Three days. That meant James and Kate probably thought I was dead. For the first time in weeks, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe this was my chance to disappear—to start over. But then, one morning, Damon returned from fishing with a newspaper in hand. He placed it in front of me without a word. My heart stopped when I saw my own face printed on the front page. MISSING. And underneath it, James’ name, offering a hefty reward for any information about me.
“He’s looking for you,” Damon said carefully. “Your husband. Damn! I knew it, you're that singer!"
I just let out a sigh. A bitter laugh escape my lips. “Shh... don't be noisy. And husband? That bastard is the reason I almost died.”
I told Damon everything—the rape, the lies, the betrayal. His jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. But when I told him James would kill me if he found me, his expression changed.
“I need to hide you,” he said firmly.
For the first time in forever, I felt like someone was on my side. But that night, my world shattered all over again. Damon told me he was going out for a while. I trusted him. But when he returned, he wasn’t alone. Behind him stood James’ men. Panic gripped my chest as I recognized the guards. Damon wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“Damon…” My voice trembled.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I needed the money. My wife… she’s in the hospital. I had no choice.”
Before I could run, the guards grabbed me. Darkness swallowed me once more.
When I woke up, I was tied to a chair inside an abandoned room. The dim lighting barely illuminated the space, but I knew exactly where I was. James’ warehouse. The door creaked open, and Kate stepped in. Gone was the sweet, concerned best friend. In her place was a woman filled with hatred and resentment. She slapped me, the sharp sting making my head snap to the side.
“You ruined everything,” she hissed.
I glared at her, refusing to let her see my fear. “You tried to kill me.”
Kate smirked. “I should have pushed harder.”
I clenched my fists. “Why, Kate? Why betray me?”
Her smirk widened as she stepped back, placing a hand on her stomach. “I had a plan, Zoey,” she said. “James was supposed to think this baby was his.”
I froze. Then, to my horror, Kate lifted her shirt and peeled off a fake belly. My stomach twisted in confusion. If she wasn’t really pregnant… then how did she plan to convince James he had a child?