Ruthless

Chapter 1 Christy : Blood on my hands

I stared at the open sign of my new bookstore. I had been standing there for more than 10 minutes straight. The whistling and honking of cars passing by barely waking me up from an endless dream. I imagined me opening my own shop would be quite the struggle. Thanks to my wonderful friends helping me out after graduating with my masters in business management; I was able to fulfill the dream. A hand clasped my shoulder, a man who happens to be my loving fiancé kisses my forehead. "You did it hon." He beams at me proud of my accomplishments. "Yes I did, didn't I?" I kiss him full on the mouth and we open the door to the store getting ready for our grand opening.

I wish that day was erased from my memory. I wish that day I would've never opened the doors to the shop. I wish I would've stayed home in bed and not witnessed the next 24 hours.

——————————————————
The first customer arrived looking through the stacks of books. The store for striving new authors who wanted to make money for their books they write. I walked towards the customer asking he needed help his striking green eyes and blond long hair catching me off guard. "No, I'm find thank you." He turned back towards the stack of books he was scavenging through. I went back up to my place at the counter and watched my few customers look around. A woman with Raven black hair and a black dress comes towards me with a stack of books and a couple of bookmarks. "Will that be all for you?"
"Yes, my husband is going to kill me. He told me to go find some food for dinner I didn't even do that." I laughed and started ringing up the items. "I assume your husband isn't much of a reader?"
"No, he's more of a tv guy."
"Your total is 34.90."
"I'm screwed."
After ringing her up a couple of more customers came to the register ready to check out. At 6, I was closing up shop when my best friend Noni came in, "Jeez Chris, the store almost looks sold out." She smiles.
"Another shipment will be in tomorrow." I begin dusting the shelves.
"You can't tell me you didn't at least make a killing today."
"Let's check the stats." I run towards the computer checking todays sales. It was more than 2,000 dollars,
"Wow, someone bought a 100 dollars worth of items?" I look at the screen in disbelief.
"Damn, well Chris let's go out for some drinks my treat."
"Aww thanks let me lock the doors then we can leave." I grab my bag and lock the doors to the store. Me and Noni walk arm in arm down the street to the nearest bar in town.
We seat ourselves at the bar ordering two dirty martinis. I look around the bar and notice the bartender looked familiar. I tap on Noni playfully, "That bartender was in my store earlier."
"The Thor look alike?"
"Yes."
Noni rolls her eyes, "Christy Dani soon to be Phillips, are you checking out other guys than your fiancee."
"I can look I just can't touch." I take a sip of my martini.
"Let's get you home before the martini makes you cheat." Noni pays for the drinks and I caught a cab to my apartment.
I open the door and hear the sound of moaning and thumping upstairs in another apartment. My instinct is to walk upstairs and bang on the door but, I'm too wasted.

"It's my neighbors above me of course." I sit my purse down on the counter. A ball of fur walks past my feet and I bend down to pet my cat Skywalker who's absolutely happy to see me.
"I have to feed you huh?" I scratch Skywalker's ears and put him a can of his favorite dish in his bowl. The thumping and moaning starts to subsides and I head towards my bedroom getting myself ready for a shower. I wrap my towel around my naked body and hop into the shower detangling my hair out of the poofy ponytail. I hear my phone ping as soon as I'm done lathering.

A text from Noni puts me in a mood, "Hey have you heard from Dan?" The text says.
"Not since he came to the store." I replied back. The 3 answering bubbles came up as Noni reply's back. "You need to call him."
"Why?" I replied.
A photo of Dan and some blond girl hugging in an alley way makes me almost drop my phone.
I immediately call Noni, "Don't fucking play games with me girl."
"Hey! before you go hot head on me I was being a Good Samaritan by sending the shit to you."
I put a hand to my forehead, "I haven't heard from him since earlier."
"Did he tell you where he was going?"
"He said to work Noni."
Noni breathes through the phone, "That's not work hon."
"The fact you two aren't living together gives him more than enough freedom to cheat and I can say he has some balls babe."
I sit silently with the phone on speaker. "I can't marry a cheater."
"You know what you have to do." I hang up the phone usually my anger never gets the best of me but it did. I grab my jacket and head towards Dan's house. This hasn't been the first time Dan has cheated and I've been stupid to forgive him countless times. I drive towards the interstate leading down highway 40. Dan's house was on the exit. I've had enough of people pushing me over. Arriving at his house I used my key he had given me the day he gave me permission into his heart. The house was completely quiet. I thought he had maybe fled but the light from the tv indicated something otherwise. There he laid motionless in a deep sleep. I heard the movement of footsteps coming from the bathroom. I hide behind the island counter watching as she gracefully gets on top of my fiancé. I hear him groan and she's half naked with a purse in her hand. "i'm leaving i'll see you tomorrow."  she kisses him on the cheek and walks towards the door and closes it. As soon as she leaves I hear him back to snoring.

I got up and walk towards the couch slapping him hard across the face. "You cheating pig! After everything we've been through together you get mixed up with some whore!"

Dan stands in disbelief his hand to his cheek. "Christ Chris!" He yells.

"Don't say my name; don't touch me, don't even come in contact with me. We are done!" I start to gather myself but, I'm pulled forcibly back towards him.

I push him away and he hits the floor. "You can't even sustain a life for yourself Chris, that shop will not last day without my expenses paying for it." He tries to get up.

"I should have left you before you proposed!" I grab my key from counter heading towards the front door.

"You walk out that door I will destroy your shop. Don't forget the reason we are getting married in the first place!"

He grabs my arm and I push him away again. He punches me hard across the face and I kick him in his stomach. "Get off of me!" I run towards the door again trying to unlock it and he pulls me by my sweater.

"Christy please, I'm sorry I love you!" Dan grabs my waist and I try to get out his grasp. "I'm sorry I'll be better for both of us."

I bite hard on his hand and he cries out I crawl towards the kitchen behind the island counter and grab a knife. I couldn't think, I didn't think at this point all I remember is stabbing him several times to get him away from me. The shock in his eyes haunting me every stab I took. I run out the house, getting into my car speeding away.