ECHOES OF PAST

I didn't sleep. The truth is- I don't sleep.

How could I? Every time I close my eyes, I hear his voice in my head- "Rabbit with donkey brain". The words played on repeat like a broken record I couldn't turn off.

I stood by the window and watched the sun come up. The city looked peaceful from here, like nothing bad ever happened.

But I know better now. I know what people really think when they smile at you.

Evan stirred behind me. I hear the sheets rustle, then his footsteps on the hardwood floor.

"Babe? You're up early."

I turn around and plaster on a smile. The same smile I'd given him for ten years in my first life. Sweet. Trusting. Stupid.

"Couldn't sleep. I was thinking about you."

His face lit up. God, he actually believed it.

"Yeah? Good things, I hope." He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck. His hands started wandering lower.

I wanted to shove him off. I wanted to scream. Instead, I leaned into him and giggled.

"Always good things."

A click- She's so easy. Just a few kisses and she melts. Thank God she's not like those high-maintenance girls. He thinks

I keep smiling even though my stomach turn. This is going to be harder than I thought.

"I'm making breakfast," I say, pulling away gently. "Pancakes?"

"You're perfect, you know that?" He slaps my ass as I walk past him.

Perfect idiot. She'll do anything I want.

I grip the kitchen counter so hard my knuckles went white. Breathe, Aria. Breathe. I inhale and exhale.

The pancakes sizzle in the pan. I make them exactly how he likes them, golden brown with chocolate chips. I even cut up strawberries and arrange them in a heart shape on his plate.

When I set it in front of him, he barely look up from his phone.

"Thanks, babe."

A click- I read his mind.

Need to text Marcus about the Henderson deal. Can't let anyone know I'm undercutting the price. If this works, I'll make eighty grand easy.

I froze with the spatula in my hand.

Henderson deal. Marcus. Fifty thousand dollars. This was it. This was exactly what I needed.

"What are you working on?" I asked innocently, sliding into the chair across from him.

"Just work stuff. Nothing you'd understand."

I read his mind again - She doesn't need to know about the business. Women are terrible with money anyway.

I bit my tongue and nodded. "You work so hard. I'm lucky to have you."

He finally looks up and grins. "Damn right you are."

I watch him eat my pancakes and scroll through his phone. Every few seconds, another thought would drift into my head.

"I need to meet Marcus at noon to discuss the details about the Henderson property. I need to make the documents real to make the sale look legitimate". He thinks

My boyfriend wasn't just a cheater. He was a fraud too.

Perfect! He says in his mind.

After breakfast, Evan left for the gym. The second the door closed, I grabbed my phone and called Lena.

"Hello?"

"Lena, it's me. Can you talk?"

"Aria? Girl, it's eight in the morning. What's wrong?"

"Everything, I need to see you today. It's urgent."

There was a pause. Then, "Come to my place, I'll make coffee."

I threw on jeans and a hoodie and caught a cab to Lena's apartment across town.

She lived in a small studio with plants hanging everywhere and art prints covering the walls. It smelled like lavender and coffee.

She opened the door in pajama pants and a tank top, her curly hair piled on top of her head.

"You look like hell," she said.

"Thanks."

She pulled me inside and shoved a mug of coffee in my hands.

"Talk."

So I did. Not everything, not about dying and coming back. But I told her about Evan. About the things he'd said. About what I'd discovered.

"He's cheating on you?" Lena's eyes went wide.

"Not yet, but he will. And he's stealing money, committing fraud."

"How do you know all this?"

I hesitated. "I just... I know, trust me."

Lena studied my face for a long moment. Then she nodded. "Okay. I trust you, What do you need?"

"Information, Connections, I need to know everything about Marcus Trent and the Henderson deal."

"Marcus Trent? The real estate guy?" She asks

"You know him?" I ask her too

"My cousin works at his firm. Let me make some calls." Lena answers and disappeared into her bedroom.

I paced around her tiny living room. My mind was racing.

If I could get proof of Evan's fraud, I will ruin him, not today, not tomorrow, but soon.

This is just the beginning.

Lena came back twenty minutes later with a notebook full of scribbles.

"Okay, so Marcus Trent is shady as hell. My cousin says he's been involved in at least three lawsuits for contract violations.

The Henderson deal is supposed to close next week, but there's rumors the paperwork is sketchy."

"What?" I exclaimed. What kind of sketchy?"

"Like forged signatures. Fake permits. The whole property might not even be legal to sell."

I felt a smile creep across my face. "Can your cousin get me copies of those documents?"

Lena raised an eyebrow. "What are you planning, Aria?"

"Justice."

She looks at me for a long time. Then she grins, "I'm in. Whatever you're doing, I'm in."

I hug her so tight I thought I might break her. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. This is going to get messy." She says.

"Good. I like it messy." I added.

I left Lena's place with a plan forming in my head. Step one: get the documents. Step two: figure out how to use them without exposing myself. Step three: watch Evan squirm.

But first, I had to go back home and play the perfect girlfriend.

When I walk through the door, Evan sat on the couch watching football. He didn't even look at me.

"Where were you?"

"Just went for a walk. Needed some air."

A click- I read his mind- She's acting weird lately. Hope she's not getting suspicious.

I sat down next to him and rested my head on his shoulder. "I missed you."

He relaxed. There she is. My sweet, dumb Aria. He thinks.

I wanted to stab him with the remote.

Instead, I kissed his cheek. "Want me to order lunch?"

"Yeah, get Chinese. And make sure they don't forget the spring rolls this time."

"Of course, baby."

While he watched his game, I pulled out my phone and pretended to scroll through the delivery app. But really, I was texting Lena.

How fast can your cousin get those papers? I ask.

Tomorrow morning. Meet me at the coffee shop on 5th. She says.

Perfect.

I ordered the Chinese food and brought Evan a beer without him even asking. He patted my head like I was a dog.

She's so good at this. Maybe I'll keep her around even after I marry Emma. She could be useful. He thinks

My blood went cold.

Marry Emma!

So it was already decided. He is planning to leave me for her. He is just using me until the time was right.

I excuse myself to the bathroom and lock the door. My hands were shaking. I stare at myself in the mirror and barely recognize the girl looking back.

"She looks weak. Scared". I think.

"No. Not anymore". I whisper.

I splash cold water on my face and take a deep breath. When I walked back out, my smile was perfect.

The rest of the day dragged on. Evan went to meet Marcus at some bar downtown. He told me he was meeting a client. I told him I believe him.

A click- "She buys everything I say. This is too easy." He thinks.

The second he left, I grabbed my laptop and started digging.

Marcus Trent had a website, a LinkedIn, even a Facebook page.

He posted pictures of expensive cars and luxury vacations. Everything about him screamed fraud.

I found articles about the lawsuits Lena mentioned. One case involved a retired couple who lost their life savings on a property that didn't exist.

Another involved a small business that got evicted because of forged lease agreements.

This man was a predator. And Evan was working with him.

I saved every article, every photo, every piece of evidence I could find. Then I created a folder on my laptop and labeled it "Project Downfall."

It felt good.

Around midnight, Evan stumbled through the door drunk. He reeked of whiskey and cigars.

"Baaaabe," he slurred. "Come here."

He grabbed me and tried to kiss me. I dodged and helped him to the couch instead.

"Let me get you some water."

I brought him a glass of water and a bucket in case he threw up. Then I sat on the armchair across from him and watched.

A click- I read his mind.

She's so sweet. Taking care of me. Emma would never do this.

His thoughts are in a mess.

Fragments of conversations with Marcus.

Worries about getting caught. Excitement about the money.

And then, clear as day: After this deal, I'll have enough to propose to Emma. Aria won't suspect a thing.

I dug my nails into the armrest.

He passed out a few minutes later, snoring like a chainsaw. I grabbed a blanket and threw it over him.

Not because I cared, but because it's what the old Aria would have done.

I went to the bedroom and locked the door. Then I pulled out my phone and opened my notes app.

**Evan's Crimes:**

- Fraud (Henderson deal)

- Forgery

- Conspiracy with Marcus Trent

- Planning to leave me for Emma Lancaster

**Next Steps:**

- Get documents from Lena's cousin

- Find a way to expose him without getting caught

- Build my own network

- Make him fall harder so the crash hurts more

I stared at the list for a long time. Then I added one more line.

**- Destroy him completely.**

I set my phone down and climbed into bed. For the first time since I came back, I felt something other than fear.

I felt powerful.

Tomorrow, I'd meet Lena. Tomorrow, I'd get the proof I needed. And tomorrow, Evan Grayson would take his first step toward destruction.

He just didn't know it yet.

I closed my eyes and smiled in the dark.

The sound of my phone buzzing woke me up. I grabbed it off the nightstand, half asleep.

Unknown number.

I almost ignored it. But something made me answer.

"Hello?"

Silence.

Then, a voice, Deep, Smooth, Unfamiliar.

"Aria Sinclair. I've been waiting for you to wake up."

My heart stopped. "Who is this?"

"Someone who knows what you can do. And I think we should meet."

The line went dead.

I sat up in bed, my pulse racing. The clock said 3:47am. Evan was still passed out on the couch.

Who the hell was that?

And how did they know my name?