Chapter 2

I stared at her, remembering the first time we met. It was a year ago, at her husband Martin's funeral.

She’d worn black, weeping and looking utterly broken. She told me Martin had been horribly abusive, that she was finally free but completely alone in the world.

My heart had ached for her. I comforted her for hours. I even asked Dan to look out for her at the office.

I never imagined that, barely a year later, she’d be living in a luxury condo my husband bought, parading around under my last name.

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

"Cut the act, Vanessa. Why are you living in a condo my husband bought, playing house as his wife?"

I didn't yell, but my voice carried through the cavernous lobby.

A few residents stopped in their tracks. Whispers broke out. Someone pulled out their phone.

Vanessa’s face went pale. Her eyes instantly welled with tears.

"Erin, how could you say something like that?" Her voice trembled perfectly. "My husband bought this place for me."

Her gaze dropped to my slight baby bump, and a flicker of pure malice crossed her eyes.

"Are you jealous? You're pregnant, stuck in some cramped, run-down apartment, and you see that I have a husband who actually takes care of me... so you decide to claim him as yours?"

The whispers around us shifted.

"Is she crazy?"

"She looks normal. Why is she harassing people?"

"Someone call security before she starts a fight."

I ignored the crowd. I kept my eyes locked on Vanessa.

"Your husband?" I scoffed. "Martin's been dead for a year. You moved on fast."

Tears spilled down Vanessa's cheeks. Her shoulders shook.

"Why can't I start over? My late husband tortured me. I've suffered enough." She choked out a sob. "Now that I've finally found someone who truly loves me, do I not deserve to be happy?"

Then, she lowered her voice—just enough so the bystanders could still hear.

"Erin... are you having a breakdown? Why else would you come all the way here to make up something so sick?"

"True love?" I stepped closer. "Sleeping with a married man, living on his dime, and cosplaying as his wife—that's what you call true love?"

Vanessa flinched, crying harder, playing the ultimate victim.

"Stop spreading rumors! My husband and I love each other." She gasped, eyes widening as if a lightbulb just went off. "He told me some woman has been stalking him. Is that you? Is that how you found this address?"

She was spinning a web out of thin air, trapping me in it.

I looked at her with dead eyes.

"Fine. If you're a real married couple, call Daniel. Put him on speaker. Right now."

Chapter 2

I stared at her, remembering the first time we met. It was a year ago, at her husband Martin's funeral.

She’d worn black, weeping and looking utterly broken. She told me Martin had been horribly abusive, that she was finally free but completely alone in the world.

My heart had ached for her. I comforted her for hours. I even asked Dan to look out for her at the office.

I never imagined that, barely a year later, she’d be living in a luxury condo my husband bought, parading around under my last name.

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

"Cut the act, Vanessa. Why are you living in a condo my husband bought, playing house as his wife?"

I didn't yell, but my voice carried through the cavernous lobby.

A few residents stopped in their tracks. Whispers broke out. Someone pulled out their phone.

Vanessa’s face went pale. Her eyes instantly welled with tears.

"Erin, how could you say something like that?" Her voice trembled perfectly. "My husband bought this place for me."

Her gaze dropped to my slight baby bump, and a flicker of pure malice crossed her eyes.

"Are you jealous? You're pregnant, stuck in some cramped, run-down apartment, and you see that I have a husband who actually takes care of me... so you decide to claim him as yours?"

The whispers around us shifted.

"Is she crazy?"

"She looks normal. Why is she harassing people?"

"Someone call security before she starts a fight."

I ignored the crowd. I kept my eyes locked on Vanessa.

"Your husband?" I scoffed. "Martin's been dead for a year. You moved on fast."

Tears spilled down Vanessa's cheeks. Her shoulders shook.

"Why can't I start over? My late husband tortured me. I've suffered enough." She choked out a sob. "Now that I've finally found someone who truly loves me, do I not deserve to be happy?"

Then, she lowered her voice—just enough so the bystanders could still hear.

"Erin... are you having a breakdown? Why else would you come all the way here to make up something so sick?"

"True love?" I stepped closer. "Sleeping with a married man, living on his dime, and cosplaying as his wife—that's what you call true love?"

Vanessa flinched, crying harder, playing the ultimate victim.

She was spinning a web out of thin air, trapping me in it.

I looked at her with dead eyes.

"Fine. If you're a real married couple, call Daniel. Put him on speaker. Right now."