Chapter 12 - THE SECOND FUTURE
Claire expected the affair to devastate her.
Instead, she felt strangely calm.
Maybe betrayal had a saturation point.
After the forged signature, the fake medical reports, the stolen donations, the hidden credit accounts and the fear videos, another woman almost seemed ordinary.
Then she read more.
And realized it was not ordinary.
Ryan and Megan had been involved for nearly three years.
The embryo storage account suggested they had planned a future together.
Messages revealed they had discussed having a child.
Ryan had told Megan his marriage to Claire was "essentially over."
Meanwhile he had been trying to conceive with Claire.
Claire stared at the dates.
One message from Ryan said:
Once the campaign is done, I will have enough to make the change cleanly.
Campaign.
Claire knew exactly which campaign.
Her pregnancy.
He had planned to use money raised through her to finance leaving her.
Elizabeth read the message and swore.
Claire kept scrolling.
Megan had not known the full truth.
At least not initially.
Ryan told her Claire had serious complications.
He said he stayed only because leaving a sick pregnant wife would destroy his reputation.
He said after the baby was safely born, he would separate.
Another message changed everything.
Megan wrote:
I saw the video. She looked terrified. You told me those scenes were staged.
Ryan replied:
They are. Claire gets emotional, but she knows what we are doing.
Claire leaned back.
He had lied to everyone in different directions.
To Claire: the money was for bills.
To Elizabeth: the money was for treatment.
To donors: Claire and the baby were medically endangered.
To Megan: Claire consented to dramatized content.
To Diane: the scheme would secure Ryan's future.
Everyone received the version most useful to him.
Hannah contacted Megan through counsel.
Megan agreed to speak.
They met in Hannah's office.
Megan entered looking pale.
Claire felt no urge to attack her.
Only exhaustion.
Megan sat.
"I am sorry."
Claire looked at her.
"How much did you know?"
"Not enough."
"Did you know I was pregnant before Ryan told you?"
"Yes."
Claire's throat tightened.
Megan began crying.
"He said you had agreed to have the baby because you both wanted one, but the marriage was over."
Claire almost laughed.
"We were choosing nursery colors."
Megan covered her face.
"I didn't know."
Claire believed she hadn't known that part.
Not because Megan deserved instant forgiveness.
Because Ryan's pattern was now obvious.
Megan opened her bag.
"I brought something."
She placed a small hard drive on the table.
"Ryan kept backups with me."
Claire stared.
"Backups of what?"
"Videos. Documents. Business files."
Hannah leaned forward.
"Why did he keep them with you?"
"He said his mother was careless."
Claire looked at the drive.
Megan continued.
"I started looking after the livestream went public."
Her voice shook.
"He has folders labeled by emotional response."
Claire closed her eyes.
Megan whispered, "I'm sorry."
The hard drive contained everything.
Unedited livestreams.
Fake medical templates.
Draft fundraising messages.
Spreadsheets.
Photos of Claire sleeping.
Audio clips of private arguments.
Test videos showing Ryan practicing where to strike the cane so it sounded violent without hitting Claire directly.
One file was titled:
Final month escalation.
Claire clicked.
A planning document opened.
Week 35: major scare.
Week 36: hospital emergency fundraiser.
Week 37: uncertain delivery outcome.
Claire stopped reading.
Her baby was due in five weeks.
Ryan had intended to manufacture a final crisis around the birth.
The projected fundraising goal was one hundred fifty thousand dollars.
At the bottom was another line.
After delivery, pivot to recovery story. Reduce Claire screen time.
Claire stared.
Reduce Claire screen time.
May you like
She was not a wife.
She was a seasonal character in Ryan's business plan.
