It didn’t take Megan long to realize that something was off. Her sharp gaze sweeping over everyone on campus like she was piecing together a puzzle only she could see. Brent had been distant, guarded, and she wasn’t about to let that slide.
She found him outside the student center, leaning against a low wall with his phone in hand. He looked up as she approached, her presence immediately setting his nerves on edge.
"Brent," she said smoothly, her voice dripping with faux warmth. "We need to talk."
"What is it, Megan?"
She pressed a hand to her stomach, her voice trembling just enough to sound genuine. "Are you really going to abandon your child?".
Brent’s throat tightened, but he forced himself to stay calm. "I’m not abandoning anyone.".
"Then start acting like it. Think of what people will say. The perfect Brent Sullivan, running away from his responsibilities? How do you think that’ll look?"
Brent’s jaw clenched, his pulse pounding in his ears. "You’re right," he said, his voice low. "I’ll do better."
His thoughts were swirling with what he and Betty had learned and on the plan they had to bring the truth to light.
Megan’s lips curved into a triumphant smile.
Later that day, her predatory instincts locked onto Betty as she passed through the campus quad.
"Careful, Betty," she called her out, her tone syrupy and mocking. "Don’t let your appetite ruin everything."
Betty kept her head high, refusing to acknowledge Megan’s presence. Her steps faltered for just a moment as the words cut deeper than she wanted to admit. But she didn’t stop. She didn’t turn around.
Her silence only seemed to fuel Megan’s venom.
Stacey was next. Megan cornered her near the library, her voice sharp as she made snide comments about Stacey’s relationship with Brent.
"Funny how you’re suddenly so involved in his life," she said, her smile brittle. "What’s the matter, Stace? No one else is willing to put up with you anymore?"
“Maybe I just have better taste than to settle for being someone’s rebound,” Stacey shot back, her voice icy but steady.
“All this effort to get close to Brent is pathetic. You’re trying so hard to prove something, but in the end, you’re just as invisible as you’ve always been.”
For a moment, Stacey’s lips parted, the urge to strike back with the knowledge she held nearly overwhelming. “You know what, Megan? I could say a lot right now, but I won’t. Because, unlike you, I don’t need to tear someone else down to feel better about myself.”
Megan blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that whatever you’re dealing with, it’s not my problem. So keep your opinions about my life to yourself. Brent can make his own choices, and I’m not here to prove anything to you.”
Without waiting for a response, Stacey turned and walked away, her heart pounding but her steps steady. Behind her, Megan stood frozen.