Chapter 2: The Other Woman’s Secret

I followed her, invisible, watching as she slipped into Senator Dalton’s house through a side door. The place was imposing—glass, steel, and that old-money vibe that practically shouts 'untouchable.'

Senator Dalton is the President’s half-brother, and he was once a serious contender for the White House, but lost out thanks to family politics. He’s the kind of man who almost always gets what he wants.

He once wanted to marry me, not knowing I was already engaged. It was awkward, and my family tried to handle it quietly, but it was always weird.

Suddenly, a wave of panic hit me, and I rushed to catch up, only to see something that made my stomach drop. She, in my body, was flirting with Senator Dalton. The two of them were close—like they were old flames.

“Lillian, wait for me. I’ll marry you.”

Senator Dalton looked at her, eyes soft, the way a man looks at something he thinks he owns—like she was his prize.

From where I stood, I could just see her face. She smiled, but her eyes? Cold. Sharp. Calculating. Like a snake.

She reached up and touched Dalton’s cheek, laughing softly: “I’ll be waiting.” Her voice was syrupy sweet, but it made my skin crawl.

“You and Lillian—meant to be, right?”

I shook with anger, ran to the street, and cried out—Who the hell is she? What does she want? Why won’t she leave me alone! The words echoed through me, but nobody heard. The world just kept moving—people walked by, cars sped through me, and I was invisible.

I crumpled to the ground, overwhelmed by helplessness. There’s nothing lonelier than screaming into a world that doesn’t even know you’re there.

After a while, I numbly got up and wandered the sidewalk. What now? Where do I even go…

Behind me came the familiar rumble of a motorcycle. I turned—it was Carter, just back from the base. He rode up, brow furrowed, lost in thought. The sound of his bike was like hearing his heartbeat again.

As he neared the Ellison estate, he saw from afar the other “me” waiting at the gate, timing her return just right, playing the part of the perfect wife. Always so precise. Like she’d practiced it a hundred times.

Carter parked, and she immediately went up to him, taking his arm and asking with a smile what he wanted for dinner. Her voice was syrupy. Fake as hell.

Carter didn’t smile, looked down, and gently pulled his arm away: “I’ve got some things to take care of. Eat without me.” His words were soft but distant. Shut her out.

He walked a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned: “Lillian, do you still want to go for a ride?” My heart skipped.

She paused, then smiled. “Sure.”

Carter lowered his eyes and said nothing, heading for his study. His footsteps echoed down the hallway, each step heavier than the last.

I followed, watching him stand at his desk, frowning, then taking out something old and horn-shaped, beat up and weird, from a box. It looked like something out of an antique shop.

A strange sense of anticipation crept over me. My heart pounded. Was he onto something?

I watched as he struck a match, lighting that odd horn-shaped thing. A strange, earthy scent filled the room, smoke curling around me, making everything shimmer.

My vision sharpened, and suddenly, Carter’s expression changed—shock, then pure joy. His eyes were red, like he was about to cry, and he trembled as he called out: “Lillian…”

I stared at him in disbelief, then reached out. Carter tried to hug me, but his arms closed on empty air. But the way he looked at me—he could see me! He could actually see me.

“Don’t cry… Don’t cry.” Carter reached out desperately, wanting to wipe my tears, but every time his hand passed through my face, unable to touch me. The frustration in his eyes killed me, seeing him like that.

He lowered his head, fists clenched, shoulders shaking. I heard a broken sob. It was the first time I’d seen him cry. He never cried during the worst times at war, nor when he was wounded and close to death. God, I wanted to hold him. Tell him it’d be okay.

My voice shook. “Carter, you can see me. You finally see me. I was so scared.”

Carter looked up, eyes fierce: “Lillian, I won’t let this happen again.”