A Kiss With Death

I want a divorce. The harsh sound of Matthew’s documents slamming onto the dining table made my heart race.

I flinched at the loud noise, feeling my stomach twist as he shoved the divorce agreement in front of me, the letters burning into my skin with their cold finality.

It was supposed to be our fifth wedding anniversary and I had envisioned an evening filled with love and celebration, but instead, my husband had just slapped me with the very thing I feared the most.

“Why, Matthew?” I managed to choke out. My voice wavered. “Why?”

He didn’t even look at me as he spoke, his voice as cold as ice. “Because I’ve never loved you,” he replied. “This marriage has always been a contract.

And now that the term is over, I want you gone from my life he sneered.”

His sneer made my stomach churn and the dismissive tone in his voice cutting deeper than any physical wound.

It was as though he had reduced our entire relationship to a mere business transaction which exactly wasn’t far from the truth.

I blinked, feeling dazed, my hands trembling. I had loved this man for ten years. We had been married for five of those, but despite my unwavering devotion, it hadn’t been enough to melt the ice in his heart.

Tonight, I had planned a surprise dinner and I had hoped to tell him I was pregnant, thinking it might bring us closer.

But instead, I was here facing the end of everything I had worked so hard for.

“Matthew, please,” I pleaded, my voice barely a whisper. “Give me a chance. I’ll become the perfect wife. I won’t demand anything. Just don’t leave me. Please.”

I reached for his face, but he shoved me away with a force that sent me stumbling backward.

I grabbed the edge of the dining table to steady myself, my breath catching in my throat.

“You make me sick when you beg,” Matthew snapped, his eyes flashing with disgust. “Weren’t you once the proud daughter of the Henderson’s? Look at you now being so pathetic.

His words pierced me, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

I had taken care of him, supported his career, and helped him sign several important projects.

Even though he had always been cold to me, I kept on loving him thinking that one day, my love would break through his wall of ice.

But instead of love, all I received was hatred and contempt.

“I only have one woman in my heart,” he declared, his voice unwavering. “And it’s Sarah. This marriage is over, and I’m done with you.

I’m going to marry her very soon and for that to happen I need you to sign the divorce letter.”

I felt my world crash down around me. It had always been Sarah. Even though I had known it, hearing him say it out loud shattered me.

I had made him marry me five years ago, hoping, foolishly, that maybe, just maybe, I could earn a place in his heart. But I was wrong.

“We’ve been together for five long years,” I managed to say, my voice trembling. “Don’t you feel anything for me? I’ve given you everything my love, my attention even the shares of Henderson Holdings. I’ve worked tirelessly to care for you. Can’t you love me back just a little?”

“No,” he replied without hesitation, his voice cold. “I only have hatred for you. You’ve always wanted things to go your way.” He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing.

“Your father caused the accident that killed my parents. I lost them because of him. And now, all these years, I’ve been waiting for the right moment to get my revenge and take everything from your family.”

My heart sank, disbelief flooding my mind. “That’s not true,” I cried out, my voice cracking. “My father and your father were friends. How could he hurt your parents? There’s been some mistake, Matthew. I know there’s been a mistake.”

Matthew’s eyes burned with fury. “I thought the same thing before. But your father was a cruel man. He wanted my family’s fortune, and he orchestrated the accident that killed my parents

“No! No, you’re wrong!” I cried, shaking my head in denial. “My father was kind. He would never do something like that.”

“Oh really” Matthew’s tone was mocking as he shoved a folder into my hands. “Take a look for yourself. Your father was the one trying to take over my family’s business. If I hadn’t agreed to marry you, he would have done it.”

My mind was spinning as I looked at the folder in my hands. The truth was slowly dawning on me my father had used me as part of his plan to get Matthew to marry me.

I had begged him for his help, thinking it would bring me closer to the man I loved. But I had no idea the lengths to which my father had gone to manipulate Matthew.

I reached for Matthew’s hand, my voice filled with regret. “I’m sorry. Don’t blame my father.

It is all my fault I asked him to help me marry you.

He laughed bitterly, cutting me off. “I knew it. You’re nothing but a manipulative, cunning woman. If it weren’t for you, I would have married Sarah a long time ago. You and your father used me. You never cared about me.”

The sting of his words was unbearable. All the love, all the sacrifice, all the time I had given to this marriage meant nothing. To him, I was nothing but a pawn in a game he never wanted to play.

“I invested five years of my life into this marriage,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Don’t you feel anything for me? Not even a little bit of appreciation?”

“Appreciation?” His eyes narrowed with contempt. Selene. Despite knowing how much I hate you, you still want to be with me. Why can’t you just accept the reality? I don’t love you.”

He chuckled darkly, his eyes filled with disdain. “Since you’re so reluctant to leave me, let me tell you something I never thought I’d reveal. Do you know how your father died?”

My heart stopped. “What do you mean?” I whispered, the chill of his words creeping into my bones.

With a sneer, he leaned in close. “I slowly poisoned him. His heart couldn’t handle it, and he died from a heart attack.”

I felt the world tilt beneath me. “You... you killed him?” I whispered, my voice trembling as I reached for his collar, unable to believe the words.

“You deserve it,” Matthew spat, shoving me away.

I stumbled to the floor, pain shooting through my abdomen, but I barely noticed. The only thing I could focus on was the crushing realization that Matthew had taken my father’s life and I had been too blind to see it.

My one mistake had cost me everything. If I hadn’t married him, my father might still be alive.

“Sign the divorce papers,” Matthew said, throwing the documents at me again.

I wiped my eyes, the tears flowing freely as my body shook with pain and anger. “I regret loving you, Matthew,” I whispered. “I wish I’d never met you.”

I grabbed the divorce papers and signed my name, my hand shaking as I did so. I shoved the papers back at him.

“You’re free now,” I said, my voice trembling. “Go marry Sarah.”

He glared at me, his jaw clenched. “Leave the house by tomorrow evening. Sarah will be staying here.”

And with that, he turned and stormed out of the door, and there after I heard the sound of the front door slamming as it echoed through the house like a thunderclap, jolting the silence that followed Matthew’s departure.

And It was over just like that.

The man I had loved for ten years had walked away, leaving behind nothing but torn paper, and broken memories,

I stood there, frozen, before my knees finally buckled.

The floor felt cold and unfamiliar beneath me as I sank down, curling into myself.

My sobs came in waves loud, raw, and aching. There was no one left to see me cry now no one at all.

I’m sorry, Father,” I cried out, my heart breaking. “I wasn’t a good daughter. You suffered because of me.”

I wished I could go back and rewrite everything, fix my mistakes, and save my father.

My trembling hands clutched at my stomach to feel my child's heart beat the only thing that was still giving me the strength to move on.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of grief. “I’m so, so sorry you would be born to a stupid mom like me”

My tears soaked into the fabric of my dress, the same dress I had worn for tonight’s dinner meant to be a celebration, a moment of joy.

But that joy had turned to ashes and my love had turned to poison.

My body rocked gently as I wept, my head resting on the edge of the table. Time blurred and I didn’t know how long I stayed like that, clutching my belly, and sobbing into the silence.

Until I I heard it.

A single, sharp sound.

Click. Click.

Footsteps that felt deliberate and measured. The echo of heels tapping against marble floors.

My body froze.

And I didn’t move as the sound grew louder and closer, each step slicing into the quiet like a razor.

My heart thudded in my chest, heavy and frightened.

Slowly,and painfully, I turned my head.

And saw her,

Sarah

Standing by the door ,perfectly composed and dressed in a gown that looked so much like mine.

As we clocked eyes together her lips curled into a slow, mocking smile as her eyes moved to high me up and down.

“Well,” she said, her voice smooth as silk, laced with venom, “I thought I might find you like this.”

My throat tightened. “W....What are you doing here?” My voice barely came out, thin and strangled.

She tilted her head slightly, her smile deepening.

“Did you really think you could win, Selene?” she asked softly, almost like she was speaking to a child.

“You really thought you could keep him… with your tears, your little surprises, and your precious baby?”

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t.

“Poor, pathetic Selene,” she continued, walking slowly into the room, each step echoing like a countdown.

“You fooled yourself into believing he could love you.

But you forgot you were just… a placeholder and something to keep him distracted while I waited patiently for what’s mine.”

She stopped in front of the table. Her eyes flicked to the ruins of the dinner setup, the untouched cake, and then to the knife beside it.

I followed her gaze, my breath catching.

“Don’t,” I whispered, my body tensing. “Please, Sarah don’t.”

But she was already reaching.

Her fingers curled around the silver handle of the knife, lifting it with terrifying calm. The blade glinted under the chandelier, catching the last warmth in the room and turning it cold.

“I waited many years for this,” she murmured. “And you think I’d let you ruin it? You think I’d let you give him a child before me?”

She stepped toward me.

“No…” I breathed, crawling backward, one hand still resting protectively over my stomach. “Please. You don’t have to do this. This is between us don’t hurt my baby please.”

Sarah let out a sharp laugh, crouching down to meet me at eye level. “Oh, sweetheart that baby of yours is the problem.”

Her hand came down hard grabbing my shoulder as she raised the knife.

And I screamed, thrashing, my hands flying up in a desperate attempt to block her.

We struggled.

My nails scraping against her wrist I pushed, kicked, and shouted while my heart raced with terror not for myself, but for the life inside me.

“I won’t let you hurt my baby!” I cried, tears streaming. “He’s innocent! You can hate me all you want, but don’t do this please don’t do this!”

Sarah’s face twisted into a snarl.

“Shut up.”

And then she drove the blade into my chest.

I gasped, choked my body convulsing as the pain exploded through me.

I collapsed onto my side, clutching my chest, blood already staining my gown.

My vision blurred.

But she wasn’t done.

Sarah stood over me, breathing heavily. Her lipstick was smudged now, and madness flickered in her eyes.

She crouched beside me again, leaned close, and whispered, “There’s no way in hell I’ll let you give birth to Matthew’s child before me.”

And then

She kicked me.

Hard and right in the stomach.

A scream tore from my throat.

Pain unlike anything I’d ever known radiated through me I curled into myself, shaking, gasping for air as the warmth of my blood spread beneath me.

The world tilted and the room spun.

I could barely make out the sound of her heels clicking as she walked away, slowly, carelessly, like it was just another errand done. Her voice soft, distant echoed behind her.

“Goodbye, Selene you would be missed as she began laughing out loud”

And then, silence before everything went black.