The mountain road. The car. An acc:ident.
The next day was supposed to be our fifth wedding anniversary. Javier had told me he was taking me to a mountain spa, to a hotel overlooking the pine forest, a romantic getaway to ease the sadness of our childless years. I had packed warm coats and scarves and even told my mother-in-law:
“Mom, we’ll be away for a couple of days. Please take care of yourselves and don’t forget your medicine.”
Now I understood. That anniversary trip was never a celebration.
It was supposed to be my execution.
Then a woman’s voice came through the speakerphone, low and nervous.
“But what if she doesn’t die? I’m scared, Javier. I don’t want to go to prison.”
He laughed softly.
“Don’t be silly. I checked everything. If the car goes into that ravine, it’ll be completely destroyed. No one survives that. Once she’s dead, the mansion and the money in the accounts will be transferred to you. Just wait a little longer until you become my wife.”
“You promised, right? Don’t lie to me.”
The woman giggled.
The mansion. The money. Everything for her.
Each word felt like ice slicing through my chest. To my husband, I was not a wife. I was an obstacle. Five years of marriage, five years of humiliation, five years of trying to be enough in that house—and all of it was leading to a cliffside murder.
I pressed my hand over my mouth to stop myself from crying out. Inside the office, Javier continued in a whisper:
“I’ll give her a mild sedative tomorrow. She’ll be half asleep before we even get to the mountain road. That way, if anything happens, it’ll look even more like an accident. Just make sure there’s nothing on your phone. Understand? Stay quiet, and I’ll bring you the papers to sign once it’s done.”
I couldn’t bear another second. My knees gave out, and I sank to the hallway floor. The carpet felt soft, but beneath me it may as well have been blades.
My mind flooded with memories: our wedding at a luxury hotel, Javier taking my hand and saying, “I’ll never abandon you.” The nights I came home aching from fertility treatments and he handed me warm water, saying, “Just one more try, my love. Soon we’ll have our child.” The late nights I waited for him and he hugged me, apologizing for another “business dinner.”
