Chapter 4

Clara POV:

The next two weeks were a masterclass in dissociation. I moved through my life like an actress in a role she despised but was determined to play to perfection. I was Lynn Winters, the happy fiancée, the devoted daughter. I smiled at Liam over breakfast, discussed seating charts with my mother, and nodded along as my father strategized about his campaign.

Inside, I was a stranger. Cold, calculating, and patient. The flash drive, my secret weapon, was hidden in the lining of a purse I never used. Every smile I gave them, every kiss I endured from Liam, was fuel for the fire I was building.

The stage for my final act was to be my mother's annual "Hope Gala," the crown jewel of the Washington D.C. social calendar. It was less than a month away. An event swarming with politicians, donors, and, most importantly, the press. It was the perfect venue.

My days were spent planning. I used a burner phone and public Wi-Fi at a library across town to do my research. I found a top-tier divorce lawyer who specialized in high-profile political cases and arranged a discreet consultation. I opened a new bank account under my old name, Clara, slowly siphoning small, untraceable amounts of cash.

The hardest part was the physical proximity to Liam. His touch, which once felt like home, now made my skin crawl. One evening, he came up behind me as I was standing by the window in our living room, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"What are you thinking about?" he murmured into my hair.

`That you are a liar and I am counting the seconds until I can destroy you,` I thought.

"Just the gala," I said, leaning back into him just enough to sell the lie. "I want everything to be perfect."

"It will be," he promised, pressing a kiss to my temple. "It's our last big event before the wedding. A celebration of our family."

The irony was so thick I could have choked on it.

A few days before the gala, my opportunity for the next phase of my plan presented itself. Liam was scheduled to give a speech at a luncheon across town.

"I wish you could come," he said, adjusting his tie in the mirror. "But it's a closed-door event. All stuffy old congressmen."

"It's fine," I said, handing him his briefcase. "I was thinking of doing some shopping for the gala anyway."

The moment his car pulled away, I went into action. I knew the location of his secret house from the **property records I'd uncovered**. It was a fifty-minute drive, a straight shot down the highway. My hands were slick with sweat on the steering wheel, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs.

The house was exactly as I'd imagined: a large, modern colonial set back from the road in a neighborhood of pristine lawns and imposing gates. It was the kind of place you raise a family in. His family.

I parked down the street and watched. My plan was risky, bordering on insane. I just needed one more piece of the puzzle.

After an hour, Seraphina emerged from the house with Finn. She was dressed in expensive athleisure wear, looking every bit the wealthy suburban mother. She strapped Finn into his car seat in a sleek black SUV and drove off in the opposite direction.

This was my chance.

**I put on a pair of thin leather gloves. I didn't have a key. But I had spent the last week watching videos on lock picking, and the back patio door had a simple, outdated lock I'd spotted with binoculars. My hands shook as I inserted the tension wrench and the pick. My first attempts failed, the metallic scrape against the pins grating on my nerves. My heart was a drum against my ribs. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I felt the last pin click into place. The lock turned.**

The door swung open into a home filled with light, laughter, and lies. The walls were covered in framed photos of the three of them. A child's drawing of their family was stuck to the refrigerator with a magnet. A pair of Liam's running shoes were by the door.

It was a home. It was *his* home.

I moved quickly, my purpose clear. I went straight to the master bedroom. It was neat and tidy, decorated in serene shades of grey and white. On Seraphina's nightstand was a silver picture frame.

I picked it up. It was a photo of her and Liam on what looked like a wedding day. She was in a simple white dress, he in a dark suit. It must have been a secret ceremony, a commitment just for them. But the most sickening part was the inscription engraved on the frame.

`My wife, my life. Forever.`

The words blurred. He had called me his future, but she was his forever.

I took out my burner phone and photographed everything. The pictures on the walls, the drawing on the fridge, the damning picture frame. Each photo was another nail in their coffin.

As I was about to leave, something on Liam's nightstand caught my eye. It was a small, velvet ring box. My blood ran cold. I opened it.

Inside was a simple, elegant diamond band. A wedding ring. It was meant for her. He was going to marry her, once he was done with me.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of a car pulling into the driveway. My heart leaped into my throat. Seraphina was back early.

**I scrambled for a hiding place, my mind racing. The closet. I dove inside, pulling the louvered doors shut just as I heard the front door open. I crouched in the dark, surrounded by the scent of Liam's cologne on his clothes, and held my breath.**

**"Ugh, forgot my wallet," I heard Seraphina mutter to herself. Then her phone rang. I pressed my ear to the slats of the door.**

**"Hi, Dad," she said, her tone instantly syrupy. "No, everything's fine... Yes, I'm being careful... I know, I know. Just until the wedding. Then you can stop worrying about me telling everyone what really happened with the Atherton deal. We all get what we want."**

**A cold dread washed over me. The Atherton deal. That was the scandal she'd framed me for. It wasn't just a leak; it was a dirty deal my father was involved in. This wasn't about protecting a favored daughter. It was blackmail.**

**I heard her footsteps move away, the front door close, and the car drive off. I waited a full five minutes, my body trembling, before I dared to move. I had what I needed. And it was so much worse than I ever imagined.**