After His Mistress Killed My Son, I Ran

The doorbell rang at precisely 7:30 PM. I wiped my flour-dusted hands on my apron, glancing at the roast chicken in the oven. Dinner would be ready in twenty minutes—right on schedule, just as Carson preferred.

"I'll get it!" Aiden's small voice called from the living room where he'd been coloring. Before I could stop him, he'd already bounded to the front door, his socked feet sliding across the polished hardwood.

"Aiden, sweetie, wait—" I started, but the door was already swinging open.

Carson stood there, his tall frame filling the doorway. But he wasn't alone.

"Reese," he said, his voice carrying that particular tone of authority I'd learned to recognize—the one that meant I should pay careful attention. "I'd like you to meet Lexi Harper."

The woman beside him was striking—tall and willowy with cascading blonde hair and eyes that seemed to evaluate everything they touched. She wore a flowing white dress that made her look ethereal, almost otherworldly.

"Lexi is a wellness expert I've been working with," Carson explained, stepping inside. "She's had some... concerns about her safety recently."

"It's been terrifying," Lexi said, her voice soft and melodic. "This obsessed fan has been stalking me for weeks. Showing up at my events, sending threatening messages..."

She shivered delicately, and Carson's hand immediately went to her shoulder, steadying her.

"I've offered Lexi our guest suite until things settle down," he announced, not really asking my opinion. "She needs protection."

Something cold settled in my stomach. Our guest suite—the one we'd planned to convert to Aiden's playroom. But I forced a smile, remembering how Carson had rescued me from Tripp's violence three years ago. I owed him everything.

"Of course," I said, extending my hand to Lexi. "I'm Reese. Welcome to our home."

She took my hand with cool fingers, her grip surprisingly strong. "Thank you, Reese. I promise I won't be a burden."

---

Two hours later, we sat around the dining table. I'd hurried to finish dinner, adding a salad and fresh bread to our meal. Lexi sat beside Carson, directly across from me, while Aiden bounced excitedly in his booster seat.

"Roast chicken!" Aiden exclaimed happily. "My favorite!"

Lexi's nose wrinkled slightly. She looked down at her plate where I'd placed a generous portion.

"Is this... dead flesh?" she asked quietly.

I froze, fork halfway to my mouth. "I'm sorry?"

"The vibration of this food is so low," she continued, pushing her plate away slightly. "All that death energy... it's really not good for our auric fields."

Carson leaned forward, suddenly interested. "What do you mean, Lexi?"

"Well," she said, her voice taking on a dreamy quality, "when we consume dead animals, we're literally ingesting their fear and suffering. Their vibration lowers ours, preventing us from achieving true spiritual ascension."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks. "I'm sorry if the dinner isn't to your liking. I can make you something else—"

"No need," Lexi interrupted smoothly. "I brought my own." She pulled out a small container of what looked like green sludge. "Raw kale and spirulina smoothie. Pure vitality."

Carson's eyes lit up. "That sounds incredible. Maybe we should all be eating more like this."

He pushed his plate away and looked at me with sudden disappointment. "Reese, we've been so focused on conventional eating habits. Lexi is showing us a better way."

---

Two days later, Carson called a family meeting in the living room. Aiden sat on my lap, fidgeting with his toy car. Lexi perched elegantly on the edge of the sofa, her hands folded in her lap.

"Lexi has helped me see some things we need to change around here," Carson began, his voice firm. "Starting today, we're going to implement some new house rules."

I felt Aiden tense against me. "What kind of rules, Daddy?" he asked.

Lexi smiled, her teeth perfectly white. "Just some simple guidelines to help us all live more harmoniously."

Carson nodded. "First, Reese will make sure Lexi has everything she needs. No questions asked."

"Of course," I murmured, though something twisted in my chest.

"Second," he continued, "we need to maintain positive energy in this home. That means no negative comments about Lexi or her methods."

I swallowed hard. "Carson, I would never—"

"Third," he cut me off, "we're all going to adopt Lexi's Raw-Vitality diet. Immediately."

"What does that mean?" I asked, feeling a chill spread through me.

Lexi's smile widened. "It means we'll be eating only raw fruits and vegetables, with some nuts and seeds. No animal products, no cooked foods, no processed grains."

"But Aiden needs protein," I protested weakly. "He's still growing."

"Children thrive on raw diets," Lexi insisted. "It's what nature intended."

Carson's expression hardened. "Those are the rules, Reese. For all of us."

I looked down at Aiden's small face, already noticing how pale he'd become in just two days. A terrible foreboding settled over me as Lexi's eyes gleamed with triumph.