The Best Revenge It Wasn't Even Your Child novel Chapter 140

Lance never did anything halfway. Whatever he touched, there was no room for mistakes. She couldn’t see any way out.

“So, are you signing or not?” Lorinda’s voice was getting impatient. “Are we going or not?”

Catherine stayed quiet for a few seconds, then snapped the file shut. She took a steadying breath. “I’ll sign. Let’s go.”

She grabbed the pen and signed her name with a firm hand.

Lorinda sounded thrilled. “I’m with you all the way! If you end up out of work, I’ll take care of you... both of you, actually!”

“I’m turning in my resignation tomorrow. Just wait for my good news.”

The moment her signature hit the page, Catherine felt like a weight had finally lifted. Still, her heart ached a little, a bittersweet feeling she couldn’t quite pin down.

That night, Lorinda started packing right away. She was so excited, she barely slept at all.

***

At the hospital, as evening settled in, Lance left. He hadn’t even made it far before the door opened again.

“Mom, why’d you send Lance home? He was supposed to take care of me tonight...” Adelina started to complain, but stopped short.

It wasn’t Sarah at the door. It was Gavin.

“What are you doing here?”

Gavin stuck his hands in his pockets and took a slow walk around the room, stopping by the foot of Adelina’s bed.

“Adelina, why don’t you tell me how you actually fell down those stairs?”

She hesitated for a split second, then blurted, “Obviously, Catherine pushed me!”

She’d told everyone the same story all day. What else could she say? That she simply slipped and fell? The humiliation would be too much.

Gavin pulled something small and black from his pocket, holding it out to her. “Recognize this?”

Adelina saw it right away. It was her shoe heel. There was a black and red crystal on it—she’d loved that detail the moment she bought them.

“What’s your point?”

Adelina gripped her blanket until her knuckles turned white. As soon as Gavin left, she hurled her pillow onto the floor.

“Even Gavin’s on your side now. Catherine, you really know how to get around, don’t you? Flirting with everyone...”

But then a thought struck her. Who would go out of their way to sabotage her shoes like that? Who wanted to see her make a fool of herself? She snatched up her phone and made a call...

***

Maybe it was because she’d finally made up her mind, but Catherine slept better than she had in ages. She dreamt of starting over with Lorinda in Veridian, their two kids by their side, all of them safe and happy.

Her alarm shattered the dream, dragging her back to reality. She opened her eyes and spotted the resignation letter on her nightstand, a small smile tugging at her lips.

She threw off the covers, got up, washed her face, and dressed for the office, her movements quick and sure.

She was just reaching the bus stop when her phone rang. A jolt of anxiety shot through her.

She answered, her voice tense. “What? Which hospital? I’ll be there right away!”