You Fake Death, I Play Along

The morgue hallway stretched endlessly, the fluorescent lights glaring white.

Ethan Rhodes’ business partner, William Shaw, handed me a note. His “final words.”

Terminate the pregnancy. Start over.

I clutched the paper, my hands shaking.

Half an hour ago, I’d gotten the call: Ethan’s flight had crashed. No survivors.

I rushed to the hospital with my five-month belly, and they told me, “Please accept our condolences.”

Now, even in death, he had someone delivering instructions: terminate the child.

Tears splashed onto the note, smudging each word.

My mother held me from the side, her eyes red too. “Zoe, don’t do this… there’s still someone in your belly...”

“Mom, I want to be alone for a while.”

The hallway fell silent.

I leaned against the wall, slowly sinking to the floor, burying my face in my knees.

Then I heard a childish voice, eerily calm for its age.

“Mom, stop crying. Dad isn’t dead at all.”

My whole body stiffened.

“He’s just scum. Behind your back, he’s running off with his true love. They’ve eloped abroad for their honeymoon.”

I shot my head up. The hallway was empty, completely empty.

I thought I must be imagining things from crying.

I took a deep breath, ready to stand.

Then the voice came again.

“It’s me, Mom. I’m your son!

“Dad wanted you to terminate me because he was afraid you’d claim the inheritance. He thought you didn’t know how much money he had.”

I gripped the fabric of my pants tightly.

This wasn’t a hallucination.

The voice was coming from inside my belly.

I lowered my gaze to my swollen abdomen, my lips trembling.

“…Baby? Liam?” That was the name we gave him.

“Yes, it’s me. Don’t cry yet. Listen to me first.

“Dad didn’t get on that flight. He spent money to forge the passenger list.

“Claire Bennett is his first love. They’ve been together for six months. He wanted you to terminate me, not because he worried about you struggling as a single mom, but because he didn’t want you taking his money.”

My head buzzed.

“The secret compartment in the study, under the third floorboard. Three ledgers, two USB drives, a plane ticket to the Maldives under Claire’s name. Go see for yourself.”

My nails dug into my palms.

“There’s also a bank card with twenty million in it, under Claire’s name, used for asset transfers. Mom, we can start using this money.

“I know where his little stash is. While he’s not back yet, let’s grab the money and disappear. We’re set for life!”

I didn’t say anything.

Footsteps echoed from the far end of the hallway. William had returned.

“Zoe, are you okay? You know what Ethan meant… about the child. Make your decision soon.”

His gaze was concerned, but also like a silent push.

I stood, tears still streaking my face.

But I looked down at my belly.

“Thank you. I’ll think it over.”

He nodded and left.

Liam’s voice drifted over again, unhurried:

“Yes, that’s the expression. Mom, let’s get him.”

I stood in the morgue hallway, my hands on my belly, feeling the tiny life inside.

“Baby.

“You said he went to the Maldives?”

“Yeah, a round-trip ticket under Claire’s name.”

“When will he be back?”

“Two weeks.”

I wiped my face, drying my tears.

Two weeks.

That’s all I need.