Domestic Psychological Thrillers Bundle: Domestic Psychological Thriller Series, #3

By Ann-Marie Richards

A collection of two domestic thrillers filled with twists and turns.

The Pretend Wife

The Rich Housewife

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ann-Marie Richards
• Release date: Jun 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223012856

Book preview

DOMESTIC PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS BUNDLE

(Gripping psychological thrillers with a shocking twist)

By Ann-Marie Richards

Copyright 2020 Ann-Marie Richards

All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you, Father, for all my blessings. To my amazing family and friends for your love and support. To my wonderful editor, Phyllis.

DOMESTIC PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLERS BUNDLE

A collection of two domestic thrillers filled with twists and turns.

THE PRETEND WIFE

(A gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist)

By Ann-Marie Richards

Copyright 2020 Ann-Marie Richards

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The Pretend Wife

One of them is lying...

He doesn’t have a wife. Not anymore. So who is this woman claiming to be his spouse? And what does she want from him?

When newlywed housewife Julia Windsmith returns home after a much-needed break, she is shocked to find the locks changed to her beautiful house on the beach. She pounds on the door in a wave of panic. When Dan, her beloved husband, opens the door, she asks him why he’s changed the front-door lock. Confused, he asks her who she is and tells her he’s never seen her before in his life...

Is Julia having another meltdown? Is her mind playing tricks on her again? Did she fabricate this relationship? Has her whole life been a complete lie?

A riveting suspense filled with deception, lies, and a scandalous cover-up.

One of them is lying...the other is dying to tell the truth.

THE PRETEND WIFE

The Pretend Wife

Excerpt

Chapter 1 – Now

Chapter 2 – Then

Chapter 3 – Now

Chapter 4 - Then

Chapter 5 – Now

Chapter 6 – Then

Chapter 7 – Now

Chapter 8 – Then

Chapter 9 – Now

Chapter 10 – Then

Chapter 11 – Now

Chapter 12 – Then

Chapter 13 – Now

Chapter 14 – Then

Chapter 15 – Now

Chapter 16 – Then

Chapter 17 – Now

Chapter 18 – Then

Chapter 19 – Now

Chapter 20 – Then

Chapter 21 – Now

Chapter 22 – Then

Chapter 23 – Now

Chapter 24 – Then

Chapter 25 – Now

Chapter 26 – Then

Chapter 27 – Now

Chapter 28 – Then

Chapter 29 – Now

Chapter 30 – Now

Chapter 31 – Now

Chapter 32 – Now

Epilogue

Books by Ann-Marie Richards

About the author

Excerpt

"This just in: The body of a woman was found near a wooded area in the affluent cottage country township of Water Falls Main, the reporter read the breaking news report. Police say the death appears suspicious and are trying to piece together her identity. The quiet town is known as an affluent, peaceful getaway and neighbors are shocked at the discovery..."

The detective turned off the TV set in the staff lounge. "I think I know who that is, or who that was," she said to her colleague.

Who?

I think it’s that troubled woman. You know: Julia Windsmith.

Chapter 1 – Now

Julia Windsmith knew something was off the moment she walked up the pathway toward the house on the beach early on Monday morning. Her home. The warm sand massaged her feet when she took off her sandals to enjoy the last few days of summer. It was mid-September. She enjoyed this time of the year.

The waves from the water lapped against the shoreline creating a calm atmosphere, but she was feeling anything but peaceful right now.

She’d been gone since Friday night for a mental health weekend retreat with her friend, Kerry, as her husband had encouraged. She’d asked Kerry to drop her off by the beach, a few minutes from her house, so that she could spend some time alone before heading inside.

She needed time to recuperate. To unwind. Things had been tense lately. She was forgetting things. She wasn’t herself. She was seeing things again. She’d taken her medication, but nothing seemed to help. They’d been trying to have a child of their own without any luck and she wasn’t getting any younger. She wondered if that had taken its toll on the marriage. That’s what happened when you waited until your mid-thirties to tie the knot, she supposed.

Lately, things had been anything but calm between Julia and her husband, Dan. They’d met during a whirlwind online romance. She’d been a loner before that.

But then again, she’d read a study somewhere that found more than thirty percent of millennials between the ages of twenty-three and thirty-eight said they felt lonely, even though they spent more time on the Internet than in real life. Chronic loneliness was a thing. And twenty-two percent of millennials said they had no friends. Like no close friends at all.

She’d almost become a statistic herself. She was introverted and suffered from anxiety disorder, PTSD, and sometimes delusions. She thought she’d be a loner forever until she met Dan. He’d changed things. Everything was fantastic until...

Until that night.

But she wanted to wash that thought out of her mind like the waves of the water washing against the shoreline. She drew in a deep breath, taking in the crisp late summer air, expanding and filling her lungs with hope.

Speaking of expanding, when her marriage began to crumble before her eyes as Dan stayed out longer and longer, she’d turn to food as her comfort. She’d gained fifteen pounds since her marriage. They tried so hard to start a family and nothing happened.

Tension grew. Financial trouble started. She’d turned to comfort foods to fill that void. Yes, creamy mac and cheese with crispy bacon layered on top, chocolate cream cake and a bottle of red wine. That had become her favorite cocktail as of late. But it didn’t help much. He’d criticized her size and stayed out even later. She thought he was seeing someone else, but who? Was he back with Alexandria, his ex-wife? She hated the name Alexandria. That woman had caused nothing but grief for them. Julia had brought it up a few times and he avoided the issue.

Then one day she snapped. She needed this break. This retreat. Her anti-anxiety meds were having less effect. He was against the trip at first, but then encouraged her to go. So she did.

And now? She was back. But could she face him again?

After...that night?

Well, hello there, the older woman who lived in the cottage on the lake next door waved to Julia as she made her way up the stone pathway to her own house. She was a charming older lady. Short-term memory problems, but otherwise, sweet.

Hello, Mrs. Dams. How are you today? Julia said, cheerfully.

Julia enjoyed sitting with Mrs. Dams sometimes while she did her knitting on the porch of her cottage.

Oh, lovely. How did you know my name? Have we met before? I live next door.

Julia smiled, her heart hurting in her chest. Yes, Mrs. Dams, I live next door to you, remember?

Mrs. Dams spent most of her time alone, though she said her grandson Travis helped her out sometimes and visited once in a while, but Julia had only seen Travis once from a distance and never up close. Julia had spent most of her time inside, staring out at the waves.

Oh, yes. Yes. The woman looked out at the beautiful blue waves of the lake. The sun rose in the East. It was breathtaking. The sound of the roaring waters almost drowned them out. It was so relaxing living by the great lake in cottage country in Ontario, Canada.

Well, see you later, dear.

See you. Julia waved to the elder woman.

She walked closer to her lovely home overlooking the water. It didn’t look as if anyone was home.

She continued up the pathway, her backpack slung over her shoulder. She didn’t carry much to the wellness retreat. It was a special getaway organized by an online Facebook group for those living with anxiety disorders.

She wished Dan had come with her, but he told her he needed time alone, too.

Was that a sign that he didn’t want to work things out in their marriage? Still, this had been the first time away since their marriage. Dan would never let her out of his sight unless she was home alone. Locked away in their hideaway, tucked away in a wooded area by the great, blue lake.

Julia pulled out her key and noticed the lock looked a bit different. It used to be gold, but now it was silver.

Was that her imagination?

Was she having delusions again?

Stop, that Julia. Nothing’s changed. It’s just your imagination. You can do this. Stop being so paranoid.

She tried putting the key in and nothing happened. The key didn’t fit. A wave of panic swept over her. Okay, that can’t be my imagination.

She stood back slightly and looked up at the house to make sure she’d gotten the right door and residence. Yep, she lived there all right. That was her home.

But...

The lock had been changed.

She was either locked out of her home or she was going crazy or both. Something was not right. Now she wished her friend Kerry had dropped her off out front instead of by the beach. What had she been thinking?

Still, Kerry had never been to their home. Dan didn’t like having so-called strangers there. Even though she’d met Kerry through her online group and they’d become friends, Dan was strange when it came to new acquaintances. He didn’t trust people all that much.

Julia’s heart raced in her chest as she tried the lock again. Still nothing.

She then knocked hard on the door, slamming the brass door knocker against the oak door.

Nothing.

She went over by the window and tapped lightly on it. She tried to peek inside but it was too dark and the reflection of the sun on the glass didn’t help.

She stepped back and looked up. She thought she saw someone at the window.

Dan? Dan? What’s going on? The key won’t work. Open up.

Did he change the lock this weekend while she was out? Did he have a reason to? The older lock had been sticking before, but he should have at least warned her and told her he was going to change it?

She saw someone in the window again.

The hairs on her skin stood to attention. Goosebumps sprang up on her arms. Her stomach tied into knots.

What was going on?

Dan?

She went around to the side of the house, the cool wind from the lake ruffling her hair. She stepped on a twig and almost lost her footing.

Her heart hammered in her chest. She felt an anxiety attack coming on. This could not be happening. She could not have a meltdown out here. Not now.

Why couldn’t she get into her own house?

She tried the side door. Dan almost always left it open, to her chagrin. That was a bad habit of his.

Once when they’d gone fishing together very early in the morning, they were stunned on their return to see the wind had blown it open. Someone could have burgled them!

It was a bad habit of his, but thankfully, it would save her now.

When she tried the door handle at the side door, it was locked as well. Of all the times to finally start locking the side door, he just had to do it now.

Something was off. Way off.

It was as if she was in some alternate universe. A nightmare.

In fact, looking at it, she noticed that the door handle to the side door also looked different from the last time she’d seen it.

Did Dan change all the locks in the house?

Why?

Why on earth would he do that?

What the hell was going on?

She’d regretted not having Kerry drop her off at the front door and wait until she was safely inside. At least she wouldn’t be stuck outside with the elements. She wanted to get inside now.

Dan this is not funny. What the hell is going on?

This was damn serious. What the hell was he trying to pull? Was he punishing her? But for what?

Why the hell did he lock her out of her own house? Their house?

Chapter 2 – Then

I’ve never done anything like this before, Julia said to Dan as they sat at her favorite restaurant, a nice cozy sea-food place right by the lake in the downtown Toronto core.

Her palms were moist with anxiety. Her heart pulsed hard in her chest. Why was she so nervous? They’d spoken on the phone so many times and texted each other a lot before finally meeting.

Hey, there’s a first time for everything. It’s not a bad place.

"Oh, no. Not this. I meant meeting someone online. Serious Dates Only is the first dating app I uploaded my profile to."

Same here. But you know what? Life is an adventure.

That’s true.

Or it’s nothing at all as Helen Keller once said.

You are so right.

So, you own several businesses? Julia asked him.

Yes. Investments and such. He handed her a business card.

It read: 2340 Investments.

Nice.

And you? You mentioned on your profile in the app that you work in marketing but you’re looking at branching out into something else.

Yes. I’ve always wanted to work in counselling and music therapy. Something a bit more fulfilling. Not exactly a fan of the long hours in marketing. Or the office politics.

Sounds nice. Wow. Music therapy.

Yes, I minored in it while doing my sociology degree. Music is the language of emotions. People feel so connected to songs and melodies. It’s a powerful tool for change.

I think you’d be great at it. Do you write songs?

Well, I write poems, lyrics and stuff like that. And I love to sing...in the shower.

He chuckled.

I used to play the guitar in school, and... She hesitated.

And what?

Oh, nothing.

Hey look. You can be real with me. We’ve had, like, a million text messages before meeting. We’ve shared so much already about our interests.

True. She paused for a moment. I find it helps my little brother when I sing to him.

Your little brother?

Yes, he’s institutionalized with a rare, congenital birth disorder with his immune system. He needs to stay in a facility.

She swore she wasn’t going to bring that up. Her heart plunged in her chest thinking about it. She’d been fighting hard to pay his fees. It wasn’t easy. Her job had great insurance benefits and she was able to get him in there. But right now, things were hard as hell. She’d rather lose her own apartment if she could make sure his fees were paid.

If he were sent to one of those poorly-funded group homes, he’d die. She was sure of it. When she’d done research on those homes, she found the staffing conditions were poor and the conditions for the residents were atrocious.

He was only seven, her mother got pregnant unexpectedly in her late forties and hadn’t done much to care for him, especially after their father died. Her mother had placed him in a home where he wasn’t getting much attention.

Julia had to intervene many times and stay there overnight to make sure he was cared for. Once she started working in marketing, her income increased exponentially and she was in a much better position to place him in a private facility where he was getting the best treatment and therapy. Truth was, she had been there every week to play and sing to him.

Yes, music therapy helped a lot. He responded so well to her when she wasn’t overly tired and run down from lack of sleep and long work hours.

She dreamed about working full time as a music therapist and working with all the children at the facility in addition to her little brother. The joy on their faces when she sang and played to them was pure heaven. If she could only do that full time and make sure they all experienced that warmth and care as she engaged them with fun music and art therapy.

Dan seemed impressed as Julia expressed her desire to help the children at the Brown Treatment Facility.

You are amazing, you know that?

Hey, these kids are amazing. I’d do anything for them.

It’s going to work out just fine, Dan said.

And he was right about everything.

She could not believe how well they clicked. They enjoyed the same things. The same food, the same music, the same excursions, the same TV shows, and the same outlook on life.

They even talked about the pristine location of the restaurant right on the shore of the lake. The conversation leaped from one topic to another. It was as if they would never run out of things to talk about.

Moments later, after talking casually about the beauty and tranquility of living near the water, a dream that Julia had always had, the waiter brought their entrees.

The large dishes were laid out beautifully on the table. The scrumptious scent of seafood and steak wafted to her nostrils.

Seafood stuffed mushrooms, Manhattan Clam Chowder, jumbo coconut shrimp, garlic shrimp skewers, a savory sirloin steak with peppercorn seasoning, crispy fried shrimp, hand-battered crispy fish served with fries and coleslaw, wood-grilled lobster tail with broccoli, and a bottle of red wine.

They wanted to sample each dish. It looked more like dinner for four, not two. Well, they both had a hearty appetite, not that she could eat much at one sitting. She would bag the rest to take home.

Dan ended up eating most of the food on the table, which was not a surprise since he was built like an athlete. He’d told her that he loved to work out at the gym lifting heavy weights and cardio, keeping himself toned and fit. She guessed he needed to feed his body well.

He proposed a toast. Here’s to living in the moment.

Yes, here’s to living in the moment, she echoed.

Their glasses clinked and they sipped on their red wine. Then, she stopped.

What’s wrong? he asked, a concerned expression on his face.

I...nothing. It’s just that...

Should she tell him that she why she shouldn’t drink the wine?

Although it’s been debated for ages about the benefits of moderate amounts of red wine to lower the risks of certain illnesses including heart disease which ran in her family, she wasn’t sure how this would affect her new medication.

It’s also said to increase the blood flow to certain areas of the body, including the erotic zones, but that too was debatable. Alcohol was a sedative that depressed the central nervous system and could interact negatively with her antianxiety medicine. In fact, she recalled reading the warnings on mixing her medication with alcohol. It might include trouble concentrating, dizziness, or even drowsiness. But what worried her most was that the interaction between alcohol and her antianxiety pills might include impaired thinking. She shivered thinking about that. She knew she should avoid alcohol altogether, but it wasn’t so easy, was it?

There would be repercussions, she knew. Well, she would limit her intake. Just a sip. Nothing more. And if he asked her why she didn’t finish her drink? Well, she would think about that later. But she didn’t want to begin a new relationship, if this was where they were headed, with lies.

Lies were not good.

Lies killed relationships.

She would be honest and upfront.

He would have to take it or leave it.

Look what lies had done to her parents’ marriage.

Are you all right? he asked, noticing her hesitation to take another sip of the red wine.

No, not really.

The look of surprise was missing from his face. As if he expected her to say that. Or was that her imagination? No? Is there something wrong with the wine?

She sighed deeply before answering. She was going to go for it. Just be honest. Be open. Spill it out. Wear her heart on her sleeve. She would be remiss if she didn’t tell him the truth about herself. Her aunt once told her it was better to be rejected up front than later when you’re more vested in the relationship. Spare the heartache down the road.

I’m on medication for my anxiety and I don’t think I should be drinking too much. Or at all.

There. She said it.

She waited for a response. She searched his face for a look of disapproval or revulsion. And she continued to wait. Nothing happened. He didn’t seem to respond at all.

Oh no. Was it all over then? Was he going to get up from the table or look for an escape?

Okay. His tone was unreadable.

Okay?

Yes. Okay. Nothing wrong with that.

You don’t think anything’s wrong?

Nope. I appreciate your honesty. It means a lot.

Relief washed over her, but she didn’t want to get too excited about it. Maybe he wanted to finish their date then never call her back again.

Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Maybe she should just stop overthinking everything and just enjoy the moment. Maybe she was making a huge deal out of nothing. Many people were taking medication for anxiety or depression, weren’t they? Life was a mountain of accumulated stress for many.

Wasn’t it more common now? Even celebrities were admitting they needed a bit of help at times. Sometimes the pressure was too much, too overwhelming.

Statistically, one in four people on the planet would be affected by either a mental or neurological disorder at some point during their life. Imagine that: a quarter of the world’s population. So, she was definitely not in the minority. Well, not really. There were others like her. She was not alone.

Okay, in all fairness, she had more than just depression or anxiety. She suffered from a severe neurological disorder and would often see or hear things that were not really there. But she was taking medication for that.

Oddly, Julia felt comfortable spilling it all out to Dan. She just wanted to let him know who she was so he could take it or leave it. She didn’t want to waste any time investing in a relationship only to find out that he couldn’t cope with her situation. She wasn’t getting any younger. She really wanted to settle down and start a family sooner rather than later.

So, she told him the basics about her delusions related to an incident that happened a long time ago related to her post-traumatic stress disorder. And again, she waited for his response.

Okay, that’s your cue to leave, she finally said, matter-of-factly.

My what? he chuckled. I’m not leaving.

You’re not? Most guys get freaked out by something like that.

Hey, no worries, he said, No one’s perfect. We all have something that wears us down. We all have flaws, don’t we? You’ve been through a lot. I don’t know what happened to you years ago. I’m sure you’ll tell me when you’re ready, but I’m not one to judge.

Thank you for being understanding.

She wondered if this man was too good to be true.

Actually, I stand corrected, he then said.

What?

"You are perfect."

I am?

Yes.

You don’t really mean that.

Of course, I do.

He looked deeply into her eyes. His lips curved into a grin, but the smile somehow didn’t touch his eyes. Or was that just her paranoia acting up again? He said all the right things, but somehow, she wasn’t sure if he was being genuine.

Stop that, Julia. Stop being so paranoid. Everyone’s not out to get you.

Well, thank you for being understanding and sweet, she said.

Thank you for being a great dinner mate.

A great dinner mate?

You have no idea how hard it is to find someone who shares all the same interests.

I know, tell me about it.

My ex used to eat in silence.

She did?

Yes. I guess I got used to it.

So, what happened between you two? Why did you break up?

We got married, then we divorced. Darkness filled his eyes.

Sorry to hear that.

It’s okay. It’s for the best. We were from two completely different worlds. Alexandria and I never really had anything in common.

Alexandria?

Yes. She hated shortening her name. She always wanted to be called by her full name.

Alexandria. What a lovely name.

I see.

What about you? he asked, his eyes fixed on hers.

Exes? Well, I did have a long-term relationship but...well, it ended. We just grew apart.

Well, that wasn’t quite a lie. They did grow apart, didn’t they?

Sorry to hear that. Well, not sorry it didn’t work out, actually. Or else we wouldn’t have met. He smiled, looking deeply into her eyes. And she felt something. She didn’t know quite what, but she felt something. She hadn’t felt that way in a long time.

After dinner, Dan offered to take Julia home.

I’ll grab a cab, thanks for offering though.

A cab? But you don’t live that far from here do you?

I don’t want to put you out.

Hey, it’s no big deal. I don’t bite. I promise. He grinned.

She sighed deeply. She did live in an apartment building. He wouldn’t try anything, would he? There were security cameras everywhere. Most buildings had them, though they only captured grainy images.

Okay, fine.

The drive in his Mercedes to her rental apartment on the east side was quiet compared to their conversation at the restaurant. Was he having doubts now? Was the thought of dating a psychologically unstable woman finally sinking into his mind like quicksand?

He kept looking into his rear view mirror. Perhaps that was just her overactive imagination. Maybe he was glancing at his mirror no more than the average person. One needed to look behind once in a while.

But then again, how would she know? She didn’t drive.

You drive? he asked, as if reading her mind.

No. No license. She wanted to say more but thought maybe she should hold off. Maybe she shouldn’t divulge any more about herself than she had already.

Want me to teach you?

Are you a driving instructor?

He chuckled. No. I just thought you might want to get your licence.

No, I’m not interested, thank you. Her tone was sharper than she’d intended.

She shouldn’t be driving. Ever. She couldn’t. But she didn’t want to tell him the reason right now. She was beginning to wonder if she’d told him too much over dinner and that sip of wine. That very small sip of wine that she took when they first toasted. She only tasted the wine. She didn’t drink much of it, really.

"I mean,