The Shackles of Love
Chapter 1
Chad’s freakin’ angel, Tiffany, got violated.
When they found her, her tank top was gone, and she was covered in bruises and hickeys.
Chad went ballistic. He locked me in the basement, found like a dozen goons, and let them have their way with me.
“Tiffany suffered, so you get to suffer even more.”
I begged him to let me go, reminding him that I had nothing to do with what happened to Tiffany.
All I got was a cold, hard laugh.
“You’re jealous Tiffany got my love, so you messed her up! I’ll make sure you’re even dirtier.”
He kept me locked up for five days and nights.
Those guys beat me, manhandled me. All I could do was scream and beg.
My wounds started to rot, and blood soaked the floor.
A week later, Chad came back from a trip with Tiffany.
“At least Tiffany didn’t have too much damage. I’ll go ahead and let her out.”
He stood at the basement door, all high and mighty.
“Ashley, get on your knees and apologize to Tiffany, and I’ll let you out.”
No answer.
He didn’t know I died three days ago.
1
Chad, his arm wrapped around Tiffany’s waist, walked into the house, feeling that the place was empty.
He frowned.
“Where’s Ashley?”
“Where did she go? I told her to have hot water and slippers ready before we got back!”
Any moment he’d blow a fuse.
The butler stepped in. “Sir, don’t you remember? You locked Mrs. Walker in the basement a week ago.”
Chad was silent for a moment, trying to remember.
Tiffany went missing for a whole night while shopping.
The next morning, they found her with her tank top gone, and she was all bruised and marked up.
Chad held her close, his fists clenched tight.
“Tiffany, who did this?”
Tiffany, sniffling, hid in his arms and pointed right at me.
“It was her… Ashley…”
Out of nowhere, I had to explain myself.
Chad’s face turned cold.
“Tiffany’s an angel, she never lies. Ashley, are you trying to ruin her?”
My face went white.
No matter what I said, he wouldn’t listen.
Chad kicked and hit me and slapped me a bunch of times.
Then, in a fit of anger, he had them lock me in the basement. Then he found a dozen guys to mess me up.
“Jealous cow, aren’t you the queen of doing dirty stuff to people?”
“Tiffany suffered, you deserve all of it.”
I knelt down. “I’m two months pregnant. Please, for the baby’s sake, let me explain.”
But Chad didn’t love me at all.
He didn’t care about the baby.
He laughed. Then kicked me to the ground.
“Ashley, you know how that kid got here.”
“Don’t try to use that on me.”
“You wanted Tiffany’s love, so you messed her up! Well, I’ll mess you up even more!”
“Lock her in the basement and don’t let her out until I say so!”
I was locked in the basement for five days and nights.
Those guys took Chad’s money and went wild.
They looked at me like animals.
They whipped me, manhandled me.
I yelled and begged.
That just turned them on more.
I started to feel numb. My wounds started to rot, and the little baby was dying inside me.
Blood stained the floor.
On the fourth day, someone choked me, and I was done.
2
“Chad!”
“Help me get these bags.”
Tiffany’s cute voice rang out, the trunk of the Rolls Royce full of bags.
Chad heard that and his eyes were full of love.
“Coming, babe.”
Chad rubbed Tiffany’s head.
Then he grabbed all the bags.
The butler stepped up, hesitant.
“Sir, it’s been a week. Should we let Mrs. Walker out?”
Chad scoffed. “She’s a snake. A few more days to let it sink in.”
The butler didn’t look good, paused, and then said, “Sir, the basement smells bad. She might be hurt. Should we get a doctor?”
Chad laughed.
“Ashley’s just losing some blood. Who cares?”
“She made Tiffany suffer, so she has to pay.”
“But…”
Tiffany stepped in. “Butler, this isn’t your call. Don’t think you can control Chad’s decisions just because you’re old.”
The butler froze.
Tiffany looped her arm around Chad’s neck and sat on his lap.
“Chad, remember what you said at the beach? You’re gonna divorce Ashley and marry me, right?”
Chad rubbed Tiffany’s nose. “Little wildcat, when have I ever lied?”
He seemed to remember something and frowned.
“Ashley messed up everything. I hate her so much. She tricked me into marrying her and lied about having my kid.”
“Tiffany, you were wronged. I wish I could kill Ashley for doing this to you.”
Tiffany avoided his gaze and smiled.
“It’s okay, Chad. Ashley was jealous. She can just get on her knees and apologize. Then I’ll forget about it.”
Chad hugged Tiffany.
“Tiffany, you’re so kind. I would die if someone hurt you.”
They were together, but I wanted to kill them!
I can’t touch them.
I sadly looked at the mirror. My face will never be in there again.
I’m dead.
3
Chad and Tiffany kissed and then broke apart.
“Tiffany, I’ll have that evil woman out here to apologize.”
Tiffany nodded.
“Ashley, get on your knees and apologize to Tiffany, and I’ll let you out.”
Chad stood at the basement door.
But there was silence.
Chad turned.
“Kick the door down!”
The bodyguard kicked the door open.
The smell hit.
Tiffany plugged her nose. “What is that smell? Can we go?”
Chad hesitated.
I laughed.
The smell of blood and rotting flesh.
“Don’t worry, Tiffany.”
“Wait outside. This smell is horrible. I don’t want you to smell it. I’ll drag her out for you.”
Chad comforted Tiffany, then turned and went in.
He was stopped.
“Chad, don’t get angry. She knows she did something wrong. You need to talk nicely, then get her to agree to the divorce.”
Tiffany’s voice got quieter.
“I don’t want people to think we divorced because of me. And I don’t want them to think I stole you.”
Chad hugged Tiffany.
“Tiffany, I’m so lucky to have you.”
Chad headed for the basement.
There was only one light.
Chad felt something on the floor, but he didn’t see the dried blood.
“Ashley, come out here!”
Chad yelled, but there was no reply.
I was in the air, looking at my body. My arms and legs were tied to the pillar.
Chad laughed. “Get the flashlight.”
4
The butler handed over the flashlight.
Chad found me and shined the light on me.
I was standing and not moving.
Chad thought I was asleep and kicked me.
“Ashley, quit pretending.”
“Have you realized what you’ve done? Just apologize to Tiffany and I’ll let you out.”
“I’ll let you off easy this time.”
I laughed.
I was dead.
Chad was angry that I wasn’t moving.
“Butler, carry her out here.”
The butler was shaking.
He wanted to untie me, but there was blood everywhere.
His face went still, then he put his hand to my nose.
“Sir, she’s… dead!”
Chad was still.
I went over to him.
I wanted to see him sad or regretful.
Chad scoffed.
“Ashley’s just pretending. That’s her most used trick.”
“No, sir…”
The butler spoke, but Chad cut him off.
“Tell her to change her clothes and go to the living room to apologize to Tiffany within half an hour. Otherwise, she can rot down here!”
Chad ran out and left the flashlight.
The butler stood there, and he was terrified.
The butler started to cry.
Chad had called me a schemer, and thought I was pretending.
5
I was eighteen when my parents died.
I lived with my brother and got depression.
I stood on a bridge, ready to jump, when Chad saved me.
He sang me a song and kissed me. He said that he would marry me.
I fell for him.
But when I married him, he hated me.
“Ashley, just because you’ve got the Walker family power, don’t get cocky.”
“I have my own Tiffany. Before and after I met you, I’ve only ever loved her.”
“We’ll sleep in separate rooms. You can be Mrs. Walker and I’ll keep up appearances in front of others.”
Then he left and hooked up with Tiffany.
I don’t know why Chad said those things.
But that was my hope.
I have never even thought of leaving Chad.
My brother, Thomas, heard about my life and felt bad for me.
“Ashley, is this the love you wanted?”
“If you’re not happy, I’ll take you home.”
I felt bad, but I didn’t.
I wanted to try again.
I don’t think Chad really forgot about me.
But I was a schemer to Chad.
I tried to marry him and have his kid.
Even when Tiffany was violated, Chad didn’t listen to me.
I did nothing wrong.
But I was tortured.
If I could get revenge, I’d make Tiffany feel what I felt!
6
The butler found some maids to carry me out and clean me.
But Tiffany stopped them.
Tiffany had a few people behind her.
“The boss said you don’t need to do that. Leave her to these guys.”
The butler paused.
He wanted to say something, but Tiffany glared him back.
The were just there to work, so they couldn’t disobey.
Tiffany was Chad’s person.
She might be the mistress soon. The butler would never dare offend her.
After the butler left, Tiffany told the guys to bring me to the backyard.
“Dig a hole and bury her.”
The masked guys got ready.
Suddenly, someone said, “She’s pregnant.”
Tiffany was shocked. “What? How?!”
The person nodded.
“Yes, miss. I saw it.”
“She’s two to three months along and it’s a boy.”
Tiffany was full of hate, then she laughed.
“So what if she’s pregnant? She’s dead.”
“Let’s cut her stomach open and bury that brat too.”
7
I remember those memories.
In the basement, those guys hurt me.
Chad told them not to kill me.
But Tiffany secretly gave them money to torture me.
Later, they beat me to death.
They stomped on my stomach.
Then they put a belt around my neck and strangled me.
I stared at Tiffany.
She was wearing a white dress, like an angel.
But she was evil.
If I could get revenge, I’d make Tiffany feel all my pain!
“Ashley, come out here!”
Chad yelled. He hadn’t seen me apologizing to Tiffany.
Chad was mad. He ran to the basement, but I wasn’t there.
Then he went to the bedroom.
It was still empty.
Chad found the backyard and saw Tiffany working on something.
Tiffany’s always in her room, so what’s she doing in the backyard at night?
Chad frowned and went over to her.
“Tiffany, what are you doing?”
