Chapter 2
In this life, I wouldn't repeat the same mistakes.
I'd make them pay for every betrayal with blood.
I took a deep breath, burying the hatred in my eyes.
Then I put on a gentle smile.
"Who said I'm not going?" I replied.
I stood up and straightened my clothes.
"It's a family outing, so of course I'll be there. As the wife, that's my place," I said.
Lesley's smile stiffened for a moment.
She obviously hadn't expected me to agree without a second thought.
She hurriedly tugged at Dennis's sleeve.
"Dennis, Penny can't even handle a roller coaster. What if she freaks out and has a heart attack skydiving?" Lesley said.
Dennis frowned at me.
"Penny, stop pretending you're brave. Lesley's a regular at the skydiving club. You don't know the first thing about it," Dennis sneered.
I shot him a cold look.
"What, I can't go and watch my husband jump? Or are you two hiding some dirty little secret you're scared I'll find out?" I said.
Dennis's expression changed in a flash, like someone had just stepped on his tail.
"Stop talking nonsense! Fine, go if you want. But don't come crying to me when you end up wetting your pants out there," Dennis shot back.
Jennifer bounced around, yelling loudly.
"Mom's just gonna make a fool of herself. I wanna see Aunt Lesley flying up in the sky."
I didn't even bother responding to Jennifer's taunts.
I simply looked at Lesley in silence.
"Since you're the skydiving pro, Lesley, I'll let you take care of my gear," I said.
A glint of venom flashed in Lesley's eyes.
She smiled and nodded.
"Relax, Penny. I'll make sure you get the very best gear," Lesley said.
She lingered on the word "best".
I sneered inwardly.
I thought the so-called best gear was just the bedsheet.
It didn't matter. This time, I'd make sure she was the one wearing it.
Early the next morning, we headed out to the skydiving club.
When we reached the garage, Lesley claimed the front passenger seat naturally.
Dennis closed the door for her, acting all considerate.
But when he turned to me, his expression shifted to one of obvious disdain.
"Take Jennifer and sit in the back. Don't bother me and Lesley while we chat," Dennis said.
Jennifer immediately threw a fit.
"I want to sit in the front. I want to be with Aunt Lesley. Mommy smells like the kitchen. She reeks!" Jennifer yelled.
As she spoke, she squirmed out of my grasp and shoved her way toward the front seat, doing everything she could to get closer to Lesley.
Lesley wasted no time, scooping Jennifer into her arms, laughing so hard she nearly doubled over.
"Aww, Jennifer, you're such a sweetheart! How about Aunt Lesley holds you up front, huh?" Lesley said.
Dennis grinned and patted Jennifer's head.
"That's my girl, always knows who's got her back," Dennis said.
Watching their backs as they played the perfect family, I felt absolutely nothing inside.
Back in my previous life, every time I saw this, I'd hide in some corner and cry my eyes out where no one could see.
I used to think I just wasn't good enough. That was why I couldn't hold onto Dennis.
I thought maybe I was too harsh, and that was why Jennifer always kept her distance from me.
Now I finally get it; once a jerk, always a jerk.
Scumbags and gold-diggers were a match made in hell, and no matter how much I spoiled an ingrate, they'd never stick around.
Stone-faced, I pulled open the back door and got in without a word.
"Suit yourselves," I said.
All the way there, the front seats were buzzing with laughter.
Lesley and Dennis gossiped about work, joking around with each other like it was their own little world.
Jennifer was giggling nonstop in Lesley's arms, happily calling her "Mommy Lesley" again and again.
Dennis didn't stop her; he just watched them, grinning like the proudest dad alive.
I watched them with icy indifference, secretly tapping my phone to start the recording app.
When we got to the skydiving club, Dennis went up to the front desk to check us in.
Lesley turned around, acting all concerned and sweet.
"Hey, Penny, why don't you relax in the lounge and grab some water? I'll go pick up your parachute from the gear room," Lesley said.
Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
In my last life, this was exactly when I went to the lounge.
I had no idea she'd use the chance to grab my gear and swap my parachute for that cursed bedsheet.
This time, I smiled calmly and nodded.
"Alright, I'll leave it to you," I said, keeping my tone light and easy.
As soon as she turned toward the gear room, I quietly trailed after her.
The hallway at the skydiving club was pretty dim.
I kept my steps light and ducked behind a pillar at the corner.
Sticking my head out just a bit, I could see exactly what was happening inside the gear room.
Lesley went straight to the locker with my name on it, like she'd done this a hundred times before.
She shot a quick look around to make sure the coast was clear, then popped the locker open in one smooth move.
She reached into her oversized bag and fished out a bundle of cloth.
It was that cursed bedsheet Dennis had picked for our wedding, the one with "May you have children soon" splashed across it in big, gaudy letters.
She deftly opened up my parachute pack, pulled out the real chute, and tossed it into the corner without a second thought.
Then she crammed that bedsheet inside.
After that, she gave the pack a smug pat, her face lit up with a self-satisfied grin.