Chapter 46 She Destroyed Herself
The sound dragged me out of sleep, Knox’s arm draped heavy across my waist, his breathing slow and even against my back.
I slipped out carefully, easing his arm aside and sitting up, then reaching for the phone before it could wake him.
My head still felt foggy as I padded out into the living room, pressing it to my ear.
Titan lifted his head from the rug the moment I stepped in, ears twitching. He pushed himself up and trotted over, tail giving a slow sweep as he nudged his head against my hand.
I absently scratched behind his ears, my fingers moving on instinct.
“Ash,” Amy said immediately, “she terminated the pregnancy.”
That cut straight through the haze.
I stilled, my hand resting on Titan’s head. “What?”
“I pulled the hospital logs,” she said. “She signed the consent forms herself. No emergency. No miscarriage. It was voluntary.”
I closed my eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly. Not shock. Apple didn’t surprise me anymore. Just… confirmation.
“She’s already posting, isn’t she?” I asked.
“Oh, she’s posting,” Amy said. “Full victim mode. Black and white edits, dramatic captions. You ‘killed’ her baby.”
Of course.
I dragged a hand through my hair, still trying to wake up fully, my gaze drifting toward the console by the wall.
The drawer.
I crossed the room and pulled it open, my fingers closing around the second phone. Apple’s clone phone.
“She won’t stop,” Amy continued. “Not until she’s forced to.”
“She will be,” I said quietly, already unlocking the device.
The screen lit up in my hand. I scrolled through the recent activity, my focus sharpening as I went.
Then I saw it.
A message from an unsaved number, sent yesterday.
“I swear I thought it was him. I didn’t mean to ruin anything.”
My grip tightened slightly.
“Amy,” I said. “I just checked Apple’s phone. Listen to this.”
I read the message out loud. “It’s from an unsaved number.”
“What’s the number?” she asked immediately.
I recited it. On the other end, I heard the rapid tapping of keys. It took less than a minute.
“Got her,” Amy said.
I leaned back against the wall, fully awake now. “Who is it?”
“Name’s Elena Voss,” she said. “Works for a cleaning company.” A few more keystrokes. “They supply staff to hotels. Mostly night shifts.”
A hotel.
I scrolled further back through the thread, my thumb slowing as older messages came into view. About six months ago, there were more.
“He is here. Suite 214.”
Then, an hour later:
“He left. I collected the package. Where should we meet?”
And Apple’s reply. An address.
“Amy,” I said quietly, “there are older messages from this number.”
“Read them.”
I did.
There was a brief silence, then, “What’s the date on those?”
I checked and told her.
More typing. Faster this time.
“Wait,” Amy said. “That’s the same night Knox was seen with that actress. Remember? It was all over the gossip sites for a week.”
My thoughts aligned instantly.
“He,” I said slowly, staring at the message. “That’s Knox.”
“Has to be,” Amy replied.
“And the ‘package’…”
The word hung there between us.
“Like a condom?” Amy said.
“That would be insane.”
A beat.
“Your psycho sister would totally do it.”
I exhaled quietly, my gaze still fixed on the screen. “But the DNA test said it wasn’t his.”
“Elena did say she messed up,” Amy said. “Maybe she grabbed the wrong… sample.”
I grimaced, my brain unhelpfully filling in the details.
“So she planned it,” Amy said. “It just backfired.”
I glanced toward the hallway, toward the bedroom where Knox was still asleep.
“Seems so…”
“What do you want to do?” she asked.
“Nothing yet,” I said quietly. “Let her keep talking.”
Amy let out a soft breath, already on the same page. “Alright. I’ll keep digging.”
“Send me everything you find.”
“Always.”
I ended the call and stood there for a moment, the phone still in my hand, letting it all settle. Apple had come up with something insane and still managed to fail. That didn’t make it better. If anything, it made it worse. There was no telling what she might try next.
I slipped the phone back into the drawer and closed it quietly, then turned and walked back toward the bedroom.
Knox hadn’t moved. He was still on his side, half buried in the pillows, his breathing slow and even, completely unaware of everything that had just shifted.
For a second, I just stood there, watching him.
He had no idea how close he’d come to being tied to her.
I crossed the room and sat carefully on the edge of the mattress, trying not to disturb him.
It didn’t work.
The moment the bed dipped, his arm moved, reaching back for me on instinct. His hand found my waist and pulled, drawing me down before I could brace myself.
“Ashley,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep.
I landed against him, my back to his chest, his arm wrapping around me as he settled me into place like it was where I belonged.
“You’re cold,” he said quietly, his lips brushing my shoulder.
I swallowed, staring ahead for a moment before speaking.
“Apple terminated the pregnancy.”
He went still behind me.
“She signed the consent forms herself,” I continued. “No emergency. No miscarriage.”
His arm tightened slightly around me.
“She’s already posting,” I said. “Saying I killed the baby.”
Even saying it felt absurd.
His hand began to move slowly along my arm. “I’ll take care of it,” he said.
I turned in his hold, shifting just enough to face him, my hand bracing lightly against his chest.
“Knox—”
“No.” His voice was quiet, but final. “You’ve dealt with enough. I’m handling this.”
I held his gaze, then exhaled slowly, the fight draining out of me before I could hold onto it.
I didn’t have the energy for this anymore.
Not for Apple, not for the endless mess she created, not for the constant need to stay one step ahead.
Lately, I’d been feeling more worn out, the pregnancy leaving me tired even after a full night’s sleep.
So I let it go and chose to trust Knox. When he said he’d take care of something, he meant it.
Nathan drove us to work not long after. About two hours into the workday, the full security footage from my house was released through his PR team, his statement following minutes later.
KNOX SINCLAIR — OFFICIAL STATEMENT
Recent allegations made publicly by Ms. Apple Richards regarding an incident outside a private residence are false.
The full, unedited security footage has been released and clearly shows that Ms. Apple Richards was not touched, pushed, or harmed by Ms. Ashley Richards at any time. The claims being circulated online are demonstrably untrue.
Additionally, a court-admissible DNA test conducted by an independent, accredited laboratory has confirmed that I am not the father of Ms. Richards’ child.
The spread of knowingly false accusations, particularly those intended to damage reputations and cause emotional harm, is deeply concerning.
I hope Ms. Apple Richards receives the professional support and care she needs.
Ashley Richards is my fiancée. She has my full support, and I will continue to ensure her safety and well-being.
I ask that our privacy be respected as we move forward.
— Knox Sinclair
I read the statement twice behind my desk, my eyes catching on the same words both times. My fiancée.
I was still staring at the screen when Priya’s chair scraped back. She was already halfway to her feet, leaning over the divider with a grin that made it impossible to pretend I hadn’t seen it.
“Oh my God. Is it true?”
I blinked up at her. “Which part?”
Her smile widened. “Don’t play innocent. The fiancée part.”
Heat crept into my face before I could stop it. “Yes.” Saying it out loud still felt unreal.
Claire spun around in her chair beside her, eyes bright. “I knew it. ‘Complicated,’ my ass.”
Julian leaned back, studying me for a moment before giving a single nod. “Good.”
I frowned slightly. “Good?”
He shrugged. “Means I should probably stay on your good side. Being on friendly terms with Mrs. Sinclair could be very beneficial for my career.”
Priya snorted. “You’re unbelievable.”
“I’m practical,” he said, not even trying to deny it.
Nora rolled her chair closer, her expression softer. “We’re happy for you. Really.”
Claire nodded quickly. “And honestly, after everything your sister pulled, you deserve something good.”
Something in my chest tightened at that, but before I could respond, Priya’s attention snapped back to her phone.
“Speaking of your sister… have you seen this?”
She turned the screen toward me. I pushed back from my desk slightly to see it better.
The headline hit instantly.
Reynolds & Co. confirms Apple Richards attempted similar deception with CEO Nick Reynolds. Legal action under review.
Good. He deserved that much, at least.
Julian let out a low whistle. “Your sister is… something else.”
That was one way to put it.
But before I could say more, my phone buzzed with an unknown number. I pushed my chair back and stood, stepping away from the cluster of desks as I answered.
“Hello?”
“Ms. Richards,” a man said, “this is Detective Jackson with the Chicago Police Department. We wanted to update you on the investigation.”
“Just a second.”
I slipped into an empty conference room and closed the door behind me. The hum of the office faded instantly.
“Go ahead,” I said.
There was a brief rustle of papers on his end. “We’ve identified the individual behind the burner phone used to coordinate your abduction.”
My grip tightened around the phone. “And?”
“It was Apple Richards.”
Even expecting it didn’t soften the impact.
“She used a prepaid device purchased with cash,” he continued, “but we were able to trace location data, cross-reference surveillance footage, and obtain corroborating testimony from one of the intermediaries she contacted.”
“It’s her,” I said quietly.
“Yes.”
I leaned back against the table behind me. “What happens now?”
“We have officers stationed at the hospital,” he said. “Once Ms. Richards is medically cleared, she will be taken into custody.”
“For what charges?”
“She hired individuals with the stated intent of having you abducted, trafficked, and later killed. As a result, she is facing multiple felony counts, including conspiracy to commit kidnapping, solicitation of kidnapping, conspiracy to commit human trafficking, solicitation of human trafficking, and conspiracy to commit murder.”
He paused briefly before continuing.
“She will also face additional charges related to fraud, obstruction, and other offenses pending final review by the State’s Attorney.”
I said nothing.
“We want you to understand,” he added, “this is being treated as an extremely serious case. Based on the severity of the charges, the premeditation involved, and the demonstrated risk of continued criminal behavior, it is very likely the court will deny bail.”
My fingers tightened slightly. “She won’t be released?”
“Not if the judge agrees with our recommendation. The prosecutor will be requesting that she be held without bail pending trial.”
Because she was dangerous. Because she wouldn’t stop. Because next time, she might succeed.
“You’re safe,” he said. “But we will continue maintaining protective measures until she is in custody.”
“Thank you,” I said quietly.
“We’ll be in touch.”
The call ended.
I lowered the phone slowly, staring at nothing, the silence pressing in around me.
Apple had spent years trying to destroy me.
And now she had destroyed herself.