Chapter 2 · He Meant the Blade, I Wielded It

After I left the station, I went straight back to the hospital.

A coworker told me Jessica Lane was upstairs in the VIP maternity suite, on bed rest to protect the baby.

As soon as I got to the door, I heard her soft, whimpering cries from inside.

"Why isn't Matthew back yet? Is Avery still mad at me? It's all my fault. I shouldn't have felt sick right now," she said.

Then I heard the voice of Matthew's mother, Sandra Carter.

She said, "Don't cry, sweetheart. Be careful, you don't want to hurt the baby. That barren woman has no right to blame you. If she weren't so useless, Matthew wouldn't have needed you in the first place. When Matthew gets back, I'll make sure he divorces her and makes you the real Mrs. Carter."

I walked right in.

Both of them looked startled.

Jessica was propped up against the headboard, her cheeks pink, holding a bowl of chicken broth.

Sandra was right beside the bed, peeling an apple for her.

The moment she saw me, her face fell. She slammed the apple down on the table with a heavy thud.

"How dare you show your face here? It's Valentine's Day. You should be a decent wife and share some quality time with your husband, but you're out causing chaos. Because of you, Matthew was called in by the police. You're nothing but bad luck to this family!" she snapped.

I paid no attention to her. I stepped straight toward Jessica's bed and stared right at her.

Jessica shrank back. Her eyes turned red as she gave me her most pitiful look.

"Avery, please don't be mad at Matthew. It's all my fault. When I heard you were in trouble, I got so anxious that my stomach started to ache," she whimpered.

In an instant, I knocked the bowl of broth right out of her hands.

The hot broth spilled all over her. She shrieked and jumped up from the bed.

"Oh! My belly. My baby," she screamed.

Sandra let out a shrill cry and lunged forward, shoving me. "Avery, have you lost your mind? Do you want to hurt my unborn grandson?" she shouted.

I sidestepped her shove. I sneered, my voice icy, "Sandra, open your eyes. Look at her. She moves way faster than I do."

Sandra froze for a second, but then quickly stepped in front of Jessica, shielding her.

"She's only this worked up because you scared her, you vicious woman! Just because you can't have kids of your own, you can't stand anyone else getting to have them? If anything happens to my precious grandson because of you, you'll pay for it with your life," she snapped.

Right then, Matthew came bursting through the door, huffing and out of breath.

He glanced at the mess, then at Jessica putting on her usual teary act. He didn't stop to think for a second. He marched straight at me, grabbing for my collar.

"Avery, can't you just leave it the hell alone? First, you caused all that trouble at the police station, and now, you're making a scene right here at the hospital?" he barked.

I spun around. I caught his wrist in a tight hold and twisted it hard.

He doubled over, his face twisting in pain.

"Ah! Let go. You're gonna break my wrist," he yelled.

I flung his hand away, then wiped my own hand off with a tissue with a look of disgust.

"Matthew," I said. "Seems like the lesson you got at the police station didn't quite sink in."

Seeing Matthew get put in his place, Jessica stopped pretending. She pointed a finger right at me.

"Avery, don't push your luck. Matthew is done with you. Why are you so shamelessly clinging to that title? Be smart. Sign the divorce papers and get out of the house. If you don't, don't blame us for what comes next," she snapped.

Sandra joined in, backing her up. "Exactly. We paid for that place. It's ours. Don't you dare try to take a cent!"

I let out a scoff. "The house?" I fired back.

I stared at them. "Have you forgotten? Matthew is the one who messed up. The law is clear. In a divorce, he's the one who leaves with nothing."

Matthew rubbed his wrist, giving me a venomous stare. "Avery, you actually think some recording can scare me?" He mocked.

"Avery, you think a little recording is a threat to me?" he sneered.

"Is that what you think?" I answered. I stepped close to him. My voice fell to a whisper.

"Matthew," I said. "Right after you hung up, the police found a call from an unknown number on that thug's phone. So tell me, who do you think that belongs to?"

Chapter 2

After I left the station, I went straight back to the hospital.

A coworker told me Jessica Lane was upstairs in the VIP maternity suite, on bed rest to protect the baby.

As soon as I got to the door, I heard her soft, whimpering cries from inside.

"Why isn't Matthew back yet? Is Avery still mad at me? It's all my fault. I shouldn't have felt sick right now," she said.

Then I heard the voice of Matthew's mother, Sandra Carter.

I walked right in.

Both of them looked startled.

Jessica was propped up against the headboard, her cheeks pink, holding a bowl of chicken broth.

Sandra was right beside the bed, peeling an apple for her.

The moment she saw me, her face fell. She slammed the apple down on the table with a heavy thud.

I paid no attention to her. I stepped straight toward Jessica's bed and stared right at her.

Jessica shrank back. Her eyes turned red as she gave me her most pitiful look.

"Avery, please don't be mad at Matthew. It's all my fault. When I heard you were in trouble, I got so anxious that my stomach started to ache," she whimpered.

In an instant, I knocked the bowl of broth right out of her hands.

The hot broth spilled all over her. She shrieked and jumped up from the bed.

"Oh! My belly. My baby," she screamed.

Sandra let out a shrill cry and lunged forward, shoving me. "Avery, have you lost your mind? Do you want to hurt my unborn grandson?" she shouted.

I sidestepped her shove. I sneered, my voice icy, "Sandra, open your eyes. Look at her. She moves way faster than I do."

Sandra froze for a second, but then quickly stepped in front of Jessica, shielding her.

Right then, Matthew came bursting through the door, huffing and out of breath.

He glanced at the mess, then at Jessica putting on her usual teary act. He didn't stop to think for a second. He marched straight at me, grabbing for my collar.

"Avery, can't you just leave it the hell alone? First, you caused all that trouble at the police station, and now, you're making a scene right here at the hospital?" he barked.

I spun around. I caught his wrist in a tight hold and twisted it hard.

He doubled over, his face twisting in pain.

"Ah! Let go. You're gonna break my wrist," he yelled.

I flung his hand away, then wiped my own hand off with a tissue with a look of disgust.

"Matthew," I said. "Seems like the lesson you got at the police station didn't quite sink in."

Seeing Matthew get put in his place, Jessica stopped pretending. She pointed a finger right at me.

Sandra joined in, backing her up. "Exactly. We paid for that place. It's ours. Don't you dare try to take a cent!"

I let out a scoff. "The house?" I fired back.

I stared at them. "Have you forgotten? Matthew is the one who messed up. The law is clear. In a divorce, he's the one who leaves with nothing."

Matthew rubbed his wrist, giving me a venomous stare. "Avery, you actually think some recording can scare me?" He mocked.

"Avery, you think a little recording is a threat to me?" he sneered.

"Is that what you think?" I answered. I stepped close to him. My voice fell to a whisper.

"Matthew," I said. "Right after you hung up, the police found a call from an unknown number on that thug's phone. So tell me, who do you think that belongs to?"