Chapter 1 THE BROADCASTED BETRAYAL
CHAPTER ONE: THE BROADCASTED BETRAYAL
(Ultrasound Shock Live on National TV)
The needle sank into Molly Douglas's arm with clinical precision, the sedative cold as it entered her veins.
"Almost done, Ms. Douglas," the nurse murmured, not meeting her eyes. "Mr. Tyler's orders were very specific about the anesthesia dosage."
Beyond the privacy curtain, the wall-mounted TVs all played the same footage: Marty Tyler's engagement gala, broadcast live from the Grand Ballroom of the Tyler Tower. Molly's wrists strained against the leather restraints as the camera zoomed in on Claire's triumphant smile, the diamond on her finger catching the light like a blade.
"To the woman who saved me from drowning ten years ago," Marty toasted, his voice booming through the hospital speakers. "My miracle, my Claire."
Molly's stomach lurched—and not just from the drugs.
Six Weeks Earlier
The penthouse elevator doors slid open to reveal Marty Tyler soaking wet, his designer shirt clinging to the kind of muscles only billionaires could afford to maintain. Water dripped from his dark hair as he pressed Molly against the marble foyer wall.
"You," he growled, hands caging her hips, "have been lying to me for a decade."
Molly's back hit the thermostat, the sudden heat making her skin prickle. She knew exactly which lie he meant. The scar. The drowning. The identity she'd stolen for one summer when they were eighteen.
The pregnancy test she'd just taken burned in her pocket.
Present Day
"Vitals are stable," the anesthesiologist announced. "We can begin the procedure as soon as—"
CRACK.
Molly's free foot connected with the ultrasound machine, sending it careening into a tray of surgical instruments. The two bodyguards at the door lunged forward—then froze as she held up the syringe she'd palmed during the struggle.
"Tell me," Molly panted, the needle poised at her own throat, "does Marty want his heir dead or alive today?"
A beat of silence. Then—
BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.
All heads turned to the EKG machine as Molly's heart rate spiked dangerously high. The doctor swore, reaching for the crash cart—just as Molly's other hand closed around the ultrasound wand.
"Wait!" The nurse pointed to the screen. "She's—she's hijacking the hospital's broadcast system!"
With one keystroke, Molly patched through to every screen at Marty's gala. The ballroom's massive LED displays flickered, then switched to a live feed of: Her very pregnant belly glistening with gel The ultrasound image now magnified for 500 society guests:A healthy 12-week fetusOne tiny hand raisedMiddle finger extended with perfect clarity
Chaos erupted. Champagne flutes shattered on marble. Claire's scream pierced the air as she clawed at her designer gown, ripping the fabric to reveal—
Smooth, unblemished skin where the legendary crescent scar should have been.
Back in the hospital, Molly was already halfway out the window onto the fire escape when the doctor's shout stopped her:
"That's not just any fetus! The measurements indicate—"
"I know exactly what it indicates," Molly threw over her shoulder, blood trickling from where the restraints had torn her skin. "Tell Marty he's about to lose two heirs tonight."
She disappeared into the storm just as Marty's black Maybach screeched into the hospital driveway. Inside the abandoned procedure room, three things remained:The ultrasound machine now displaying a side-by-side comparison:Claire's unmarked hip (current gala footage)Molly's crescent scar (dated photo from Marty's private server)A lipstick message on the observation window:"You picked the wrong twin to drown with, Marty."The doctor frantically calling the lab:"Cancel the termination! That baby has Tyler's rare blood type!"
Three Hours Later
Trending across social media:
#FetusFlippedOffBillionaire
#ScarGate
#WhoReallySavedMarty
In a downtown loft, Molly watched the chaos unfold on a stolen tablet while icing her bruised wrists. The real prize, though, was the USB drive in her other hand—labeled "Project Gemini" in Marty's own handwriting.
She unplugged it just as a breaking news alert flashed:
"TYLER GROUP STOCK PLUMMETS AFTER BASTARD HEIR REVELATION."
Outside, thunder cracked like the sound of a dynasty falling.
