Chapter 4 - The Midnight Breach
The rain was coming down in sheets when the power to Jessica's apartment suddenly cut out.
It was 11:45 PM. The entire building didn't go dark—only her unit. The streetlights outside her second-story window still cast a pale orange glow across the living room floor.
Jessica's heart hammered against her ribs. She didn't scream. She didn't panic. Over the last three days, she had prepared for this exact moment.
She quietly walked into Lily's room. Her daughter was fast asleep. Jessica locked the bedroom door, then went to her own dresser and retrieved a heavy steel flashlight and a can of industrial pepper spray.
Then, she sat in the dark hallway, waiting.
Ten minutes later, she heard the unmistakable sound of metal scraping against metal. Someone was picking the lock on her front door.
Frank had always been arrogant. He believed Jessica was still the timid, terrified wife who would freeze in the face of conflict. He believed he could walk into her home, terrorize her into dropping the custody battle, or worse, stage the "accident" he had promised.
The deadbolt clicked open. The door slowly creaked inward.
A tall figure stepped into the apartment, silhouetted by the hallway light. Frank pulled the door shut behind him, plunging the room back into darkness.
"Jessica," he whispered, a sick, taunting lilt to his voice. "Did you really think a piece of paper from a judge could keep me away from what's mine?"
He took a step forward, his expensive leather shoes squeaking softly on the linoleum.
"I know you're here. You're probably hiding in the closet. You always were a coward."
He walked deeper into the living room, heading toward the bedrooms.
Suddenly, the apartment was flooded with blinding, piercing light.
Frank yelled out, throwing his hands over his eyes. Jessica had purchased a high-lumen tactical flashlight and pointed it directly at his face from the end of the hall.
"Stop right there, Frank," Jessica said. Her voice didn't waver. It was steady, cold, and dripping with authority.
Frank blinked, trying to adjust his vision. He let out a dark chuckle, though he looked uneasy. "What is this? You're playing security guard now? Put that down and let's talk. You're going to sign the custody papers over to me, and I'll let you walk away with a nice little payout."
"I know about the trust fund, Frank," Jessica said.
Frank froze. The mocking smile completely vanished from his face.
"I know you're bankrupt," she continued, taking a step toward him, the flashlight keeping him blinded. "I know your father left the money to Lily because he knew you were a failure. You need my daughter to save yourself."
"Shut up!" Frank roared, lunging forward into the light.
Jessica didn't back down. She raised her left hand and pressed a button on a small remote.
A piercing, 130-decibel alarm erupted from the walls. She had installed wireless panic sirens in every room. At the same exact moment, the front door of the apartment was kicked open.
"Police! Hands in the air! Drop to the ground!"
Three armed officers rushed into the room, their weapons drawn. Jessica had called the precinct the moment her power was cut, alerting the detectives assigned to her protective order.
Frank stumbled backward, his face a mask of absolute terror as the officers tackled him to the floor, aggressively twisting his arms behind his back.
"You set me up!" Frank screamed, his face pressed against the cheap carpet. "She invited me here! She's lying!"
"We have you on the hallway security cameras picking the lock, Mr. Morrison," the lead detective said, clicking heavy steel handcuffs around Frank’s wrists. "You just violated a restraining order, broke and entered, and committed burglary. You're going away for a long time."
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Jessica lowered the flashlight. She looked down at the man who had tormented her for a decade. He looked pathetic.
"I'm not a coward anymore, Frank," Jessica said softly. "But you always were."
