Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

It took a long moment before the call finally connected.

"Lauren?"

Hearing the gruff male voice on the other end, Lauren's breath caught in her throat.

Her grip on the phone tightened.

The man couldn't hear her, his tone growing anxious. “Lauren, I know it's you. Did you call because you're in trouble? Whatever it is, just say the word—I'll help you, no matter what."

A flash of memory cut through her mind—a thunderstorm, that terrible night.

Malcolm falling from the second floor-

Her breathing turned ragged, her voice trembling. "I... I need you to help me with something else. When it's done, I'll pay you again."

"Lauren, there's no need to talk about money between us."

"Money is all I have left to give you," Lauren said through clenched teeth, fighting to keep her frustration in check. "Neal, I wouldn't come to you unless I had no other choice. Please don't make this harder than it already is."

On the other end, Neal fell silent for a moment. At last, he gave a heavy, resigned sigh. “Alright. Whatever you say. Just tell me what do you need me to do?"

A sudden crash of thunder split the sky outside. For a brief instant, lightning illuminated Lauren's perfectly maintained face through the glass.

a fierce resolve, her voice low and chilling. "I need you to help me kill

sudden downpour washed away the last of the city's winter

crept over the horizon, and the morning

the time he jogged back to Skybreeze Retreat at seven,

of makeup today,

his eyebrows. “Someone's in

didn't bother hiding it. "Well, it's not every day you get to finalize

up the stairs. “Let me grab a

need. I can

way," James insisted. "You're finally getting rid of that sorry excuse for a husband. As family, I need to be

at that, her mood lifting even further. She didn't

a quick shower and a change of clothes, James rejoined

to the table. Once

made its way toward city

intersection, the light turned red and James eased onto

That's when it happened.

delivery truck suddenly barreled in from the right, heading

spotted it in time, wrenching

CRASH!