When Love Went to Market

I was glued to that rickety old door, my hands drenched in a cold sweat.Fumbling for the scissors that I had used for snipping loose threads, my grip was so shaky I could hardly keep hold of them.A sliver of light appeared as the door creaked open.The heavy reek of bottom-shelf tobacco and stale booze wafted in through the crack.I stopped breathing, holding the scissors up like a shield, my teeth rattling in fear.If I could not run, then it would be do or die."Honey, what's up? Why are you up with scissors in the dead of night?"The door swung wide.It was not some maniac butcher; it was Jeffrey Collins, my husband.Clutching a grilled sausage, his face was beet red, his shirt collar undone.The scissors clattered out of my hand and onto the floor.My knees buckled, and I slumped onto the bed, heaving for breath, tears pouring down without restraint."You... It's you?" I pointed at him, my finger quivering like a leaf. "Why were you turning the doorknob so damn slow?

She gave me a reassuring look. "I know this 'The Butcher' guy. He's all bark, no bite. Probably just a big misunderstanding."A misunderstanding?An icy dread settled over me as I met Caroline's gaze.At that moment, my phone buzzed once more.With shaking hands, I clicked on the cursed link to the second-hand site.Adrian, known as 'The Butcher,' had left another furious comment.[Damn it! The house is empty. What is this? A bait-and-switch?]Jeffrey's reply was right below that comment.[Easy, man! The merchandise is just next door with the landlord, a little holdover. Consider it a special bonus to up the thrill.][My landlord, whom I’ve come to think of as a sister, is a real knockout. She hinted that, for the right price, she’d join in on the fun.]Suddenly, my world spun.I felt my blood run cold, and my phone nearly slipped from my grasp, tumbling into the couch cushions.I looked up sharply at Caroline.She was casually leaning against the bedroom doorway, a half-s

I brandished the scissors, slashing in a frenzy. "Back off! Everyone, just back off!"The scissors sliced Caroline's arm as she tried to intervene, and she let out a sharp cry, recoiling.Barefoot, I stepped through the shards, unlocked the chain, and bolted into the hallway.Adrian's enraged shouts chased after me. "Catch her! Don't let her get away! I'm going to kill her!"Jeffrey, crouching by the door for a smoke, was taken aback by my bloodied figure bolting out.He reached out, trying to reason with me. "Ella, just hear me out...""Get lost!"I did not give him a chance, driving my knee into his groin.He doubled over with a groan, collapsing to the ground.I seized the moment, sprinted down the stairs, and disappeared into the night.I did not stop until I was out of the urban village, where I flagged down a cab.The driver, eyeing my disheveled look and the bloody scissors in my grip, hesitated, nearly too scared to take me."Please, take me to Sunnyvale Residences!

They took in the sight, the crowd, the blood on the floor, and me with the scissors in hand.The officer in charge gestured firmly as he said, "Take them all in! To the precinct!"In the back of the squad car, Jeffrey was cuffed across from me.He kept trying to get into my head, whispering with a chilling tone, "Ella, keep your mouth shut at the station."We're married. If I end up behind bars, what will happen to you?"The harsh glare of the police station's lights made me feel dizzy.I thought that with Yara's video and my injuries, Jeffrey and Adrian would be locked up for good.However, reality hit me like a slap in the face.Jeffrey was adamant it was just a 'domestic spat.'He claimed the post was a 'joke.' He said that it was just a bit of fun between spouses.He said the livestream was a stunt to 'boost followers,' all part of a script.Adrian was even more slippery. He pointed to his head wound with a brazen look."Officer, I was just there to collect a debt."I

"Perfect," I murmured, a chilly grin spreading across my face.The following morning, Jeffrey did something out of the ordinary: he bought breakfast. As we sat at the table, he threw out an idea. "Ella, you've had a tough time lately. Let's head back to our old stomping grounds to unwind, okay? My mom's been asking about you, too."I lit up, all smiles and sparkly eyes. "For real? That's awesome! I've been itching to get out and about."I jumped into action, packing our bags with a few of my prettiest dresses thrown in for good measure.Meanwhile, Jeffrey was out on the balcony, sneakily texting Caroline. Little did he know, I was watching his every move.[The fish took the bait. Get the car ready.]The day before our trip, thanks to a tip from Yara, I managed to snag Adrian's wife's contact info.Adrian, it turned out, was pretty much under his wife's thumb. His wife was a force to be reckoned with: a butcher by trade, twice his size, and with zero tolerance for her husband's e