The Setup That Cost Me Everything

3: 3

I turned the speaker up all the way.

Miles's voice came through.

"The baby's got to be hungry. She won't stop crying, and I can't keep her calm."

Jessica panicked and grabbed the phone.

But the second the baby heard her voice, she cried even harder.

"Bruce, I'm coming home now. Keep an eye on the sobering-up broth. When it's done, just give it to Paula."

I nodded.

Hung up.

What perfect timing.

Jessica had barely gotten the baby down. She'd been gone less than ten minutes.

Then the baby woke up crying, out of nowhere.

Normally, at this hour, she slept straight through to the middle of the night.

I clenched my fist without a word.

The broth in the pot was still bubbling, steam rising off it.

A faint voice drifted from the bedroom.

"Jessica, I don't have any strength. Feed me, okay?"

Jessica had made a point of telling her before she left.

The corner of my mouth curled into a cold smile. I kept my voice low.

"Jessica went home."

The room went quiet for two seconds.

"Bruce, I'm so worn out. Help me."

In my last life, she'd used the exact same trick.

I never laid a hand on her.

And yet the surveillance footage appeared right on cue.

She'd claimed I'd slipped her something shady, and that between that and the alcohol, she'd lost her senses.

Face cold, I walked to the kitchen and filled a bowl with the broth.

Set it on the coffee table.

"It's in the living room. Come get it yourself."

I turned to leave.

Dialed Jessica's number.

Before it connected, Paula came running out.

The corners of her eyes were flushed a sultry red, the buttons at her collar hanging loose, the curve of her collarbone bare.

No pants.

"Bruce, don't go. I'm scared here alone."

Her fingers hooked into the hem of my shirt, and she leaned in.

I twisted aside. She caught nothing but air.

Paula bit her lower lip and said nothing.

Her fingers went to her collar and undid another button.

Like a lamb to the slaughter.

She came toward me barefoot.

I raised my phone and aimed it right at her.

For a second Paula froze.

Jessica's puzzled voice came through the receiver.

"Paula, what are you doing?"