Reborn After My Niece Killed My Son

I was coming home for the holiday, with my three-month-old son and my husband.

But my ten-year-old niece, threw my son from the upstairs window with her friends.

My son's crying stopped abruptly.

After a few faint whimpers, he fell still forever.

I went insane, picking him up to rush to the hospital, but it was too late.

He was gone.

...

Because of her young age, my niece faced no real consequences.

The judge ordered her family to pay compensation, but my sister-in-law wailed that I was trying to ruin them.

I didn't want the money

I just wanted my child back!

I was heart broken, begging for justice.

My husband and his mother just yelled at me:

"Chloe is just a child! Are you trying to ruin her just because your son is dead?"

Unable to face the truth, I ultimately died of a heart attack that winter.

...

When I opened my eyes again, I was back at that holiday.

I immediately called my parents to take my son away.

But this time, my niece still threw a baby to its death.

...

I had just sent my son off, and stepped into my mother-in-law's yard when a sickening thud exploded in my ears.

"Thump!"

A tightly bundled infant smashed onto the floor.

Blood seeped into the blanket, turning it red.

I looked up, stunned.

My niece was peering down from the upstairs window.

She gave me a defiant look and ran off.

My husband, Daniel, and his mother, Margaret, rushed out at the noise. Margaret let out a shriek, her legs buckling.

Daniel stumbled over, took one look, and whispered, "Annie... the baby... it's not breathing."

I couldn't even look. I just bolted up the stairs. My niece, Chloe, had locked herself in the guest room.

I kicked the door. "Chloe! Open this damn door! Who did you throw?!"

No answer from inside, but I could hear her giggling with her friend.

"Chloe, what if they call the cops? My mom's gonna kill me."

"Relax. It's not like we meant to. Besides, they don't put kids in jail."

Their careless words stabbed into me like needles. I started shaking uncontrollably.

I threw my whole weight against the door. "Get out here! Do you have any idea what you've done? That's murder!"

Daniel caught up and grabbed me. "Annie, calm down! You're scaring them!" he pleaded, his eyes red.

I looked at him, all the old hatred flooding back.

It was the same in my last life. Even after our son died, he was worried about scaring his precious niece.

Margaret dabbed her eyes. "Chloe went too far this time, I admit. But Annie, don't be so harsh."

"He was only three months old. It's a tragedy, but you're young, you can have another."

I froze. It took me a second to process.

Oh. They thought it was my son.

But my son was safe with my parents.

So whose tiny, broken body was lying in the yard?

Daniel tried to pull me into a hug.

"I swear, I'll make this right for Alex. But Chloe, she's just a kid, she doesn't get it..."

I shoved him away before he could finish.

"What are you talking about? If she 'doesn't get it,' why doesn't she jump herself?"

I grabbed a wooden chair and slammed it into the door.

Bang! Bang! The whole frame shook.

"Chloe, get out here now, or I'm breaking this door down!"

How dare she act like nothing happened? Even if it wasn't my child, someone deserved justice!

Hearing the violence, Chloe yelled from inside, "Stop it! I'll jump if you don't stop!"

Panting, I stormed to the kitchen, grabbed a cleaver, and hacked it into the door.

The blade wedged deep into the wood, stuck fast.

"Go ahead and jump! If you don't, I'm coming in there to finish you myself!"

Finally, my niece cracked under the pressure and opened the door. Chloe stood there with a bored, sulky look.

"Who did you throw?" My voice was ice.

She tilted her head, a lazy smirk on her face. "Your kid. Who else?"

I slapped her across the face. Smack.

Her head snapped to the side. Tears welled in her eyes as she clutched her face, shocked.

"You can't hit me! Even my mom doesn't hit me, you bitch"

I slapped her again, harder. "That's exactly why you're a monster! Because your mom never hits you!"

I grabbed her collar, forcing her to look at me.

"I'm asking you one more time. Who did you throw?"

She finally cowered, hand on her reddening cheek.

"It was Alex... but I didn't mean to! I just wanted to see what would happen."

"I didn't know he'd die!"

I glanced past her. The bedroom window was wide open, a cold wind whipping the curtains.

Her friend, a girl, was huddled by the bed, silent.

They were in fifth grade. They knew exactly how dangerous that was.

Daniel tried to reason.

"She admitted she was wrong, honey. You've had your say. Let's... let's just bury the baby."

I stared at him. Was he serious? A life was gone, and a simple 'sorry' was enough?

Margaret rushed over, wrapping Chloe in a protective hug, murmuring as she stroked the girl's cheek.

"Oh, you hit her so hard. Look how red her face is."

Her face is red from my slap, but that child's life is over.

I pushed Margaret aside, yanking Chloe by her hair toward the open window.

"You didn't know what would happen? Let's find out. You try it."

Chloe screamed, thrashing. "No! I'll die! You'll go to jail if you kill me!"

So she knew it could mean jail time, and she did it anyway.

For two lifetimes, I couldn't understand how a child could be so vicious.

A sharp pain shot through my arm as Daniel pulled me back. I lost my balance, my head cracking against the wall.

A warm trickle of blood ran down the wallpaper.

Daniel shielded Chloe, glaring at me with pure annoyance.

"Enough! The boy is dead! Why are you picking on a kid? Maybe you should've watched him better!"

He and Margaret stood between me and Chloe, a united front.

I understood it last time, and I understood it now.

They were the ones bound by blood. My three-month-old son and I were nothing.

Holding my bleeding forehead, I fumbled for my phone to call 911.

Daniel kicked it from my hand. "This is a family matter! Why are you calling the police?"

"Chloe's not even eighteen! It won't do any good!"

I leaned against the wall, standing up. my voice heavy with disappointment.

"That was your son down there. And you don't care?"

Seeing the blood on my face, a flicker of something crossed Daniel's eyes.

"Annie... we can have another baby."

"But I... I only have one niece."

What a great guy. So family-oriented.

I'd married him because he was so devoted to his family.

I never thought that loyalty would be the knife in my back.

He never considered me or our son as his real family.

His family was his blood. Even his niece meant more than his own flesh and blood.

I turned to go downstairs, only to be slammed into by my sister-in-law, Karen, who came rushing in.

She threw her arms around Chloe.

"How dare you hit my daughter? I've never laid a hand on her! Who do you think you are?"

I was trembling with rage. "Why don't you ask your daughter what she did?"

"Your son dies, and it's my girl's fault? Blame your own kid's bad luck!"

I hated them so much, but right now, I was fixated on that other baby. Who was it? Why was it here?

"Karen, you have a child too. If it was your baby who died today, could you still say that?"

Karen's eyes widened. She pointed a finger at me.

"You shameless shrew! Your son dies and you curse my family? I think your kid deserved it! Serves you right!"

I grabbed my cracked phone and headed for the stairs.

Margaret shouted, "Stop her! She's calling the police!"

Karen sneered, "So what? They can't put Chloe in jail."

"You idiot! If she presses charges, we'll have to pay!"

Realization dawned on Karen's face, twisting it with more disgust.

"Daniel, look at the wife you brought home! Her own kid's dead, and she's already scheming for money!"

Daniel's face was dark as he chased after me. I'd already sent a text to my parents: Call 911. Now.

He lunged for my phone. Seeing the sent message, he was so enraged that he slapped me.

"I told you it's a family matter! Why do you have to get the cops involved?"

"My brother's family doesn't have much! Are you trying to shake them down? I never knew you were so vindictive."

I clutched my chest, a bleak laugh escaping.

Yes, I was vindictive. I wished his whole family would drop dead!

I ignored him, heading down. I had to find out who that child was.

Deep down, I had a terrible suspicion, but I couldn't believe it.