Chapter 3

AMBER

The cold wind hit my face as I drove toward the one place I promised myself I would never go. I did not care about the speed limit. I did not care about the tears blurring my vision. All I could see was the red car parked in the driveway of the woman who stole my life.

Her name was Jade. She was my husband’s brother’s wife. She was supposed to be family. Instead, she was the person who watched me bleed on the side of the road and kept driving.

I pulled my car behind her red sedan, blocking her in. She was already outside, dressed in a fancy silk dress, holding a designer bag. She looked like she was heading to a party while I was heading to a funeral.

"Not now, Amber," Jade said as she saw me get out of the car. She rolled her eyes and tried to open her car door. "Can't you see I am in a hurry?"

"Why?" I asked, walking toward her with heavy steps. "You are off to see Justine again, aren't you? Didn't he leave your bed just now? Oh, you think I do not know? You really cannot get enough of him, can you?"

Jade stopped. She turned to look at me, her face hard and cold. She did not look guilty. she looked annoyed.

"In case you have forgotten, you are on my property, Amber," Jade hissed. "So, keep your mouth shut and get out of here before I call the police."

I laughed, but there was no joy in it. I felt like a bomb about to go off.

"If there is something that should be kept shut, bound, and chained, Jade, it should be your legs!" I shouted.

The neighbors across the street stopped watering their plants. A man walking his dog paused to watch. I wanted them to see. I wanted the whole world to see what kind of woman she was.

"Tell me," Jade said, crossing her arms. "What do you want? Why are you here acting like a crazy person?"

"I want to know when you plan to stay away from my husband!" I yelled. "I do not know where you get the audacity to keep doing this! He is your brother in law! Does that mean nothing to you?"

Jade took a step toward me. She looked me up and down with disgust.

"I swear, you better keep your mouth shut, Amber," she whispered, her voice full of venom. "And it is not my fault your husband keeps coming back to me. If you do not want him to do that, tie him up! Maybe if you were better in bed, he wouldn't need to find comfort elsewhere. And it is not my fault he no longer loves you, either! Nobody could love someone as pathetic as you."

The world went white. Before I even knew what I was doing, my hand flew through the air.

*Slap!*

The sound was loud and satisfying. Jade’s head snapped to the side. Her hand went to her cheek, her eyes wide with shock.

"How dare you!" I screamed. "Bitch!"

"Stop! It hurts!" Jade yelled, trying to push me away.

"No! Come here!" I grabbed her by the shoulders. I didn't care about being a lady. I didn't care about the rules. I wanted her to feel a fraction of the pain I felt the night I lost my baby. "I said come here!"

"Amber, you are hurting me! Stop it!" Jade was crying now, her perfect makeup smearing down her face. "Are you out of your mind? Enough! You are hurting me!"

"No!" I pulled her closer, shaking her. "Come here, you slut! Does it hurt? Does it! You whore! You whore!"

I threw her against the side of her red car. The metal made a loud thud. She slumped to the ground, sobbing. I stood over her, breathing hard. My hair was a mess and my hands were red, but for the first time in a year, I felt like I was winning.

"You think you won because he chose your bed?" I asked, looking down at her. "He didn't choose you because you are special, Jade. He chose you because you are easy. He chose you because you are just as broken and empty as he is."

I leaned down so my face was inches from hers. She was shaking, looking at me like I was a monster.

"But here is the best part," I whispered. "I know about the accident. I know you were both there. I know you watched me. And I am not going to the police yet. I am going to make you live in fear every single second of the day until I decide to pull the trigger."

Jade’s eyes turned huge. The color drained from her face. "Amber... please..."

"Don't 'please' me," I said. I stood up and smoothed my clothes. I looked at the neighbors who were watching in silence. One woman was filming on her phone. I looked right into the camera and smiled.

I walked back to my car. I felt tall. I felt strong. I had faced the mother, I had faced the mistress, and I had left them both in the dirt.

I got into my car and started the engine. I looked at Jade in the rearview mirror. She was still on the ground, a small, broken pile of silk and lies.

I drove away, feeling a strange sense of peace. But as I reached the end of the street, I saw a familiar black car parked in the shadows. It was Justine. He was watching.

He didn't move. He didn't come out to help her. He just sat there, staring at me as I passed by.

My heart hammered against my ribs. He knew I knew.