I Lost My Genius Surgeon Wife

The sharp, biting wind of early autumn in Virginia whipped across the meticulously manicured backyard of the McConnell estate. Justine Ward stood at the very edge of the massive koi pond. The pond was framed by smooth, expensive white marble that grew dangerously slick from the mist of the decorative waterfall.

She leaned forward, her fingers stretching toward the freezing water. A limited-edition superhero action figure bobbed just out of reach among the expensive orange and white koi fish. Seven-year-old Leo McConnell had thrown it in there ten minutes ago, screaming that if Justine did not retrieve it immediately, he would tell his father she stole it.

Justine's fingertips brushed the icy surface of the water. The cold immediately sent a harsh ache shooting up her knuckles.

Behind her, hidden by the perfectly trimmed French hedges, Leo stepped lightly onto the grass. The young boy's eyes gleamed with a malicious, excited light. He did not make a single sound as he closed the distance between them.

Justine shifted her weight, her leather boots slipping slightly on the wet marble.

Leo lunged forward. He planted both of his small, hard hands directly into the center of Justine's lower back and shoved with all of his body weight.

The sudden, violent force shattered Justine's precarious balance. Her stomach dropped into her shoes.

She flailed her arms wildly, her fingernails scraping against the smooth surface of a nearby marble cherub statue. The stone offered no grip. Her nails made a sickening, high-pitched screeching sound as they slid off the wet surface.

Gravity pulled her down. Justine hit the water hard.

The impact knocked the breath completely out of her lungs. The water in the koi pond was barely forty degrees. It swallowed her whole, rushing into her ears and nose, instantly numbing her skin. The heavy fabric of her designer autumn dress soaked up the water like a sponge, dragging her downward like a lead weight.

She thrashed under the murky water. Panic seized her chest, squeezing her heart until it physically hurt. She kicked her legs, her boots sinking into the thick, foul-smelling mud at the bottom of the pond. She clawed at the water, fighting the heavy dress, pushing herself upward.

Justine broke the surface. She gasped violently, sucking in the freezing autumn air.

Dirty pond water poured down her face, stinging her eyes and matting her hair to her cheeks. Her teeth immediately began to chatter so hard her jaw ached.

She wiped the water from her eyes with a numb, shaking hand. She looked toward the edge of the pond.

Leo stood a safe distance away on the dry grass. He had both hands clamped over his mouth, his shoulders shaking as he let out a loud, triumphant giggle. He was thoroughly enjoying the sight of her freezing and choking.

The heavy French doors of the estate's ground-floor patio suddenly burst open.

Carl McConnell stepped out. He wore a perfectly tailored, charcoal-gray custom suit that cost more than most