All Chapters of Till death murder us apart: Chapter 31 - Chapter 38

Dave and Adia didn’t want anything extravagant.“No five-star stress,” Adia had joked. “Just peace.”So they chose a quiet countryside retreat tucked between rolling hills and a calm lake. A small wooden cabin sat near the water, surrounded by nature—no noise, no crowds, just the sound of birds and wind brushing through the trees. Simple and perfect. The mornings were slow.Sunlight slipped gently through the curtains as Adia stretched lazily.“Are we baking today or being lazy?” she asked one morning.Dave, half-asleep, mumbled, “Both.”She laughed. “That’s the right answer.”They cooked together. Burned pancakes. Argued playfully about recipes.“Who taught you to flip like that?” Dave teased.“My grandmother,” Adia replied proudly.“Well… she needs a refund.”She threw flour at him. And just like that laughter filled the cabin.They took long walks by the lake, hand in hand. Sometimes talking. Sometimes silent. One evening, they sat by a small fire outside. Adia leaned against him.

Morning came without comfort. Lisha stood in front of the mirror, her fingers lightly brushing the faint bruises around her neck.They were real. Last night was real.And for the first time in a long time she felt powerless.She didn’t waste time. Within an hour, she was at the police station.“I want to file a report,” she said firmly.The officer behind the desk nodded casually. “Against who?”Lisha took a breath.“…Ethan Cross”.The change was immediate. The officer’s pen stopped moving. Another officer, who had been walking past, slowed down. A third looked up from across the room.“Ethan Cross…?” the first officer repeated carefully.The officer leaned back slightly, clearing his throat.“Ma’am… are you sure you want to proceed with this?”Lisha frowned. “He assaulted me.”Another officer stepped in.“There are… procedures,” he said vaguely. “These kinds of cases require… careful consideration.”“Then consider it,” Lisha snapped. “I have visible injuries.”They exchanged glances

Lisha changed. But not in the way Ethan believed. She became quieter, more compliant, more… obedient. She followed his rules stayed when told. And Ethan noticed.“You see?” he said one evening, handing her an expensive bracelet. “This is how things should be.”Lisha smiled faintly.“Thank you.”More gifts followed. Jewellery, designer clothes. Luxuries that once symbolized success now felt like chains. But behind that calm exterior Lisha was thinking. She was no longer reacting. She was preparing.A week later an invitation arrived. A high-profile event. The coronation of a new mayor. A gathering of power and influence. Ethan was attending which meant Lisha had to be there too.The night of the event everything was extravagant.Lights flashed and cameras rolled. The media crowded the entrance.Lisha stepped out of the car beside Ethan dressed elegantly in a red silky dress.To the world they looked untouchable. Cameras captured everything. The event was broadcast live.Dave sat on the

Rain drizzled softly against the café windows, painting the city in blurred streaks of gray and gold. The afternoon crowd had thinned, leaving only scattered conversations and the faint sound of jazz playing overhead.Lisha sat quietly near the corner window, her fingers wrapped around a cup of untouched coffee. She looked different now. Not because of the expensive black dress she wore or the tiredness beneath her eyes, but because grief had changed the way she carried herself.Carefully.As though the world might break her if she moved too quickly.When the café door opened, Adia stepped inside, scanning the room until their eyes met. For a second, neither woman moved. Then Adia smiled softly. Lisha stood, and the two embraced tightly.It had been weeks since they had truly seen each other—not through television screens, not through headlines or whispered gossip, but face to face. Real. Human.“How are you holding up?” Adia asked as they sat down.Lisha gave a small laugh, though th