Victoria's Revenge
1133 Words
2 weeks after the wedding.
14 weeks pregnant.
Jessica was happy.
Really happy.
Morning sickness was gone.
The bump was starting to show.
Starling was home every night by 6.
The nursery was painted pale yellow.
"Mrs. Hale," Starling called her every morning.
And every morning, Jessica smiled.
Until Thursday.
---
*10:42 AM*
Jessica was at a prenatal appointment. Alone.
Starling was "stuck in Dubai for 48 hours. Board crisis."
Dr. Okoro did the ultrasound.
"Everything looks perfect," she said. "Want to see?"
Jessica nodded. Tears in her eyes.
_thump thump thump_
"She’s perfect," Jessica whispered. "She."
"Yep," Dr. Okoro smiled. "It’s a girl."
Jessica cried. Happy tears.
A girl.
Their girl.
She walked out of the clinic glowing.
Texted Starling: `IT’S A GIRL ❤️ She’s perfect`
No reply.
"Probably in a meeting," Jessica told herself.
She drove home.
And saw it.
---
*The House*
Police cars.
2 of them.
Outside her penthouse.
Jessica’s heart dropped.
She ran.
"Ma'am, you can’t—"
"That’s my home!" Jessica yelled.
Starling was there.
In sweatpants. Hair messy.
Talking to two officers.
He turned when he saw her. His face went pale.
"Jessica," he said. "Stay back."
"What’s going on?" Jessica asked. Her voice shook.
One officer stepped forward. "Are you Jessica Carter Hale?"
"Yes," Jessica said. "What’s wrong?"
"We got a call," the officer said. "Anonymous tip. That you have illegal substances in the home. We need to search."
Jessica blinked. "What? No. That’s not—"
"Do you have anything we should know about?" the other officer asked.
"No!" Jessica said. "I’m pregnant! I don’t—"
Starling stepped in front of her. "She doesn’t have anything. This is a mistake."
The officers looked at each other.
"Mind if we look anyway?"
Starling’s jaw clenched. "Fine. But I’m calling my lawyer."
For 40 minutes they tore the place apart.
Drawers. Cabinets. The nursery.
Jessica sat on the couch. Shaking.
Hand on her stomach.
Starling sat next to her. Holding her hand.
"Nothing," the first officer said finally. "Sorry for the trouble."
They left.
Jessica started crying.
"What the hell was that?" she sobbed.
Starling pulled her close. "I don’t know. But I’m going to find out."
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered on speaker.
"Hello?"
A woman’s voice. Sweet. Fake.
"Hi Starling. Did they find it?"
Victoria.
Starling went dead silent.
"Victoria," he said. His voice was ice. "What did you do?"
Victoria laughed. "Me? Nothing. Maybe someone just cares about your baby’s safety. You’re a billionaire. People talk."
"You set us up," Starling said.
"I don’t know what you’re talking about," Victoria said. "But congrats on the baby. Girl, right? I heard."
The line went dead.
Jessica stared at Starling.
"She called it in," Jessica whispered. "She tried to get us arrested. With the baby in me."
Starling’s face was dark. Furious.
"No one touches my family," he said. "No one."
He stood up. "I’m calling my lawyer. And security. And the FBI if I have to."
---
*That night*
They didn’t sleep.
Starling had 6 security guards at the door by midnight.
Cameras installed by 2 AM.
His lawyer filed a restraining order by 8 AM.
Jessica was terrified.
"What if she does it again?" Jessica asked. "What if she hurts the baby?"
"She won’t," Starling said fiercely. "Because I won’t let her."
But Jessica saw it in his eyes.
He was scared too.
---
*3 days later*
More.
Jessica woke up to her i********: being hacked.
Posts deleted.
New posts up.
Pictures of Victoria and Starling from 3 years ago.
Caption: `He still loves me. Ask his wife 😉`
Jessica’s phone blew up.
Reporters.
Board members.
Her mom.
"Jessica, are you okay?"
"Is it true?"
"Starling, comment?"
Starling came home early. Threw his phone.
"I’m suing her," he said. "For defamation. For harassment. For everything."
Jessica was crying in the bathroom.
Starling knocked. "Baby? Open the door."
Jessica opened it. Eyes red.
"I’m sorry," she whispered. "This is my fault. If I wasn’t—"
"STOP," Starling said. He pulled her into his arms. "This is NOT your fault. This is HER fault. And I’m going to end it."
He kissed her forehead. "I promise."
---
*The next week*
It got worse.
Jessica got fired from her old waitress job.
"Company policy," they said. "Too much press."
Her bank account was frozen.
"Fraud investigation," the bank said.
Someone slashed her tires.
And then...
The final straw.
---
*Saturday. 2 PM.*
Jessica was home alone.
Starling was at the office. "10 minutes," he’d said.
There was a knock.
Jessica checked the camera.
A delivery guy. With flowers.
She opened the door.
It wasn’t flowers.
It was Victoria.
Holding a knife.
Jessica screamed.
Victoria lunged.
Jessica stumbled back. Hand on her stomach.
"YOU RUINED MY LIFE!" Victoria screamed. "YOU STOLE HIM!"
Jessica backed up. "Get out! SECURITY!"
Victoria swung.
Jessica dodged. Fell.
The knife came down—
And stopped.
Starling’s hand.
He had caught her wrist mid-air.
"What the HELL are you doing?!" he roared.
Victoria’s eyes were wild. "She took you from me!"
"YOU’RE UNDER ARREST," Starling yelled. "GET HER OFF ME!"
Security burst in. 3 guards.
They pulled Victoria off. Handcuffed her.
Victoria was screaming. "I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!"
Starling didn’t look at her.
He dropped to his knees next to Jessica.
"Jessica? Baby? Are you okay? The baby?"
Jessica was shaking. Crying.
"We’re okay," she whispered. "We’re okay."
Starling pulled her into his arms and held her.
Rocking her.
"I’m sorry," he whispered. "I’m so sorry. I should have stopped her sooner."
The police took Victoria away.
---
*At the station*
Charges:
Attempted assault.
Stalking.
Harassment.
Fraud.
Victoria was looking at 10 years.
Starling testified.
Jessica testified.
The judge looked at Victoria and said: "You are a danger. Bail denied."
---
*One week later*
Peace.
Finally.
No calls.
No posts.
No threats.
Just them.
Jessica and Starling sat in the nursery.
Painting the crib.
"Her name," Starling said. "Have you thought about it?"
Jessica smiled. "Lily. Lily Hale."
Starling’s eyes filled. "I love it."
He put his hand on her stomach. Now 16 weeks. A real bump.
"Hey Lily," he whispered. "Daddy’s here. And no one’s going to hurt you. Ever."
Jessica leaned on him.
"We made it," she whispered.
"We did," Starling said. "And we’re going to be okay."
---
*That night*
Starling tucked Jessica in.
He sat on the edge of the bed.
"I’m sorry you went through that," he said. "Because of me."
Jessica shook her head. "I’d go through it 100 times. To get to you. To get to her."
Starling kissed her.
"I love you," he said. "Wife."
"I love you too," Jessica said. "Husband."
He turned off the light.
And for the first time in weeks,
They both slept peacefully.
- Writer
