We Never Loved

1
My husband, Daniel Vance, and I had been at each other’s throats since we were old enough to walk.
In preschool, he knocked over my lunch, so I locked him in the bathroom.
In grade school, he tripped me during gym class, knocking out my front tooth. Later that day, I tied his shoelaces together. We both went home toothless.
In high school, he went after the prom queen, so I reported him for cheating. When I started hanging out with the resident bad boy, he spent weeks trailing us with the dean of discipline.
I went to college overseas just to get away from him. He, apparently, had the same idea. We met on the first day of orientation.
Somehow, we still ended up married. A twisted arrangement where he publicly chased another woman while I drowned my sorrows over the one that got away.
I thought we could continue like that forever—two separate, miserable people sharing a last name.
Until he took the girl and stole the specialist appointment I had fought tooth and nail to get for my Liam.
My Liam, the love of my life, died because of a delayed treatment.
That’s when I understood. There would be no peace between us. Daniel and I were destined to be each other’s personal hell, a living, breathing punishment for one another until the very end.
I watched as Liam’s body was pushed into the incinerator, turned to a scoop of ash.
I held his urn and buried him myself. Staring at his brilliant smile etched onto the cold stone, the grief I’d been suppressing erupted, a tidal wave threatening to drown me. I collapsed before his grave, tears falling like broken pearls, striking the marble one by one. I traced the outline of his photograph on the headstone, sitting there from dawn until the sky bled to black.
“Liam,” I whispered, my voice raw, “I have to go now. Someone has to pay for this. Don’t be in a rush to move on. You wait for me. Once I’ve made them pay, I’m coming to find you.”
With one last, reluctant look, I left the cemetery. I would get justice for him, no matter the cost. Even my own life was a price I was willing to pay.
The grief in my heart had curdled, hardening into a white-hot rage.
Liam didn’t have to die. I had practically crawled on my knees to secure an appointment with the world-renowned Dr. Alistair Finch, only for Daniel to use his authority as my husband to steal it. He gave it to his precious little girlfriend for a common cold.
By the time I found out, Dr. Finch had already left the country in a fury. All I could do was hold Liam in my arms as he took his last breath.
I slammed the accelerator to the floor, driving like a soul condemned, the speedometer needle trembling at its limit. I dialed Daniel’s number. He answered instantly.
“Maya,” he drawled, “finally ready to cry uncle? If you get on your knees and beg, I might just find it in me to forgive you. I might even help out that worthless bastard of yours.”
His mocking voice crackled through the phone, followed by a chorus of jeering laughter from his friends.
“Sis-in-law finally breaking? See, what’s the point of being so stubborn? Just say you’re sorry. We’ll all be witnesses for you!”
“Hey, Maya, bring a good bottle of scotch, will you? Show us you’re sincere.”
“And don’t forget a gift for our sweet Chloe. Otherwise, that dying loser Liam can forget about getting any help from our boy Daniel.”
The last of my sanity incinerated the moment they said his name.
“Fine,” I bit out, my voice raspy. “The address.”
He gave it to me. I hung up. The roar of the engine was a symphony with the frantic drumming of my heart.
I screeched to a halt in front of the private club, snatched a security baton from the guard post, and stormed toward their private room.
I kicked the door open. My eyes met Daniel’s, his gaze lazy and indifferent.
“Well, well, Maya. Where’s the gift for Chloe?” Carter, the one who had called Liam a dying loser, sauntered toward me with a smug grin.
I lifted the baton and brought it down on his head with all my strength. Blood gushed, a geyser of red.
“Maya, you’re insane!”

2
He shrieked, but before anyone else could react, I had Chloe by the hair. She’d been standing to the side, a smug smirk on her face. Not anymore.
I swung the baton again, burying it in her stomach. She let out a piercing scream. Only then did Daniel seem to snap out of his stupor.
He shoved me away, hard, and gathered Chloe into his arms protectively.
“Maya! Have you lost your mind? You’re like a rabid dog, attacking everyone you see!” he snarled, his face contorted in disgust.
I ignored his venom and walked toward him until I was standing toe-to-toe, my knuckles white on the baton’s grip. “You’re right, Daniel, I am insane. I went insane the moment you and this bitch stole Liam’s last chance to live.”
At the mention of Liam’s name, Daniel let out a short, cold laugh. “Him again? That spineless parasite who lives off women? Did he run crying to you? He’s really mastered the art of being a leech, hasn’t he?”
My hand flew, the crack of my palm against his cheek cutting him off mid-sentence. “You don’t get to say his name. You murderer.”
The slap finally broke through his arrogant calm. He stood, his eyes blazing, and jabbed a finger into my shoulder. “A bastard. Why can’t I say his name? Have you forgotten, Maya? You are still my wife.”
He grabbed me, his grip like iron, and forced me to the floor. “Now, my dear wife, apologize to my sweet Chloe. If you’re good, maybe I’ll be in a generous mood and help that bastard of yours live another day or two.”
I struggled, but he was too strong, pinning me to the floor like a dog at Chloe’s feet.
A slow, chilling smile spread across my face. “Alright, Daniel. If you can save Liam, I’ll get on my knees and beg for her forgiveness.”
His expression darkened for a split second before returning to a mocking sneer. “Good. Let’s see just how far you’re willing to go for that piece of trash.”
The moment he released me, I lunged. Not to beg, but to kill. I tackled Chloe to the ground, my teeth sinking into the soft flesh of her neck, aiming for the artery. I wanted to tear her apart.
Daniel roared with rage, yanking me off her and throwing me across the room. My head slammed against the floor, but I felt no pain, only a savage, exhilarating joy.
A low giggle escaped my lips as I watched Chloe sob in terror, blood streaming down her neck.
Daniel stalked over, grabbed me by the collar, and hauled me to my feet. His deep-set eyes were glacial. “Maya, you just don’t know when to quit! Fine. You want to play this game? Strip. Get on your knees and beg Chloe for forgiveness while you’re naked.”
“Or else…”
I wiped the blood from my lips—her blood—and met his gaze without flinching. “Or else what?”
I grabbed his tie and pulled him close, my lips brushing his ear. “You’ll kill me?”
A flash of fury crossed his face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace Liam had given me, dangling it in front of me.
My breath hitched. I lunged for it, but he was faster, grabbing my throat with one hand while the other held the necklace just out of reach, taunting me.
“You want it?” he purred, his eyes glinting with malice. “Do as I say.”
“Daniel,” I hissed, “have you sunk so low that you’ve become a common thief?”
I had torn our home apart looking for that necklace. The guilt of losing it had kept me awake for nights. And all this time, he had it. It was one of the few things I had left of Liam. It was everything.
“We’re married, darling. How can it be stealing?” he smirked. “Strip naked, apologize to Chloe, and I’ll give it back to you. Simple.” His hand tightened on my neck, his voice a soft, intimate whisper.
I closed my eyes, the humiliation a bitter pill. “Fine. I’ll do it.”
Daniel’s lips thinned into a hard line. He sat on the sofa, his expression unreadable, and watched me, rubbing the necklace between his fingers as a silent threat.
I walked over to Chloe and, without hesitation, pulled off my shirt. The cold air hit my bare skin, and I shivered. I took a deep breath and unzipped my pants, letting them fall to the floor.
Jeers and lewd comments filled the room.
“Damn, Maya’s crazy, but look at that body.”
“Tsk, tsk… if she wasn’t Mrs. Vance, I’d have to get a piece of that…”
Their words were disgusting, but they couldn’t touch me. Nothing could.
My hands went to the last piece of my clothing. Suddenly, Daniel shot to his feet.
“Enough!”
He strode over and grabbed my face, his voice laced with a raw, violent disgust. “You make me sick, Maya.”
“Apologize to her like this. The sight of your body is making me ill.”
He threw me to the ground. I crawled to Chloe’s feet and knelt. “I’m sorry.”
My hands were clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms. I was apologizing to Liam’s murderer. The shame and rage made me tremble.
“Daniel, I’m scared,” Chloe whimpered, her body trembling like a delicate flower in a storm.
“Louder!” Daniel roared at me. “On your knees! Bow your head and apologize!”
I swallowed the fury that choked me and slammed my forehead against the floor.
“Chloe, I’m sorry!”
When I looked up, my eyes met Daniel’s. They were dark, unreadable pools of contempt. “You really do love that bastard, don’t you?” he sneered.
“You know what? I’ve changed my mind. I don’t think I want to give this back to you after all.”
And with that, he threw the necklace out the open window.
“No!” A raw, agonized scream tore from my throat. I lunged for the window, a moth drawn to a disappearing flame.
“Maya!”

3
The chain brushed against my fingertips. For a split second, joy flared in my chest, but it was extinguished as Daniel’s hands clamped around my waist, yanking me back into the room.
I watched it fall, slipping through my grasp just like Liam had.
“No! My necklace! Give it back!” I thrashed like a wild animal, forgetting we were eleven stories up, my only instinct to reach for the plummeting piece of silver.
I lunged for the window again, and again he pulled me back.
He spun me around, his face a mask of dark fury, and slapped me across the face.
“What is this, Maya? Some tragic performance for my benefit? Playing the heartbroken lover?” he snarled, his nose brushing against mine.
The sting on my cheek was nothing compared to the desolation that crushed me. I slid down the wall, the grief I’d been holding back finally breaking through. Sobs wracked my body, torn from the very depths of my soul.
A warmth settled on my shoulder. Daniel’s voice was stiff, unnatural. “Maya… stop crying. It’s just a necklace. I’ll buy you another one.”
I looked up, my eyes bloodshot, and grabbed the front of his shirt.
“You make it sound so simple, Daniel! We were supposed to stay out of each other’s way! Why did you have to interfere? Why did you have to take his chance to live?”
“Why?” My voice was a broken, animalistic cry.
“I’m your husband, Maya! Have you forgotten?” he shot back, his own eyes red-rimmed. “You crawl on your knees for that bastard, get yourself beaten and bruised for him! What about my reputation? My pride?”
“My husband? Don’t make me laugh, Daniel!”
“And what about her? You made headlines buying out an entire auction for her! You used my dignity as your personal doormat! What about my pride?”
We were two warring nations, launching volley after volley, giving no quarter.
“Chloe is different,” he finally said, his lips a thin, hard line.
“So is Liam!”
“Don’t you dare compare that trash to Chloe!”
“He is not trash! He was your brother! Your own flesh and blood!”
Daniel ripped my hands from his shirt. “Enough, Maya.”
He straightened his collar and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. “It was just a stupid necklace. If you don’t want me to replace it, go ask that bastard to get you a new one.” He fumbled with his lighter.
I staggered to my feet, tears streaming down my face.
“He’s dead.”
“He can’t give me anything ever again.”
Daniel froze. The lighter in his hand clicked four times before a weak flame sputtered to life.
“Dead?” he said, his voice muffled by a cloud of smoke. “Good. Dead is better. Cleaner.”
His words were hollow, empty.
I wiped the tears from my face. In that moment, I hated him more than I had ever hated anyone in my life. I didn't want his casual dismissal. I wanted him to hurt. I wanted him to feel the same gut-wrenching agony that was tearing me apart.
I walked through the smoke until I stood directly in front of him. A twisted smile played on my lips as I gently tapped his abdomen.
“Did you know? The kidney in your body right now? It was Liam’s.”
“He didn’t want you to feel guilty, so he never told you. The man you despised most in the world… he gave you your life.”
I stared into his eyes, my own trembling, and watched his expression shift from blankness to disbelief, and finally, settle into a mask of pure agony.
My smile widened. His pain was my only solace.
“Why don’t you go and thank him in person?” I whispered, my voice the seductive hiss of a demon crawling from hell.
Daniel’s gaze was deep and unsettling, a stagnant pool of despair.
“Daniel, don’t listen to her lies!” Chloe rushed to his side, clinging to his arm. “It wasn’t Liam who donated the kidney! If it was, why didn’t he say anything that day, when you… when you had him beaten?”
Her words were a steel blade, twisting in my already gaping wound.
“What did you say?” My voice was a strangled, ugly sound.
Daniel moved, shielding Chloe from my view with his own body.
I lost control. I was a caged animal, throwing myself at him, my fists hammering against his chest.
“He saved you! How could you beat him? He was dying, and you wouldn’t even let him go in peace!”
“Why aren’t you dead? You should be in hell! You should all be dead!”
I hit him, bit him, clawed at him, and he just stood there, his lips pressed together, taking it all without a word.
Finally, exhausted, I slumped to the floor, my heart a hollow, aching void.
“Daniel, I’m scared,” Chloe whispered.
“I’ll take you home.” Daniel looked down at me, his expression conflicted, but in the end, he wrapped an arm around Chloe and walked out.
The once-raucous room was now silent, leaving me alone with my grief.
I swayed to my feet. Life felt pointless, but I couldn’t die. Not yet. Not while my enemies were still breathing.
I ran after them, getting to my car first.
The moment Daniel’s engine started, I floored it.
I rammed their car with everything I had.
I wanted them dead.

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