Page 9 of Cup of Lies

I need to know who she is.

I will find out who she is.

She’s a real person. That much I feel in my bones.

Don’t worry, love, I’ll find you.

I always find what I’m looking for.

Romy

It’s me, Caius.

The whispered words, in a deep, familiar voice, wake me with a jolt. I can almost smell his scent lingering in the air—one I think I know well.

Who are you, secret lover?

Why can’t I remember you?

The baby in my belly kicks and my heart rate quickens. What if this mysterious Caius is the father of my baby? Maybe I have amnesia and have a whole life away from this prison-like home with my “husband.” What if myrealhusband is looking for me?

This is where, in the past, I’d chide myself for weaving fantastical stories that aren’t true. But things are different now.

Something’s wrong with my life.

It’s a fraud.

Seth may seem to be my husband, but I feel no love for him. I noticed this yesterday when I’d come out of the mental fog I’d been in.

I can remember the past several months, but I don’t feel like I was an active participant.

What changed yesterday and woke me up?

Slowly, I slide out of bed, careful not to wake Seth. Last night, after pizza, he was back to his usual friendly self. And though I played a game of pretend, my mind continued to sort pieces of the puzzle that is my life.

I make it to the bathroom to pee because this baby stays on my bladder and let my mind wander, closing my eyes to conjure up the mysterious Caius.

Nothing.

Not even a partial glimpse of a memory.

It’s like he’s been erased from my mind.

I wonder if Seth has something to do with that. He has that app on his phone. And when it doesn’t work, he takes me into the lab. After the visit, I end up leaving feeling like a slate wiped clean. Empty. Blank. Vanished.

Yesterday, the app didn’t work, but I pretended it did.

What changed?

Is it broken? Does it need an update?

There’s a clue here and it’s an important one. I need to put my finger on it.Think, Romy!

Thunder rumbles outside loud enough the light fixture in the bathroom rattles. It’s then I come up with a logical theory.

Internet access.

What if there’s something inside me that relies on Wi-Fi, but since it’s been storming off and on the past two days, it’s not been able to connect?

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