Elodie sat in the backseat of the unmarked Ford sedan, parked two blocks away from the Evans estate.
She pulled the night-vision goggles off her head and tossed them onto the seat. She unzipped the black nanofiber suit, peeling it off her skin. She shoved the expensive tactical gear into a signal-blocking duffel bag.
She pulled a faded, oversized t-shirt over her head and slipped into a pair of worn-out jeans.
She pressed a finger to the bone-conduction earpiece tucked behind her ear.
"Scrap," Elodie said, her voice flat. "I'm out. The data is uploading now."
A heavily distorted, robotic voice crackled in her ear. "Received. I'll have the analysis report to you in thirty minutes. The payout for this intel is massive. Are you sure you want to route the entire sum to the Pennsylvania Children's Trauma Center anonymously?"
"I'm sure," Elodie said.
She stared out the window at the glowing streetlights of the wealthy neighborhood. She felt nothing for the money.
She grabbed her duffel bag, opened the rear door, and slipped into the driver's seat. She adjusted the seat and rested her hands on the steering wheel for a moment, steadying herself.
"Switching channels," Elodie said.
She tapped her watch, connecting to the micro-bug she had planted in Preston Evans's home office a week ago under the guise of deep-cleaning the study. She had anticipated this exact showdown was coming, and she needed the leverage.
Static hissed, followed by the heavy sigh of her adoptive father, Preston.
"Cynthia, it's done," Preston's voice echoed in Elodie's ear. He sounded exhausted. "Old Mrs. Lyons agreed. As long as we fulfill the marriage contract, they will inject the capital we need to save the company."
"But what about Bristol?" Cynthia's voice was shrill, dripping with panic. "My baby cannot marry Elwyn Lyons IV! The man is a walking corpse. They say he's violent, Preston. Unstable!"
Elodie's fingers tightened around the edge of the car seat. Her knuckles turned white.
"Relax," Preston said coldly. "We aren't sacrificing Bristol. We still have Elodie."
Elodie's stomach dropped. A cold, physical weight settled in her chest.
"Elodie?" Cynthia spat the name like it was poison. "That feral stray we dragged out of the Rust Belt? She isn't fit for the Lyons family. Look at that hideous mark on her face. She's a disgrace to the Evans name."
"A disgrace who legally shares our last name," Preston countered. "The contract only specifies 'the daughter of Preston Evans.' It doesn't name which one. This is exactly why we kept her around. A dying man gets a flawed bride. It's a perfect match."
Elodie stopped breathing. The oxygen in the car felt thick, suffocating.
She remembered the day they brought her to this mansion. The fake smiles. The promises of a real family.
For years, she had watched Bristol get the designer clothes, the private tutors, the unconditional love. Elodie got the blame whenever Bristol broke a vase or failed a test.
"Will she even agree to it?" Cynthia asked, her tone shifting to pure calculation. "She's stubborn."
Preston let out a dark chuckle. "She doesn't have a choice. Her old foster father back in Pennsylvania, Gus Kowalski? His lung condition is getting worse. We can offer to 'sponsor' his treatments at the best facility. But only if she plays her part."
A violent surge of heat rushed through Elodie's veins.
Her vision blurred with pure, unadulterated rage. They were using Gus. The only person in the world who had ever actually cared about her.
Her fingers gripped the steering wheel in a death grip, her knuckles turning white from the force. A cold, venomous rage burned through her veins, yet her expression remained completely stony. She merely took a deep, measured breath, forcing the violent urge back down into the darkest corners of her mind.
"Mom? Dad?" Bristol's voice filtered through the bug. It was high-pitched, laced with fake innocence. "I heard Mr. Elwyn is really sick... I'm so scared. Is Elodie really going to take my place?"
"Oh, my sweet girl," Cynthia cooed. "You have too big of a heart. This is Elodie's chance to finally repay us for everything we've done for her. It's an honor for her."
Bile rose in the back of Elodie's throat.
The last fragile thread tying her to this family snapped.
She had spent years thinking they were just neglectful. But they weren't. They were monsters. To them, she wasn't a human being. She was a meat shield. A disposable asset.
Elodie reached up and killed the audio feed.
The car fell into a deafening silence.
She looked at her reflection in the rearview mirror. The pale, butterfly-shaped birthmark on her cheek stood out in the dim light.
"Game over," Elodie whispered to the empty car.
She shifted the car into drive. She didn't head toward the Evans estate. She turned the wheel, driving in the opposite direction.
