001. Pregnant...

"Congratulations Mrs. Helena, this test is positive; you're five weeks pregnant."

Helena clutched the test results to her chest, a wide smile spreading across her face as Dr. Manuel beamed back at her, sharing her joy. The words echoed in her mind: five weeks pregnant.

"Thank you so much, Doctor," Helena breathed, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Make sure to schedule your first prenatal appointment within the next two weeks," Dr. Manuel advised, scribbling something on her notepad. "And take care of yourself. No stress, plenty of rest, and remember to take those prenatal vitamins I prescribed."

"I will. Thank you again."

Helena practically floated out of the clinic, the afternoon sun warming her face as she stepped onto the bustling New York sidewalk. She pressed a hand to her still-flat stomach, wonder filling her chest. A baby. She and Michael were going to have a baby.

Sure, their marriage hadn't been perfect. There were moments when Michael seemed distant, times when he'd brush off her attempts at conversation or come home late without explanation. 

But Helena had convinced herself that was normal, that every marriage had its rough patches. He'd married her, hadn't he? He'd chosen her over Victoria, her perfect, beautiful sister. That had to mean something.

"Things will get better now," she whispered to herself as she entered her car. "A baby will bring us closer together. We'll finally be a real family."

The drive home seemed to take forever, though it was only twenty minutes. Helena spent the entire time imagining Michael's reaction. 

Would he cry? Sweep her into his arms? Maybe they'd celebrate with dinner at that Italian restaurant where he'd proposed… well, where he'd announced they should get married after Grandfather's will was read.

Helena pushed that thought aside. Today was about new beginnings, about the future they'd build together.

She got off as soon as she turned off the engine and hurried into the building, her heels clicking against the marble floor. The doorman greeted her with his usual nod, and she returned it with a brilliant smile that made him blink in surprise.

Helena checked her reflection in the mirrored walls, smoothing down her auburn hair and making sure her lipstick hadn't smudged. She wanted everything to be perfect when she told him.

Her hand trembled slightly as she walked in. Strange… she could've sworn she heard something from inside. Voices, maybe?

"Micheal must have the TV on," she murmured, heading inside.

The apartment was dim, curtains drawn against the afternoon light. Helena frowned, setting her purse on the console table by the entrance.

"Micheal? Honey, I'm home!"

No response. But those sounds, they were clearer now. Coming from upstairs, from their bedroom.

Helena's heart pounded, but she couldn't say why. Her steps muffled by the soft carpet, she walked to the stairs.

"Yes... oh God, yes... right there..."

Helena froze, her hand gripping the banister. That voice. That wasn't the TV.

"You like that, baby?" Micheal's voice, thick with desire. "Tell me you're mine."

"I'm yours... always yours... unlike that pathetic… ahh!"

No. No, no, no.

Helena's legs moved of their own accord, carrying her up the stairs even as her mind screamed at her to stop, to turn around, to not see what she knew she was about to see.

The bedroom door was slightly ajar.

Helena peered through the gap and saw them: Michael's back, his muscles tensing with his movements, and beneath him, platinum blonde hair fanned out on her pillow.

Victoria.

"Micheal, we shouldn't be doing this here…" Victoria moaned, her legs wrapped around Micheal's waist. "What if she comes home?"

"She won't be back for hours," Micheal grunted, thrusting harder. "Said something about a doctor's appointment. Probably getting checked for why she's such a frigid bitch."

They laughed. Both of them laughed.

Helena's hand flew to her mouth, stifling the sob that threatened to tear from her throat. The pregnancy test results slipped from her other hand, fluttering to the floor.

The soft sound made Victoria's eyes snap to the doorway.

"Oh shit." But Victoria didn't look panicked. She looked triumphant. "Micheal… we have company."

Micheal turned his head, and when his eyes met Helena's, there wasn't even a flicker of guilt. Just annoyance.

"For fuck's sake, Helena. Don't you know how to call before coming home?"

Helena's voice came out as barely a whisper. "What... what are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Victoria stretched languidly beneath Micheal, making no move to cover herself. "We're fucking. Or were, until you interrupted."

"Get out, Helena," Micheal ordered, climbing off Victoria and reaching for his boxer briefs. "We'll talk about this later."

"Talk about this? You're in bed with my sister! In our bed!" Helena's voice cracked, tears streaming down her face. "How could you? I thought... I thought you loved me!"

Victoria let out a cruel, tinkling laugh. "Loved you? Oh, Helena. Sweet, stupid Helena. Micheal never loved you."

"Shut up, Tori," Micheal warned, but there was no real heat in his words.

"Why? She deserves to know the truth." Victoria sat up, wrapping the sheet around herself… Helena's sheets, Helena's bed. "Tell her, Micheal. Tell her how this all started."

Helena looked between them, her heart shattering into smaller and smaller pieces. "What is she talking about?"

Micheal sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Fine. You want the truth? I never wanted you, Helena. I wanted what you had; those shares, that inheritance. You were just the means to an end."

"No..." Helena shook her head, backing away. "No, you proposed to me. You said—"

"I said what I needed to say to get you to sign over those shares," Micheal cut her off coldly. "And you fell for it, just like we knew you would."

"We?" Helena's eyes widened. "This was... you planned this together?"

"Of course we did," Victoria purred, standing up and letting the sheet drop. She walked toward Helena, completely naked and utterly shameless. "Did you really think Micheal would choose you over me? Look at you, with your hand-me-down clothes and your desperate need to be loved. You were so easy to manipulate."

"I don't understand," Helena sobbed. "Victoria, I'm your sister…"

"You're nothing to me!" Victoria's face twisted with hatred. "You came into MY life, MY family, and tried to take everything from ME. That inheritance should've been mine. This life should've been mine. But Grandfather had to go and ruin everything by leaving you those shares."

"So we made a plan," Micheal continued, his voice matter-of-fact. "I'd been dating Tori for two years. We were happy. Then you showed up, and suddenly everything had to revolve around you and your tragic little sob story. So when Grandfather died and left you that inheritance, we decided to take it back."

Helena's mind raced back to that day: the reading of the will, everyone's shocked faces when they learned she'd inherited half the company shares. And then Micheal, sweet Micheal, broke up with Victoria and pursued her instead.

"You broke up with her... that was all fake?"

"We never really broke up," Victoria laughed. "We just put on a show. God, you should've seen your face when Micheal first told you he loved you. Like a puppy getting scraps from the table."

"All those dates, those nights together..." Helena felt sick. "You were still with her?"

"Every single day," Micheal confirmed. "Did you really think I could go from someone like Tori to someone like you? Please. This whole thing was just business."

"The marriage…"

"Was necessary to get you to transfer the shares," Micheal finished. "Which you did, like the good little wife you were. And now?" He shrugged. "Now you're useless to us."

Helena's hand instinctively moved to her stomach. The baby. She was carrying his baby. Minutes ago, she was so happy to break the news. Now? Not at all.

"I'm... I…”

"Save it," Victoria interrupted. "Whatever sob story you're about to tell, we don't care. You served your purpose, Helena. It's time for you to disappear."

Something in Victoria's tone made Helena's blood run cold. "What do you mean, disappear?"

"She means exactly what she said." Micheal moved toward her, and Helena saw something in his hand. Her phone. "We've already drafted your suicide note. Very touching, really. All about how you couldn't handle the pressure of being back with your real family, how you never felt good enough, how you wanted to end it all."

"You're insane," Helena whispered, backing toward the door. "I'm not going to—"

Victoria grabbed her from behind, surprisingly strong for her slender frame. "You don't have a choice."

"Let me go!" Helena struggled, but Victoria's grip was iron. "Someone help! Please!"

"The house is soundproof, remember?" Victoria hissed in her ear. "That was your idea. You wanted privacy. Well, congratulations, you have it."

"Please," Helena begged, tears streaming down her face. "Please don't do this. I'll leave. I'll go far away, I promise. I'll never bother you again…"

"Can't risk it," Micheal said coldly. "You might change your mind and try to reclaim those shares. No, it's cleaner this way."

“I’ll get the rope,” Micheal announced, leaving.

"I'm pregnant!" The words burst from Helena's lips. "I'm pregnant with Micheal’s child. Please…"

Victoria's grip tightened painfully. "You're what?"

"Five weeks," Helena sobbed. "I just found out today. I was coming home to tell him. Please, Victoria, you can't do this. There's a baby…"

"Even better," Victoria snarled, and Helena heard the smile in her voice. "I'm going to make sure you and that bastard inside you never live to see tomorrow. And Micheal will never find out that you were carrying his child."

"Tori…" Micheal returned with the rope.

Helena thrashed desperately. "Michael! I’m…"

Victoria's hand clamped over Helena's mouth, sealing her lips shut. Helena bit down hard, tasting blood, but Victoria didn't let go.

"Hold her still," Victoria ordered.

Micheal grabbed Helena's arms, and together, they dragged her to the chair positioned beneath the ceiling beam. Helena fought with everything she had, but it wasn't enough. It was never enough.

The rope went tightly around her neck.

"Any last words?" Victoria asked mockingly, removing her hand from Helena's mouth.

"I'll make you pay," Helena gasped out. "Both of you. If there's any justice in this world, in the next life, I'll make you pay for this."

"There is no next life," Micheal said, and kicked the chair out from under her.

The rope caught, and suddenly Helena was dangling, gasping for air that wouldn't come. Her hands clawed at the rope, and her feet kicked uselessly at nothing.

Below her, Micheal and Victoria watched with cold indifference.

"Now, you're finally out of the way," Victoria whispered, and it was the last thing Helena heard as darkness crept into her vision.

The pain faded. The world faded. Everything faded except the burning desire for revenge, for justice, for one more chance to make things right.

As consciousness slipped away, Helena heard a voice, neither male nor female, echoing from somewhere beyond.

"Do you want revenge?"

Yes, Helena's dying mind screamed. Yes, yes, yes…

And then there was nothing but darkness.