Chapter 5 SMITH,MARCUS SISTER BEGINS TO MANIPULATE HELEN

Scene: Helen's Boutique – Evening

The boutique was quiet, the golden hour sunlight spilling gently through the front windows. Helen was restocking shelves when the bell above the door chimed. Smith stepped in, her heels clicking softly against the wooden floor.

"Helen," she said with a practiced smile. "I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd stop by."

Helen forced a smile. "Hey, Smith. Nice to see you."

Smith looked around admiringly. "Still thriving, I see. Marcus tells me you've been doing amazing."

Helen nodded, unsure where this was going.

"Mind if I stay a bit?" Smith asked. "Maybe help you close up?"

Helen hesitated, then shrugged. "Sure."

As they worked, Smith casually dropped comments, her tone light and seemingly innocent.

"You know," she began, folding some baby clothes. "I never told you this, but... I actually knew Gabriel. Years ago."

Helen paused, her heart flickering. "You did?"

Smith nodded, her voice lowering. "Yeah. He... wasn't who he pretends to be. Back then, he was reckless. Manipulative. I had a friend he messed with-used her, actually. Left her heartbroken. And pregnant."

Helen's breath caught. "Pregnant?"

Smith sighed deeply. "She lost the baby. And he just vanished. Like he always does."

Helen looked down, her hands tightening around a tiny shirt. "He never told me that."

Smith touched her arm gently. "Of course not. He doesn't want you to know who he really is. Men like that... they don't change, Helen."

Helen's eyes burned. "But he... he loved me. I think."

"Maybe," Smith said carefully. "But love isn't enough if it's built on lies. Marcus-he's been nothing but real. Loyal. Present. He's here, Helen. For you. For Liam."

Helen nodded slowly, the war in her mind growing louder. "I know. I just... I don't know what to believe anymore."

Smith gave a sympathetic smile. "That's normal. But trust your instincts, not your memories. The past has a way of romanticizing the wrong people."

Scene: Helen's Apartment – That Night

Helen sat in bed, staring at the ceiling. Smith's words played on a loop in her head.

"Used her." "Vanished." "Not who he pretends to be."

She turned to look at Liam, peacefully sleeping in his crib.Then her phone.

Gabriel's name still pinned.

She opened their old messages, reading his words again, searching for cracks. Lies. Manipulation.But all she saw... was love.Still, doubt had begun its crawl under her skin.And Marcus-so steady, so devoted-was always there.

Marcus's Condo – The Same Time

Smith poured herself a drink and dropped onto Marcus's couch with a grin.

"She's cracking," she said.

Marcus leaned back, smug. "You're sure?"

"She's questioning everything. I told her just enough to make it believable."

Marcus exhaled. "Good. Keep pushing. She needs to forget Gabriel completely."

Smith laughed. "At this rate, she might thank you for saving her from him."

Marcus raised his glass, a wicked glint in his eye. "To the future, sis. Our future."As they plan different ways to get money from the great wealth that has been coming out of Helen's great boutique business.

Helen's Apartment – Dawn

The sun peeked over the skyline.Helen stood at the window, Liam in her arms.Tears slipped down her cheek as she whispered to her baby:

"I just want the truth... I just want to know who to trust."

Little did she know, the truth wasn't lost.It was buried.And someone, somewhere, was about to start digging.

SMITH GOT HER FRIEND CATHERINE TO PRETEND TO BE ONE OF THE WOMEN THAT GABRIEL HAS USED AND DUMPED.

Smith's Apartment – Later That Morning

The soft hum of a computer filled the room. Smith leaned over her desk, eyes narrowed as she fine-tuned the photo on her screen. A baby with dark curls and piercing eyes stared back-eyes Smith had carefully edited to match Gabriel's striking features. Subtle enough to be believable. Bold enough to plant doubt.Catherine sat on the couch, sipping coffee, watching the process.

"You're sure she'll fall for it?" she asked.

Smith didn't look up. "Helen's already cracking. She just needs a push-this picture, and your story, that'll do it."

She hit print. The photo slid out of the printer, glossy and damning.

Smith handed it to Catherine. "Here. You'll tell her he vanished right after you found out you were pregnant. That he never looked back."

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "And what if she asks for proof?"

"You are the proof," Smith said coolly. "We've got the baby photo, the sob story, and her trust. That's all we need."

Catherine nodded slowly, nerves creeping in. "What about Gabriel? He's not going to stay gone forever."

Smith's eyes darkened. "He won't come back for her. Not with everything we've lined up. Besides, by the time we're done, Helen won't want him back."

Helen's Boutique – Afternoon

Helen was folding a new shipment of onesies when the bell chimed again. This time, it was Catherine.

"Helen?" she said softly. "Hi. You don't know me, but... I think we need to talk. It's about Gabriel."

Helen froze, her stomach knotting. "What about him?"

Catherine held out the photo. "This... this was my baby. He would've been two now."

Helen took the photo, staring at the little face. The resemblance hit like a punch. Dark eyes. The same kind of curl in the hair. Her breath caught.

"I was with Gabriel," Catherine continued, voice trembling together with fake tears dropping from her eyes "He told me everything I wanted to hear. Until I got pregnant. Then he disappeared. Just like that. No calls. No goodbye."

Helen's hands trembled around the photo. "He... never mentioned you."

"I'm not surprised," Catherine said, casting her eyes down. "He probably didn't want you to know what he's capable of. I don't want anything from you. I just... when I heard you were with him, I thought you deserved to know."

Helen stared at the photo again. The lies felt real now-realer than ever. She swallowed hard, blinking back tears.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Catherine nodded and left, her role played to perfection.

Smith's Apartment – That Night

Smith picked up her phone. "She saw the picture?"

Catherine's voice came through the line, smug. "She saw it. Believed every word."

Smith smiled, triumph curling in her chest. "Good. She's almost ours."