"Anthony—open your damn eyes and take a good look! This bracelet is made from your daughter’s ribs. Twenty-four ribs, all torn from her body!"
"Vanessa killed Cherry and desecrated her body—she’s nothing but a—"
I never got to finish. Anthony grabbed an ashtray and hurled it at me. It struck my forehead with a sickening crack, and warm blood began to gush down my face.
His eyes were glacial, the kind of cold that could freeze straight through bone.
"I’ll say it one more time—Cherry’s death was nothing more than an accident caused by Cooper. It has nothing to do with Vanessa! You were the one too useless to watch your child. I haven’t blamed you for that—don’t push your luck!"
"I know exactly what you did. You had Cherry’s body cremated ahead of schedule. I was wondering why, but now I understand. You wanted to frame Vanessa, but were afraid I’d find proof you were lying!"
"You’d even exploit your daughter’s corpse to get what you want. How filthy can you get?"
Watching him stand so firmly by Vanessa’s side, I suddenly found the entire scene absurd beyond words. All the fight in me drained away. I no longer wanted to defend myself.
I turned to leave—but Anthony stepped in front of me.
"You were the one who slandered Vanessa and hurt Cooper. And now, after hitting someone today, you think you can just walk away? Well, not so easy. Apologize now, or you won’t be walking out that door."
Years of marriage told me he wasn’t joking. And everything in this house made my skin crawl; I didn’t want to stay here another second.
Numbly, I turned to Vanessa. Each word tasted like blood and humiliation.
"Ms. Ruiz... I’m sorry for earlier."
At her subtle nod, Cooper ran into the bedroom and came back with a baseball bat. Without hesitation, he swung it hard at my knee.
The blow sent me crashing to the floor in agony. Vanessa let out a delighted little laugh, her eyes glittering with triumph.
"Oh dear, how clumsy of him. Cooper’s probably just too used to beating stray dogs downstairs—he gets restless if he goes a day without it. I hope you won’t take it personally, Ms. Brooks."
"But you know, one little ‘sorry’ doesn’t seem fair compensation. I actually have an idea..."
Her lips curled into a slow, poisonous smile before she ground her heel into my hand—again and again.
A sickening crunch rang out. My bones shattered under her heel. The bracelet—my daughter’s ribs—was crushed into powder.