The Deep Dark Web | lrh

10

Luke walked up my driveway and gave me a kiss as soon as I opened the front door. He said hi to Ashley- a gesture that she returned with a wide grin and a cheeky comment to 'use protection'- before chuckling lowly and leading me to his car.

The drive to his house was silent, but comfortable. He kept my hand in his and I tried not to let my nerves show. I felt like I was on my way to meet his parents, or something— an event along those lines.

"You're gonna love her," he'd said to me, a gentle smile on his face as we began to near the Hemmings residence, "She's pretty quiet, though, I'm warning you," he then chuckled.

"Quiet?" I asked, slightly amused.

Luke nodded, "A little shy, a little... stiff," I gave him a look, for I had no idea that he was aware of the rumours circulating the town regarding his 'unmoving', 'stiff', and 'stubborn' ex-wife, "I know what they say about me, doll. And it's fine,"

"They don't know what they're talking about," I tried to reason. And suddenly, we weren't talking about Chloe anymore.

The rumours about Luke weren't news, but they always managed to stay above the surface whenever stuff was going on. Some people judged him for being a taxidermist full-stop. Others judged him purely because he gave his kids some of his work to play with. A majority of the town loved him, but it was no surprise that they also stayed away from him.

It seemed as if everybody knew their place around Luke. Unfortunately, everybody but me.

"We're here," he smiled, giving my knuckles one last, soft kiss, "You ready?"

I nodded. He stepped out of the car, edging around it to open the passenger's side. He was being such a gentleman that, even as we stepped into the house and an unpleasant, strong smell hit me, I failed to notice that anything was different.

Luke helped me take my jacket off. He kissed my neck, murmuring that the dress looked lovely and that I looked beautiful in it. I was in so much awe that the nervous feeling in my stomach seemed to disappear altogether, and I followed him into the dining room with a certain pink tint on my cheeks.

The kids were already sat down, playing with some marbles and pretend play money that I soon realised was a present from myself a couple of weeks ago. However, they weren't alone.

Because sat right next to them— in a glossy, elegant black dress and shiny, glass-like blonde hair, was a woman.

"Chloe," Luke's once authoritative voice had smoothened, and I watched as he crouched down to whisper into her ear, "This is the girl the kids and I were telling you about,"

I refused to hesitate. I knew that if I did, my anxiousness would get the better of me and I'd end up making even more of a fool of myself.

So I stepped forward, a hand reaching out as Luke retracted the chair right opposite the woman for me to take a seat.

"Hi," I said, my voice shaking somewhat. She had a butterknife clenched tight in her harsh, glossy grip, but I disregarded the oddity as soon as I saw it, "I'm... I'm Sophie. Sophie Hayes,"

She did nothing.

My cheeks flared red, for I expected Chloe to turn around; to look at me, at least. But she didn't.

She just kept her back turned. Facing the wall; facing the chair that Luke had pulled out for me to sit on as he took his own place at the head of the table.

With flushed, embarrassed cheeks, I quickly made my way over to my own wooden seat. I sat down in a haste, the blue locks of my dyed hair falling messily into my eyes as I avoided all eye contact.

I remember thinking, you can do this. Don't let her intimidate you. You don't want to look like an idiot in front of the kids.

So I tried sucking my pride up. I lifted my head- ever so slowly, just so I could give myself enough time to breathe- before facing the woman with a different kind of fake confidence plasted all over my face.

And- it goes without saying- the sight in front of me caused my entire body to feel as if someone had just injected ice water into my veins. Crystallizing my blood, freezing me on the spot.

Because Chloe Hemmings- the infamous ex-wife of Luke and mother of two adorable, mysterious little children- was everything everyone claimed her to be.

Fixed.

Unmoving.

Stiff.

Literally.