After Being Bitten to Death by a Fox I Was Reborn – Chapter 4
A chill ran through me.
Foxes hold grudges, and with Jack backing it, Emily’s days would be tough.
Every glimpse of it reminded me of my child’s death, urging me to kill it.
But it wasn’t the right time.
A lifetime ago, my sudden labor meant the hospital and my ward were decided last-minute, only shared with Jack and Emily.
Even if the fox overheard the address, it couldn’t have crossed half the city undetected.
That afternoon, after my checkup, I returned to find Linda stuffing the fridge with expensive ingredients, including an expensive crab.
My hand shook as I asked, “Mom, did you buy all this?”
She shook her head. “Emily brought it. Said it was from supplier of Jack’s company, to improve quality of life for employees.”
I checked the shrimp and crab were long dead.
Everyone knows dead crab is toxic. Did Emily not know?
Then I recalled what happened a lifetime ago Linda’s food poisoning from Emily’s seafood.
I escaped it due to pregnancy, but Linda was hospitalized for a week and nearly died.
A shadow flashed crossed my eyes.
I grabbed the bag of seafood and knocked on Emily’s door.
She saw the bag and changed her expression. “Why bring back a gift? If you don’t want it, Mom and Mark do.”
I’d anticipated this, opening the bag. “Then these are from you too? If so, I’ll keep them.”
Lately, the fox, to “thank” me, had been stealing Emily’s jewelry, leaving it at my door.
When I stepped out, it’d wag its tail, fawning.
I’d return them now.
Emily glanced inside, her face darkened. She snatched the bag and rushed to check the surveillance cameras.
I’d never entered her home since the fox arrived obviously I was not the thief.
Soon, the fox’s piercing screams echoed, sounding almost human.
Listening closely, I realized that it was mimicking Emily’s voice, arguing back.
Its language ability was terrifying!
At noon, Emily banged on our door, saying that Tommy was in trouble.
I followed Linda to their place.
“Jack’s gone too far! Mom, if you side with him, I’m done!”
Jack didn’t back down. “Fine, let’s divorce!”
Emily froze, not expecting him to agree it was just angry words.
Her eyes reddened, and she sat on the bed, crying.
I noticed a strand of reddish-brown fur on the bed and red welts on Tommy.
It clicked.
The fox had a skin disease, untreated by Jack and Emily.
Jack, fresh from holding the fox, likely brought it to bed, infecting Tommy.
Ignoring their child, they fought.
Linda, holding Tommy in her arms, tried to calm things down.
“Where’s the fox?” I asked suddenly.
Emily scoffed. “You and Jack are the same, always about the fox. Is a beast more important than my son? You’re his aunt don’t you care about him?”
I ignored her. Emily loved taking advantage, you couldn’t talk with her without mentioning money.
I’d helped them enough.
I found the fox chained in the bathroom, its fur matted with blood.
It growled unconsciously at my approach.
I softened my voice. “It’s me.”
Hearing me, it opened its eyes weakly.
After a moment, it stretched a paw toward me, whimpering.
Clever thing knowing that Jack ignored it, it sought my help.
It rolled onto its side, exposing its belly.
I noticed its slightly swollen abdomen and its wet, sticky fur near its hindquarters.
I touched it, a dark glint flashed across my eyes.
A miscarriage.
Emily’s cruelty had killed the fox’s unborn pups.
The other pair of green eyes I’d seen were likely its mate.
I stood, grabbing medicine from the living room.
When I returned, the fox was unconscious.
I tossed two anti-inflammatory pills into its mouth.
Live or die it was up to fate.