STON

flicker of doubt. My fingers, surprisingly steady now, tapped the chat icon. The sc

bidding w

up enough yet? Heard she'

adds a unique flavor. Wh

on. I prefer her when

oken, compliant body. My identity, my soul, reduce

specifications," my "condition," the specific "fantasies" of the bidders. One message, from a user identif

memory from my drugged state was hazy, but a primal scream ripped through my silent mind. T

of the chat. "She' s almost ready. The grand finale is at the gala. After that, she' s all yours. The hi

on from The Baron. He insists on a 'virgin'

Baron. Alden is personally overseeing the 'recalibration

erasing me. Erasing Clara Stone. My art, my memories

inconvenience has been dealt with. No more messy distractions. An

her message, a small thum

image of the life I had once carried within me. And scrawled acr

ready done it. While I was drugged, while I was unconscious. The sedatives weren't jus

sting blood. My body trembled, every nerve ending screaming in ag

final act before my forced disappearance, my ultimate destruction. T

It numbed the pain, sharpened my focus. They thought they could erase me? Th

ot an

ferred them to a secure cloud server, then to a burner phone I kept hidden for emergencies. I copied the stolen code,

g history, powered off the burner phone, and tucked it deep within a hidden lining in my art bag. I returned Jakob' s burner p

ough the apartment. "Guess who' s back? My dear cousin Lydia! She' s flying in tonight, j

e architect of my unborn chi

A party? Tonight?" I feigned surprise, a small, weary smile

dia flew all this way. You' ll be there. You' ll be happy. You' ll be the perfect hostess. Unde

to my flesh. The pain was sharp, but I met his gaze, my eyes calm,

id, my voice barely a whis

ning to his face. "Good girl. Now go. Get d

of ice, but my mind was a whirlwind of calculations. They wanted a show.

lking into their trap, yes. But I was no longer the prey. I was the h