Jessica’s POV

The moment Stanley walks out the door, I pull out my phone and dial Michael. He picks up on the second ring.

“We need to meet,” I say without preamble.

Michael chuckles. “That urgent, huh?”

“Yes. I need to scare someone.”

That gets his attention. “Who?”

“I’ll tell you when we meet.”

I type out an address and send it to him before hanging up.

As I turn around, I freeze. Stanley’s mother stands in the hallway, her sharp, disapproving eyes locked on me.

I don’t hesitate. My fingers curl around the delicate porcelain vase on the nearby table. In one swift motion, I lift it and smash...