Chapter 2

2.

My mother-in-law didn't stop there. She used the same unwashed bowl Tilly had used to feed Hope and Leo their dinner.

That night, my babies spiked a terrifying fever. Their breathing became shallow and ragged.

I ran to the kitchen to grab the emergency meds. In those few minutes, their airways became obstructed. They suffocated and died before I could get back to them.

When I reached their bed, their little bodies were still warm. I collapsed, clutching them to my chest, sobbing until my throat burned.

I had almost lost them during pregnancy. They were preemies, born tiny and fragile.

They had fought so hard to survive the NICU. They were finally healthy, finally growing.

And now, they were gone because of two selfish, greedy women.

The rage consumed me. I grabbed a wooden stool and lunged at my mother-in-law and Tilly.

"You killed them! You killed my babies!"

Tilly shrieked and hid behind the old woman.

"The only one who needs to die is you!" a voice barked from behind me.

It was Liam. He smashed a heavy glass vase over the back of my head. He kept hitting me until the world faded to black.

The last thing I heard was his frantic, joyful laughter.

"Mom, she's finally dead! Call Tessa, quick!"

My mother-in-law was clapping her hands. "Oh, thank God! She and those two short-lived brats are finally out of the way. The money is ours!"

"I knew she was a loser," Liam spat. "She spent all our money on those stupid lottery tickets. Where is it? Where's the ten million dollar winner? We need to cash it in!"

"I tried to make her miscarry back then," the old woman muttered. "But those two pests were too stubborn. All the money we wasted on their hospital bills over the years..."

My blood ran cold, even in death. My children's premature birth hadn't been an accident. It was a failed murder attempt.

My soul lingered, watching my sister-in-law, Tessa, rush into the house. She was grinning like a shark.

She walked over to my body and gave it a kick. "Why should an outsider like you get the jackpot? That ten million belongs to the Lewis bloodline!"

She reached into my purse and pulled out the ticket.

I barely remembered buying it. I had just needed some change for the kiddie rides at the mall.

But they had been watching me. They had seen the numbers and planned this whole nightmare.

Suddenly, the memory snapped. I was back in the present. My mother-in-law's sneaky voice hissed into the phone.

"Just wait a bit longer. She's leaving for work soon. Then I'll bring Tilly over."

I realized Hope and Leo were still at daycare. They were safe. For now.

I grabbed my keys and sprinted out the door. I drove like a maniac to the daycare center.

"Mommy? Why are we leaving already?" Hope asked, her voice sweet and innocent.

I pulled them both into a tight hug, my tears soaking their small shirts. "Grandma really misses you. You're going to stay at her house for a few days, okay?"

They nodded happily. "Yay! We love Grandma's house!"

Since my mother-in-law lived with us, they rarely got to see my actual parents. My mom and dad were thrilled to take them in.

Now that my babies were safe, it was time to deal with the vultures waiting at my house.