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I calmly messaged the lead PI.

Find her and every single detail of her new life.

Cost was never an issue, only results.

I poured myself another drink, the ice cracking like fission in my head.

Chapter 24

Lucia

Both were ridiculous, but I considered them anyway—the pros and cons of going into labour and lying to the hospital staff.

Options:

1. Selective mutism.

2. Invent a foreign language only I can speak.

The problem was, I wasn’t sure how my pain tolerance would impact either plan. I tapped the pen against my notepad, heart pounding.

Giving them my real name wasn’t an option.

My time was running out.

Six weeks and counting.

It wouldn’t matter if I told the hospital staff what I was running from — they’d still use my NHS number, and Mr. Moneybags would home in on me.

I sighed and rolled onto my back.

Why didn’t men ever need to run and hide from women?

I could see now how some women ended up murdering their partners after years of control and abuse. We’re tied down through our children.

I should’ve waited for the payout, then run — but then my signature would’ve been on the documents.

Fucking dickhead.

If I’d stayed, I’d have lost all rights to my child.

Nope. I did the right thing.

I lifted the notepad off my belly and scanned my pros and cons.

There was a YouTube tutorial for Klingon.

Option 3. Deep cosplay

I scribbled that out immediately.

They’d take my child and admit me to a psychiatric ward.

?? ?? ??

I dragged my feet to work. Nahla and Khalid had done everything before I arrived. My only job now was to sit behind the counter and serve customers so they could take a break or run to the cash and carry.

I had one more week left before I stopped working. I’d wanted to stay longer, but Nahla shut that idea down—told me they’d pay me regardless.