Chapter 2

A few days into recovery, something strange happened.

Text started appearing in my vision, like an overlay.

It looked like a gossip blog, anonymous, mean.

Gossip Blog: "S is such a drama queen. She was too close to the art thing. B is stuck at that 'retreat' while S milks it for sympathy."

I blinked. Was I hallucinating from the medication?

The text stayed, sharp and clear.

Gossip Blog: "OMG, can't wait for C and E to fully pivot to B. Her 'predictive market AI' is going to make them KINGS. S is just dead weight now."

My heart pounded. What was this?

Gossip Blog: "If S knew C & E plan to use her to pressure B, then dump B once they have her AI's source code, and then ship S off to a 'long-term care facility' in Switzerland... she' d have a meltdown."

No. This couldn't be real. Caleb and Ethan loved me.

This "blog" was wrong, a cruel figment of my trauma.

Ethan visited later, his smile a little too bright.

"Brooklyn is just brilliant, you know," he said, almost casually. "Her ideas... quite something."

Gossip Blog: "E can barely hide his excitement about B's latest 'breakthrough.' He's practically vibrating. This 'concern' for S is pure performance art!"

I stared at him, trying to see past his words.

Gossip Blog: "C's 'punishment' for B was a joke. He and E got her private tutors and a research grant for that 'retreat.' They're both obsessed."

A cold knot formed in my stomach.

Gossip Blog: "S is still clueless, thinking they actually care about her recovery. Tragic."

Then Caleb' s phone rang, a frantic call on speaker.

"Mr. Caleb, Mr. Ethan! Ms. Brooklyn has had a 'research accident' with some chemicals and is in critical condition! The top specialists are with her at the university's private clinic!"

Caleb and Ethan exchanged a look, pure panic.

They were out the door in seconds.

I struggled to sit up, my leg screaming in protest. "Ethan? What about..."

He barely glanced back. "We have to go, Savannah."

He brushed my question off, his concern for Brooklyn raw and obvious.

I tried to follow on my crutches, pain shooting up my leg.

Gossip Blog: "E is losing his mind over B! S needs to take a hint and disappear."

Gossip Blog: "S hobbling after him is just embarrassing. #LetItGo"

They left me there, alone with the blog's cruel words and a growing, terrible fear.