Untainted soul that suffered

To force my husband to sign the divorce papers, I had to press a blade against my own neck until I bled.

He was hesitating because he didn't want a scandal, even though he had just watched his mistress push me down the stairs, killing our unborn child.

While I lay bleeding on the floor, Calvin didn't call an ambulance for me; he comforted her because she was "scared."

I walked away with a jagged scar and a broken soul, leaving them to their stolen happiness.

Five years later, at a party, the game "Never Have I Ever" brought everything crashing back.

Calvin looked at me with haunted eyes, ignoring his now-wife Brea, and whispered, "I made a mistake. I want you back."

Brea went ballistic, screaming that I was the home-wrecker, and tried to attack me again in a jealous rage.

But this time, I wasn't the victim.

I turned to my handsome neighbor, Derek, and closed the door on Calvin's pleading face.

The next morning, a headline flashed on my phone: "Tech Mogul Calvin Bishop Stabbed to Death by Wife in Police Station."

I touched the scar on my neck and finally smiled.

Karma didn't just knock; she kicked the door down.

Chapter 1

Audrey Wolfe POV:

Five years ago, I decided to bury Calvin Bishop. Not literally, of course. But the man who shattered my world? He ceased to exist for me. Until tonight.

The bass thumped rhythmically through the plush carpet of the high-end Manhattan lounge. Crystals dripped from the ceiling, reflecting the soft glow of amber lights. It was Maya' s bachelorette party, a night that was supposed to be about celebrating her new beginning. Instead, it felt like a rerun of my worst nightmare.

He stood across the room, perfectly tailored in a dark suit, his laugh echoing slightly too loud over the music. Calvin Bishop. The tech mogul, the public' s darling, the man who once knew every contour of my heart. Now, he was just a ghost I hadn't realized still haunted me.

My breath hitched. My hand instinctively went to the faint, jagged scar at the base of my neck, hidden beneath the carefully styled waves of my hair. A permanent reminder.

He saw me then. His eyes, the same piercing blue I once drowned in, locked onto mine. A slow smile, that familiar, arrogant curve, spread across his face. He started walking towards me, a predator sensing weakness.

"Audrey," he said, his voice a low rumble that always used to send shivers down my spine. Tonight, it just felt like a cold draft. "You look... different." He paused, his gaze lingering, making me feel naked under his scrutiny. "Good different. Glowing, even."

I forced a small, tight smile. "Five years can do a lot, Calvin." My voice was steady, betraying none of the turmoil churning inside me. "You too. Still the same old charmer, I see."

He chuckled, a sound devoid of genuine warmth. "Some things never change, right?"

"Right," I agreed, my eyes flicking over his shoulder. I saw Kaliyah, my best friend, narrow her eyes at him from across the room. She was already on high alert.

Before either of us could say anything more, Maya clapped her hands, pulling a stack of cards from her purse. "Alright, ladies and gentleman, time for a classic! Never Have I Ever!"

A collective cheer went up. Glasses of champagne were raised. The game began, innocent enough, detailing wild college antics and questionable fashion choices. Then Maya, tipsy and giggling, drew another card.