My Stolen Life, Their Bitter Downfall

hared with Julian. He was in the kitchen, making

turned to kiss me. I flinched, turning

e excuse he'd expect. "It's

. Every word, every touch was a lie. "Clara's birthday party ran so late. We sh

pression carefully bla

y. "I know what she did was hard on you. I thought maybe we, and your parents, c

te the "new chapter" of the lie they'd built around m

ea, Julian," I said, my vo

ll let your parents know. They'll be so

stling, leaving me alone in the sterile, beautiful apartment that now felt

I knew it was a vault for his secrets. But I was a doctor. I knew about pressure points, about finding wea

n. The lock

. I started there. In a locked drawer, I found a small, l

brating birthdays with cakes and candles. A perfect, happy family. In one photo, my parents were there, too. My mother was holding Theo

p. The password was the same. His files were meticulously organize

first words. Scans of his birth certificate, listing

ing to my parents, Richard and Eleanor Sterling, to a shell corporation. The amounts were staggering.

very expensive gift, every hollow promise of family, was paid for with the same money they u

ie; it was a transaction. I was the price

ry photo, every video, every bank statement. As the files tr

nd anything. They love me, Aurora. They always

a hidden camera in the office.

the family photo I had just

ther, don't we? Li

nd your parents? They're just paying their dues. You'll always be

I leaned against the desk, the flash drive clutched in my hand,

ned into something else.

to break. I was going to burn