Chapter 6

                 ☆Samira☆

From the coldness in his gaze, it was clear he meant every word that was coming out of his mouth and he had been waiting for the right moment to say his mind.

To remind me how bad I ruined his life.

Tears now began to freely fall forcing him to avert his eyes, his expression softening.

“Your aunt just got out of the hospital two days ago. This whole situation has really weighed on her,” he said, forcing me back into my seat.

I quickly wiped my tears.

“She’s doing fine now, just dealing with high blood pressure. What I’m trying to say is that you need to sever ties with that man and sign these papers. I don’t believe in Karma or God, and I’m far from perfect,” he continued, his eyes still cast downward. “I was also once deceived by a friend I trusted completely, so I didn’t mean to judge you, but you needed to hear the truth from someone who loves you,” he added.

Silence enveloped us.

I was at a loss for words, struggling to defend myself.

He was right.

I had been a naive fool, blind to the betrayal lurking in the shadows.

A comfortable fool, a foolish fool who never prepared for a stormy day.

Daniel and I shared a joint account,his account, and I was free to access it whenever I wished.

He never questioned my spending, so why bother with a separate account?

Why save for a rainy day when my husband provided everything and was always generous?

He never gave me a reason to have my Separate account.

I was the rich wife who was provided for 

Uncle Ben cleared his throat, “I’ll leave the papers with the officers. I can’t afford a lawyer. Just sign them, and I’ll come by to collect them in the morning,” he said, his final words before walking away.

I remained seated, but the guard entered, inquiring whether I would sign the papers or request a lawyer.

“Pen,” I replied without even thinking it through.

She shot me a judgmental look.

I understood her, but I had shattered three lives by marrying the wrong man. A man who lacked the courage to face me and explain himself.

I had hoped for clarity.

Perhaps his reasons would help me understand.

No marriage was perfect but before this betrayal, there were no signs that Daniel wanted to leave me or that he was unhappy.

He always stood up for me, especially against his mother. 

He never gave me any reason to suspect he was involved with Kate, or was I simply the fool Uncle Ben accused me of being?

He never hinted he hated me this much.

The officer returned with the papers, and I signed them without going through them.

It was clear I wasn’t getting anything, so why waste my time on more headaches?

I didn’t even glance at the reasons for the divorce.

I stood up and asked to be taken back to my room.

“All the inmates are outside, it’s fresh air hour,” the guard replied.

“I don’t want fresh air,” I insisted.

“It’s mandatory,” she said, leading me outside to the prison courtyard where the other prisoners were gathered.

The moment the sun hit my face, I closed my eyes. I hadn’t felt the sun or fresh air in over a month, yet all I wanted was to retreat back inside, but that wasn’t an option.

I shielded my face with my hand, trying to take in my surroundings.

Most of the women were seated in groups, some lost in stories, others engaged in workouts, while a handful were absorbed in games.

As I scanned the area, searching for a place to sit, my gaze fell upon the woman who had come to my rescue in the shower.

She waved at me with a warm smile.

I quickly averted my eyes, pretending I hadn’t noticed her, and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

I kept moving until I found myself at the outer edge of the prison's enclosure.

I paused, noticing the red line, a warning to stop, accompanied by a sign cautioning of high voltage surrounding the fence.

I stared at the barrier, my mind racing with chaotic thoughts.

One touch could bring everything to an end, or perhaps the voltage wasn’t lethal enough?

“Ginger, are you plotting an escape?” a voice jolted me from my thoughts.

I turned around to find the same woman standing behind me.

“If you are planning to kill yourself, the voltage is too low to kill you. They will revive you in time, but you might lose those lovely hands and that pretty face,” she said with a grin.

I quickly looked away.

Was she capable of reading my thoughts?

“Who came to visit you? Was it your foolish husband?” she asked.

I shot her a glare.

“You should have killed him the moment you found out he was cheating,” she continued with a smirk. “Now look at you, paying for his sins while he’s out there with his mistress,” she mocked.

My heart sank as I tried to dismiss her words, but they struck a nerve.

Daniel was likely with that woman who had killed my baby.

“Get lost!” I yelled at her, quickening my pace.

What was her problem?

To my irritation, she began following me.

I picked up speed, circling the prison yard. Each time I glanced back, there she was, that same wide grin on her face.

What was wrong with her?

Was she one of those oddballs trying to have me?

“I won’t stop following you, I could do this all day,” she declared.

I halted abruptly.

I was already worn out. Running was a waste of my energy. We were locked in the same place.

“Just tell me who visited you?” She insisted.

I turned to face her, “Are you trying to make me your pet? Is that what this is? Do you need someone to suck your yeast infested privates?”

She burst into laughter. “No, silly, I prefer dick, which I get from the male guards,” she replied casually.

“Then why are you following me? Did Kate or Linda send you to harass me?” I nearly shouted.

She crossed her arms, her smile fading. “Do I look like those witches could afford me?” she shot back.

I held her gaze, unwavering.

“I’m just curious, I’ve been following your case and feel for you,” she said.

A laugh almost escaped me, but I managed to keep my composure, refusing to give her the satisfaction.

“I believe you’re innocent,” she added.

“Thanks, but can you please leave me be? I appreciate your help in the shower, but I’m not interested in chatting,” I replied firmly.

“Are you challenging your sentence? You should. With a different judge, you could argue that you were on medication when you…”

“Please, just go away!” I yelled at her.

The other inmates turned to look at us, but the siren rang to my rescue from this relentless woman.

Guards shouted for us to line up, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. They took us back to our cells.

 As I stepped inside, I noticed my cellmate was absent, and the heavy door shut behind me.

I climbed to the top bunk and turned to face the wall.

Finally I was alone with my thoughts. 

I didn’t even bother to go for dinner. The last thing I wanted was to cross paths with that deranged woman.

All I wanted was to be left alone with my stupidity.

 Uncle Ben’s words were still eating at my conscience.

I had destroyed lives. It was entirely my doing, and now they were likely out searching for jobs in their old age, while their daughter’s dreams of university slipped away.

I had ruined her future.

No wonder she had stayed away during the trial. Who could blame her? Her parents had sacrificed everything they had planned for her on my account, yet here I was, locked away.

A fool.

A complete fool who couldn’t see the truth about her husband.

I was a fool living a lie.

I didn’t deserve to breathe the same air.

I truly got what I deserved.

Perhaps even more.

How could I have missed the signs?

How?

Daniel never stayed late. I had access to his phone and laptop. I could drop by his office anytime and never encountered that woman.

Not once. In fact, he was always reminding her to know her place, even when it wasn’t necessary.

Was it all just a performance?

How skilled an actor must one be to pull off such a convincing facade?

But Linda had always made it clear she favored Kate.

She never concealed it, yet I chose to ignore it.

What a fool I was.

I closed my eyes but this time I had no tears.

The next morning, it was the same routine. No visitors came, but thankfully, no one disturbed me. Even that crazy woman kept her distance.

I spent the following days alone, staring at the electrified fence, contemplating whether the voltage was truly not lethal.

Yes, I was thinking about it.

I wanted to end it all. I wanted to give those beasts their wish. I was acutely aware that my death wouldn’t resolve anything or guilt them, but it would surely burden my uncle with blame.

I knew he would hold himself responsible, and perhaps that was why I hesitated, avoiding thoughts of more immediate methods like hanging myself in the bathroom or my room, especially now that I was alone.

I still had no clue where my roommate had gone or if she had been assigned to a different cell.

The siren rang snapping  me out of my suicidal thoughts.

I quickly joined the other inmates in line.

“Bestie!” that same woman waved enthusiastically.

I turned my gaze away, my brief taste of freedom was gone.

She hurried over to me, “I tried to keep my distance, but your story just got juicier. Is your husband really marrying that slut? When did you two divorce?” she asked, thrusting a newspaper into my hands.

I was tempted to throw it back at her, but a striking front-page photo of Kate in Daniel’s embrace caught my eye.

The headline blared.

“Unlucky CEO Finds Love Again After His First Wife Tried to Sink His Company,” it read.

I snatched the paper, my hands trembling, feeling as if my very soul was slipping away.

I thought I had been a walking corpse, but I had deceived myself.

“Did you know that the Internet blames you for his boating accident?” the woman asked, as my eyes scanned the article unfolding before me.

A bitter taste rose in my throat, the grief I was drowning in morphing into a fierce rage.

She leaned closer, her breath warm against my ear.

Her height slightly towered over me.

"I can help you kill them all, no cost involved. Just utter the command, and they'll be gone," she murmured before slipping away into the crowd.