Game of Hearts

part 18

With each passing day, Monica grew increasingly elusive, vanishing like smoke in the wind. But her presence was still felt, her poison seeping into every aspect of Ben and Miranda’s lives.

Rumors and allegations began to spread like wildfire, fanning the flames of Monica’s campaign of destruction. Miranda’s parole officer reached out, the concerns about her involvement in the violent altercation making her question the stability of Miranda’s new life.

Ben, for his part, remained silent, his anger simmering beneath the surface like a volcano waiting to erupt.

Miranda’s eyes blazed with fury, her fingers clenching into fists. “I’m going to kill her,” she growled, her voice low and dangerous. “I swear, she’s trying to ruin my life.”

Ben, his face a mask of barely-contained rage, laid a hand on Miranda’s arm. “We have to be smart about this,” he said, his voice cold and calm. “She wants us to play her game. She wants us to get sloppy.”

“I don't have time for being smart benjamin that woman is messing with my parole I could go back to jail”

Destiny, her eyes wide and curious, slipped into the room, her presence bringing a momentary pause to the heated discussion.

“Who’s going to jail?” she asked, her voice filled with both confusion and concern.

Miranda turned to her daughter, her face creasing with fear and frustration. “Nobody is going to jail, baby girl,” she said, her tone gently reassuring. “We’re just talking about Monica. Don’t worry about it.”

Destiny, however, wasn’t easily dissuaded.“are you going back to jail momma ?? Beocuse of what you did to aunt Monica ?? Are you going to leave me ”

The question hung in the air, heavy with fear and uncertainty. Destiny’s words, filled with innocence and concern, pierced Miranda’s heart like a dagger.

“No, baby girl,” she murmured, her voice trembling with emotion. “Momma’s not going anywhere. I promise. I’m going to fight to stay with you. I’m not going back to jail.”

Destiny, her face scrunching up in confusion, frowned. “But Aunt Monica said—”

Ben’s voice was low, his eyes still fixed on Destiny’s face, trying to read the truth hidden in her words. “What did she say, Destiny?” he asked, his voice thick with concern. “What did Aunt Monica say?”

Destiny’s face flushed, her eyes darting between her parents, her mind racing to remember. “She said…she said she was going to tell on Momma. That she was going to tell her parole officer about Momma hitting her.”

Destiny’s words were like a slap to the face, her youthful innocence unable to shield her from the brutality of Monica’s intentions.

Ben’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched tight. “She said that?” he asked, his voice a quiet, deadly whisper. “That she was going to ruin your mother’s life?”

Destiny nodded, her fear and confusion turning into anger. “She said that Mom will go to prison and her and you could live happily ever after,” she spat, her voice trembling with rage.

The atmosphere in the room shifted, the air growing heavy with a mix of anger, fear, and determination. Ben and Miranda exchanged a glance, a silent conversation taking place between them—a silent agreement to finish this, once and for all.

“Aunt Monica needs to learn a lesson,” Miranda growled, her hands balling into fists once again. “Aunt Monica needs to disappear.”

Ben’s smile grew wider, his eyes gleaming with a cruel, calculating intelligence. “She won’t disappear,” he said, his voice low and even. “Not completely. But she’ll disappear in a way that no one will ever suspect us.”