Prologue

For Amber, because she was there

Prologue

It is so appropriate to name this story Crueller Mistresses, because all though this story isn’t about fallen marriages. It is indeed about cheating. Not on others, but cheating on this world. Imagine four sunny flowers, they have everything they need. Food, sun, water, but one day a child will come along and pick them. Not only leaving the stalk damaged, but the flower. It’s something like that, but instead of innocent flowers, the story follows four guilty women. They each have a secret that nobody knows. The thing that happens in this tale belongs to no one and is regrettably an unknown source. Karma. And we all know karma’s a b***h.
Some say honesty is the best policy, others think it’s better to keep it behind a locked door, away from another’s ears. I would indeed disagree. The thing that would catch my out would be the guilt. Eating away at my life day by day. Karma and guilt are alike. They come into your life at the same time and then leave together. Leaving you fragile and empty. They are like family. Following each other to the end of the universe and back.
Cathy one of the women had probably the largest secret. The guilt was eating her up alive, it was brutal to watch as everything fell apart.  And although she moved away, changing her name as she went and had indeed changed herself. There still lived in her past the burden secret that would soon drive her mad.
The other female was Nancy. Her secret was the smallest, but the responsibility was powerful. It too was eating her away and although she had forgotten most of her secret as well as her dreadful past, it was still going to knock her down; and probably the hardest. After all, the smallest of secrets can be the most dangerous one.
Polly, the other lady, had lived her secret for almost ten years and the weight of it on her shoulder was increasing. It was almost like torture. She did try very hard to forget, but certain parts were stuck. Polly had turned her life round for the better, but something or someone was determined to change that.
The last woman on question had the strangest secret, but probably the shame was the worst. Her innocent face would drive anyone crazy and forced them to forget about her ‘little accident’. Jane was the last person you’d think would have something like this strapped to her back and like all the others, her past was coming back for her. 
Although we may forget, our pasts will somehow re-join us and make our lives hell.

Shall I start the story and one by one reveal the secret? Or shall I never tell you? O, but that would be cruel and I’m not that sort of writer. But what if I kept you hanging? Yes. That’s what I’ll do. I’ll the story, only part of it. The guessing is up to you. I will later reveal their secrets, but seeing you read with a puzzled and gawking face on is very entertaining. And I like a bit of fun.