HER DOUBTS

She watched as Zoey's car drove away. The weight of the lie settled on her like a physical burden. The carefully constructed narrative, fuelled by months of stewing resentment, felt flimsy now. Uncertainty gnawed at her. There was no baby. What if Zoey found out that it was all a figment of her imagination, twisted by her jealousy?

The thought sent a jolt of fear through her. If the lie unravelled, it would destroy any chance she had with Ellis. Zoey, the woman she supposedly protected, would become her enemy. Panic threatened to consume her. Maybe she should look for a baby that resembled Ellis and pay off the mother to pretend it was indeed Ellis' baby. Her mind moved through different solutions as she walked away.

Zoey sat stiffly in the car, her mind a whirlwind. Emily's words echoed in her head – a baby, hidden away. The image of Ellis holding a child, a child he had not told her about, sent a fresh wave of nausea churning in her stomach. Doubt, a persistent weed in the garde