Chapter 3

Richard had hung up the phone, his face still clouded with anger.

All of a sudden, Laura clutched her stomach, her body going limp as she leaned to one side.

"What's wrong, Laurie?" Richard panicked, quickly set down his glass, and caught her, his eyes filled with worry. "Your stomach hurts. Maybe you ate something bad."

Laura's hand was trembling. She pulled out her phone and showed it to Richard. "Richard, look."

On the screen was a timed message from "Emily", every word laced with crazed hatred.

It read: [Laura, you stole my husband. I'm going to have someone throw acid on you. If I can't be happy, neither can you.

[I've already bought the acid, and I'm waiting for you at the door. I'm going to destroy that vixen face of yours.]

I was floating in the air, staring at the screen in utter shock.

My phone was clearly in the entryway. This was all a setup. Laura staged this whole act to ruin me.

"This crazy woman. She's completely deranged," Richard cursed and angrily pounded the table.

The dishes rattled, and the spilled red wine stained the tablecloth, making it look like a gruesome crime scene.

"Why didn't the fire finish her off back then? She's so twisted, can't stand to see anyone else happy, and now she's actually trying to hurt people. She's a menace," Richard spat.

There was nothing but bone-deep hatred in Richard's eyes. Any trace of affection between us as husband and wife was gone.

Sophie dropped her fork and knife in fright, shrinking into Richard's arms. "Daddy, Mommy's a monster. Is she going to throw acid on me, too? I don't want to turn into a freak."

"How dare she?" Richard growled, veins bulging as he shielded Sophie. "That wicked woman. I'm calling the cops right now. I'll make sure she never sees the light of day again."

But then, Laura pretended to be pitiful, grabbing Richard's arm as tears streamed down her face. "Richard, please don't call the police. Emily is still Sophie's mom, after all.

"After what happened to her face, of course, she's not thinking straight. I don't care if I get hurt, as long as you and Sophie are okay."

Watching her play the martyr only made Richard feel more sympathetic toward her and more disgusted with me.

"You're too kind. She keeps trampling all over you, and you still stand up for her," Richard said, hugging her tightly. "A woman that cruel doesn't deserve to be Sophie's mother, and she definitely doesn't deserve to be my wife."

He snatched up his phone and recorded a furious 60-second voice message, sending it straight to my number.

I hovered right next to his ear, forced to listen as every word pierced me like a nail to the heart. "Emily, you twisted freak. If you so much as touch Laura, I'll make sure you wish you were dead.

"Look at yourself in the mirror. Do you really think you can compare to her? Get back here and sign the divorce papers. Take your ruined face and get out of my life for good."

Each sentence landed like a slap, stinging deep in my soul.

Once, I was the apple of his eye. Even after my face was ruined, I was still his angel.

At that moment, I was nothing but trash to him, a rotting husk he couldn't stand to look at.

Watching Richard scream himself hoarse, and seeing that triumphant sneer on Laura's lips, I actually felt a twisted sense of relief.

I was glad I was dead.

I was glad my body had sunk to the bottom of that cold lake, finally free from the blade called "family," and no longer had to cry alone in the middle of the night.

After venting his anger, Richard tossed his phone aside like he was discarding something filthy. "Laurie, you and Sophie are sleeping in the master bedroom tonight. I'll be right outside the door.

"Let's see if that lunatic has the guts to come here. If she shows up, I'll make sure she never walks again."

Laura nodded sweetly, a sly sparkle flashing in her eyes.

Sophie waved her tiny fists, joining in. "Daddy's Superman. Smash that monster. Protect Laura."