Chapter 5

The next morning, I saw it all online. The rumors were true. Someone had leaked photos of Damien and Cohen with Kara at the hospital. An anonymous source had detailed the entire sordid affair: the celebrated innovator sick in Switzerland, her look-alike donor moving in with her powerful husband.

The term "Silicon Valley's Ultimate Homewrecker" was trending.

But just as quickly as it appeared, it was all wiped from the internet. Replaced by a single, top-trending post: a statement from me.

It was a beautifully written piece of fiction, full of grace and forgiveness. It explained that Kara was a dear friend, that Damien and I had amicably divorced years ago, and that I wished them nothing but happiness with their new family. And at the bottom was a crystal-clear image of my thumbprint.

I stared at my phone, my breath coming in ragged gasps. They hadn't just stolen my life; they were now stealing my voice, my narrative, twisting it to protect their lies. The pain was a physical thing, a crushing weight on my chest. My mind was a black hole of despair and confusion.

The doorbell rang. It was Kara.

She walked in, one hand protectively on her stomach, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Ariel," she began, her voice a fragile whisper. "I'm so sorry. I never wanted any of this to happen. Seeing you at the hospital was an accident. Damien and Cohen... they were just so grateful to me for the donation. They feel sorry for me. It's not what it looks like. We're not... there's nothing going on."

She was a masterful actress. Her face was a perfect portrait of innocence and anguish.

"I swear, I've done nothing to wrong you," she sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "If you don't believe me, I'll... I'll just leave. I'll disappear."

With a dramatic cry, she turned and ran out of the room. She was so consumed by her performance that she didn't see the short flight of stairs leading down to the front door.

Her foot missed a step. She let out a small, frightened gasp as she started to fall.

My body moved before my brain could process it. All I saw was a pregnant woman about to fall down a flight of stairs.

"Kara, watch out!" I yelled, lunging forward to grab her arm.

I almost reached her.

But a blur of motion came from the doorway. A powerful force slammed into me, throwing me backward.

I tumbled down the stairs, each impact a jarring explosion of pain. My head hit the landing with a sickening crack.

Through a haze of black spots, I saw Damien and Cohen. They hadn't been coming for me. They had been coming for her.

Damien had Kara pulled tight against his chest, his arms wrapped around her as if she were made of glass.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he and Cohen asked in unison, their voices frantic with terror.

"I'm fine," Kara whimpered, her voice trembling. She pointed a shaky finger at me, lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. "But Ariel... look at Ariel..."

Their heads snapped in my direction. For the first time, they seemed to notice me. They saw the blood pooling around my head.

Their faces went white with shock.

"Ariel!" they screamed, their voices filled with a horror that was years too late.

They rushed toward me, but their faces were a blurry mess. The world was fading to black.

Just before I lost consciousness, my phone, which had clattered to the floor beside me, lit up with a new message.

It was from Jasper.

`The marriage license is official. Congratulations, Mrs. Berger.`