He was a foolish boy who couldn't complete a simple task.” My gaze narrowed, and I hissed loudly. “What's there to drug a bitch and kill her off immediately?” I watched as blood drained from Robert's face, and his eyes widened in shock. Then horror. I smirked. “Just one task. One simple fucking task, and he blew it to the nines! He fucking failed me, the idiot.” A mocking laugh left my lips as a memory came to me. “But at least I taught him a lesson. I cornered him by the alleyway after you…” I tilted my chin at him, the image of Darren lying unconscious on the rough cobblestones flashing across my mind. “After you beat him up for touching your whore. I cornered and gutted him. He bled out while pleading for mercy. But I don’t show mercy.” I laughed hysterically. “My God, it was satisfying. Watching him die was so satisfying that I don't regret it. Not one bit.” “God.” Robert gasped and stepped back, clearly shaken as a dark shadow passed over his features. I continued with a devilish grin. “You see, my sweetheart, all the things I did, I’ll do them again. You want to know why?” I didn’t wait for him to answer. “Because they were part of my goal.” "Even framing me for murder?” He asked hoarsely. I shrugged. “Well, that was to teach you a lesson. After you got back together with your…whore…” His jaw tightened at the derogatory word, and I snickered. It always made me chuckle when I called his little toy that. “I decided then that you should suffer a little since you weren't getting the memo.” “A little? Amanda, you framed me for murder! MURDER! If I’d gone to court, I would’ve gotten a life sentence or worse, the death penalty, and you call that little?” The reminder of the doom that awaited me now that I’d been apprehended sent a chill down my spine. The death penalty. Or a lengthy sentence. I'll spend years holed up in a cell and... No... I shook the thoughts out of my head and forced myself to focus on Robert.“Okay, I’ll admit it’s not little, but you deserved it. And, if I couldn't have you, she couldn't either. The frame-up was a win-win for me in either way.” “You’re sick in the head,” Robert muttered slowly. “Fucking sick.” “Sick? In the head? Only because I tried to bring us back together? To reunite our family? To—” “Yes!” He cut me off. “You're so sick and demented and delusional to think we could ever get back together, that we could be a family again. Let alone a happy one.” His nostrils flared. “Damn it, Amanda! I've been done with you for years! For years. Should I count? Twenty-one, two, three…twenty-four good years. And in all this time, I’ve filed restraining order after order against you. Still, you refuse to let me be. Why? Why do you continue to be a thorn in my flesh, Amanda?” I scoffed. “We made a vow, my love. Until death do us part, we said. And I intend to honor that.” “Ugh… you disgust me.” His icy stare pierced my soul. “You are a fucking psycho, Amanda. I can't believe we were ever married.” Internally, I flinched. “Love, darling.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Love makes us do things without thinking. You called me a psycho, and what if I am? What if I am a psycho-lover girl? Huh? I am a psycho for you. A crazed woman solely for you. Can't you see it?” Robert didn’t respond for a hearty minute. Then he sighed, looked away, and back at me again before speaking. “This is your end, Amanda.” His jaw clenched as he continued to talk. “You've committed too many crimes, and you just admitted to another one. You have a very slim chance of coming out of this innocent.” Despite the fear running through me, I hissed and puffed my face as if daring him to do his worst. I even tried taking a step forward, but the officers held me back. “What's with this disguise, anyway? That is just another crime, do you know that? You had an arrest warrant, and you thought donning a mask, forging a passport, and fleeing the country would get you off the hook? Really?” He scoffed. “Oh Amanda, how foolish of you.” "Foolish? You think I’m foolish?" I retorted hotly. “Wait till you see what else I have in store for you.” Robert shook his head sadly. “See what I mean? You’re pathetic. Completely pathetic.” He chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling with rage still. “You won’t win, Amanda. Hell, you've already lost. There are cuffs on your wrists and a well-prepared case against you. It's over.” Was it?“Oh, dear ex-husband of mine, it's not over yet.” My lips formed a cruel smile. “It never ends, Robert. Not with me. You may have caught me now, but if you knew me well, you should know that this cannot be the end of my…of our story.” “Oh, come on,” Robert mocked, raising his hands in the air. I smirked. “I’m mad, yes. A fool for love? I wholeheartedly agree with that phrase. I’m even a psychopath, and oh, how I love that word. But if there’s one thing you’ve forgotten about me, it is that I’m smart.” His eyebrows rose slightly. “I’m incredibly smart. That’s why I could cheat on you right under your nose.” I tilted my chin again at him. “Do you think Tom was the only one I slept with back then? Surely, you don’t think I was wholly faithful to you.” Robert let out a deep growl. He looked at the police officers and opened his mouth as if to say something, but I beat him to it. “Blame it on the pregnancy hormones, but yes, I was unfaithful. You were always busy with work, and I just couldn’t… no, let me not go into details. There isn't time for that, and you could do without the humiliation.” I shrugged. “Now, you see, I’ve outsmarted you tonight.” His jaw stiffened. “That party of yours? I knew you threw it to lure me out. You wanted me to show up and make a fuss since all my plans were botched…” I scoffed. “Hm, stupid, stupid bait. Well, guess what? I did show up. Not in person, of course – I’m not that foolish, but right now, I’m there.” “What the fuck are you on about? Why am I still even listening to you?” “You'll listen. You have to. Or else it won't make sense.” I chuckled bitterly. “I can’t wait. I can't wait to see your expression when you hear it. And I can't wait to see the end of that bitch… Oh, I can't wait…” “Stop talking.” “I can’t, darling. I—” “Take her away,” He yelled aggressively at the officers. "Get her out…” his voice broke as his cell phone rang. He swiftly removed the device from his pocket and tapped the answer button. I watched as his body tensed, and his demeanor changed instantly. His brow furrowed in confusion. His lips parted as his eyes widened, disbelief etched across his features.“No…no…” His hand began shaking uncontrollably as he murmured. “No…” Suddenly, the phone slid out of his hand and landed on the ground with an audible thud, drawing everyone's attention. He slowly turned his gaze to me. “What did you do?” His lips trembled as he spoke, staring directly at me as realization dawned on him. I grinned… an evil, cruel, victorious grin that screamed of the power I had over him. And by God, did I have it. He was only now understanding the meaning of my taunts. I'm sure he just learned about the poisoning. Kent must have done an excellent job, as always. The wicked grin on my lips stretched even more. I watched Robert's entire body shake, from his lips to his hands and feet. Seeing him shake and shudder simultaneously, with tears welling in his eyes, was almost hilarious. Strangely, the sight made me feel better, so much better. “I told you…. I never finished with you, Robbie," I said slowly, enunciating the next words. “This… Us… it wasn’t over. You ruined my happy ending, so it's only fair that I do the same to you.” “What the hell did you do? What have you done to Renee?” He lurched forward, his movements shaky, and lunged at me as if to strike. “Answer me!” Someone grabbed him by his wrist before he could get me. It was the man who’d come with him from the Jeep. “Stop, Robert!” The man yanked hard on Robert's arms, attempting to stop him from moving further. “You don’t want to do this, man.” “But I do want to!” Robert roared in protest. He struggled violently in the man's grip. “I’m going to kill her. I swear, if anything happens to Renee… if anything happens, I’ll skin her alive. I’ll kill—” “Stop this, man. Come on.” But he ignored the man's plea. “LET ME GO!” He yelled, still fighting to be free. Another officer quickly joined in roughly restraining him and eventually they managed to drag him away. My gaze stayed fixed on Robert's form as he was led away. He continued to shout and struggle, repeating my name and cursing the day he met me. The last thing I saw before he was hauled into his car was his angry red glare burning into my flesh before the doors closed, blocking my view.“Move!” The officers holding me commanded. Before I could take a step, though, they were already dragging me toward one of the waiting police vans. With little effort, they pushed me inside, and the door slammed shut in my face. Slumping back against the seat and sighing, I closed my eyes as the day's events caught up with me. I’d done it. I’d fucking done it! I may have failed in my plan to leave the country, but I’d surely accomplished my goal of ruining Robert. Thanks to my clever ruse - my fail-safe plan - that bitch was going to die. A slow, excruciating, torturous death. I stared out the window of the speeding vehicle, murmuring two words to myself over and over. “I won…I won.” I’d succeeded in separating Robert and Renee for good this time. And I’d be damned if I didn’t enjoy every second of this… even in the prison cell awaiting me…