Chapter 1
I’d just gotten back from a business trip–then came the news: my daughter was dead.[]
The dashcam footage showed that our part–time nanny Lillian Valois, annoyed by my daughter’s crying, stuffed her into the trunk of the car on a brutal 100–degree day–then went shopping like nothing happened.
In that suffocating, oven–like trunk, my little girl’s cries grew weaker… until they stopped completely.
“Rachel, I swear we’ll make them f
fucking pay–get justice for our little girl together”
My husband Kevin Howard gently held my hand, heartache written all over his face.
I was going to report her, ready to make the bitch pay for what she did.
But halfway to the police station, Kevin pulled over. “Let me grab you some water, babe. You look pale.”
Then the bastard suddenly locked me inside the car instead []
Lillian just didn’t want our daughter to get spoiled. That’s all. I’ll talk to her, okay?”
“She’s still in college, Rachel. You can’t destroy her whole future over this! Come on. You lost a kid–big deal. We can have another
one.”
To force me to hand over the evidence, he even had secretly cranked the car’s heat to maximum–then sat there watching as I slowly ran out of air and began to dehydrate.
That’s when it finally hit me–Kevin was already in love with someone else.
The heat was suffocating. My lungs burned, and every breath felt harder than the last
Kevin stood outside li now.“]
like this was none of his business, his voice ice–cold: “Rachel, hand over the dashcam USB, and I’ll let you out right
To stop me from calling the cops, the bastard had even snatched my phone.
Sweat was pouring into my eyes, making everything blurry.
Just hours ago, this same man had gently held my hand and sworn we’d get justice for our daughter together.
Now he was protecting her killer.]
I slammed my fists against the window, pointing at my soaked, pale face, my voice hoarse: “Kevin, look at me! This is exactly how our daughter suffered–trapped, overheating, suffocating until she fucking DIED]
“YOU’RE HER FATHER! She fucking adored you! How can you let that psycho bitch walk free?”
Kevin’s eyes went cold, his jaw tight: “I told you–don’t call Lillian that.“]
“Sophie was always a crybaby. That’s your fault for spoiling her. Lillian was just trying to help discipline our daughter so she wouldn’t turn into a total brat. Whats so wrong with that?”
“But Lillian was supposed to take Sophie to school! Instead, as a nanny, she went shopping and-“]
Kevin cut me off, annoyed. “Sophie’s in first grade, for Christ’s sake. Missing a few hours won’t kill her. Lillian busts her ass taking care of Sophie–she deserves a little break.”
“Look, shit happens. Nobody planned this. Just hand over the damn USB drive. You lost a kid–so what? We’ll have another one.“]
*Lillian’s still in college, with so much ahead of her I won’t allow it ruin her life.“]
I stared at him in disbelief, ice ran through my veins despite the heat.
So in his mind, Lillian’s future matters more than my girl’s life?]]
shit–unless I die in this
Something snapped inside me and I started pounding the window with everything I had: “Kevin, you piece of shit–unless I car today. I swear I’ll drag that bitch straight to prison myself.“]
“My daughter definitely can’t die for nothing! You’ll NEVER get this evidence![]
My hands were torn and bleeding, and the struggle only made the suffocation worse.
Seeing the blood, Kevin frowned
Just as I was about to pass out, the door finally opened and blessed cool air hit me.
Kevin switched the AC back to cooling while glaring at me: “Rachel, you’re always this damn stubborn! Don’t blame me you pushed
me!”
When I came to again, he’d dragged me to Mom’s hospital room.
Kevin pressed my face against the door window.
Inside, a bunch of thugs in suits had my mom pinned down, forcing her head toward a microwave
Kevin nodded, and one of them cranked the timer all the way up.
I could almost smell my mother’s hair starting to burn–and I couldn’t even imagine what would happen next.[]
So I grabbed Kevin by the collar, screaming: “Are you out of your fucking mind?! She’s my MOTHER, you sick freak!“]
Kevin just leaned down casually and kissed my bloody knuckles: “Sorry, babe. You’re too stubborn, and I can’t bear to let you die, so Mommy gets to take your place.”
“Hand over that drive, or watch your mother’s brain go splat. Your choice.”
My mother’s agonized screams echoed from the room: “Stop! It’s burning! Please let me go!”
My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. I closed my eyes in despair, choking out “It’s… it’s between my phone and the case. Now let her go!“]
Kevin pulled out the drive and waved his goons off, then grabbed my chin: “See, Rachel? No evidence, no case against Lillian. Plus I’ve already made some calls–every lawyer in New York knows to stay the hell away from you.”
He flushed the drive down a drain right in front of me. Watching it disappear felt like watching my daughter die all over again.
I’d been so paranoid about Lillian trying to steal the evidence that I’d kept the drive hidden, planning to rush it straight to the police.
I was such an idiot–didn’t even made a backup |
But I never thought the person helping her cover up murder would be my own fucking husband.
To protect Lillian, he was willing to threaten my mother’s life and blacklist me from every law firm in New York.[]
Was my daughter really going to die for nothing?
I tried to go check on Mom, but Kevin grabbed my wrist: “Lillian feels terrible about everything. She was worried you’d wear yourself
out, so she went ahead and set up Sophie’s memorial. We’re heading over there now.”
“Remember–Sophie’s death was just an accident. I already talked to Lillian about it. I don’t want to hear you saying nasty things to her
when we get there.”
