KAY POV

The hospital smelled like antiseptic and quiet lies.

I arrived early the next morning—before visiting hours, before Jake or Emily could show up and poison the air again. The paperwork was already signed. The doctor’s instructions replayed endlessly in my head.

No stress.

No surprises.

Keep her calm.

Easier said than done.

Vanessa sat on the edge of the bed when I entered, dressed in simple clothes that looked painfully wrong on someone who usually commanded every room she stepped into. Her hair fell loose around her shoulders, hiding half her face.

She looked small.

Too small.

“Good morning,” I said gently.

She lifted her head, studying me like she was deciding whether I was safe.

My chest tightened.

“Good morning,” she echoed softly.

I handed her the coat I’d brought. “It’s cold outside.”

She hesitated—just a second too long—before taking it. Slipped it on slowly, like she was still unsure of my presence. Every movement was careful. Measured.

Like the wrong step might shatter something fragile.

Or expose something.

The thought lingered longer than it should have.

The drive was quiet.

Too quiet.

Vanessa sat stiffly in the passenger seat, fingers curled in her lap, eyes fixed on the passing streets like she was memorizing them. I caught her reflection in the windshield more than once—watching, calculating, absorbing.

Not lost.

Not empty.

Just… silent.

When the mansion gates came into view, her body stiffened.

“This is… where we live?” she asked quietly.

“For now,” I replied. “Until you feel better.”

She nodded, but I felt it then—the shift in the air. Like she understood more than she let on.

And when the doors opened and Jake and Emily were waiting inside—

I knew this house wouldn’t be her sanctuary.

It would be a battlefield.

VANESSA POV

The mansion gates slid shut behind us with a sound that felt final.

I kept my gaze unfocused, shoulders slumped slightly—the way confused people looked in movies. Inside, my pulse was steady. Controlled.

This place wasn’t a home.

It was a cage—beautifully disguised in marble and glass.

I stepped inside slowly, pretending to be overwhelmed while my eyes catalogued everything: exits, hidden cameras, reflective surfaces, the number of footsteps echoing through the halls.

Emily was already there.

Jake too.

They looked… comfortable.

Emily smiled first, rushing toward me like a savior. “Vany! Welcome home!”

Home.

The word nearly made me laugh.

I flinched instead—on purpose.

Her smile faltered. Just for half a second. Not long enough for Kay to notice.

Long enough for me.

Interesting.

Jake wrapped an arm around her waist, claiming space that didn’t belong to him. His eyes swept over me, sharp and calculating—like he was checking whether I remembered something I shouldn’t.

I lowered my gaze.

Relax, I told myself. You wanted to see the snake pit. Congratulations.

My fist trembled as I fought back the tears threatening to fall. Seeing my real fiancé this intimate with another woman—my best friend—felt like acid burning through my chest.

I needed to leave. Needed space to breathe. To think.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Kay standing behind me, his expression unreadable.

I called to him in a small, pitiful voice. “Jake…”

He reacted instantly, stepping toward me and taking my hand.

“Can I go lie down?” I asked softly.

He swallowed and nodded. “We’ll see you later, kay and Emily,” he said to them, playing his role flawlessly.

Too flawlessly, I thought as we headed upstairs.

The bedroom was dark. Empty. Bare.

Only a few photos decorated the walls—pictures of me and Kay. Fake. Poorly edited. AI lies.

My chest tightened.

The bed was king-sized.

The realization hit me all at once.

We were supposed to share it.

“Come sit,” Kay said gently. “I’ll help you with your clothes.”

He sounded so sincere that, if I truly had lost my memory, I might have believed him.

I sat as he removed my coat and shoes, his touch careful—almost reverent.

“Lie down,” he said. “I’ll grab something from the closet.”

I nodded and stared at the ceiling as he left.

Questions spiraled endlessly.

Why was Jake doing this?

Why did Emily betray me?

Why was Kay helping him?

Who hired the killer—Jake, Emily, or someone from my own industry?

I needed answers.

But how was I supposed to uncover the truth when everyone believed I was broken?

Maybe I could use Kay…

No. Bad idea. He was Jake’s best friend. And he believed the lie.

I dragged a hand through my hair just as Kay returned, holding up a pink dress.

I hated pink.

He must’ve noticed my frown because his grip tightened nervously. “It was in your closet,” he explained.

I remembered the dress.

Emily had given it to me for my eighteenth birthday—despite knowing how much I hated pink.

“Could you… maybe find something black?” I asked quietly.

He studied me for a moment before sighing and returning with a black shirt and sweatpants.

“Better?” he asked.

I nodded, offering a weak smile.

“Should I help you change?”

I froze.

Heat flooded my face. The idea of him seeing me like that felt wrong—Jake had never even seen me undressed, and he was my real fiancé.

“No—I can manage,” I said quickly.

He placed the clothes on the bed and stood there.

“Jake… could you turn around?” I asked softly.

“I—right. Sorry, sweetheart,” he said, turning away.

My heart skipped at the nickname.

I changed quickly.

“I’m done,” I said. “Are Emily and kay still here?”

“Yes. They’re waiting for you to feel better so they can talk.”

Fear wrapped tight around my chest.

“Y-you’ll stay with me, right?” I asked.

Before he could answer, a knock echoed through the door.