Chapter 5: The dangerous queen

Penelope Kings strolled into the grand mansion like it was a runway, her heels clicking with confidence against the marble floor. The staff — guards, maids, and attendants — bowed deeply as she passed, reverence in their eyes. To them, she was a goddess draped in power and beauty — a modern-day Aphrodite.

She paused at the top of the stairs, entered a security code with well-manicured fingers, and walked into the master bedroom. She slipped off her Versace cashmere coat, letting it fall like a whisper onto the velvet chaise.

“Guess what, Williams!” she chirped, her voice unnervingly cheerful as she turned to her husband.

He lay sprawled across the king-sized bed, lifeless except for the faint movement of his chest. His eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, trapped in a body that could no longer serve him.

“Well, of course you can't guess,” she continued with a cruel giggle. “Your brain is as dead as your limbs.”

She sat on the edge of the bed, unfastening her jewelry piece by piece with deliberate grace. Her tone softened, almost sentimental.

“I saw the love of my life today, you know. After so many years...” Her eyes glistened, but not with sorrow. “Back in his arms, where I truly belong.”

She studied Williams’ aged, wrinkled face for a moment. His eyes twitched slightly, as though her words rattled something deep within.

“Oh, don’t get your weak heart too excited,” she mocked. “Everything is falling right into place. You thought you'd keep me forever? Silly man. I was playing the long game. Now that you're nothing but skin and bones waiting for the final curtain call, I get to live.”

She rubbed her stomach, her lips curling into a devious smile. “Soon, I'll bear Andy's children and enjoy your wealth with my new family. How poetic, isn't it?” Her laughter rang out, high and cold, echoing against the walls.

“Interesting. Fulfilling,” she whispered, answering herself.

Gliding to the in-room bar, she poured herself a glass of wine, swirling it gently before taking a slow sip.

“Oh, and by the way,” she added with a sly grin, “I’ve transferred seventy percent of your assets to my name. Quite the clever fox, aren’t I?”

She strutted back to the bed, planted a cold, calculated kiss on his forehead, and whispered, “Just die quickly, alright?”

Her steps were as lethal as her heart — elegant, yet filled with poison.

Penelope, the dangerous queen. Once upon a time, she was just a simple girl with a big dream, growing up in the bustling streets of San Francisco. Her family wasn't rich, but they were comfortable — just another middle-class household trying to make it.

She had loved Andy, her college sweetheart. They were inseparable, happy in their little world of shared dreams. Then Williams Kings came along — a powerful fifty-year-old congressman captivated by her beauty. He pursued her with a dogged determination, sparing no effort or expense.

Her family was dazzled by his wealth. Her mother wept when she initially refused his proposal. Her father begged. Her siblings guilted her, throwing accusations like stones. In the end, Penelope caved. She sacrificed love for luxury, broke up with Andy, and married Williams in a grand ceremony that lit up the news.

“The Congressman Marries a Girl Young Enough to Be His Daughter,” the headlines screamed.

Williams didn't care about the whispers. He adored Penelope. Loved her deeply, perhaps too deeply. But love isn't always enough.

Penelope, though pampered, was never truly happy. She wanted the riches, not the ring. So, she made a plan — a deadly one.

For seven years, she avoided pregnancy like a plague. Morning-after pills became her religion. She secretly had an IUD implanted. Williams never knew. While he worried about their "infertility," she rejoiced in silence.

Eventually, he stopped caring. He already had grown children. All he wanted was Penelope beside him.

---

Now back in the room, Penelope appeared in a seductive nightie, holding a silver tray with a steaming cup of tea. She set it down beside Williams.

She lifted his head with mock tenderness. “You like what you see, darling?”

His eyes met hers — soulless eyes that once sparkled with youth and laughter.

“Here,” she murmured, bringing the cup to his lips. It was the same tea she had used to slowly poison him over the years. The same tea that had stolen his mobility, his voice, his power.

He turned his head weakly, resisting.

“Come now, don’t be difficult,” she whispered, forcing the tea into his mouth. “You used to love moringa tea, remember?”

He gagged slightly but swallowed.

“Good boy,” she purred, standing upright. Her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “I just can't wait for you to die, old man.”

---

Anna sat behind the wheel of her car, hands trembling. She had just dropped her son, Adrian, at preschool.

“Be a good boy,” she had said, kissing his cheek with a forced smile.

As she drove back home, her thoughts swirled like a storm. The house felt like a prison, and the man who once promised her forever had become a stranger. Her chest tightened with every breath.

She parked in front of the gate but didn’t get out. Her heart was in knots.

'How did we get here?' she wondered. Once, she had counted down minutes just to see Andy. Now, she dreaded the sound of his voice.

She grabbed her phone and dialed her best friend , Vivian.

“Hey bestie!” Vivian answered with her usual cheer. Her voice was a balm to Anna’s breaking heart. "How're you doing?

Anna didn’t pretend. “I’m not fine, Viv,” she choked.

“Oh my God, what happened?”

Tears flowed as Anna poured out everything — the party, the humiliation, Andy's emotional coldness.

Vivian listened in stunned silence. “That man has no right to treat you like that. I never liked him from the start.”

“Language,” Anna muttered, defending him even through her pain.

“Sorry,” Vivian sighed. “But you don’t have to stay in a place where you feel so small.”

“It might just be my imagination,” Anna said. “I can’t give up on my marriage over suspicion.”

“Anna,” Vivian said softly, “The truth is already staring at you. How long will you keep your eyes closed?”

Anna was quiet. Her heart was torn, but she still hoped.

“I want to fix things,” she whispered. “If there’s even a little chance, I have to try.”

Vivian knew better than to argue. Love, after all, made people blind.

“Can you recommend a good gym for me?” Anna asked suddenly.

“Gym?” Vivian blinked. “Where’s that coming from?”

“I want to work on myself,” Anna replied, a spark of determination flickering in her voice.

Vivian smiled. “There’s a great one not far from your estate. I’ll register you myself.”

“Really? Thank you, bestie,” Anna said, a faint smile touching her lips.

"I got you sweetie", Vivian said with a soft smile .