I came home early hoping to surprise my mother and wife, but what I saw in the kitchen stopped me in my tracks. Mom was in:ju:red, shaking with hunger, and desperately eating scraps while my wife relaxed nearby, laughing over a glass of wine. “She’s just being dramatic,” my wife said. I looked at the marks on my mother, quietly locked the front door, and whispered, “Enjoy that wine. By tomorrow, you may have nothing left to celebrate.”

I held the glass of poisoned juice just out of Wendy's reach.

"Why are you acting so weird about a glass of juice, Wendy?" I asked, feigning innocent confusion.

Marcus stepped out of the living room, his eyes locked onto the glass in my hand.

"Who is this?" I demanded, looking at Marcus as if I had never seen him before.

"He's... he's a specialist," Wendy stammered, her mind clearly racing for an excuse.

"I called him because your mother was complaining of chest pains earlier."

"Really? Because she seemed perfectly fine when I tucked her in," I countered.

I took a step toward the bathroom, acting as though I was going to pour the juice down the sink.

"Wait, don't waste it, it has her expensive supplements in it!" Wendy cried out.

Before she could stop me, I casually "tripped" over the edge of the hallway rug.

The glass shattered against the hardwood floor, spilling the deadly liquid everywhere.

Wendy let out a strangled cry of frustration, while Marcus glared at me with pure venom.

"Oh no, how clumsy of me," I said, offering a tight, unconvincing smile.

"I guess the specialist will just have to mix up another batch."

Marcus aggressively adjusted his tie and walked toward the front door.

"That was the last of her medication, Mrs. Vance," Marcus said through gritted teeth.

"I will return tomorrow with the proper authorities to ensure the patient receives her mandated care."

He slammed the door behind him, leaving Wendy and me alone in the hallway.

Wendy dropped her sweet, innocent facade entirely.

Her face twisted into a mask of pure, unadulterated malice.

"You think you're so smart, don't you, Luca?" she hissed, stepping closer to me.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied calmly.

Wendy reached into her silk robe and pulled out a folded piece of heavy parchment paper.

"It doesn't matter if you pour the juice out, Luca."

She shoved the paper into my chest, a triumphant smirk plastered on her face.

"I didn't just get guardianship of your mother; I had the judge sign a psych hold for her."

When my newborn 'passed away,' my mother-in-law leaned in and said

My Husband Left Me Alone in My Car While I Was in Labor

“You’re Dead When We Get Home,” He Snapped

She tapped a manicured fingernail against the official court seal at the bottom of the page.

"The state men in white coats are coming to take her away at dawn, and there is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it."

Chapter 4 - The Midnight Dose