Pawning My Wedding Ring to Buy His Worst Enemy

"Hurry up, Arthur. It's freezing out here." Maya's voice bounced off the concrete walls.

"Patience, baby." A metallic clink hit the undercarriage of my Porsche Panamera. "Brake lines take a minute to loosen properly. We want it to look like a tragic accident, don't we?"

I crouched behind the heavy steel tool cabinet. My knees screamed in protest. A sharp cramp tore through my stomach. Cold sweat slid down my spine, freezing against my skin.

Thick motor oil filled the enclosed space, twisting sickeningly with cheap vanilla perfume.

"Is she really going to drive it tomorrow?" Maya asked.

"She has the board meeting at nine." Arthur grunted, applying pressure to his tool. "She always takes the canyon road. Lots of sharp turns. No guardrails on the north side."

"You're terrible." Maya leaned against the workbench.

"I'm securing our future." Metal ground against metal, grating against my ears. "Hand me the pliers."

"Which ones?"

"The needle-nose. Right there on the tray."

"If they find out..."

"They won't. A catastrophic brake failure on a steep drop. The investigators will blame the mechanics who serviced it last week."

My back pressed against the cold steel of the cabinet. My husband of three years. Planning my funeral so he could screw his assistant in my bed.

"What about the life insurance?" Maya stepped closer to him.

"Ten million." A wet, sloppy sound followed. They were kissing right over the puddle of brake fluid expanding on the floor. "All ours."

"You promise?"

"I swear it. Plus her shares in the company."

"Did you transfer the offshore accounts yet?"

"Half of them. I need her fingerprint for the rest."

"How will you get that if she's dead at the bottom of a ravine?" Her tone sharpened.

"I cloned it from her tablet screen yesterday. I'm telling you, I thought of everything."

"What about the prenup?"

"Death clause." Arthur chuckled. "If she dies while we're married, the prenup is void. I inherit everything as the surviving spouse."

"Even the house in Aspen?"

"Especially the house in Aspen. Now hold the light steady, you're shaking."

"It's freezing! Why couldn't you do this tomorrow while she's at work?"

"Because she's driving this car to work, Maya. Keep up."

"Right. Sorry. I'm just nervous."

"Don't be. By this time tomorrow, we'll be picking out a casket."

"Do I have to go to the funeral?"

"Of course. You'll stand right by my side while I play the grieving widower."

"I can wear that black dress you bought me."

"The silk one? Perfect."

I looked down at the adjustable wrench in my hand. I had come down here to fix a loose pipe by the water heater. Instead, I found my executioners.

My fingers curled around the heavy iron handle. I squeezed. Tighter.

The sharp edge bit into my palm. Skin split. Warm blood welled up, slipping down my wrist. The sharp sting cut through the icy numbness paralyzing my limbs. Every breath I took tasted like rusty blood.

"Hold the flashlight