Chapter 5: Pretend Game

“You look really pretty, Cathy!” Mia said as she ran down the stairs. Her face lit up when she saw me standing in the hallway.

I smoothed out my plain blue dress, feeling weirdly nervous. It was my second time at the Hart house, but tonight felt different. Maybe it was because Lennox was kind of avoiding me after that kiss… or maybe the mission was just getting tricky. Either way, here I was, back again—just two days after I "forgot" my bracelet.

“Thanks, sweetie,” I said, crouching down to her level. “You look super cute too.”

She spun around in her purple dress, smiling big. “Daddy said we should dress nice for dinner today. He cooked! He never cooks!”

I raised my eyebrows. “Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that.”

“Ms. Reed,” Lennox’s voice came from behind her. He was standing in the doorway to the dining room, wearing a simple button-up shirt and looking kind of awkward. The air between us felt… weird. “Thanks for joining us again.”

I stood up and gave him a small smile. “Thanks for inviting me, Mr. Hart.”

“Can we please stop with the Mr. Hart and Ms. Reed thing?” Mia groaned. “It sounds so weird! She's Cathy and you're Daddy.”

Lennox cleared his throat. “Mia, why don’t you show Ms. Reed—Cathy—to the dining room while I finish up?”

Mia grabbed my hand and pulled me along. I could smell something delicious—maybe pasta?—and the dining table was all set up with candles and stuff. It almost looked like… a date. My heart did this little jump, and I tried not to think too much about it.

“I found your bracelet!” Mia said, pulling it out of her pocket. “Look! I kept it super safe for you.”

I looked at the silver bracelet in her hand. That bracelet—the tracker—was my whole reason for coming back. And now she was just handing it back.

But then I said, without even thinking, “You know what? Why don’t you keep it?”

Mia’s eyes got big. “Really? Like, forever?”

“Yeah,” I smiled, gently closing her hand around it. “Let’s say it’s a friendship bracelet.”

Mia squealed and slipped it on her wrist. “I’ll never ever take it off! It’s so pretty!”

Lennox came in holding a big bowl of pasta, raising an eyebrow. “What’s all the noise in here?”

“Cathy gave me her bracelet!” Mia said proudly, showing off her wrist. “It’s a friendship bracelet!”

Lennox looked at me, kind of confused. I just shrugged like it was nothing. “She seemed to like it, and I have plenty.”

Dinner was actually really good—Lennox made pasta from scratch, and it might’ve been the best I’ve ever tasted. We kept the talk light, mostly Mia chatting about school and her favorite books. But I noticed she was kind of holding back, and she didn’t seem as happy as usual.

“How was school today, Mia?” Lennox asked when things got a bit quiet.

Mia poked at her food. “It was fine.”

“Just fine?” he asked again. “Nothing fun happened?”

“No,” she mumbled, still not looking up.

Grace, the nanny who had been quietly helping serve dinner, cleared her throat. “Mr. Hart, I meant to tell you earlier. There's a parent-teacher meeting tomorrow afternoon at Mia's school.”

Lennox frowned. “Tomorrow? How come I’m just hearing about it now?”

“I told Grace not to tell you,” Mia said softly, eyes still on her plate. “You’re always busy anyway.”

I saw Lennox’s face change—he looked hurt. “Mia, you know I’ll make time if it’s something important.”

“You never come,” she said, finally looking up, her eyes watery. “All the other kids have their moms or dads there. I’m always just with Grace.”

“That’s not true,” Lennox said, trying to defend himself. “I came to your Christmas play.”

“For like ten minutes!” Mia raised her voice. “And you were on your phone the whole time!”

The room got tense. I took a sip of water, not sure if I should say something or stay quiet.

“I’ll come tomorrow,” Lennox said, trying to sound sure. “What time is it, Grace?”

“Three o’clock, sir,” she said.

Mia shook her head fast. “No, don’t. I don’t want you to come.”

Lennox looked shocked. “Why not?”

“Because…” Mia paused, then blurted it out. “Because the other kids will just say I don’t have a mom again! They’ll laugh at me like they always do!”

The room went totally quiet. My chest felt tight hearing her say that. It was exactly what I saw at the playground.

“Mia,” Lennox said softly, “I didn’t know—”

“It doesn’t matter,” she cut him off. “I just wish... I wish I had a mom to come too. Like everyone else.”

She looked at me, and suddenly everyone was staring at me. I felt this weird pressure in my chest. This was the perfect chance for my mission, but using a kid’s feelings like that felt kinda wrong.

“I can go,” I said before I even thought about it. “If that helps.”

Mia’s eyes lit up. “Really? You’d come to my school?”

Lennox looked shocked too. “Ms. Reed—Cathy—you don’t have to. I don’t want to bother you—”

“I’m free tomorrow afternoon,” I said, trying to sound chill. “It’s actually my day off. I don’t mind.”

“Please, Daddy!” Mia was almost bouncing in her seat. “Please let Cathy come!”

Lennox looked at me, probably trying to figure out what I was up to. Then he slowly nodded. “If you’re really okay with it…”

“Totally,” I said with a smile, hoping it looked real. Inside, my head was spinning. Shadowbird would be so happy—this was the kind of chance we’d been waiting for.

“Yay!” Mia jumped up and hugged me tight. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

I hugged her back, feeling weird—happy but also kind of guilty. I glanced at Lennox. He was watching us with a look I couldn’t read.

“Three o’clock tomorrow,” he said quietly.

“Tomorrow,” I nodded, already wondering what I just agreed to.

---

“Everyone’s looking at us,” I whispered to Lennox as we walked down the hallway at Westlake Elementary. Mia was happily holding both our hands.

The school looked just as fancy inside as it did outside—shiny floors, art on the walls, and very modern classrooms. But what I noticed most was how everyone—parents, teachers, even kids—kept staring at us like we were famous or something.

“They’re staring at you,” Lennox whispered back. “Most of them knew Arielle.”

That made sense. No wonder they were whispering and staring. I tried to ignore it and just focused on Mia, who was basically skipping between us, all smiles.

“That’s my classroom!” she said, pulling us toward a bright, colorful door with drawings all over it. “And that’s my teacher, Ms. Peterson!”

A young lady with a nice smile walked over. “Mia! So good to see you. And Mr. Hart, thanks for coming.” Then she looked at me and seemed a little surprised. “And you must be...”

“This is my mommy!” Mia said quickly before anyone else could talk. “Her name is Cathy!”

I felt Lennox get stiff next to me, but he didn’t say anything. The teacher looked confused for a second, glancing at us.

“Catherine Reed,” I said, shaking her hand. “I’m... a friend of the family.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ms. Peterson said, smiling again. “Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable. We'll be starting in just a few minutes.”

Inside the classroom, parents were chatting while kids showed off their desks and school stuff. Mia pulled us over to her desk and showed off her drawings and papers on the wall with a proud look.

“Mia Hart has parents?” a boy nearby said loudly. Some kids turned to look.

I saw Mia freeze a little, but then she stood tall and smiled. “This is my mommy and daddy,” she said, holding our hands even tighter.

The boy frowned. “You said your mom was dead.”

That hit hard. Lennox went stiff next to me.

“Well, she’s not,” Mia said, standing tall. “She’s right here.”

More kids came over, staring at us with wide eyes. A little girl with pigtails stepped up. “Are you really Mia’s mom? For real?”

I didn’t know what to say. Lying to grown-ups for my mission was one thing, but lying to kids felt kinda wrong. Before I could answer, Lennox spoke up.

“Mia’s really happy today because Ms. Reed came to her school,” he said nicely but in a way that said the talk was over. “Isn’t that nice of her?”

The kids seemed okay with that and slowly walked away to their parents. Mia still looked super proud as she kept showing us around her classroom.

“Thanks for not correcting her,” I whispered to Lennox while Mia went to talk to a friend. “I didn’t know what to say.”

“She’s happy,” he said. “I haven’t seen her this excited in... a long time.”

The meeting was pretty normal—Ms. Peterson talked about lessons, fun projects, and how parents can help at home. I noticed Lennox really paying attention. He asked good questions and even took notes on his phone. He clearly cared about Mia, even if he wasn’t always around.

After the meeting, we walked back to the car. Mia ran ahead, happily showing off her bracelet to anyone who would look.

“I think that went well,” I said, feeling weirdly good about how the afternoon turned out.

Lennox nodded. “Thanks for coming. It really meant a lot to her.”

“I'm glad I could help,” I said, trying to ignore the guilt in my chest.

“Want to grab a coffee?” Lennox asked out of nowhere. “There's a café close by. I... want to talk to you about something.”

My heart beat faster. This could be important for the mission. “Sure, sounds good.”

“We’ll take Mia home first, then I’ll drop you off,” he said while texting someone—probably Grace.

---

“Your usual, Mr. Hart?” the barista asked with a big smile when we walked into the café thirty minutes later.

“Thanks, Jenny. And whatever Ms. Reed wants,” Lennox said.

I asked for a plain latte and followed him to a quiet table in the corner, away from everyone else. I noticed a guy by the window reading a newspaper. It was Shadowbird, in disguise again, sitting where he could see and hear us. I touched my earring without thinking—it had a tiny recorder inside.

“So,” I said, trying to sound chill, “what did you want to talk about?”

Lennox looked kind of nervous, which was weird for him. He always seemed calm and sure of himself. “I had another reason for asking you here, not just the parent-teacher meeting.”

I tilted my head. “Oh?”

“I heard you're going back to Singapore soon,” he said, watching me closely.

I tried to look surprised. This was part of the cover story Shadowbird had leaked through contacts at Nexus Technologies. “Yeah, that’s true. My work with Mr. Chen is almost done.”

“And after that? Going back to your regular position?”

I stirred my coffee. “Actually, I've been considering a change. Maybe resigning altogether.”

“Really?” Lennox leaned in a bit. “Why’s that?”

“I just feel like I need a change,” I said with a small shrug. “Something more meaningful, maybe.”

Lennox nodded and took a deep breath. “What if I offered you a job? Not as a secretary or assistant, but... something else entirely.”

I made a confused face. “What kind of job?”

“This might sound weird,” he said, lowering his voice. “But I think you've seen how Mia responds to you. How happy she is when you're around.”

I nodded, feeling that weird guilty feeling again.

“What would you think about...” he stopped for a second, trying to find the words. “What if you stayed here, like, for good? Like a… mom figure for Mia?”

Even though I kinda expected this, hearing it still surprised me. I opened my eyes wide. “Mr. Hart, I—I don’t really get what you mean.”

“I’m not saying anything weird,” he said fast. “I mean a real job. You’d have your own room in the house, good pay, benefits, days off—whatever you need. Your job would just be to be there for Mia.”

“Because I look like her real mom?” I asked quietly.

Lennox looked a little uncomfortable. “Yeah, that’s part of it. But also because you’re good with her. She trusts you. She’s just… happier when you’re here.”

I looked down at my coffee like I was thinking hard. Inside, I was excited. This was perfect for the mission—I'd get full access to his house and everything else.

“This is... a lot,” I said. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to decide now,” Lennox said fast. “Take your time. But I mean it. The offer is real.”

I looked up and saw Shadowbird behind the newspaper giving me a tiny thumbs up. “Okay. I’ll think about it,” I said.

“That’s all I ask,” Lennox said, looking a bit more relaxed.

We finished our coffee and talked about lighter stuff. Then Lennox called Daniel to come get him. As he was about to leave, he paused.

“One more thing,” he said, looking a little embarrassed. “About what happened the other night...”

“We don’t have to talk about it,” I said quickly.

“I just want to say I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.” He looked serious. “If you take the job, it’ll be 100% professional.”

I nodded, not saying anything. For some reason, his words made me feel a little sad… which was weird. I didn’t want him to kiss me again… right?

“I’ll call you in a few days,” I told him as he walked to the door. “After I think about it.”

After Lennox left, I waited a bit, then went to the restroom. Shadowbird came in a few minutes later.

“You did it,” she said quietly, checking to make sure no one else was there. “This is perfect. Now you’ll have full access—to his house, his office, his computer. Everything.”

“It feels too easy,” I said, leaning on the sink. “What if this is a trap? What if he knows something?”

“He’s just desperate,” Shadowbird said. “Did you see his face when Mia called you her mom? He’ll do anything to keep her happy. And you’re the answer.”

I nodded slowly. “So… I should say yes?”

“Yeah, of course,” Shadowbird said, pulling out a small gadget. “But not right now. Wait a day or two. Make it look real.”

“Then what?” I asked, feeling that weird worry in my chest again.

Shadowbird’s face turned serious. “Then you get what we need. Get close to him—really close. Find out what weapons he’s selling, and who he’s selling them to.”

“And what about Mia?” I asked without thinking. “What happens to her when everything falls apart?”

For a second, Shadowbird’s face changed. She looked unsure. But then she shook her head. “That’s not our problem, Phantom. You know how this works. We have a job.”

I nodded, pushing down the heavy feeling inside. “Right. The mission comes first.”

“Always,” Shadowbird said. “Call him tomorrow night. Say yes to the job. Then we start phase two.”

---

“I’ve thought about your offer,” I said into my phone the next night, walking around my small apartment. “And I’d like to say yes.”

There was a pause on the other end, then Lennox’s voice, sounding relieved: “You will? That's... that's great news.”

“I have some conditions,” I said, making my voice sound serious. “I need some guarantees about my job, my privacy, and my time off.”

“Of course,” he replied quickly. “We can figure that out. When can you start?”

I looked around at my barely-furnished apartment—the temporary living space the agency had set up for me. Nothing personal, nothing real. Just like my identity as Catherine Reed.

“How about the day after tomorrow?” I suggested. “I need to finish up some stuff and pack.”

“Perfect,” Lennox said. “I’ll have Grace get the east wing guest room ready for you. And Catherine? Thanks. This really means a lot.”

When I ended the call, I saw my reflection in the window—messy hair, serious eyes, the face that got me all this. The face that wasn’t mine, but belonged to a dead woman I was pretending to be.

My phone buzzed with a text from Shadowbird: “Phase 2 starts. Remember what we’re looking for. Don’t get attached.”

I stared at the message for a long time, then deleted it.

What if Lennox Hart wasn’t the arms dealer we thought? What if everything we believed was wrong?

And what if I was about to ruin a little girl’s life for nothing?