Chapter 2

It didn't take long. Less than thirty minutes later, there was a sharp, authoritative knock on our door.

I opened it to find Mrs. Gable, her face flushed with anger, and a condo security officer standing beside her.

"Jennifer," Mrs. Gable started, her voice trembling slightly, "my medication was delivered an hour ago, and it's gone. It's very expensive and I need it. Did you see anything?"

Before I could answer, Carol rushed to the door, her face a mask of concern. "Oh my goodness, Helen! That's terrible! Stolen? Right from your doorstep? Who would do such a thing?"

The security officer, a young man named Dave, looked from Carol to me. "We're checking with all the neighbors. Did either of you see anyone suspicious near Mrs. Gable's unit, number 3D, in the last hour?"

Carol immediately put a hand on my arm. "Well, Jennifer was just out. Maybe she saw something. I've been in here the whole time, absolutely horrified by the thought."

She was already setting the trap, painting me as the one who was out and about, the one with the opportunity. In my first life, this is where I would have stammered, looked guilty, and fallen right into her web.

This time, I played my part differently. I feigned confusion. "Me? No, I was in my room. I didn't see a thing."

Just then, my phone buzzed. And again. And again. I pulled it out, pretending to be annoyed by the notifications. "What is going on with the community group?" I said loudly, tapping the screen.

I angled the phone so both Mrs. Gable and the officer could see. "Oh, wait. Someone posted a video."

I hit play.

The video was crystal clear. It showed Carol, in the same floral blouse she was wearing now, snatching the package. Her nasty comment about Mrs. Gable's "expensive habits" was perfectly audible.

The color drained from Carol's face. She looked from the phone to Mrs. Gable, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"Carol?" Mrs. Gable's voice was dangerously quiet. "Is that you?"

"No! That's... that's not me! It's a deepfake! Jennifer is trying to frame me!" Carol shrieked, pointing a trembling finger at me.

The security officer just sighed. "Ma'am, we can clearly see it's you. And you're wearing the same clothes. Do you have the package?"

Carol's eyes darted around, looking for an escape. There was none. Defeated, she shuffled to her purse, pulled out the medication, and handed it over, her hands shaking.

Mrs. Gable was furious. "I want to press charges!"

"Please, Helen, it was a mistake! A misunderstanding!" Carol pleaded, tears now streaming down her face. "I thought it was a package for us!"

"The video says otherwise," the officer said flatly. "You'll have to come down to the management office. Mrs. Gable, we can discuss your options there."

The public humiliation was glorious. Carol was forced to write a formal apology and pay a fine of five hundred dollars to the condo association to avoid a police report. Her face was plastered all over the community's Facebook page.

When Matthew got home that night, he wasn't concerned about the theft. He was furious with me.

"Why didn't you just take the blame, Jen?" he demanded, throwing his briefcase onto the sofa. "You know how Mom is. You could have just said you picked it up by mistake. It would have been over in five minutes!"

"She stole prescription medication, Matthew," I said calmly.

"It's about family loyalty!" he shot back. "You're supposed to protect this family, not throw my mother to the wolves! You embarrassed her! You embarrassed me!"

I saw the same weak-willed man who had sent me to prison in my first life. The man who chose his toxic mother over his wife every single time.

I put on my best remorseful face. "You're right, Matthew. I'm so sorry. I panicked. I should have protected her."

He softened slightly, his anger deflating. "See? That's all you had to say."

"I want to make it up to you both," I continued, my voice sweet and apologetic. "Why don't we take a trip? Get away from all this stress. I was thinking... a weekend trip to the national park. My treat. It will be good for us to reconnect as a family."

Matthew's face lit up. "A trip? Yeah, that's a great idea, Jen. A really great idea."

He had no idea. He thought it was a peace offering.

I knew it was the second act of my revenge.