1: Locked Out

“We’re sorry ma’am but you’re not allowed to go into the party.” The security guards eyed me curiously and sympathetically but their strong stance didn’t shake.

I didn’t think I heard right. I’ve just been denied access into a party hosted to celebrate the anniversary of my husband’s and I joint company.

“Are you aware of who you’ve just denied access to?! The part owner of this company! You might lose your job for this insult!” I breathed out, shifting uncomfortably because the people gathered outside were already staring.

“We’re sorry, ma’am. We were given strict orders to keep you out.” They responded again and I bristled.

“By whom?! Wait till my husband hears of this ridiculous–” I was still speaking when the security guard responded.

“The order was from your husband, ma’am.”

As soon as his response sank into my head, my mind began to spin while I struggled to make sense of what I had just heard. Tonight is the fifth anniversary of the company my husband and I co owned, and we’re supposed to be celebrating together at the party… So why would he give this ridiculous order?

Anger shrugged through my veins and My hands shook as I walked to the side and whipped out my phone to dial my husband’s number. He didn’t pick up till the fifth ring.

“Can you explain why you ordered security to not let me into my own party?” I gritted angrily into the phone.

More people were starting to openly stare at me at this point.

Some were even pointing at me while clearly gossiping.

Since my life drastically changed three years ago, I’ve become a laughing stock, so the onlookers’ reaction wasn't shocking as it was already a norm, but I wished I was already used to it, because I wasn’t.

“Correction, Carla, it’s my party. And I gave that order because I didn’t want your presence to ruin the party for me and my family. You know ever since you returned from prison, your reputation has been completely damaged. Having you at this party tonight would just bring ridicule and embarrassment to me tonight and that’s something I’m avoiding.”

As my husband spoke, I couldn’t believe my ears. The anger within me tripled. I was beyond furious and angry. Ever since I returned back from prison, my husband has completely changed. And it was making me so furious, because I went to prison instead of him, to protect him.

My reputation has indeed been ruined after I got imprisoned.

All my family members and friends deserted me, having been too humiliated to still be associated with me. Shortly after we began to run a joint company, My husband, Dave, stole government money and invested it into the company, then it massively boomed and we became big shots in the country.

He told me he did it for the benefit of us, to give us a brighter future. I didn’t agree with his crime, but I was moved by his reason: he only wanted a better life for the two of us. So when he asked me to take the fall for him, I agreed. I was so in love with Dave that I wholeheartedly trusted him. In jail, after everyone abandoned me, my husband rarely visited.

Whenever I complained, he claimed it was because he was too busy running our company.

But after I was released, I realized that I had been nothing but a fool. My husband, whom I readily went to prison for, didn’t love me anymore. He claims to still do, but it’s so obvious in his actions that he doesn’t— and tonight is another proof.

“You can’t be serious. Order the security to let me through!” I seethed through the phone but Dave only snorted before responding.

“Go home, Carla.”

He was dismissing me, and that hurt even more. Since I got released from prison, people don’t take me seriously anymore, and my husband is a part of them.

“I’ll do no such thing. The company is mine as well and I deserve to attend too!” I bit out, feeling extremely furious.

“The company is technically mine, Carla, so stop yapping. All the funds in it are mine, remember?” He sounded irritated at this point.

“After I agreed to go to prison for you, you agreed to give me fifty percent shares. We even signed a contract!” I reminded him.

“Well, I lied. That contract is useless. Now, go home before paparazzi take photos of you outside the party, I don’t want your name being linked to mine at all tonight.” He snapped and I bristled harder.

Before I could respond, I heard a familiar female voice in the background. “Is that Clara?”

Anger churned within me. That was Serena, my ex-best friend.

“Yes, she’s whining as expected.” Dave responded before kissing sounds filled my ear.

“She’s such a loser and she’ll really get it tonight.” Serena bit out right before the call abruptly ended.

I remained rooted in the same spot, while regret swam through my veins and lodged itself in my throat. Intense regret and the wish to turn back time. If I had known all of this would happen, then I wouldn’t have agreed to go to prison for Dave two years ago.

After I got released from prison a few months ago, I expected Dave to start going everywhere with me, to start attending functions and parties with me so that my reputation would gradually start getting repaired and the elites would gradually accept me into their circle again. But two days after my release, Dave told me he couldn’t afford to be seen publicly with me for his reputation sake.

He went ahead to ask that we open our marriage because he needed someone permanent that he’d be taking along to functions and parties in my stead… and that person turned out to be Serena. After I checked the internet, I saw pictures of him and Serena, my ex-best friend, all over the internet in the two years I spent in jail. I called him out, accused him of cheating on me and using my reputation as an excuse to officially open our marriage. He got angry and beat me up, then he told me it was only logical that he bed someone in my absence since he couldn’t stay celibate for two years. He also insisted that there was nothing else between him and Serena aside from her warming his bed and accompanying him to outings.

Of course, I called him out on his bullshit, but he shocked me further by informing me I could request for a divorce if I wanted. I had been so gobsmacked that I threatened to reveal the truth of my arrest to the public, hoping that would make him return to his senses. But he only laughed in my face, told me to try my worst because it would be pointless since he had completely wiped away all traces of his crimes.

I was so hurt. That had convinced me that he had zero love for me left, and that was when I realized that I made a mistake two years ago and had been so stupid to have done that.

But because I had nothing after my release: I had no family, no friends, no name, Dave was the only one I had left- even if he didn’t love me anymore. I told myself I could learn to live with that. So, I decided to still stay instead of filing for a divorce.

But now I was realizing that I should have filed for divorce months back because this wasn’t living, this was suffering and humiliation and I just couldn’t take it anymore. I’ve had enough. Screw Dave and the company, he could have it all. He could even get married to Serena, I didn’t care anymore.

Rage and regret churned in my stomach as I turned around and began to head towards my car. Rage because I went through so much for Dave to be repaid like this. And regret because I stupidly wasted two years of my life and traded my spotless reputation for him.

Onlookers gossiped harder as I got to my car, they were clearly wondering why I was leaving the party without entering. Some clearly already assumed it was because of Serena, since Dave publicly revealed that our marriage was open months ago, further humiliating me.

As I opened my car door and was about to slide in, the sound of a gun clicking behind me made me stiffened as confusion crashed over me.

“Hands in the air, Mrs Meadows, you’re under arrest for the laundering of the sum of…”

The rest of the words got tuned out as my ears began to ring. I struggled as I was roughly cuffed and yanked into the police vehicle while onlookers quickly began to film. I tried explaining to the cops that this was clearly a mistake and that I didn’t do a thing, but they didn’t listen to me.

—-

I was placed in the waiting cell till morning and that was when my husband finally arrived. Apparently, I was arrested this time for another money theft and I knew without doubt that it was my husband’s crime.

“You bastard, why am I being accused? I know this is your handiwork! News flash, this time, I’m not going to jail for you. I’m no longer stupid, okay?” I bit out angrily through the cell I was in but Dave only laughed before leaning forward.

“But who’d believe you? Nobody.” He crackled while I stiffened. “And let’s not forget that you’ve once been imprisoned for this same crime. Trust me, everyone would believe you’re guilty again.”

I shook the cell bars as I screamed at him. “Get me out of here this instant! You fucking fraud!”

He rolled his eyes and sighed. “To be honest, Carla, it was really stupid of you to have gone to prison for me. But sadly, you’ll have to spend two more years again in jail because no one is definitely gonna bail you out. And I’ll be returning in a few days with divorce papers, because I’m getting married to Serena soon.”

As my husband spoke and spoke, I kept seeing how stupid I was this whole time, stupid and in love with a heartless monster that promised me the world before we got married right after college. We were together for three years before my arrest, and now it is five years of us being married. But clearly none of the moments we shared ever meant anything to Dave.

In this situation, I was the only one who lost, because I was stupid and dumb. I have no one to blame but myself.

And as I watched him leave after promising to send me invites to his upcoming wedding even though I wouldn’t be able to make it from behind the cell, all I felt within me was regret stamped over my broken heart in bleeding red, a constant reminder of my stupidness.