Chapter 1
At 16,000 feet, I pulled the cord on my parachute, but instead of a canopy, a bedsheet with "May you have children soon" written on it came fluttering out.
It was the same bedsheet my husband had picked out for our wedding three years ago, and now it was my death warrant.
The terror of weightlessness swallowed me whole. I flailed my arms in midair, desperately reaching for my husband, who was just a few feet away.
But he only clutched his assistant tighter, gliding off to the side without hesitation, dodging my outstretched hand for survival.
The assistant laughed so hard, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Penny, that's one hell of a parachute pattern you've got there," she snickered.
Over the headset, I heard my five-year-old daughter clapping excitedly.
"Daddy, look. Mommy's really flying like a superhero. Aunt Lesley wasn't lying. Mommy can even fly with a bedsheet!"
Then came my husband's cold, impatient snort.
"Makes me sick.
"She'd even do something as stupid as parachuting with a bedsheet just to compete with Lesley for attention. Just die."
Amidst their laughter, I plummeted into the abyss.
*****
Lesley Hicks covered her mouth, letting out a soft chuckle.
"If you're scared of heights, Penny, just sit this one out. Skydiving's for the young, you know. If you insist on coming, Dennis will have to babysit you," Lesley smirked.
Dennis Jones cut in, his expression icy.
"She's just jealous of you. Always has to tag along and try to steal the spotlight. She really doesn't know her place."
My five-year-old daughter, Jennifer Jones, chimed in, joining the teasing.
"Mommy's so silly, she's too scared to even try skydiving! Aunt Lesley's the coolest. She's my real superhero mom!"
I looked at the three people in front of me, once so close, now they felt like total strangers.
My chest still throbbed, haunted by the phantom ache from crashing down and breaking apart at 16,000 feet.
I'd come back to life.
Back to the day we planned to go skydiving together.
In my previous life, it was on this very day that I agreed to go skydiving with them.
But when I pulled the cord at 16,000 feet, instead of a parachute, a bedsheet with "May you have children soon" written on it came fluttering out.
It was the same bedsheet my husband had picked out for our wedding three years ago, and now it was my death warrant.
The terror of weightlessness swallowed me whole.
I flailed my arms in midair, desperately trying to grab Dennis, who was just a few feet away.
But he pulled Lesley even closer, holding her tight in his arms.
Without hesitation, he veered off to the side, steering clear of my desperate reach.
Lesley laughed so hard, tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Damn, Penny, that's a pretty wild parachute pattern you've got there," she snickered.
Her cheerful applause came through my headset; Jennifer was clapping away, full of excitement.
"Daddy, look! Mommy's really flying like a superhero. Aunt Lesley was right. Mommy's flying with just a bedsheet!" Jennifer squealed.
Then came Dennis's cold, impatient snort.
"Makes me sick.
"She'd even do something as stupid as parachuting with a bedsheet just to compete with Lesley for attention. Just die."
Amidst their laughter, I crashed down into the abyss.
Just thinking about the sickening thud when my body slammed into the ground made me shiver all over.
Now, my eyes snapped open.
I was alive.
Turns out, I was back home, lounging on my soft leather sofa.
Dennis's impatient face was right in front of me.
Lesley was wearing a designer dress Dennis had bought her, her eyes brimming with defiance.
My own daughter, Jennifer, was clinging tightly to Lesley's leg, shooting me a fierce glare.
"Mommy's a coward. She doesn't deserve to be my mom," Jennifer yelled.
Dennis scooped Jennifer up into his arms, soothing her gently.
"There, there, Jennifer. Don't pay any attention to that boring old mom. How about Daddy takes you and Aunt Lesley up in the sky for some fun?" Dennis said.
Lesley nestled up to Dennis's shoulder, acting all coy.
"Dennis, don't be so hard on her. She's stuck at home all day with the kid and chores. It's only natural she's so sheltered," Lesley said.
Dennis let out a cold snort.
"What does she even know? All she does is act suspicious and crazy, like she's lost her mind," Dennis scoffed.
I glared at that shameless couple, clenching my fists so tight my nails dug deep into my palms.
The sting kept me awake. It reminded me I was still alive.
In my previous life, I gave everything I had for this family.
When Dennis was just starting out and broke, I sold the house my parents left me to help him get his business off the ground.
Once the company was finally stable, he used our daughter as an excuse to make me quit my job and become a full-time housewife.
I actually believed him, thinking I'd found true love.
But in the end, he shamelessly brought his assistant home, acting like it was totally normal.
They even flirted right in my face, not caring if I saw.
If I so much as protested, Dennis would accuse me of being petty and inconsiderate.
Even my own daughter, the one I carried for nine months, ended up bribed by Lesley with all sorts of toys and snacks.
Every day, Jennifer followed Lesley around everywhere, calling her "Mom."
In my previous life, I bent over backwards trying to win Dennis's affection and make myself belong in their twisted little world.
I even went along with their insane skydiving trip, just to please them.
And in the end, they ruthlessly got rid of me.