Chapter 2A Prison of the Heart, A Captive of Pity

My hand trembled as I signed the agreement.

Zach finally smiled, satisfied. He passed the papers to Amber, who was waiting behind him.

Her own smile was one of pure triumph as she waved the document at me. “Thank you ever so much, sis.”

“I’ll have my mother move in with me soon. She’ll be so happy to finally live in the estate, rightfully and openly.”

I was too furious to speak, turning my face away to look back at Zach. “Now. Can you let Buddy go?”

Zach nodded, gesturing for the guards to release the dog. He bent down, about to help me up.

Just then, a terrified shriek came from behind him.

“Ah! Help me!” Amber screamed. “Something’s wrong with my wheelchair!”

As she yelled, the electric wheelchair accelerated backward, rocketing toward the spot where Buddy lay.

In a flash, it ran straight over him, only stopping when it slammed into the wall.

“It hurts! My legs, they hurt so much!” she cried out.

She could still cry out in pain.

But my Buddy, his legs still bound, had no way to escape. He took the full weight of the machine as it crushed him. He let out one last, agonizing cry, and then… silence.

Zach didn’t even glance at him. He strode right past Buddy’s broken body.

He swept the pale-faced Amber into his arms, his voice a soft murmur. “It’s okay, I’m here. I’ll get you to the hospital right now.”

And then they were gone.

I scrambled, practically crawling, to Buddy’s side. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

I grabbed the vet’s arm, my voice a feral roar. “Save him!”

“He’s not breathing! You’re a doctor, do something! Save him!”

The vet checked for a pulse, for breath, and then slowly shook his head. “Miss McQueen, I’m so sorry. He’s gone.”

A deafening roar filled my ears.

I don’t remember much of that afternoon. I was a ghost, a hollowed-out shell, carrying my dog’s body to the crematorium.

I have no real family. My mother died young, my father was a cheat.

For years, there was only one person and one dog I had truly loved.

Now, Buddy was dead, and Zach had betrayed me.

Standing before the searing heat of the furnace, a profound, unshakable chill seeped into my bones.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. A message from Zach.

He just got rolled over a bit, right? I heard him yelp, so he should be fine.

Amber got a real scare, though. I’m staying with her at the hospital tonight. Won’t be home. Since the agreement is signed, make sure you withdraw the lawsuit tomorrow.

Don’t be sad. I’ll love you twice as much from now on.

I didn’t reply.

I clutched the urn containing Buddy’s ashes, my gaze falling to the diamond ring on my middle finger. The irony was suffocating.

Love?

To hell with his love.

Zach knew this would destroy me, and he did it anyway. That wasn't a mistake. It was a choice. A deliberate, calculated choice to hurt me.

And that was something I could never forgive.

That afternoon, I didn’t withdraw the lawsuit. Instead, I spent the night packing my bags and moving out of the home we were supposed to share as a married couple.

The ring that once symbolized our love, I took it off.

And left it on the coffee table.

The ring was trash. Zach’s love was even worse.

My phone buzzed again.

A notification from an airline:

Dear Ms. Jenna McQueen, your purchase of a ticket for flight AA8785 from Northwood to San Francisco has been confirmed. The flight will depart the day after tomorrow at 10:15 AM. We wish you a pleasant journey!

Another vibration. A text from an unknown number:

Miss McQueen, I have the information you requested. There is no record of Amber being in any car accident.