My colleague, Audrey, waddled up to me, clutching her pregnant belly. “Chloe, can I crash at your place near the office for a few months? My commute from the suburbs is killing me with this pregnancy. I can’t take it anymore. I promise I’ll move out as soon as the baby is born.” I was just about to nod when a line of glowing text suddenly floated right in front of my eyes. [Don’t agree.] The next second, a flood of floating comments started scrolling across my vision. [The fetus in her womb has had no heartbeat for three days.] [The baby belongs to your boyfriend, Julian.] [Tonight, Audrey will ‘fall’ in your house. She’ll cry and claim that you found out the truth, went crazy with jealousy, and pushed her.] [At the exact same time, your home network will leak the secret bidding price for the company’s biggest project.] [You’ll be suspended, dragged on social media, held legally liable by the company, and branded by everyone as a monster who killed a pregnant woman’s baby and leaked trade secrets.] My blood ran ice-cold. Audrey was still waiting for my answer. I looked down at her slightly swollen belly. Then, I snapped my laptop shut. “Sorry, Audrey. I don’t rent out or lend my apartment.” 1 The conference room went dead silent. Audrey’s eyes immediately welled up with tears. “Did I make things difficult for you? I’m so sorry. I just thought if I lived closer, it would be easier for me to pull late nights and revise the project drafts.” Mark, the product manager sitting next to me, whispered, “Come on, Chloe, your apartment usually sits empty anyway.” Another colleague chimed in: “Yeah, it’s just for a few months. Audrey’s working so hard despite being pregnant. It’s not easy for her.” Ethan, our boss sitting at the head of the table, tapped his fingers against the desk. “Chloe, this project is in a critical phase. Supporting each other within the team is a good thing.” I looked up at him. “Ethan, if this involves an employee staying in another’s private residence, do we need to file a formal compliance report with HR?” Ethan frowned. “There’s no need to make it so complicated.” “Then it’s even more inappropriate.” I capped my pen. “My apartment is my private property, not a company resource. If Audrey needs to rent a place, she can apply for the company’s housing subsidy according to policy, and I’ll gladly sign off on it.” Audrey bit her lip, tears trembling on her eyelashes. “But finding a place on such short notice is so hard, and anything close to the office is way too expensive. Chloe, we’ve pulled so many all-nighters together. I thought we were friends.” As soon as she said that, the atmosphere in the room turned even more hostile. I didn’t let her emotions drag me in. “Even friends need boundaries.” Someone muttered under their breath, “So cold-hearted.” “She’s probably just afraid Audrey will take credit for the project.” “Being pregnant isn’t a crime. Why is she being so paranoid?” The floating comments scrolled past again. [She is gaslighting you and turning everyone against you.] [Don’t explain. The more you explain, the guiltier you’ll look.] [Julian will call you in ten minutes.] Less than ten minutes after the meeting adjourned, my phone buzzed. “Chloe, babe, I heard you turned Audrey down today?” I stood in the stairwell, looking out at the gray sky through the window. “You get news fast.” He chuckled on the other end of the line. “A lot of people in our two companies are old college classmates. They’re gossiping in the group chats. Don’t take it the wrong way, babe, I’m just worried people will misunderstand you.” “So?” “She’s pregnant. There’s no need to ruin your relationship with a colleague. It’s just a temporary stay. You can always make her sign an agreement.” The comments floated past coldly. [Look how sweet he sounds.] [He even remembers your spare keyless entry code.] [Just last week, he sent photos of your living room to Audrey.] My hand tightened around the phone. “Julian, do you even know Audrey?” There was a brief pause on the other line. “I’ve heard her name. We’re not close.” I let out a soft laugh. “Not close, huh?” “Of course. Chloe, are you just too tired lately? Don’t overthink people.” I hung up. I didn’t confront him. The comments were right. Exposing them now would only warn them to change their tactics. I went back to my desk and sent a WhatsApp message to Harper, our legal counsel. “Are you free tonight? I need help preserving some evidence.” She replied instantly. “What’s wrong?” I glanced over at Audrey, who was sitting not far away, wiping her tears. “Someone wants to borrow my apartment.” “And take my life while they’re at it.” 2 After work, I went straight to that apartment. Behind the front door, there was a very faint pencil mark. Next to it, written in shaky handwriting: “Chloe, twenty years old. Remember to come home even when you grow up.” That was the last height mark my dad made for me before he passed away. I stood at the doorway and stared at it for a long time. Then, I got to work. By the time Harper arrived with the notary public team, I had turned on every single light in the apartment. Living room, bedroom, study, kitchen, balcony, bathroom. Every corner was recorded on video. The lock cylinder, window latches, router, computer, bookshelves, and sealed drawers were all filmed clearly. Harper looked at me. “Who exactly are you protecting yourself against?” “A pregnant woman.” Her movements froze. “You can’t just say things like that.” “I know. That’s why I’m only keeping evidence.” In front of the notary public, I changed the admin password of my smart lock and deactivated all temporary access codes. The visitor code I had set for Julian was completely wiped. System prompt: Access revoked successfully. I took a screenshot and uploaded it to the cloud. Next, I factory-reset my old home router and had Marcus, our IT security lead, log in remotely. After hearing my request, Marcus fell silent for a long time. “Are you sure you want to completely wipe the real bidding documents from your personal devices?” “Positive.” “Then what do we leave on your home computer?” “A fake one.” “How fake?” “Fake enough to look real, but designed to track every single action once opened.” Marcus laughed. At 1:00 AM, Julian sent me a message. “Still busy, babe? I ordered some warm milk for you. I left it at your office front desk.” Right after, Audrey posted in the project WhatsApp group. “It was my fault today. I put Chloe in a difficult position. Please don’t blame her. I’ll just come to the office earlier tomorrow. Even if I live far away, I won’t let it affect our progress.” People in the group immediately began comforting her. “You’re already working so hard.” “Don’t cry, Audrey. Your health comes first.” “Some people get a promotion and immediately forget how hard it is for the rest of us.” I didn’t reply. The glowing text appeared again. [Do not touch the file envelope at the front desk.] [There’s a USB drive inside. Once plugged into your computer, it will install remote control malware.] I looked at my phone. The receptionist had just texted me: “Hey Chloe, someone left some midnight snacks and a document envelope for you. They said it’s important material.” I replied: “Don’t open it. Leave it right under the security camera. I’ll have IT security pick it up tomorrow.” The next morning, Marcus came to my office holding an anti-static bag. “You’re a psychic.” “There’s a Trojan horse inside the USB, disguised as a PDF reader plugin. The moment you plug it into your laptop, they can remotely copy your files.” I stared at the black USB drive. “Can you trace the source?” “No fingerprints on the packaging, but we can trace the batch number of the casing. Also, the delivery guy wore a mask, but the lobby security camera caught a side profile of his face.” Harper, who was standing beside me, darkened her expression. “Chloe, from this moment on, do not handle any of this on your own.” I nodded. “I need to make a formal compliance report to the company.” “About what?” “My boyfriend, Julian, is the lead manager for the competing firm on this project.” Harper cursed under her breath. “Why are you only telling me this now?” I whispered, “Because I only realized today that he might be more than just my boyfriend.” 3 The night before the bids were sealed, Ethan suddenly told me to go to the client’s office on the East Side. “The client has a clarification letter that must be confirmed by the project lead in person. It’ll take about half an hour.” I looked at the email CC list. Julian was also in the client’s communication thread. The comments scrolled rapidly. [They’re drawing you away.] [They are breaking into your apartment.] [Don’t go alone. Take legal counsel. Turn on your GPS tracking.] I turned to Harper. “Come with me.” Ethan’s face fell. “Why are you bringing legal? The client will think we don’t trust them.” Harper pinned her badge to her coat. “During the bidding lock-up period, any off-site confirmation requires legal presence to ensure compliance.” Ethan shut his mouth. On the way to the East Side, I kept my phone recording and shared my live location with Marcus. But when we arrived at the client’s lobby, the receptionist told us their manager had just left. When I called the assistant, they gave a vague answer: “Oh, maybe we got the time wrong.” Harper and I exchanged a look. We immediately turned around and sped back. Halfway there, my phone rang. It was Mr. Miller, the building property manager, his voice trembling. “Miss Chloe, you need to come back right now! Something terrible happened in your apartment!” My blood ran cold. “Who is in my apartment?” “A pregnant lady. She said she’s your colleague. She collapsed in your living room, and there’s blood on the floor. The ambulance is already on its way!” Harper grabbed my hand tightly. “Don’t panic. Don’t say anything yet.” I stared out at the streetlights flashing past. The comments flooded my eyes. [She’s starting her performance.] [Someone has already posted photos in the company group.] [The company’s security system is about to sound the alarm.] Sure enough, the next second, the company’s main WhatsApp group exploded. Someone had posted a photo. It was my living room. Audrey was lying on the floor, her face deathly pale, clutching her stomach. There was blood on her skirt. The caption read: “Something happened at Chloe’s place! I think Audrey just had a miscarriage!” Immediately after, an IT security alert popped up on my phone. “Warning: Suspected core file exfiltration. Source IP: Oakridge Apartments, Unit 6, Chloe’s home network.” The chat group went absolutely wild. “Her home network? Are you kidding me?” “Why was Audrey even at Chloe’s place?” “She turned her down yesterday, and now this happens? That is way too suspicious.” “The bidding files were leaked from her house? Isn’t she dating Julian from the rival company?” My fingertips were freezing. Julian’s call came through. I picked up. “Chloe, where are you? Audrey said you guys got into a huge fight, and she fell.” I asked, “What else did she say?” He paused. “She said… you found out about the baby.” “What baby?” “Chloe,” he lowered his voice, “now is not the time to argue about this. Just come back, apologize, and keep a low profile. I’ll find a lawyer for you.” I let out a harsh laugh. “Julian, you’ll help me?” “I’m doing this for your own good.” “Then wait for me at the scene.” I slammed the phone down. Ten minutes later, I rushed up to the sixth floor. The hallway was packed with people. Paramedics were wheeling a stretcher out. Audrey was lying on it, drenched in sweat. The moment she saw me, tears gushed down her face. “Chloe… I just wanted to live closer so I could finish the project. Even if you found out the baby is Julian’s… you shouldn’t have done this to me.” Her voice wasn’t loud. But it was loud enough for everyone in the hallway to hear. 4 The hallway erupted. “The baby is Julian’s?!” “Isn’t Julian Chloe’s boyfriend?” “So the girlfriend caught the mistress and caused a miscarriage?!” “Wait, Chloe isn’t even married to Julian yet. Still, this is brutal. Taking it out on a pregnant woman is disgusting.” The paramedics pushed the stretcher toward the elevator. Audrey clung to the railing, sobbing hysterically. “I didn’t want to steal anything from you! I was already planning to leave him! Why couldn’t you just spare my baby?!” I looked at her. Impressive. She had seamlessly twisted “borrowing the apartment,” “the affair,” and “the miscarriage” into one single narrative. My refusal became jealousy. Her breaking into my home became me inviting her in. The baby she had lost days ago became a life I had murdered tonight. Ethan and a few other colleagues rushed up. Ethan’s face was livid. “Chloe, what the hell is going on here?” I ignored him. Instead, I turned to Mr. Miller. “Who opened my door?” Mr. Miller stammered, sweating profusely. “She… she had an authorization letter signed by you, and she showed us your chat logs. She said you agreed to let her move in tonight. She’s pregnant, and she said her stomach was hurting, so we called a locksmith…” I held out my hand. “Show me the authorization letter.” Mr. Miller handed me a printed piece of paper. It had my signature on it. The forgery was almost perfect. He also showed me a screenshot of a Snapchat conversation. “Audrey, you can stay at my place tonight. I’ll let property management know to give you the key, babe.” The profile picture was mine. But the tone wasn’t. I never call anyone “babe” except Julian. Then, someone posted a screenshot of Audrey’s bank transfer to the group. Five thousand dollars. Memo: Deposit for Oakridge Apartment rental. I opened my own PayPal transaction history. A transfer of five thousand dollars had indeed come in last night. But I had refunded it exactly one minute later. My refund memo read: Rental, borrowing, or handover of property was never approved. I posted the screenshot directly into the company main group chat. The group went silent for a second. But almost immediately, someone typed: “Well, maybe you just changed your mind at the last second.” “Yeah, Audrey was already inside your apartment. It’s not like she picked the lock herself.” “A baby is dead. Can we focus on saving a life first? You’re still arguing about technicalities. This is chilling.” Julian came running up the stairs. He looked more disheveled than anyone. “Chloe, please, stop aggravating her.” I stared at him. “She said the baby is yours.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Discussing this right now is completely pointless.” “Whether it’s pointless isn’t for you to decide.” He took a step closer, lowering his voice. “Calm down. The company system shows the files were leaked from your IP address, and Audrey collapsed in your home. The best thing you can do right now is cooperate. Don’t make this any bigger than it is.” I stared at his familiar face. For the past year, I thought he was gentle, restrained, and respectful of boundaries. Now I realized those were just his tools. The comments flashed. [Don’t argue with them.] [Don’t beg them to believe you.] [File a formal police report.] I took out my phone and typed a message into the company main group: “I am calling the police. I request the crime scene and the servers be sealed.” Then, I dialed 91 “I’d like to report a break-in. Someone illegally entered my apartment using a forged authorization. I suspect malicious frame-up. Additionally, my company’s highly confidential bidding project has been targeted for trade secret theft. I request an on-site investigation and digital forensics.”
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