Chapter 2 - The Story Gets Sicker)
Rachel called Vanessa immediately.
"Change it back."
Vanessa was silent for half a second.
Then she laughed.
"Good morning to you too."
"I'm serious."
"So am I. Engagement doubled."
"I don't care about engagement."
"Ethan does."
"This is my name."
"It's your family."
"My pregnancy."
"Which affects Ethan."
Rachel walked into the home office and closed the door.
"Change the title."
Vanessa sighed.
"Fine."
Rachel refreshed the page three minutes later.
The title disappeared.
Her relief lasted until she read the update beneath it.
After another difficult medical appointment, Rachel and the baby need our support more than ever.
Rachel hadn't had an appointment.
She called Ethan.
He did not answer.
Then she noticed a photograph attached to the update.
Rachel was asleep on their couch beneath a blanket.
The photo had been taken two days earlier.
She remembered Ethan bringing her tea.
She did not remember him photographing her.
The caption described a "difficult afternoon."
Rachel felt exposed.
By noon, donations exceeded twelve thousand dollars.
She called Hannah.
Then stopped before the call connected.
What would she say?
My husband exaggerated my dizziness online and now people think I'm sick.
It sounded ridiculous.
Worse, Rachel had approved the first post.
She was involved.
That fact became the chain Ethan would pull every time Rachel resisted.
That evening he arrived with flowers.
"I'm sorry."
Rachel stood in the kitchen.
"For which part?"
"The update."
"You knew about it?"
"Vanessa showed me after."
"Take the fundraiser down."
Ethan placed the flowers on the counter.
"We can't."
"Why?"
"People already donated."
"Exactly."
"If you delete it now, it looks suspicious."
Rachel folded her arms.
"So refund everyone."
"We used some of it."
The room seemed to tilt.
Rachel stared at him.
"What?"
"Bills."
"What bills?"
"Mortgage. Utilities. Business expenses."
"You said this was for medical costs."
"I said people wanted to support us."
"Ethan."
His expression hardened.
"Do you want electricity when the baby comes?"
Rachel stepped backward.
"You spent donation money on your company?"
"Our company."
"I don't own your company."
"Our life, then."
Rachel lowered her voice.
"How much?"
"Maybe six."
"Six hundred?"
He said nothing.
"Six thousand?"
"It kept the payroll account from overdrafting."
Rachel felt her heartbeat increase.
"Refund it."
"I can't."
"Put it back."
"From where?"
"Your business."
"Rachel, listen to yourself."
"No. You listen to me. People think I'm sick."
He stepped closer.
"You are having health concerns."
"I was dehydrated."
"Then we don't specify."
"That doesn't make it honest."
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"You signed off on the original post."
The sentence landed exactly where he intended.
Rachel became quiet.
Ethan continued more softly.
"If anyone ever asks, we tell them what happened. You had an urgent medical visit. Friends offered help. We accepted."
"What about the fake appointment Vanessa posted?"
"She worded it badly."
"She lied."
"Then blame Vanessa."
Rachel looked at him.
Something in Ethan's expression frightened her.
Not because he was angry.
Because he was calm.
He had already begun arranging responsibility.
The next escalation came three days later.
Vanessa arrived with a photographer's reflector, a makeup bag and two paper hospital wristbands.
Rachel stared at them.
"No."
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"We're not using them."
"Then why are they here?"
"For options."
"There are no options."
Ethan walked into the room.
"Rachel."
She pointed at the wristbands.
"Tell her to leave."
Vanessa laughed.
"Oh, relax."
Rachel turned toward Ethan.
"Now."
Instead of supporting her, he shut the door.
"Donations slowed down."
Rachel stared at him.
"So?"
"So people respond to visual updates."
"No."
"One photograph."
"No."
"Nothing extreme."
"No."
Vanessa opened her makeup bag.
"A little pale foundation. You lie on the sofa. Done."
Rachel grabbed the bag and shoved it toward Vanessa.
"Get out."
Vanessa's smile vanished.
"You think you're morally superior now?"
"I think I'm not faking an illness."
"You already are."
The words hit harder than Rachel expected.
Vanessa saw it.
She leaned closer.
"You approved the fundraiser. You let people donate. You let Ethan spend the money."
"I didn't know he spent it."
"Prove that."
Rachel looked at Ethan.
He did not defend her.
Vanessa continued.
"You're already inside the story, Rachel. The smart move is making sure the story works."
Rachel slowly turned toward her husband.
"Is that what you think too?"
He avoided answering.
That was the answer.
Rachel pushed past them and went upstairs.
For nearly an hour she sat on the nursery floor.
The walls were soft cream.
A stuffed rabbit waited inside the crib.
On the dresser sat the ultrasound photograph from twenty weeks.
Rachel studied her daughter's tiny profile.
She felt ashamed.
Not because she had created the lie.
Because she had allowed the first inch of it.
She decided she would tell Hannah everything the next morning.
But when she went downstairs, her phone was missing.
Ethan claimed he had accidentally taken it to work.
He returned it that evening.
Rachel checked her messages.
Nothing looked unusual.
Then Hannah called.
"Are you okay?"
Rachel hesitated.
"Why?"
"I saw Vanessa's post."
Rachel's stomach tightened.
"What post?"
A photograph had appeared online that afternoon.
Rachel was sleeping in the nursery.
Her face looked pale.
Beside her on the floor sat one of Vanessa's hospital wristbands.
Rachel had never worn it.
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The caption contained four words that changed everything.
Treatment has been exhausting.
