Chapter 3

I stared blankly at the hospital ceiling, completely hollowed out.

My phone buzzed. It was a text from Tyler.

I'm sorry, Hazel. I know you felt hurt, but you have to understand how hard it is to start a business.

Chloe is crucial for our funding. If we play nice with her, it's good for our future.

Is the baby okay?

I didn't reply. I deleted the message.

Five years of love and devotion, and all I got in return was disgust.

Now that my baby was gone, I had absolutely no reason to stay with him.

I discharged myself and went back to our apartment alone to pack.

On the nightstand, I saw a framed photo of us.

I was holding an ice cream cone, laughing.

It was taken four years ago in Central Park.

I remembered Tyler had just graduated and barely had enough money for a decent meal. But because I wanted ice cream, he spent his last few dollars on it, going hungry himself.

My eyes teared up. Was all of that love just a lie?

I picked up the frame to pack it, but as I did, the back slid open, revealing another photo hidden behind ours.

It was Tyler and Chloe. She was holding a massive bouquet of red roses—the kind of roses Tyler had never once bought for me.

The timestamp on the photo was from the year they first met.

My heart shattered into dust. He had replaced me long before today.

Suddenly, my phone vibrated. It was a text from one of our delivery drivers who knew me well.

Hey Hazel, you need to see this right now!

He attached a TikTok link.

The title read: The Dirty Truth Behind the "Cleanest Ghost Kitchen in Town."

I opened the video. It was our kitchen.

The video showed a blurred-out couple hooking up right on the prep tables, knocking over spices and sauces, leaving a sticky, disgusting mess everywhere. But the worst part was the ending: a used condom floating in the giant pot of teriyaki glaze.

I knew instantly it was Tyler and Chloe.

I scrolled down to the comments.

"Please don't tell me that fluid on the prep table is what I think it is... I'm going to throw up."

"This isn't just a dirty kitchen, this is a health hazard and a crime against humanity. I am never ordering food online again."

Local business owners and drivers were texting me, asking if someone was trying to frame us.

Before I could reply, the front door burst open. Tyler and Chloe rushed in, looking frantic.

Seeing me, Tyler's eyes turned bloodshot. He grabbed my arm.

"Hazel, I need your help. Now."

He saw the video playing on my phone, and his eyes widened.

"This video... someone is trying to ruin us. It's obviously edited, but it's destroying the business's reputation..."

He glanced at Chloe, then looked back at me.

"Chloe and I talked. There's only one way to fix this, and we need you."