Chapter 13 - The Celebration of Lies|
The room grew quiet as I lifted a small wireless remote control and pressed the center button.
The eighty-inch smart television screen behind Beatrice flashed bright, switching from the static background to a high-definition video file.
The audio boomed through the surrounding surround-sound speakers.
“Adrian is such a pathetic idiot. He actually believes I’m carrying his son.”
Selene’s voice echoed clearly through the crowded living room.
On the screen, a crystal-clear video recorded by Rafi’s team played. It showed Selene sitting in a coffee shop two days prior, wearing tight gym leggings, a sports crop top, and a completely flat stomach. She was drinking an iced latte while laughing hysterically with a heavily tattooed man—Dario Cruz.
“His mother nearly cried when she touched the rubber bump,” Selene’s recorded voice continued on the screen. “Once the wife signs over the house, Dario and I will sell it and leave Adrian with the debt.”
The silence in the living room became deafening.
Guests froze with their wine glasses halfway to their lips. Relatives stared at the screen with open mouths.
Selene’s face turned from pale white to ash gray in a fraction of a second. She scrambled to her feet.
“Turn that off! That’s fake! That’s an AI edit!” Selene shrieked, her voice turning shrill and panicked.
“Wait, there’s more,” I said calmly, pressing the remote again.
The screen shifted to a detailed slideshow of receipts:
Order Confirmation: 1x Deluxe Silicone Pregnancy Prop (Late Stage).
Digital Purchase: Fake Ultrasound Image Template (Editable PDF).
Text Message Logs between Selene Prado and Dario Cruz detailing the fraud scheme.
Adrian stood paralyzed, his champagne glass slipping from his hand and smashing into pieces on the hard floorboards.
“Selene...?” Adrian whispered, his voice trembling violently. “What is this?”
Beatrice’s eyes bulged as she looked from the screen to Selene’s stomach. “You... you aren't pregnant?”
Selene backed toward the front door, clutching her shawl tightly around her body. “She’s lying! She edited these files! I am pregnant! I am!”
Adrian rushed toward her, his face contorted with shock and confusion. He grabbed the edge of her silk shawl to stop her from running out.
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“Let go of me!” Selene screamed, twisting away violently.
As she pulled back, the tight elastic strap securing the silicone prop around her waist snapped under the tension.
