Chapter 2

I typed a few lines of code with practiced ease. The screen flickered once, and the feed cut in.

It was the dashcam I had personally installed in Dad's car last month under the pretense of theft prevention. It came equipped with front and rear cameras and a live audio feed from inside the vehicle.

I cracked open a bottle of Coke and took a long sip.

On screen, the black sedan sat parked in the underground garage of a budget motel. Wet, sticky sounds and soft moaning came through the speakers. The noises coming through were revolting.

"Your wife's been keeping such close tabs on you lately, and you still have the nerve to bring me out?" The woman's voice was syrupy sweet, the kind that reeked of cheap perfume even through a screen.

"What's there to be scared of?" Dad let out a sleazy laugh.

"That hag spends all day with her eyes glued to the kid. You have no idea how crazy she is.

"Back in elementary school, the kid scored below 95 on a math test, so she pulled his pants down and made him stand bare-assed in front of the school for half an hour. Every parent in the neighborhood came out to watch. Even the teachers couldn't talk her out of it.

"In middle school, the kid wrote a love letter to some girl in his class. She found it, marched into the school the next day, read the whole thing out loud in front of everyone, and then grabbed the girl by the collar and called her a little tramp for seducing her son."

The woman laughed so hard that she could barely sit still. "That's a whole other level of crazy. And you just let her do all that? He's your son too, you know."

Dad scoffed. "Why would I get involved? Watching from the sidelines is entertainment enough."

"So, when are you gonna divorce her?"

"Soon. Once I move all the savings into my mother's name, she's out the door without a cent."

I watched the screen, a cold smile tugging at my lips. The perfect pair, the two of them. One treated me like a prisoner; the other treated me like entertainment.

Just then, the dashcam footage lurched. The screech of brakes tore through the empty garage, and a red scooter slammed into the front of the black Volkswagen at full speed. The impact shook the whole car, and both of them screamed.

"What the hell?!" Dad fumbled with his pants in a panic.

A face pressed up against the windshield. Her hair hung wildly around her face, her features twisted with rage.

It was Mom.

Her eyes bulged as she stared at the two half-dressed figures inside the car, her whole face dripping with venom.

"You pig! Get out of the car!"

She raised the heavy brass ashtray and brought it down hard on the windshield. The blow rang out through the garage, and cracks spiderwebbed across the glass.

The woman in the passenger seat let out a piercing scream. "It's her! It's your wife!"

Dad practically fell out of the driver's side door, tripping over himself in blind panic. He shielded his head and face with both hands, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Security! Somebody help! She's trying to kill me!"

Mom did not even spare him a glance. She rounded the front of the car and went straight for the passenger side. "You shameless tramp, sleeping with my husband! I'll strip you naked and throw you out on the street!"

Just as she reached for the passenger door, the woman in the trench coat moved fast. She did not even stop for her shoes. Barefoot, she shoved open the door on the opposite side and bolted for the fire exit.

"Stop!" Mom screamed, spinning around to give chase.

However, the garage was too dark, and her slippers caught on a speed bump. She went down hard, both knees slamming into the rough concrete. Even through the screen, I could hear the dull thud of bone hitting the ground.