Chapter 7 - The Prisoner's Dilemma
Seventy-two hours later, the air inside the federal detention center smelled of stale bleach and undeniable defeat. I sat at a cold metal table in the visitation room, wearing a tailored, stark-white designer suit. I was the absolute picture of untouched power.
The heavy steel door across the room buzzed loudly, and Garrett was escorted in by an armed guard. He was wearing an oversized, faded orange jumpsuit. The expensive haircuts, the bespoke suits, and the arrogant charm that had defined our entire marriage were completely gone. He looked ten years older, his face covered in dark stubble, his eyes darting frantically around the room.
He sat down across from me, his hands shackled to the table. He looked at me, a desperate, manipulative tear slipping down his cheek.
"You came," Garrett whispered, his voice cracking. "I knew you would. You have to believe me, darling. My father made me do it. Richard threatened to kill me if I didn't help him take over the company. I never wanted to hurt you. I love you."
I stared at him, genuinely marveling at the sheer, unadulterated sociopathy required to spin such a pathetic lie.
"You kissed Penelope in the parking lot of the fertility clinic the day after you cut my brake lines, Garrett," I said, my voice completely devoid of emotion. "You didn't do this out of fear. You did this because you are a greedy, mediocre man who couldn't stand being married to a woman who owned the room."
Garrett’s facade cracked. The fake tears instantly dried up, replaced by a bitter, venomous glare. "You think you’ve won? You think you can just take the shipyard and live happily ever after? My father’s silent partners aren't going to let you walk away with their money. They are going to tear you and your crippled brother to shreds."
"Tobias isn't crippled," I smiled, leaning forward, resting my elbows on the cold steel table. "And Penelope isn't going to wait for you."
Garrett frowned, a flicker of genuine panic crossing his face. "What are you talking about?"
"Penelope is currently sitting in a room with the district attorney," I lied smoothly, watching the absolute terror take root in his eyes. "She realized that the offshore accounts were empty. She realized you are completely broke. So, she took a plea deal. She told the feds that you were the mastermind behind my attempted murder, and that Richard merely helped you cover it up. She gets three years in a minimum-security facility. You get life without parole."
"No!" Garrett shouted, struggling against the chains. "She wouldn't do that! She loves me!"
"She loved your bank account, Garrett. And I emptied it." I stood up, buttoning my blazer with precise, deliberate movements. "I didn't come here for an apology. I came here to watch you realize that you are going to die in a concrete box, completely forgotten by everyone you ever knew."
May you like
"You malicious bitch!" Garrett screamed as the guards moved in to restrain him. "They will kill you! The syndicate will kill you!"
I turned my back on him and walked toward the exit. The sound of his frantic, desperate screaming was the sweetest music I had ever heard. The ghosts of my past were permanently locked away. Now, it was time to hunt the monsters still hiding in the shadows.
Related Stories
