Chapter 2

When I said nothing, Arthur took my silence for a no and simply led Regina into the study.

He never shared his own account with anyone, but for Regina he made an exception.

A little while later he came out and took my livestream mic.

Within five minutes he'd carried off three or four more things I needed to film and go live.

I always started on time. That night, for the first time, I was late.

The comments were asking how Regina was doing.

"Your husband knew her name right away. She must be one of his patients. So dedicated."

People who were usually sharp, who could dig the truth out of the smallest detail, were all playing dumb.

Everyone knew I was seven months pregnant. They didn't want to upset me.

Without the beauty filters and the lighting, they could see I looked run-down, and told me to go rest.

I was about to speak when Regina's voice cut in.

"See, I told you posting on your account wouldn't help. Everyone here really cares about me."

She stepped into frame without asking me.

I followed her line back and saw the study door standing open for the first time.

That desk I was never allowed to tidy, the one that held his patient files, the one I couldn't so much as touch.

Yet her makeup sat on it, easy as anything.

Arthur had even carried a chair in for her.

The more she talked, the more I got pushed out of the shot.

Arthur brought me a cup of warm water. "Have a little. With her here to keep things going, you can take a rest."

"So you want her to replace me?"

He knew exactly how much of myself I'd poured into that account.

I don't push products. I don't wear branded clothes on camera.

But the comments were already steering it, asking for the link to Regina's top.

I ended the stream then and there.

Regina looked straight at Arthur. "Did I do something wrong?"

Arthur stroked her head to soothe her, then turned to my assistant.

"Shelby, from now on let Regina be the assistant. You can just help out on the side, bring the tea."

I refused outright. Shelby had been with me half a year. She'd helped this account grow up alongside me.

I wasn't going to let anyone take her place.

Shelby glared at Arthur, standing up for me.

"Dr. Sanchez, you've already brought your mistress right into the house, and now you want to get rid of me too."

"Don't put it so ugly. She's only easing your workload, and she isn't a mistress, she's my patient."

He looked Shelby up and down.

"My wife's rubbed off on you. Now you're seeing ghosts everywhere too. Maybe I really should let you go."

Arthur used my need to rest through the pregnancy as the reason, and handed the account over to Regina entirely.

Then he paid Shelby triple wages to make her resign.

I lay in bed listening to Regina out in the living room, using my account, slowly starting to sell products.

Arthur wouldn't let me touch my phone. He treasured me and the baby, he said, and wanted me to focus on the child and my health and not overthink things.

He used to be so busy. Now he came every day to cook for me.

Regina would stay and eat too.

I watched the table fill with more and more of the dishes Regina liked.

She looked more and more like the woman of this house, while I turned into the outsider.

That day, I used feeling unwell as an excuse, and while Arthur was at work, I made Regina take me to the hospital.

She went to pay, and I borrowed a stranger's phone and found the internet buried under people cursing me.

They said I'd teamed up with Regina to put on an act and rake in money like mad.

I fainted at the hospital. When I came to again, Arthur was sitting by the bed.

"You're eight months along. Can't you give me a little peace of mind? Regina only came to help you."

He turned everything upside down.

Arthur stayed with me at the hospital for three days, taking care of every little thing.

"You're oversensitive and suspicious with the pregnancy. I only chatted with her a bit, to take the edge off. She can't take your place."

Arthur smiled and tucked the blanket around me.

"She's emotionally unstable. If she loses control and it comes out, I might end up in prison. Veronica, you wouldn't have the heart for that."