"What Denise Galloway did was absolutely out of line!"
I touched the handprint on my cheek where Mrs. Abbott had slapped me, and let the tears fall.
"Look, she misled my own mother-in-law into turning on me. She nearly destroyed my wedding. Don't I deserve an explanation?"
The older women in the crowd rallied to my side immediately.
Mrs. Abbott noticed the red mark on my face, and guilt crept into her voice as she spoke up for me.
"She's right! It was all Denise Galloway running her mouth, making me turn on my own daughter-in-law!"
"She owes us an explanation!"
Only then did Ezra notice the handprint on my cheek. Something flickered in his eyes. Concern, maybe.
But the moment I mentioned making Denise pay, that concern dissolved into hesitation.
I looked past him and turned directly to the commanding officers.
They responded without delay:
"Denise Galloway is demoted. One month of community labor."
The corner of my mouth curled.
"And she needs to apologize to me. Right here. In front of everyone."
Denise stood before me with tears brimming in her eyes, bent at the waist, and apologized.
Then, under a chorus of scorn from the crowd, she turned and ran off crying.
Ezra's gaze followed her retreating figure. His throat bobbed. He turned and said:
"She doesn't know her way around here. I'll go check on her, make sure nothing happens."
I let out a cold laugh and didn't stop him.
I waited. Ate my fill, drank my fill, and counted the minutes until roughly the same time they'd ended up in bed together in my previous life.
Then I stood up and put on a show of surprise.
"Where did Ezra go? Did he have too much to drink? Everyone, help me find him!"
I made sure the commanding officers came with me as I headed toward the bridal suite.
My dear sister's favorite pastime had always been making me watch with my own eyes as she and my fiancé
tangled together on the wedding quilt I'd sewn with my own hands, right there in our bridal suite.
So right now, they had to be in there.
This time around, I was going to humiliate them both in front of everyone.
Let the whole world see them for what they were. Let them be charged with adultery and rot in prison together, since they loved each other so much.
Breathless sounds drifted through the door. I strode forward and kicked it open.
But the only person inside was Ezra, leaning against the headboard, watching us with a perfectly blank expression.
The glass of drugged water that should have been in his system had been splashed across the floor.
And Denise, who should have been in this room, was nowhere to be seen.
My mind went blank for a split second.
"Well, if everything's fine, we'll leave you two to it."
The officers read the room, turned around, closed the door behind them, and left.
Ezra's gaze settled on me. It was the same look of disgust I'd known so well in my previous life.
"Shelagh. I can't believe that even after being sent back, you still haven't learned your lesson. You actually tried to get your own sister thrown in prison."
"But this time, you won't get your way. I told you. As long as I'm here, no one touches Denise or the baby she's carrying."
"So. You came back too."
Shock jolted through me, but I steadied myself almost instantly.
There was no point in pretending with him anymore.
I let every trace of warmth drain from my face.
"Then let's get a divorce."
But my words earned no agreement. Ezra's brow furrowed hard, and he cut me off.
"No."
I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing. A bitter laugh escaped me.
"Are you out of your mind, Ezra? You're so terrified I'll bully her. You keep saying you want to make it up to her and the baby. If we divorce, you can marry Denise. You can treat her as well as you want, out in the open. Problem solved."
"Unless..."
A possibility crossed my mind, and I smiled. It wasn't a kind smile.
