Eliana Baker POV:
Jacoby flinched, his hand freezing mid-air. "What kind of question is that, Eliana? You were in an accident! A hit-and-run! Of course, I'm here."
He launched into a hurried explanation. He'd been at the family estate when his phone had buzzed with news of the accident. He' d rushed here, frantic with worry. He' d barely made it, he claimed, abandoning a critical meeting. His voice was filled with a performative anxiety.
I watched him, my gaze unwavering. His words were a tangled web of half-truths and outright lies, all designed to paint him as the devoted husband. But I had seen the Tesla, heard the phone call, witnessed the engagement. His concern felt like a flimsy veil, easily torn.
"And Bridgette?" I asked, my voice flat. "Was she with you when you received the news?"
His eyes darted away for a split second. "Bridgette? No, of course not. She was... at a client dinner." He stifled a yawn, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. "It's been a long night, Eliana. I'm exhausted."
I closed my eyes, a silent testament to my weariness, not of body, but of soul. I didn't need his lies anymore. I had the truth.
He sat beside me, silent for a long moment, then his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, a flicker of irritation in his eyes. He ignored it. It buzzed again, insistently. He sighed, looked at me, then silenced it. But the call came through a third time. He finally picked it up, his voice barely a whisper. "What is it?"
I heard a faint, frantic female voice on the other end. Bridgette. He ended the call, then quickly typed a message, his thumbs flying across the screen. His face, already pale, turned a shade whiter. He stood up abruptly. "I... I have to go. Something just came up. Urgent. I'll be back as soon as I can, I promise." He rushed out, leaving a faint scent of fear in his wake.
Minutes later, Chloe burst into the room, her face a storm cloud. "Eliana! You're awake! How are you feeling, my love?" She rushed to my side, her hand immediately on my forehead. "You don't have a fever. What on earth was Jacoby doing here? I just saw him in the hallway, looking like a ghost."
"He was just leaving," I said, my voice weak. "And I think I know why."
Chloe's eyes narrowed. "Why, Eliana? What's going on?"
"He's with Bridgette," I said. "In this very hospital."
Chloe gasped. "What?! How do you know?"
"I saw her leaving with him earlier," I said, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "And I know where they're going."
Chloe looked at me, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. "Where, Eliana? What are you talking about?"
"The fertility clinic," I said, the words a raw whisper. "I saw Bridgette earlier, holding a medical report. And Jacoby... he looked ecstatic. They're convinced she's pregnant."
Chloe stared at me, her mouth agape. "Eliana... are you serious? But... but Jacoby can't have children."
"Exactly," I said, a cold, predatory smile touching my lips. "He's sterile. He was diagnosed years ago. We both were. We tried everything, spent a fortune. But the doctors were clear. He can't father a child."
A pang of old pain, a ghost of a dream, flickered through me. We had grieved, together, for the children we could never have. I had accepted it, had even tried to comfort him, to tell him that our love was enough. I had even kept his infertility a secret, to protect his fragile male ego. Now, that secret was a weapon.
Chloe looked at me, then back at my phone, which was still displaying the location ping from Jacoby. A slow, chilling light dawned in her eyes. "Oh, Eliana," she breathed, "this changes everything. Everything!" She pulled out her own phone, her fingers flying across the screen. "I know some people. We can get that medical report. It'll expose her for the conniving gold-digger she is!"
The next morning, Jacoby was nowhere to be seen. But Callie was there, a vase of fresh flowers in her hand. "Good morning, Eliana," she said, her voice soft. "How are you feeling?"
"Better," I lied. "What's the status on the gala preparations?"
"Everything is on track," she said, then hesitated, her gaze dropping to her hands. "Eliana... I saw something yesterday. When I went to retrieve your mail."
My heart gave a heavy thud. "What is it, Callie?"
"Bridgette Cole," she said, her voice low. "She was at your house. Moving her things in. She even had the audacity to ask me to help her unpack." Her eyes blazed with indignation. "I refused, of course. I told her exactly what I thought of her."
A cold dread settled in my stomach. She was moving in. He had moved her into our home, while I was lying in a hospital bed. He had always planned to replace me, not just in his bed, but in my own home.
"It's alright, Callie," I said, my voice flat. "I understand. Thank you for telling me."
I accessed the hidden security cameras I'd installed around the house years ago, a precaution against potential corporate espionage. The feed showed Bridgette, smug and radiant, directing movers, her laughter echoing through the halls of my home. Then, a quick flash of Jacoby, his hand casually covering one of the cameras. He knew. Or at least, he suspected.
"Callie," I said, my voice sharp. "I need you to re-install all the hidden cameras. And make sure they're completely undetectable this time."
That night, Jacoby finally reappeared at the hospital, looking suitably contrite. "Eliana, my love, I'm so sorry. I know I shouldn't have left. But it was a crisis. Are you angry?" He reached for my hand, his eyes full of a calculated remorse. "Did you miss me?"
"I understand, Jacoby," I said, my voice soft, almost sympathetic. "You're a busy man. You have... obligations."
His face brightened. "You do? Oh, Eliana, you're truly the most understanding woman in the world! I love you so much!" He pulled me into a tight hug, his relief palpable.
"Yes, Jacoby," I said, my voice barely a whisper against his chest. "I understand you perfectly."
He pulled back, a flicker of unease in his eyes. He seemed to sense the double meaning, but quickly dismissed it. He was too relieved, too self-absorbed. Just then, a nurse walked in, interrupting our tableau.
The next day, I watched the live feed from my newly re-installed cameras. Bridgette was lounging on the sofa, scrolling through her phone, a smirk on her face. She was in my living room, wearing my silk robe, sipping coffee from my favorite mug.
Jacoby entered, carrying a tray with breakfast. "My darling, you haven't eaten a thing! You need to keep up your strength. For our baby." He knelt beside her, patiently feeding her a piece of toast.
"I know, I know," Bridgette whined, her voice petulant. "But I just can't stomach anything. This pregnancy is making me so sick."
Jacoby stroked her hair. "Don't worry, my love. Our little one will be here soon. And then, we'll have everything we've ever dreamed of."
Bridgette smirked, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. "Yes, everything."
Later, Bridgette left, a smug smile on her face. Jacoby then called the house staff, his voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial whisper. "Listen, everyone. Bridgette is staying here now. She's... delicate. And pregnant. So, no one mentions Eliana. Ever. Clear?"
The housekeeper, a kind old woman who had worked for us for years, simply nodded, her face grim.
I watched the screen, my heart a cold stone. He was erasing me, systematically. But he was about to learn that some things, once etched in stone, could not be so easily forgotten.
"Callie," I said into my headset, my voice calm, almost serene. "It's time. Send out the invitations. For the gala. And make sure Bridgette gets a very special one."
