6th June 2019

2:00 pm

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Logan sat there glaring at his soon to be ex-wife while she reciprocated with a look of disdain. He desperately needed to be out of here and he couldn't believe that the first opportunity to make a negotiation, had been ruined by Crazy Cassie.

Why did he have to be stuck with this woman that would stop at nothing to get on the last of his nerves?

Words couldn't describe how much she had frustrated him in the last half of their sixteen-year long marriage.

Seven years ago, that was when it all went downhill, to a place they could never return from. They were unable to talk about it or move on. They only kept on with the arguments which never stopped till this moment.

Freedom and peace were all Logan had been looking forward to for the past 5 months since Cassie had packed her bags and left their home, bluntly refusing to grant him a divorce.

Three weeks ago, she'd called and they set up an appointment, finally. It was all too bad that this had to happen today, which made him all the more suspicious of her.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Are you plotting to kill me or I'm no longer the 'old woman' and you now find me attractive?" She asked with a smirk playing on her plump pink lips he hated to say that he still loved it. 

Logan knew that even though Cassie had the nastiest attitude, she was an attractive woman and he'd never believed otherwise for a minute. However, calling her old was an attempt to soil her ego and have the upper hand.

Their marriage felt somewhat like a power tousle, where the winner was the one that did the most damage.

"I hate you," Cassie muttered.

This was not the first or even the hundredth time she'd echo those words which reminded him that she still had feelings for him, even though they were on the wrong side of the love spectrum.

"Glad to hear that. I'd be a liar if I didn't say I feel the same," he replied.

Logan felt everything negative towards Cassie. Anger, sadness, rage, frustration, but if he wanted to be honest with himself, he knew he didn't hate her. He couldn't. He loved her with all of his heart.

"I hate being here with you," she said.

"Why? Are you scared you'll fall in love with me again and I won't reciprocate your feelings?" He asked with every intention of upsetting her.

"Even if there was a gun to my head and a knife to my throat urging me to do otherwise, I'll still spit on your face," she replied with a quiet voice filled with so much disdain.

It made him wonder if she was actually telling the truth. It made him wonder what he'd done so wrong to make her stop loving him.

"Quit staring at me, now!" She said, authoritatively.

Logan finally tore his eyes away, towards the only window in the room, which provided light. "I hope you know we're still obliviously chained up here like animals because of you," he uttered, suggestively.

"Oh please, Mr. Perfect, what have I done this time?" She replied, mockingly.

"I was trying to negotiate-"

"You were trying to feed me to the dogs and walk away freely. That ain't no negotiation," she corrected him.

"Because you know the truth. You are responsible for this!" He said, getting angry all over again.

She rolled her eyes. "I'd argue with you, but we both know it's pointless. So, go ahead and think what you like, Little Logan."

"Cassie is this about you not wanting to go ahead with the divorce?" He asked, causing her to slowly turn to face him. She bore an unfathomable expression, but the hint of sadness in her eyes was not concealable.

Cassie shook her head. "Why would I not want that?"

"The same reason you didn't want it five months ago. I'd also love to know. Is there any chance that you still have feelings for me?" He asked and was surprised the next thing she did was laugh.

This woman did know how to push all his buttons even with just a peal of unnerving laughter.

"Do you mind filling me in on the joke?" He quirked his brows in feigned curiosity.

Cassie smiled, her charming smile, revealing all her pearly whites. He loved it but he would never admit that the forty-year-old woman was just as beautiful or even more than the first time they'd met. No other woman came close, just how no other woman could fill the void she'd left in his heart. 

"You are the joke." She let out the words which immediately got him regretting even thinking she was attractive.

"Really?"

"Yes. You think I am still in love with you." She laughed some more and all he wanted to do was punch his fist through a wall — His restrained fists.

Damn this place!

Damn this situation!

He couldn't stand this woman.

"If I wasn't clear enough earlier, Logan. The truth is, I hate you. I hate you so much it makes my blood boil. The only reason I'm still married to you is that there's no feeling as satisfying as seeing you suffer."

She'd never cared about the impact her words had on him. Nothing had changed, this was Cassie Richards the self-centered, egotistical, maniac he'd married who somehow believed that only her thoughts and feelings were valid.

At this point, as his raging heart tumbled into the depths of anger and frustration, there were no other words he wanted to say.

"I hate you, Cassie." And he knew that some part of him meant it.

The clanking of keys and their impact with the metal door had caught the attention of Logan and Cassie.

It was proceeded by Flame and a large, burly man walking in. Both had guns in their hands, pointing at the armless couple.

"Hi, did you miss me?" Flame asked. They sounded a little too playful for a bad guy. 

"I know you're not going to let me go so easily, but is it possible to keep me in some other room away from this woman?" Logan asked as his frustration etched deeply. He could feel his body aching all over, but it was nothing compared to the damage done to his soul.

"Coward," Cassie whispered loudly enough for every member of the room to hear, before looking away and whistling a weird tune, as though that was not her intention.

"And miss all this drama? No way!" Flame laughed. "How about we play a game? If you answer correctly, you get some food. I know you both must be starving."

Flame's assumption seemed to awaken all the worms in Logan's stomach. He suddenly began to wonder when last he'd had a fairly decent meal.

"We're not answering any damn questions till you tell us why we're here!" Cassie argued, still on her quest for obtaining control, knowing well there was little to nothing she could do with her hands stuck behind her back.

Logan interrupted her. "Speak for yourself. Flame, I'm willing to cooperate with you, so I can get out of this place. I have a life to get back to. Sadly, I can't say the same for this woman," he added spitefully.

"Enough!" Flame shut them up with a wave of hands.

They whispered something to the huge man and he'd walked out and shut them in before they picked a chair the couple had hardly noticed from a corner of the room and settled into it enthusiastically.

"Now what?" Cassie asked.

"Now you shut up and speak when you're asked to." It was obvious Flame loved to be in control.

Logan laughed. "If that is the rule of the game, Cassie's out. The only thing she doesn't know how to do is shut up." He pointed out.

"Look who's talking. You're literally describing yourself-"

"What part of 'speak when you're asked to' is too difficult to understand?" Flame yelled, in an attempt to garner their attention. "I need the both of you to remain quiet," they said, with a calmer voice, once certain the couple's attention had been won over, which was becoming an increasingly difficult task.

"Logan Richards, you go first. How do you feel right now?" Flame asked and even with the mask, one could easily tell that they were watching him intently.

Logan gulped. If anything, he had not been expecting that kind of question. "Well... am I supposed to feel any other way apart from terrible?" He asked.

"Why do you feel that way?"

He was even more confused. Why was this starting to feel like some sick attempt at a therapy session? "I can't move my hands, I can't move my body, I have important things to deal with, like my company, but I'm stuck here with this... woman. I have absolutely no reason to not feel terrible." He voiced out his feelings and could not deny the fact that it felt a little relieving.

"Cassie Richards, you go next," Flame said.

"What are you, a marriage counselor?" She asked rolling her eyes.

"Answer the question."

"Are you trying to save this marriage? There's nothing to save. He asked me for a divorce for no reason," she said turning to face Logan with a smirk playing on her lips.

Logan stared at her in disbelief. "For no reason? You chose to treat me with detest and disdain and I did nothing asides support and love you."

Cassie smiled as she turned back to face Flame. "You know what? I feel great."

"Really?" The curiosity could be read from Flame's icy blue eyes.

"Logan is frustrated and sad, it makes me feel great," she explained further.

Flame shook their head as they moved the gun from one hand to another. "Why would seeing your husband sad make you feel great?"

"It just does. If you don't like how I feel, you can stick your opinion up your ass," Cassie replied with a spiteful smile, arousing shock from everyone in the room.

Flame had to take a second look at the gun in their hands, to make sure it was existent and Cassie could see it.

"You really are a fearless woman."

"You have no idea." Her voice proceeded as an audible whisper and Logan watched her, terrified she was going to get them into more trouble.

Flame ignored both of them, got up, and walked towards the strong, metal door, before tapping on it three times which one could rightly assume was some sort of symbol.

Another huge man with a black mask opened it and walked in. They whispered some things to each other, and the man decided to walk forward towards them.

"The boss is almost here," Flame announced. "Hopefully, we can get this over with, as soon as possible."

Logan stared at Cassie, hoping to see a sign of relief on her face, but she never flickered. Her heart was stone cold and she could care less if they just announced she'd won a lottery.

The large man began to open the cuff around Logan's hands first and then walked towards her to free hers, while Flame pointed both guns at them, to prevent them from doing anything stupid.

Once he was done, the couple massaged their wrists simultaneously.
It had gone through severe strain.

"How soon is he going to get here?" Logan asked as he sat upon the floor, feeling a lot more comfortable.

Flame laughed. "Boy, have some patience. There's plenty of time for anxiety."