Page 139 of Imogen

“What do you think it means? She’s taken everything.Everything. I have nothing left to lose. My attempts to get her back for what she did to me have backfired, and now I am done. She left me with no choice.”

My heart hammers in my chest. “Zach,” I call, trying to distract him so I can get closer.

“I guess since she isn’t here, you will have to do.”

I freeze in place at his underlying threat. “What are you talking about?”

He meets my gaze, and I see nothing. I don’t see any anger. I don’t see the hurt or resentment. I see nothing. “I’ve got nothing to live for. Our future ended the day she broke up with me. Then what I had left, she took that from me too.”

Getting a sinking feeling of where this is going, I take a step closer. “Don’t do anything stupid, Zach. You don’t mean this. You’re drunk and emotional.”

“I’m thinking clearly,” he bellows. “My plan was to get her arrested for my murder. This knife? It’s from her kitchen set. But since she isn’t here and is probably already getting help, you will have to do. Which works out better.”

“No, it doesn’t. I’m not going to let you do anything,” I warn.

“You think vodka was the only thing in that bottle?” he laughs. “I just wish I could see her face when you go down for my murder.”

“No, I won’t.”

“Oh, but you will. The seed has already been planted. I told the police she wants me back and that she planted the game in my home ‘cause I wouldn’t agree. They’ll know she has something to do with it. I also told them you probably had something to do with the game getting in my home, that you’ve been jealous of me ever since we got together.”

“That’s not evidence,” I tell him, trying to make him doubt his plan.

“No, but she isn’t the only one who can hack an account. Don’t think I don’t know it was her and her asbo family who hacked my accounts, signing me up to ridiculous subscriptions.”

“What did you do?” I bite out.

“Sent myself an email from her account asking me to come here to sort things out, that she was scared of you and had to make up those lies about me stealing the game. Then I used her laptop to Google where to stab someone to kill them right away.”

The blood drains from my face. “You didn’t,” I breathe out.

They’ll crucify her. She’ll never be free of this. It will follow her around forever, even if they don’t charge her for it. As for me, they could try to charge me too.

“Oh, I did. But I guess this is better. They’ll think she made you do it.”

“Zach, no. Don’t do this to her. Whatever you’re feeling right now, it will go away.”

“I don’t care. I want her to suffer. Whilst the world is accusing her of my death, she’ll be blaming herself for my suicide. She’ll never forget me.” His laugh sends a shiver down my spine.

“I won’t let you do this to her,” I grit out, losing my calm.

“You can’t stop me.”

“Do you know what it feels like when a knife goes inside you? I do. It hurts like a bitch. It’s not easy either. It takes some force. Then it feels like your insides are being tugged out. And let’s not forget, if you survive it, the pain can be unbearable. You’ll get an itch that feels like it’s inside of you, and when it starts to get to you, you’ll have moments when you’ll want to rip the stitches open just to get relief.”

“You are just trying to stop me,” he announces sharply.

“No, I’m not. I was stabbed last year, remember?”

“You really think she’ll stay with you after this? If you don’t go to prison, you’ll just be a reminder of what happened. Of what she caused. She broke up with me for you. Now she’ll never be able to look at you without feeling ashamed.”

“She didn’t break up with you over me. You’re wrong. We happened weeks after you broke up. And I won’t let her feel like that. Her family won’t.”

“Lies,” he screams. “You both think I’m stupid. I’m not.”

“I’m not lying and you know I’m not. You just need to tell yourself we were cheating so you feel better for the shit you’ve caused in your life. You’ve not once taken any responsibility. Even now you’re taking the coward’s way out.”

He holds the knife out, taking a step back. “Why do you even care?”

---