Return of the Villainous Wife

Chapter 1; The Circle of life.

Somewhere in Eastern Asia, Winter was drawing close. The late Autumn air was crisp and biting. It wasn't 7pm yet, but the sky was dim and the critters and crickets were out and about. 

Bianca Armando stood by the window, watching as leaves fell off the trees surrounding her small cottage house, hidden in the Karakoram mountain ranges. If not that it was getting dark, she would have loved to dance on the dry, brown, crispy leaves, listening to the crunchy sounds they make as they get crushed under her feet. 

She escaped here after realizing how meaningless everything is. 

Love. Hate. Money. Affluence, Revenge. 

She had it all and still lost. Not for once did any of it made her happy. Now that she wanted none of these things, she attained a level of peacefulness that made the silliest things funny and enjoyable. The serenity she felt wouldn't be traded for anything. 

At 28, Bianca Armando decided to live out the rest of her life observing the circle of life. Sunrise to Sunset.

Spring. Summer, Autumn, and Winter. 

A continuous loop of life and death. 

He would find her. Of this, she was sure. 

She wasn't hiding out of fear. For once, she just wanted him to put in a little effort. All this time, she was the one who sought him out, seeking his unattainable affection. Readily available for the smallest of its crumbs… 

“Ding, ding, ding." 

The Grandfather’s clock she bought at a flea market rang out, notifying her that another hour had passed. It was 8pm and time for her to meditate. After meditation, she would cook a light meal, eat and go to bed. 

In the morning, she would run through the mountainsides, covering a few kilometers, then stretch her body out, doing yoga. After that, she would tend to her small herb garden before finding something to eat. By the end of the meal, it would be midday and time to go for a walk… 

In spring, she sat by the lake, watching the flowers blossom. With her nose always in the air, she savored the fragrances of the season. 

If it were summer, she would join the locals to pick fruits at the plantations not far from her home. Wash and swim in the stream, accompanied by the giggles and cries of babies and little kids. Their mothers intermittently yelling and cursing. She even got to babysit once in a while. 

In Autumn, she woke up early to watch the sun rise. Joined the small village at the foot of the mountain to harvest their last crops of the year. And when Autumn neared its end, she visited the nearest town to get supplies in preparation for Winter. 

Winter is on its way, and she looked forward to playing in the snow by day and cuddling by the fireplace at night, reading a book or knitting a new sweater. Whatever takes her fancy. 

Sometimes, it was boring and she would miss the boisterous life she used to have. But most times, it was perfect… 

For dinner, Bianca decided on poached eggs, stir-fried pork chops, salad, and a cup of warm milk. 

After the meal, she washed up and meditated for two hours. She then took a shower and went to bed wearing nothing under the covers. 

At midnight, a gloved hand gently rested on the door knob outside. With a little tweaking, a sharp clicking sound echoed, waking her up instantly. 

Bianca slowly got out of bed. 

In the dark room, she quietly reached downward and opened a drawer built into the bedframe. She brought out a fully loaded gun and placed it on the bed. 

She grabbed her nightgown from her bedside sofa, and quickly put it on. With the gun in hand, she sat down looking serene and unbothered. 

By now, whoever was at the door was already in the house. She just needed to confirm if it was the person she was waiting for or another fertilizer for her herb garden. 

When the bedroom door started creaking, Bianca's finger was on the trigger, ready to let loose. She watched with bated breath as the door slowly pushed inward and a figure cladded in black, stepped into the room. 

Not expecting the occupant to be up and waiting so calmly, the more than six feet tall man paused in shock, momentarily dazed. 

“The wrong answer and I will kill you. Who are you and what do you want?" Bianca asked in a calm, solemn voice, devoid of any hint of fear or struggle. 

“You …!" The masked man grunted. 

The hand holding the gun trembled. 

Finally, 

With shaking hands, Bianca placed the gun by her side and stood up. 

“What took you so long?" 

“You knew I was coming?" 

The voice behind the mask was deep and cold. It had a trembling to it. The only sign of his shock. 

“I know you will come. I have been waiting." 

Ramsey couldn't believe his ears. 

For three years, he had combed the world, searching for this villain. He dreamt of this day. A day when he would gleefully snuff life out of her while she begs for mercy. 

After searching for such a long time, he found her, but she was waiting for him. She wasn't scared a tiny bit. 

Where is the fun in that? 

He wanted to torture her, give her a slow, agonizing death. But he knew he wouldn't be able to have the fun he wanted. 

For this mission to be successful, he needed to get in and out as soon as possible, because she was under the protection of a monastery. Too much noise would draw unwanted attention. 

Facing her calm composure, the beast in him roared. He couldn't see her face in the dark, but he didn't need to see. Every inch of her face, every curve of her body, and all her expressions were all etched into his brain. 

She is mocking me. 

“Why? If you wanted me to find you, why hide so deep?” 

Sneering, he took a step forward, properly entering the room. 

“The first time I saw you, I was 5. You stood up for me and protected me from my bullies. When I was eight, we got caught in a storm. You protected me and ended up sick, almost dying for me. That was when I made myself a promise that I will never leave your side…” 

She paused. 

Why am I going back? 

Yes, she had waited for him to come kill her. But when she realized that it was really him who came, her resolve waivered. The natural fear of death gripped her heart. But as she started recounting their lives, the calmness she had nurtured for three years started coursing through her veins. 

Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her emotions. Everything between them was in the past. Not worth a thought. The future was in front of her. Death, in its most potent form.  

There was no reason to be afraid. 

Death is just a new beginning. Not the finality of life. 

Chapter 2: Turbulence.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I have switched on the ‘fasten your seatbelt’ signs and instructed the flight attendants to sit. If you are not secured, do it now. We may be entering an area of turbulence in a few minutes. I need everyone to be seated and secured.” The pilot’s calm and steady voice announced. 

The passengers instantly grew anxious and started following instructions coming out of the speakers while the attendants all hurried out of the cabins. 

A slim girl with lush, long, black, shiny, shoulder-length hair was oblivious to the commotion around her as she was deeply asleep with a pink eye mask covering her face. 

Suddenly, the plane started shaking and alarms started blaring, instantly waking her up. 

Confused, she sat up and looked around to find others looking worried and holding on to their armrests tenaciously. 

Realizing that they were in turbulence, Bianca closed her eyes and started medi