Chapter 2 – Following the Cracks
Ethan couldn't stop thinking about the safety pin.
It wasn't just the pin itself—it was the way Vanessa had reacted. Fear had flashed across her face for a fraction of a second before her practiced smile returned. Most people would never have noticed.
Ethan did.
The next Monday, he drove to Whitmore Holdings, where Nathan and Vanessa both worked. Officially, Vanessa was a public relations consultant. In reality, she spent more time posting glamorous photos online than attending meetings.
That morning, Ethan watched from the glass conference room as Vanessa crossed the lobby.
She moved with effortless confidence.
No protective hand over her stomach.
No careful steps.
She bent to pick up a folder one of the interns had dropped, twisting at the waist without hesitation. A woman five months pregnant would almost instinctively move differently.
Again, it wasn't proof.
But it was another crack.
During lunch, Ethan casually joined Nathan in the executive cafeteria.
"You look exhausted," Ethan said.
Nathan rubbed his temples.
"I deserve it."
"You still believe the baby is yours?"
Nathan's fork froze halfway to his mouth.
"I don't know what to believe anymore."
Ethan lowered his voice.
"Have you actually gone to one of her prenatal appointments?"
Nathan looked away.
"She said the clinic only allows one visitor. Then she switched doctors because of privacy concerns."
"And you've never spoken to the doctor?"
Nathan shook his head.
"I trusted her."
That answer hurt more than Ethan expected.
Nathan wasn't stupid.
He was drowning in guilt.
Vanessa had built her story around his shame, knowing he would never question details that made him feel responsible.
Later that afternoon, Ethan quietly called one of his closest friends, Olivia Harper, an investigative journalist known for exposing corporate fraud.
"I need a favor."
"What kind of favor?"
"I need to know if someone is pretending to be pregnant."
Silence.
Then Olivia laughed.
"That isn't the strangest thing you've ever asked."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
By evening, Olivia arrived carrying a tablet filled with notes.
"You know what's interesting?" she said.
"Vanessa's social media."
"What about it?"
"Three months ago, she posted beach photos from Italy."
Ethan nodded.
"So?"
Olivia enlarged the images.
"In one photo, she's wearing a fitted swimsuit."
She swiped to another.
"Supposedly taken two days later."
Vanessa suddenly appeared six weeks pregnant.
Another swipe.
"A week after that..."
Eight weeks.
Another.
"Ten weeks."
The size changed dramatically from picture to picture.
Almost as if someone couldn't decide how large the fake bump should be.
Ethan stared at the screen.
"This isn't normal."
"It gets stranger," Olivia replied.
She zoomed into one photograph taken during a charity gala.
"There."
Near the edge of Vanessa's dress, barely visible beneath the fabric, was a tiny metallic glint.
Exactly where Ethan remembered seeing the adhesive-covered safety pin.
His pulse quickened.
Whatever Vanessa was hiding wasn't just a lie.
It was carefully constructed.
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And somewhere behind that perfectly rounded belly...
There was something she never wanted anyone to see.
