Page 1 of The Liar I Married

Images of her kissing my husband slam into my brain.

How could he do this to me? I need to get away.

I can’t think straight. My mind is screaming at me to, “Drive, drive, drive.” The way ahead blurs from my tears and my brand-new SUV swerves across the blacktop, tires screaming.

Headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating flashes of brown and green trees alongside the highway.

The steering wheel is slippery under my palms. I can’t move it and panic grips me as I fight to gain control.

The car accelerates and someone is yelling abuse at me so close to my ear it hurts.

A burst of pain spears my temple, jolting my head to one side.

Pinwheels of light dance in front of my eyes but I hold tight to the wheel.

Blinking frantically, I fight the vehicle’s uncontrollable slide across the road.

My hands ache as I wrench the steering wheel away from trees coming closer by the second.

I must regain control. Please God help me—my girls are asleep in the back!

The SUV responds for a second before it speeds up again.

I stab my foot down hard on the pedal. Nothing. Why can’t I make the brakes work?

Terror grips me. I don’t know what to do: my new car is like a runaway train.

My seatbelt bites into my shoulder as violent swerves toss me from one side to the other.

The yelling is getting louder. Who is in the car with me?

I can’t take my eyes from the road to see.

The yellow line is a slithering snake and my arm muscles tear from their sockets but I won’t give in.

I’m fighting for my life. Somehow, I make it around the next bend but my car fishtails.

I’m sliding sideways and heading straight for a tree.

The engine roars like some evil being has taken over. I can’t stop it.

Someone is screaming—is it me? The tree is there right in front of me.

A deafening bang and a shattering jolt throws my head back, wrenching my neck.

I’m flying forward, my teeth slam together and I taste blood in my mouth.

Windows explode and glass shatters like diamonds.

Metal grinds and a cloud of suffocating white hits my face.

The back of the car bounces as it settles on the blacktop.

A horn shrieks and then silence. Darkness is closing in around me. Where are my kids?