Farewell to My Ex-Husband

Simon Wilson's girlfriend, who was his forever dream girl, committed a murder and they asked me to take the fall. Simon personally sent me to prison, promising, "If you confess, I'll marry you when you're out." Once finally released, I was determined to make them face justice. But as I investigated further, I stumbled upon an even larger conspiracy. The whole thing was so elaborate and dramatic that it seemed like a plot straight out of an Oscar-winning movie.

***

Scarlett Barnes, Simon’s girlfriend and dream girl, had just committed a murder. "Simon, I can’t go to jail! You have to help me, okay?" she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. Simon, ever the devoted boyfriend, stayed quiet, knowing he couldn't let his beloved face prison time.

So, of course, I was the prime candidate to take the blame. Simon had always branded me a gold digger who'd do anything for money and I never denied it because, well, it was true. I’d lost track of how many times I’d covered for Scarlett—whether it was skipping classes or dealing with her dating issues. I accepted all of it, simply because I needed the money. The rich kids were generous and a few false accusations were manageable. But I never imagined Scarlett would actually kill someone. When Simon called me to meet, I figured he was about to ask me to take the fall once more.

"Zara, I have something important to talk to you," he said. The tone in his voice sent a shiver down my spine, but I tried to stay calm as I made my way to his house. When I arrived, the atmosphere was tense and heavy. I immediately sensed something was wrong.

Scarlett, who was usually so proud, was on her knees, crying, with her parents present. “Zara, Zara! Please, only you can save me!” I’d never seen her so desperate.

Normally, after I took the fall for her, she'd just give me the money and say, “Without me, you’d be broke, right?” I never argued because it was true—without a rich girl like her to mess up, I might really be poor.

But I never felt grateful; it was more like a job. Do you thank your boss or yourself for staying late and working hard? I’d endured plenty of beatings for her.

Now, Scarlett was crawling towards me, clutching at my pants with mud smudged on them. “Zara, take the blame one more time! Just this last time! Don’t you want money? I can give you a lot!” Simon was standing by the doorframe, blocking my exit and calmly said, “Zara, name your price.”

I looked at the crowd in front of me in disbelief and said, "Are you crazy?! Scarlett killed someone! This will send me to jail!" Scarlett's parents glanced at her, sobbing on the ground and then turned to me. "Girl, name a price. The Barnes Family can't afford a scandal."

"No way, I can't handle a life sentence!" I clenched my fists, my anger boiling with nowhere to go.

Simon’s eyes turned icy, like a biting wind cutting through me. "Then what do you want? Zara, I'll do everything I can to reduce your sentence to three years. How about that?"

So, Scarlett's life couldn't have a stain, but mine could? "This is non-negotiable!" I shouted. Simon laughed mockingly, "Zara, three years in prison and you'll be set for life. Aren’t you tired of being poor?" I stayed silent, trying to think of a way out of this nightmare. Then, Simon leaned close to my ear and whispered, "Zara, do you really think it’s your choice whether you agree or not?"

The threat in his voice was unmistakable. I knew Simon's family had power, enough to make my life a living hell if I refused.

My thoughts raced as I looked around the room. Scarlett's parents were watching me intently, their expressions a mix of desperation and determination.

Scarlett herself was still on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, a pitiful sight that would have moved me if I didn’t know the extent of her manipulations.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "And if I say no?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my efforts to remain calm. Simon's smile widened, a cold, calculating smile that sent chills down my spine. "Then we'll make sure you regret it," he said simply. "We have ways of making people disappear, Zara. You wouldn’t be the first."

The weight of his words hung in the air, suffocating me. I knew I was trapped. I could either take the fall and hope that Simon kept his promise to marry me and reduce my sentence, or refuse and face a fate even worse than prison. My options were grim, but I had to make a choice.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I nodded. "Fine," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'll do it. But you better keep your promise, Simon. Because if you don’t, I swear I’ll find a way to make you pay."

Simon nodded, satisfied. "Good. Now, let's get this over with," he said, motioning for Scarlett to get up. "Scarlett, stop crying. Zara's going to take care of everything, just like always." Scarlett stood up, wiping her tears and gave me a grateful look. "Thank you, Zara," she said, her voice filled with false sincerity. "You’re saving my life."

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I was too busy trying to come to terms with what I had just agreed to do. As I was led away, I couldn’t help but wonder how I had ended up in this position. And more importantly, how I was ever going to get out of it.