the brithday
262 Words
*Chapter 3: The Birthday*
Chloe’s birthday. Last life, Aria wore white and died. This life, she wore red and brought a knife. Not to kill. To cut cake. And lies.
The party was at Chloe’s apartment. Cheap champagne. Cheaper friends. Keith had his hand on Chloe’s waist the whole night. He thought Aria didn’t see.
She saw everything.
“To Chloe,” Keith toasted. “The future CEO of my heart.”
Everyone laughed. Aria laughed too. Then she set her glass down. “I should go. Big day tomorrow.”
“Stay,” Chloe said, eyes sharp. “Why are you never mad? Any other woman would be.”
Aria looked at Keith. Then at Chloe. “Because I trust him.”
She left at 10:47 PM. Got into her car. Drove home. Didn’t die.
At 1:17 AM, her phone lit up. Unknown number. _“You were supposed to be in the crash tonight. Why aren’t you dead?”_
Aria didn’t reply. She screenshotted it. Labeled it: _Exhibit D_. Then she opened the news.
_“Woman Dead in Highway Incident After Downtown Party. Vehicle Found Burned. Identity Unconfirmed.”_
She smiled. The body wasn’t hers. It was a Jane Doe from the morgue. Aurelia Ventures owned the funeral home. Easy switch.
Keith and Chloe would see the headline by sunrise.
At 6:00 AM, Keith and Chloe clinked glasses in bed. “To us,” he said. “To being rich.” At 9:00 AM, Aria walked into Aurelia Ventures. The board was waiting. So were the police.
- Writer
