Chapter 2

Five years ago, right before graduation, Ivy suggested we go camping in the Adirondacks for one last adventure.

She even brought along some guy none of us knew, called Trent.

The entire hike, Trent wouldn't leave me alone.

"Are you thirsty? Want me to carry your bag?"

His hand kept brushing against my ass, supposedly by accident.

I was terrified and kept trying to catch Declan's attention, but he completely ignored me.

He was too busy crouching down to tie Ivy's shoelaces.

When we were kids, a campus security guard once groped me.

I didn't even understand it was sexual assault at the time, but Declan saw it happen and completely lost it.

He punched the guy so hard his nose bled everywhere.

Then dragged his uncle who worked on the school board to make sure the creep got fired.

But now? He couldn't even be bothered to look at me.

I had no choice but to stick close to our trail guide to escape Trent's wandering hands.

That night, I woke up to freezing air on my chest.

I opened my eyes to find Trent unbuttoning my shirt.

I screamed.

The guide and Declan came running.

Declan immediately pulled me into his arms, whispering soothing words.

I was sobbing, begging him to call the police.

But Declan frowned and stopped me.

"Olivia, if we report this, everyone will know. Your reputation will be destroyed."

"Do you want tabloids and paparazzi turning this into a scandal for your family?"

I broke down completely.

Declan squeezed my hand, his voice gentle.

"Don't be scared. I brought you here, so I'll take responsibility for you."

Right after graduation, Declan proposed and took me to Vegas to get married.

My phone buzzed, snapping me back to the present.

I could practically see Ivy's smug face through the screen.

"He married you because he was afraid Mom would blame me for not protecting you. And calling the police would've exposed that I was the one who hired Trent to harass you."

"Declan had to shut you up somehow, and he knew you love him, so he sacrificed himself."

It felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head.

Tears splashed down onto the silver ring on my finger.

The night we got married, Declan set off the most beautiful fireworks display for me.

Under that cascade of sparks, he'd kissed me and made a promise.

"Olivia, I'm going to love you for the rest of my life."

We'd kissed so passionately that night, then checked into a hotel suite.

Declan had been so gentle taking my virginity.

I wanted so badly to laugh at Ivy's lies, to prove her wrong.

But I couldn't find a single piece of evidence that Declan had ever truly loved me.

My phone buzzed again.

This time Ivy sent an audio file.

My hands were shaking as I pressed play.

Declan's voice came through the speaker.

"Ivy, Olivia is pregnant, but don't worry. I'll take care of it."

My heart felt like it was being crushed in someone's fist.

Three years into our secret marriage, I found out I was pregnant.

Declan had been so excited he stayed up all night with his ear pressed against my stomach.

The next morning, he insisted on driving me to my checkup himself.

Halfway there, the brakes failed and we slammed into a guardrail.

I started bleeding immediately, soaking through my dress and onto the seat.

Declan was knocked unconscious and the engine started smoking.

My first instinct wasn't to call an ambulance but to smash through the window with my bare hands, and drag him out before the car exploded.

By the time I regained consciousness in the hospital, our baby was already gone.

Declan had knelt beside my bed, sobbing uncontrollably.

I'd swallowed all my own grief just to comfort him, terrified he'd blame himself.

It had all been a setup.

I started laughing through my tears, then pulled out the crumpled ultrasound print.

Then tore it into pieces.