Heartprints in the Void
⊰ 8 ⊱ House of Lies

The drive home is a blur, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts, each one more painful than the last. My hands tremble on the steering wheel, and I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. By the time I pull into our driveway, my hands are

shaking, my knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel too tightly.

I sit in the car for a moment, the silence deafening after the roar of the engine cuts off. The house looms before me, no longer the safe haven it had become. Now it feels like another place where truths and lies collide.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, I step out of the car. The crunch of gravel under my feet seems too loud, too harsh. Each step towards the front door feels like I'm walking through molasses, my legs leaden and uncooperative.

The key feels cold and heavy in my hand as I unlock the door. The soft click of the mechanism sounds final, like the closing of a cell door. The familiar scent of home-a mix of Naomi's baby powder and Cade's cologne-hits me as I step inside, but instead of comforting me, it makes my stomach churn.

Cade is in the living room, Naomi cradled in his arms as he paces back and forth. The soft sound of his humming reaches me, a lullaby that used to make me smile. Now, it just intensifies the ache in my chest. I watch Naomi's tiny hand clutch at Cade's shirt, and for a moment, my heart constricts. In the midst of all this chaos, she's an innocent, oblivious to the dark secrets unfolding around her.

He looks up as I enter, his brow furrowing at what must be a stricken expression on my face. "Ely? What's wrong?"

I open my mouth to speak, but the words catch in my throat. How do I even begin to explain the betrayal, the hurt, the anger coursing through me?

"Ava told me everything," I say, my voice barely above a whisper. It cracks on her name, and I have to swallow hard before continuing. "About the hypnosis. About her involvement."

Cade's expression shifts, guilt flashing across his features. He gently lays Naomi in her playpen before turning back to me. The soft rustle of his clothes, the quiet padding of his feet on the floor-every sound seems amplified in the tense silence.

"Ely, I'm sorry," he begins, but I cut him off.

"You knew," I say, my voice stronger this time. "You knew for days, and you didn't say anything. You let me welcome her into our home, spend time with her, all while knowing what she'd done."

Cade runs a hand through his hair, a gesture I once found endearing but now just fuels my anger. "I thought it should come from her. I didn't want to come between you and your friend."

A bitter laugh escapes me, the sound harsh and unfamiliar. "My friend? She watched me fall apart for months, Cade. She held me while I cried, listened to me wonder what I'd done wrong, all while knowing the truth. And you... you kept this from me too."

The hurt and betrayal I've been holding back surge forward, hot tears spilling down my cheeks. "You're the person I'm supposed to be able to trust. Is everything in my life built on lies?"

Cade takes a step toward me, his hand outstretched, but I flinch away. The thought of his touch, once comforting, now makes my skin crawl. "Don't," I say, my voice cracking. "I can't... I can't deal with this right now."

I turn away, needing to put some distance between us, to clear my head. The room feels too small, suffocating. I can hear my own ragged breathing, see the slight tremor in my hands. As I move, my eyes land on my boxed up work laptop on the kitchen table, ready to be returned as company property. And sudden thought strikes me, a lifeline in the chaos.

*I need something that feels normal...consistent.*

"I want to go back to work. Find another job," I say, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.

Cade's expression shifts, concern giving way to something harder. I can see the muscle in his jaw ticking, a sure sign of his rising frustration. "Work? Ely, you don't need to work. I can take care of us. Of you and Naomi."

I shake my head, my own frustration building. It feels like a physical pressure in my chest, making it hard to breathe. "It's not about *needing* to, Cade. I want to. I worked hard to build a career. I don't want to give it up."

"But why?" He presses, his tone hardening. "We have more than enough money. You could stay home with Naomi, focus on your training if you want. Why put yourself through the stress of a job you don't need?"

His words, meant to be supportive, only fuel my anger. It rises in me like a tidal wave, threatening to overwhelm everything in its path. "Because it's my choice!" I snap, my voice rising. The force of it surprises even me, and I see Cade take a step back. "My career isn't some hobby I can just set aside. It's important to me. I worked hard to get where I am." "And where is that exactly?" Cade retorts, his own temper flaring. "Working for a company owned by my father?" The moment the words leave his mouth, I can see regret flash across his face. But it's too late. The damage is done.

"So that's what you think of me?" I say, my voice low and hurt. "That I'm just riding on your family's coattails? That my achievements mean nothing?"

As we argue, I'm acutely aware of Naomi in her playpen. Her presence both anchors me and adds to my turmoil. I want to be a good mother, to provide stability and love, but how can I do that when everything around me feels like it's crumbling.

"That's not what I meant, Ely, and you know it," he says, but I'm beyond listening.

"No, I don't know. I don't know anything anymore," I say, the fight suddenly draining out of me, leaving me feeling hollow and exhausted. "I don't know who to trust, what's real and what's not. I don't even know if what we have is real, or if it's just another effect of the hypnosis."

Cade recoils as if I've slapped him, hurt evident on his face. "How can you say that? After everything we've been through?"

"How can I not?" I counter, tears streaming down my face. "Everything I thought I knew has been turned upside down. Ava, you... is there anything in my life that isn't tainted by lies and manipulation?"

The silence that follows is deafening. We stand there, meters apart but feeling like we're on opposite sides of a chasm. Naomi, sensing the tension, starts to fuss in her playpen. Her cries cut through the silence, reminding me of what's at stake. It's not just about Cade and me.

"I need some air," I finally say, my voice hoarse from shouting and crying. "I'm going for a walk."

*I need to get away...from you.*

"Ely, wait," Cade calls as I head for the door, but I don't turn back. I can't stand to look at him right now.

The cool air hits me as I step outside, a stark contrast to the heated atmosphere I've left behind. It feels like I can breathe again, the tightness in my chest easing slightly. I start walking, no destination in mind, just needing to move, to do something to quiet the chaos in my mind.

As I walk, I try to make sense of everything that's happened. Ava's betrayal, Cade's omission, the uncertainty about my job and my place in this new life. It all swirls together, a tempest of emotions I can't seem to navigate.

I don't know how long I walk, but by the time I turn back towards home, the streetlights have come on. I'm no closer to having any answers, but the physical exertion has helped clear my head a little.

As I approach our house, I pause, looking at it from the outside. It's a beautiful home, everything I ever dreamed of. But now I wonder...

*Is it really mine? *