Chapter 2Reborn After My Niece Killed My Son

Jake moved to hug me, vowing, "Nina, I promise we'll get justice for Leo, but Ashley is just a kid, she doesn't know any better…"

I shoved him away before he could finish.

"She doesn't know any better? Then why didn't she jump herself?"

With a surge of fury, I grabbed a chair and slammed it against the door.

The wood groaned and shuddered, the vibrations shaking the whole house.

"Ashley, get out here right now, or I swear I'll break this door down!"

How could she kill someone and feel nothing?

Even if it wasn't my son today, I would get justice for that poor child.

My violent assault must have rattled her, because she finally yelled from inside, "Stop it! If you keep banging, I'll jump!"

I was panting, my arms aching. I turned, stormed to the kitchen, came back with a butcher knife, and hacked at the door.

The blade bit deep into the wood and stuck fast.

"Jump! If you don't, I'll come in there and kill you myself!"

The threat finally worked. Ashley opened the door, her face a mask of bored annoyance.

"Who did you throw out the window?"

She tilted her chin up, rocking back and forth with a lazy arrogance. "Your son, who else?"

I slapped her. Hard.

The crack echoed in the hallway. Her head snapped to the side.

Tears welled in her eyes as she cupped her cheek, her expression one of pure disbelief. "Why did you hit me? My own mom doesn't hit me! You bitch—"

Another slap, just as hard as the first. "That's the problem! Because your mother never disciplined you, you've turned into a monster!"

I grabbed her by the collar, my voice a low, furious growl. "I'll ask you one more time. Who did you throw?"

The fight went out of her. She mumbled, still holding her face, "It was your Leo. But it was an accident. I just wanted to see what would happen when he fell."

"I didn't think he'd actually die."