Warne

slowly, the bright white of a hospital room ceiling sharp against the blur. Pain was a dull, persistent

. My hand flew to my stomach,

calm voice cut t

, a man named Marcus. He was standi

y?" I ch

elief so potent it felt like a drug. "You're lucky. A few cracked rib

breath. Then I heard voices fro

saw?" he asked, his

prepared the report for the insurance company. As for Kacey... the security footage from the contro

e of relief in his voice. "E

vering for her. He was actively burying the evidence. He knew she di

ht, almost imperceptible nod and melted back into

ushed to my bedside, taking my hand

umb stroking my knuckles. "You're a

t him, my eyes

piratorial whisper, his eyes shining with fake joy. "We're... we'

ad away. His lips brushed my cheek, and I h

ice raspy. "It wasn't a malfun

a second before he relaxed it. He helped me sit up

. I had the tech team run a full diagnostic. It was a faulty guidance chip. These things happe

once made my heart flutter. Now, it made my bloo

o take the blame. He had sworn he believed in my innocence, even when the evidence was stacked against me. But now, I saw it with horrifying c

tion. Kacey, with her pristine record and adoring smile, over m

in my heart. I was done waiti

connection ready for me in minutes. It took me less than an hour to access Glass Innovations' deep servers. I found the

er fingers flying across the keyboard, a smug little smile on he

ite, and news outlet in the country. The file was titled: "Glass Innovations

ernet e

h world. #CancelKacey was trending worldwide. Sponsors were

spital bed, a grim sense of satisfact

e tried to get to my room, but security stopped her. Through the partially open door, I

e. I slipped out of bed, my ribs screaming in protest,

ilton, you have to believe me, I didn't do it! Someon

anage the situation. But what I heard next shat

oft, almost a caress. "And I don't care. I'll fi

a sound I knew all too w

Kacey's voice was mu

as steel. "She is an outsider. She always has been. You

cry. My shoulder bumped into a metal medical cart. It

alarm. He saw me, and for a split second, I saw raw panic o

are you doin

urring with tears. I saw Kacey peeking over his sho

gnoring his calls behind me. I ran back to my room and sla

utsi

f building his worl

o a fight for me, shielding me from a rival who had insulted me. He' d come back, bruised and bleeding, and roared at me

he heart of him had been transplanted, an