Chapter 1
I came home from work early and saw my mother pouring something into my wife’s dinner—then she whispered, “By tomorrow, Daniel will finally be free of you.”
My name is Daniel, and my wife Sarah was eight months pregnant with our first child.
My mother, Diane, had never wanted us to marry.
She constantly told Sarah she wasn’t “good enough” for our family.
That afternoon, a meeting at my office in Dallas was canceled.
I decided to surprise Sarah by coming home early.
When I entered through the garage, I heard voices in the kitchen.
Sarah was upstairs taking a shower.
My mother stood beside the stove.
At first, I thought she was making dinner.
Then I saw her pull a tiny bottle from her purse.
She looked toward the stairs.
Then she poured several drops into Sarah’s bowl of soup.
My stomach turned.
“Mom?”
She spun around so quickly she nearly dropped the bottle.
“Daniel! You scared me.”
I walked toward her.
“What did you just put in that?”
“Nothing.”
“Give me the bottle.”
She shoved it into her pocket.
“You’re imagining things.”
Then Sarah started coming downstairs.
Diane immediately picked up the bowl.
“Perfect timing, sweetheart. I made your favorite soup.”
I grabbed the bowl from her hands.
Sarah stared at me.
“Daniel, what’s wrong?”
My mother snapped, “Give that back.”
Instead, I poured the soup into an empty container.
“Sarah, don’t eat anything.”
Diane’s face changed.
“You’re being ridiculous.”
I held out my hand.
“Give me whatever is in your pocket.”
She refused.
So I reached for my phone.
“I’m calling the police.”
My mother suddenly grabbed my arm.
“Daniel, please.”
Sarah stepped backward.
“What did she put in my food?”
For the first time, Mom looked frightened.
Then something fell from her purse onto the kitchen floor.
It was a pharmacy receipt.
Sarah picked it up before I could.
Her hands began shaking as she read the medication name.
Then she looked at my mother.
“This was prescribed to me during my pregnancy.”
I stared at Sarah.
“What do you mean?”
Sarah’s eyes filled with tears.
“I reported an entire bottle missing three weeks ago.”
My mother went completely silent.
May you like
Then Sarah whispered the question that made my blood run cold.
“Daniel… how many times has your mother cooked for me this month?”
