Dear Ex-wife Marry Me by Twin Bridge

Elsa had never envied anyone in her life-except Athena. Now, with nothing left to lose, she figured if she could drag Athena down with her, it would count as revenge for Kerwin. After all, Athena's foster father was a real piece of work-one not easily dealt with.

Athena was beautiful, everyone knew that. Who could say she wouldn't end up just like Elsa once did, locked in a basement and tormented by her own foster father?

The memories made Elsa's face go pale. She watched the car pull away, a manic urge to laugh bubbling up inside her.

Athena, sitting in the back seat, had no idea what Elsa was plotting. She simply gazed out the window, watching the world slip by in reverse.

Elsa's childhood home was three hours outside the city, a small county town. Athena followed the address Elsa had given her and arrived at a crumbling apartment block.

She grabbed a bowl of noodles at a nearby diner, and while eating, learned that hardly anyone lived in the building anymore. Rumor had it that, years ago, two women had died there-one had jumped from the roof, the other was murdered. The killer was never found.

Athena asked about Elsa, and the owner's face instantly clouded over.

"Elsa? Her mother's the one who jumped. The poor woman married three times. The last husband was a brute-used to beat her. She couldn't take it anymore and jumped, left Elsa behind at just fourteen. That girl never came back, except for one time a few years ago, to renew her ID. Her stepdad tried to hold her there, accused her of being promiscuous and sneaking around with men. Elsa called the police, got her ID, and left in a hurry. Never saw her again after that."

These days, you didn't need to go back to your hometown to renew your ID, so Elsa had no reason to return.

Athena spent the whole day in the diner, keeping an eye on the apartment across the street. Late in the afternoon, she finally saw Elsa's stepfather. He was a big, hulking man with a mean, hard face-exactly the kind you'd expect to have a history of violence.

police first, then made her way

She left something at home and

eyes lingering on her youthful face. A sly excitement flashed across

one of Elsa's friends? Sure, no problem. Come on, I'll show you up.

the battered doorway. The building was in terrible shape —mold crept across the walls, and everything reeked of damp

floor. Her stepfather unlocked the door. "Come in, sweetheart. Wouldn't want anyone to say I'm a poor host." Athena glanced at his leering face,

was she just

room?" she asked, turning her back

around and, in a flash, pulled a knife from her bag.

clutching his stomach, staring at her in

for Elsa and you tried to attack me. I was terrified-you're se much bigger

crumpled to his knees, all the fight gone

it wasn't hard to find. She knelt by the bed, searching the drawers underneath, and sure enough,

When she spotted some of Elsa's old clothes, still hanging

the album, she

The man was

trembling. The

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