Chelsea started avoiding my eyes.
It was subtle at first.
A delayed greeting. A forced smile. The way her laughter sounded slightly too loud whenever Kevin made a joke.
She was nervous.
Good.
During a meeting, Kevin leaned slightly toward Chelsea as she handed him a document. Their fingers brushed for a second too long.
Before, I would have ignored it.
Now, I watched everything.
And this time, I didn't look away.
Chelsea noticed.
Her hand stiffened.
I tilted my head and smiled sweetly.
"Secretary Chelsea, could you email me the revised budget proposal? I'd like to review it personally."
"Of course, Miss Mia," she replied quickly.
Too quickly.
Kevin cleared his throat. "Mia's been very dedicated lately," he said, placing a hand over mine. "She barely rests."
His touch felt foreign.
I intertwined our fingers gently, then looked at Chelsea.
"Kevin worries too much," I said softly. "After all, we've been together for five years. We trust each other completely."
Chelsea's expression flickered.
Just for a second.
But I saw it.
Guilt.
Fear.
Suspicion.
Later that evening, as I walked toward the parking area, I heard hushed voices behind one of the concrete pillars.
"She's acting strange," Chelsea whispered.
"You're imagining things," Kevin replied impatiently.
"No, Kevin. She looks at me differently. What if she knows?"
"Knows what?" he snapped.
"Our relationship."
Silence.
I held my breath.
Kevin sighed. "Even if she suspects something, she wouldn't dare. She loves me too much."
My chest tightened—but not from pain.
From clarity.
That was what he believed.
That I was still blindly in love.
Chelsea wasn't convinced. "Women can feel these things. And she's not stupid. What if she tells the chairman?"
Kevin's tone hardened. "Then I'll handle it."
Handle it.
The same way he "handled" me in my past life?
Left me to die?
I stepped out from behind the pillar deliberately, letting my heels echo against the floor.
Both of them jumped slightly.
"Oh, Kevin," I said brightly, as if I hadn't heard a thing. "You're still here?"
Chelsea's face paled.
I walked closer, stopping just inches away from her.
Her perfume was familiar.
Too familiar.
I leaned in slightly and whispered, just loud enough for her to hear.
"Secrets have a way of coming out, don't they?"
Then I smiled.
And walked away.
For the first time,
Chelsea looked afraid of me.