Chapter 5

"Natalie... thank you. Seriously. I don't even know how to repay you."

Chelsea could barely contain herself. She practically glowed with excitement as she darted across the ballroom, barking instructions to decorators, caterers, and florists. Every centerpiece had to be adjusted, every ribbon straightened, every chair perfectly aligned. The Charity Gala had become entirely hers after I'd stepped aside two days earlier, claiming my emotional state wasn't stable enough to oversee such a major event.

"I've dreamed about running something like this for years," she said, clapping her hands together. "Can you believe it? I'll be the one welcoming everyone on stage tonight. This is incredible."

I managed a tired smile.

"You've earned it. No one knows this event better than you."

I lowered my eyes as though the room itself exhausted me.

"And honestly... I don't think I could handle standing in front of that many people right now. Even the thought of all that noise makes my head pound."

Chelsea squeezed my arm affectionately.

"Don't worry about a thing. I'll make sure tonight goes flawlessly. You stay home, recover, and let me take care of everything."

"Thank you."

That evening I curled up in the library, an open novel resting on my lap. I hadn't turned a single page.

Caleb quietly entered, shutting the door behind him before walking over.

"There you are," he said gently, settling himself on the armrest beside me. "You don't look well."

"I've been better," I murmured, allowing my voice to sound weak and unfocused. "Everything feels... hazy."

He studied me carefully.

"Still having trouble concentrating?"

I nodded and rubbed my temples.

"My head feels so heavy. It's like I'm awake but still dreaming."

"The medication is probably kicking in," he replied, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "Dr. Foster warned us it would take a little while before you noticed the full effects. Just keep taking it exactly as prescribed."

"I guess it's helping."

"It will."

His fingers drifted through my hair with practiced tenderness.

"You need sleep more than anything. Your body and your mind have both been through a terrible shock."

I rested my head lightly against his shoulder, forcing myself not to recoil.

If only he knew.

Every evening I accepted the pills with obedient gratitude.

Every evening I chewed them just enough to make it look convincing before flushing the remains down the toilet.

The sedatives never entered my bloodstream.

But Caleb couldn't know that.

As far as he was concerned, I was exactly what he wanted—a grieving wife slowly losing her grip on reality.

Later that night, I lay perfectly still beneath the blankets, pretending to sleep.

Caleb slipped into the hallway and made a phone call.

His voice barely carried through the cracked bedroom door.

"It's taking too long," he muttered. "She's drowsy, but she's still thinking clearly. That's not enough."

A pause.

"No, increase it."

Another pause.

"I need her barely functional by the night of the gala. She has to sign everything without questioning it."

I closed my eyes tighter.

So that was the next step.

For the following three days, I gave them exactly the performance they expected.

I deliberately stumbled while walking through the house.

I slurred simple sentences.

I asked the same questions twice.

Sometimes I'd stare blankly through a window for an hour before bursting into tears over something meaningless.

Other times I'd forget conversations we'd supposedly had only minutes earlier.

Caleb watched every episode with quiet satisfaction.

Chelsea looked almost delighted.

They truly believed they were watching me fall apart.

The morning of the gala arrived.

I remained curled beneath the blankets when Caleb entered carrying a breakfast tray.

Balanced on top of it was a thick folder of documents.

He looked every bit the successful executive in his tailored tuxedo.

"Morning," he said cheerfully. "Thought I'd bring breakfast to you."

He placed the tray beside me before lifting the paperwork.

"There's one small favor I need."

I blinked slowly as though struggling to focus.

"What is it?"

"Just routine paperwork for tonight."

He uncapped an expensive fountain pen and placed it in my hand.

"A few approvals for vendors, insurance forms, payment releases... nothing exciting."

I glanced lazily through the stack.

Invoices.

Contracts.

Event permits.

Hidden among them sat exactly what I expected.

The power of attorney documents.

I pretended not to notice.

"If you say it's okay..."

He smiled warmly.

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't."

I signed every page without hesitation.

When I handed the folder back, satisfaction flashed across his face before disappearing beneath concern.

"Perfect."

He leaned over to kiss my forehead.

"I'm proud of you. Now stay here and rest."

"I still wanted to come tonight."

His smile tightened.

"I really don't think that's a good idea."

"But I wanted to watch Chelsea."

"Maybe another time."

He stood, already checking his watch.

"I need to meet her at the venue."

"I understand."

"I'll call later."

"I'll be waiting."

He left.

Several seconds later I heard the front door close.

Then the engine.

Finally, silence.

I threw off the blankets.

The weakness vanished instantly.

Sliding beneath the bed, I pulled out the duffel bag I'd packed days earlier.

Inside were several changes of clothes, thousands of dollars in cash, my passport, a burner phone, and the external drive Bernard and I had filled with every piece of evidence against Caleb and Chelsea.

Without looking back, I walked out of the bedroom.

Out of the house.

Out of the life I had once believed was real.

As I drove through the front gates, sadness briefly settled over me.

I remembered arriving there as a newlywed, believing I was building a future with the man I loved.

That version of me no longer existed.

The woman behind the steering wheel now had only one goal.

Justice.

About an hour later I stopped at a quiet rest area.

After parking beneath a line of trees, I opened my tablet and connected to the gala's live broadcast.

The ballroom looked magnificent.

Every table was filled.

Board members, investors, politicians, and members of the press chatted beneath glittering chandeliers.

Center stage stood Caleb.

Beside him was Chelsea, radiant in an evening gown, proudly holding his arm.

Caleb smiled into the microphone.

"Thank you all for joining us this evening."

Polite applause echoed through the ballroom.

"My wife regrets that she couldn't attend."

His expression shifted into carefully rehearsed sadness.

"As many of you know, Natalie has endured an incredibly difficult few weeks. Losing our child has taken a tremendous emotional toll, and she's focusing on healing."

He paused just long enough for sympathy to ripple through the crowd.

"Even so," he continued, brightening, "she insisted this event continue as planned. Before we begin, she'd like to share a short presentation celebrating hope, resilience, and the exciting future of our company."

Chelsea smiled proudly beside him.

Caleb turned toward the enormous projection screen.

"Ladies and gentlemen... please direct your attention behind us."

I couldn't help smiling.

Ten minutes before leaving the house, I'd logged into the company's server using the emergency credentials Bernard had recovered.

Replacing one video with another had taken less than sixty seconds.

Neither Caleb nor Chelsea had bothered checking the file afterward.

They were too confident.

Too convinced I was helpless.

Their arrogance was about to become their downfall.

I closed the livestream before the video began.

I didn't need to watch what happened next.