Page 39 of Harbinger of Destiny

There, he’d said it. He’d called Amy his girlfriend, and it didn’t feel like a lie. It felt right.

“But I’m free again, Joshua. I broke up with Corbin.”

The news jolted him. Simultaneously, distrust rose in him. “Why?”

“Why do you think?” She approached him once more and now put both hands on his chest. “Because I realized that I didn’t want Corbin. I love you.”

When she leaned in for a kiss, he pushed her back. “You should have thought about that before you accepted his proposal. Did you know that I was gonna propose to you that night?”

“Oh, Joshua,” she purred. “I’m so sorry. But now, I’m free again. I want you back.”

He scoffed. “Yeah, well, I’m not free anymore.”

Kelly’s eyes widened. “You can’t possibly want Amy. I mean, she looks grotesque!”

“I don’t care what she looks like. She’s a good person. A much better one than you. And we’re good together. With her I can be myself. I don’t have to play a role. And she cares about me.”

Kelly huffed indignantly, her mouth turning into a thin line. “She doesn’t care about you!” Her words were laced with poison. “You have no idea what she’s really like. I didn’t want to, but since you’re too stubborn to see the truth, I’ll have to do this.” She tapped on her holocom. “This is what she said when I went to see her to find out if she had real feelings for you. I only wanted your best. I would have never tried to split you guys up, if I knew that she really cared about you. But she doesn’t.”

“Stop it, Kelly! You’re just making things worse. I don’t love you anymore.”

“Listen, Joshua. Listen to this.”

She tapped on the hologram hovering over her arm, and suddenly, he heard Amy’s voice.

“Don’t worry. I only used him to make a better life for myself.”

It was Amy’s voice. There was no doubt. But he knew she would have never said something like that. “How low are you prepared to go? This is a deep fake. Amy would never say something like that. She has a heart. She’s a warm, loving woman. She’s not like you.”

* * *

Amy stepped out from behind the corner of the house where she’d heard the recording Kelly had played for Joshua.

“Yes, I said that,” Amy said as she approached the two.

Both of them whirled toward her. Joshua stared at her in disbelief. There was hurt and disappointment in his eyes.

“I said it, because of the painful things that Kelly said to me. That you could never love anybody who looked like me. I was trying to protect myself. After all, you never told me that you loved me.”

Joshua’s gaze softened, and she knew he believed her. “Amy—”

“I was going to leave you be and accept that you don’t want a life with me,” she interrupted him, “but then a friend came to see me and told me what Kelly is really like.”

“You bitch! Leave! Or I’m going to call the police,” Kelly ordered.

But Amy shook her head. “No, I won’t, not until I’ve said what I needed to say.” She looked at Joshua again. “I couldn’t have you run back to her for her to ruin your life. It doesn’t matter if you’re ever going to be with me, as long as you don’t go back to her. She’s no good for you. She’s toxic. Ask her why she’s not with Corbin Carmichael anymore and suddenly wants you back. Ask her.”

Kelly’s eyes widened, but she said nothing.

Joshua stared at her. “What happened with you and Corbin?”

Kelly didn’t respond.

“Tell me, damn it!” When Kelly still didn’t respond, Joshua turned back to Amy. “Amy?”

“Turns out that Corbin Carmichael figured out that Kelly was only using him too. She doesn’t love him, nor you for that matter. Corbin ended the engagement and signed up for the time-travel program too. He’s still in the past.”

Kelly glared at her. “That’s not true! I left him!”