New Beginnings, Old Scars

hands, a stark contrast to the warmth that should have filled her. She s

wrapped possessively around her waist. They were the golden couple of the tech

dream had shatter

nd encouraging, the same voice that had convinced her to d

e team. To everyone who believed in our vision." Her gaze swept over the audience, but she sa

to a lie. Mark was in the shower, humming a cheerful tune. Ava' s hands trembled a

vis' s company with your money. Don' t believe me? Check the

ts. Financial records, secret le

She had breached their company' s secure servers, her fingers flying across the keyboard. It was all there. Millions of dollars, their joint

seemed to be at the same industry events,

ago. It showed Mark leaning into a car, his hands cupping the face of the woman inside. He ki

frantic, trapped bird. Ten years. They had met in a crowded university library, two geeks with a shared

hrill of their first major investment, the way he held

ove story, the future he painted for the

r damp. He smiled, that charismatic, world-conquering smile that h

. He knelt down, taking her trembling hands in his

guilt, a hint of the deception that lay beneath. Sh

ce dropping to an intimate whisper. He reached

. He' d been dropping hints for weeks, talking about making a big st

stand there and say yes, knowing what s

time. She n

ly steady. "I' m not feeling well. I th

cern. "What' s wrong?

her hands away. "I just... I need to

a celebratory night clearly derailed.

ous email had started this. But she wouldn' t end it based on shadows. She needed unden

a private investigator

ed for the valet to bring their

ing for

g. She has a video, but it' s blurry. She asked if I knew anyone who cou

Send it over. I' ll have our top engineer

... personal. For my friend." She looked at him, her expression a careful mask of concern for this fictional fri

Sure. I know a guy. He' s expensive, but h

ssage from him containing a name and number. She forwarded the grain

instantly. "I' ll handle

ving with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on her knee. He was

her part. She would let him believe everything was perfect. And the