The Errant Wife

Sensitive issues: Mental and physical abuse

Jason stood silently waiting for his wife to wake. He would take no joy in this act of revenge on his unfaithful wife, but it was necessary.

Sandra groaned and shook herself awake. She couldn’t see anything, no light filtered into the inky blackness of the room. She blinked several times to ensure her eyes were open. Sandra sniffed. The air was fusty but sweet. It reminded her of when the cat had died, and they didn’t find it for three days.

“Dear Heart, your back with me.”

Sandra jumped at the words whispered in her ear. The voice was so close she felt his soft warm breath on the side of her neck.

“Jason, is that you?”

Jason stepped around the front of Sandra and switched on his head torch, shining it on her pale, confused face. The blinding light made Sandra close her eyes again, she tried to bring her hand up to shield them. Her arm only raised a few inches then stopped, looking down she saw handcuffs fastening her to the chair she was sitting in. Dressed in pink floral silk pyjamas Sandra shivered as the cold seeped through the thin material. Her bare feet scraped over the rough concrete floor as she rattled the cuffs fastening her ankles.

“Jason, where are we? How did I get here? Why am I handcuffed to this chair?”

“Good questions, Dear Heart. I gave you everything a wife could want, a beautiful home and as much money as you could spend. I never abused you and didn’t make too many demands in the bedroom and yet, it wasn’t enough for you. You took yourself a lover. Your affair has brought you here, with the help of a small sleeping draught in your coffee last night.” Jason’s voice was soft and low making Sandra concentrate to hear him clearly.

“What are you talking about? I’m not having an affair. Jason, please take the light away; you’re blinding me.” Sandra flushed despite fear starting to bubble in her stomach.

Jason’s voice turned cold and harsh. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I love you, Jason. Please,” she pleaded, “this isn’t like you.”

Sandra leaned as far forward as her shackles would allow. If she could reach out to him, she could calm him, reassure him. It had always worked in the past.

“You have no clue what I’m really like, Dear Heart,” Jason sneered. “I am not what you see. No-one knows me, all I ever show to people is a mask. For you my mask was of a caring, loving husband. To my employees in the office, I am a tough but fair boss. To the ‘great and good of the town’ I am a gregarious, generous host. I am what I need to be to get what I want.”

“Jason, you’re scaring me.”

“Good, you should be scared. You are finally seeing the man behind all those masks. I cannot be perceived to be weak. If I was to allow anyone, even my so-called loving wife to take advantage of me my life would not be worth living. The real business that paid your credit card bills is, literally, cutthroat and I will not tolerate any disloyalty, especially from you.”

“Real business, Jason. You run a pub vending and gaming machine company.”

“That would not pay for the makeup you buy.” Jason sniggered. “I run an import business. I import drugs and whores. I could put you to work but you’re too old to appeal to my punters.”

Jason’s fingers stroked Sandra’s cheek. She made herself lean into his caress and not flinch away.

“Jason, love, he was blackmailing me. I was scared. You can tell him to leave me alone. We can be as we were before. I’ll always love you. Honest. Please believe me, Jason.” Sandra was begging

Sandra’s head rocked as Jason’s hand slapped her face. She couldn’t see the anger contorting his features. She would say anything to try and save her own skin.

“Honest? you don’t understand the meaning of the word. I spoke to your lover. He lost control of his bladder when he realised who you were married to. Him, I believed.”

Jason listened to his wife as she sobbed. Jason was right, he gave her everything she ever asked for and she still got bored. She thought she was so clever having an affair under Jason’s nose. Who her lover was, was of no consequence. The game, the danger was the draw. If she had known who he really was, she would have had all the danger she ever wanted.

Sandra’s chin dropped to her chest as Jason watched his wife, she knew there was no way back for her. He felt nothing for her, he was unsure he ever did. This lesson would be a message to all in his organisation. It screamed loud and clear, no matter how close they thought they were to him, cross him and vengeance would be swift and final.

“You won’t have to worry about me, Dear Heart, I already have your replacement lined up. Oh, not a wife. Someone who will cook and clean and when required satisfy my … other needs. She came over with the last shipment of girls. A little older than our usual, so she appreciates my offer rather than work the streets. Time for me to go now.”

Jason turned off his head torch. Sandra heard his footsteps slowly move around her. She rattled the handcuffs as she struggled against her bonds. A door open behind her, still no light penetrated this dungeon.

“Jason, you’re a psycho,” she screamed. “People will ask questions when I don’t turn up.”

“No, Dear Heart, I’m not a psychopath. I’m much more dangerous; I’m always in control. I believe if I have a label the term would be sociopath. By the way I must apologise for you not being able to see your lover yesterday as you’d planned. You see he’s been here, waiting for you to join him before you both, supposedly, go to Venezuela to escape. Goodbye, Dear Heart.”

Jason flicked a switch and the spotlights in the ceiling illuminated the room. Jason smiled as he closed the door on his wife’s screams. Perhaps had been more enjoyable than he thought.