On My Wedding Anniversary, My Family Celebrated a Murderer

On our thirtieth wedding anniversary, my husband’s stepsister sent my niece to sleep with a group of second-generation playboys.

My niece—six months pregnant—became the sacrificial pawn in their sick gender-reveal game! They cut her open and stole her baby!

I pressed murder charges against Schandra Kirkwood.

Milton swore, “This time, Schandra really went too far. Don’t worry. I’ll support you. I’ll hire the best lawyer we can get.”

After thirty years of a marriage built on nothing but resentment, that was the first time he stood with me.

Believing he had finally changed, I proceeded with the lawsuit with full confidence.

But the night before we went to court, he slammed his car into mine and forced me to give it up.

“Schandra’s fifty and still single. Everyone’s already talking about her. Listen, Meridel, she can’t afford another scandal. You understand what I’m saying, right?”

What I understood then was that he was the same man I had always known. Though I was covered in blood, I held my ground.

“I don’t fucking care! I will make that criminal pay!”

Right after that, he hit play on a video.

On the screen, my son and my daughter were stuck out in some godforsaken desert. Snakes and bugs crawled all around the twins.

“These kids are yours, Meridel; you raised them yourself. Their coming-of-age is right around the corner. You’re really gonna let them die out there just because you’re stubborn?”

“Be smart,” he warned. “Once this is over, we can finally live in peace.”

And just like that, he won. I dropped the lawsuit that same day.

But I didn’t want to live with him anymore. All I wanted was to get revenge—and leave for good!

1

Meridel’s POV

“Congratulations, Meridel! You passed the test! When can you start?”

“Seven days from now.”

“All right. We look forward to having you on the team!”

I ended the call, filed a request with the trust office to withdraw funds, and went straight to the funeral home.

My niece’s husband couldn’t make it back in time, so the responsibility for her arrangements fell to me.

I hadn’t expected, though, that the moment I pushed open the door, I’d find Schandra and Milton standing over my niece’s body. Schandra brazenly held up her phone to snap pictures of Carolee.

My niece’s body hadn’t even been prepared yet. The mess around her—her split-open belly—screamed of the torment she had endured before death.

A sharp pain gripped my chest. I rushed forward, shoving Schandra aside. “Who permitted you to take a photo of my niece? Get out!”

I hadn’t pushed hard, but she let herself fall to the floor.

Almost the moment she hit the floor, Milton’s palm landed across my face.

If this had happened when we were younger, I would’ve hit him back tenfold.

He wouldn’t get mad then. Instead, he’d laugh with a strange light in his eyes, pull me into his arms, and ask if I’d had enough fun hitting him.

But now, he struck me and immediately had his people pin me down.

“Meridel, Schandra only wanted to take a memorial portrait for your niece. Why did you have to lash out so violently? Apologize to her. Now!”

Apologize?

My niece’s murderer was dressed to the nines and only came to parade her arrogance.

That made me laugh coldly. “Murderers don’t apologize, so why should I?”

“She dares talk about remembrance?” I scoffed in bitterness. “If she truly wants to honor the dead, then let her suffer every bit of pain my niece endured until that murderer dies!”

No sooner had the words left my mouth than a kick caught the back of my knee. I buckled and crashed to the floor.

Milton loomed over me, saying, “Meridel, Schandra saved my life. No one is allowed to treat her badly.”

I lifted my head, glaring up at him. “And you’re so certain it was her who donated the kidney to you?”

His reply was firm, almost cutting. “She would never lie to me. Now, apologize to her!”

Before I could even resist, a burly bodyguard fisted my hair and smashed my head against the floor again and again.

Only when my head cracked and warm blood trickled down my face did Milton raise a hand to stop him.

Schandra crouched beside me, feigning concern as she pretended to help me up. She leaned close, whispering into my ear.

“See? Thirty years. Even if you bore him children, you still haven’t won his heart.

“Bitch, the moment I came back, you should have given up as his wife. Clearly, you don’t know your place. Well then, don’t blame me.”

Her taunting words made me want to rip her apart.

Luckily for her, Milton didn’t give me a chance.

Terrified I’d explode the way I used to, he scooped her into his arms and hurried out.

I watched his resolute back retreating from me, and at last, I couldn’t hold back.

I broke down in tears.