Chapter 1

I'm the biological daughter the Emerson family lost twenty years ago.

They find me when I'm nineteen, fresh out of foster care, sick, nearly 190 pounds from steroids, and covered in acne.

One look at me, and I can tell I'm not the daughter they pictured bringing home.

A few months later, I'm gone.

Sabrina stays.

Then somehow, both of us end up at Westbridge School of Cinematic Arts.

Sabrina fits right in.

Of course she does.

She's pretty, polished, and has been living the Emerson life since she was a baby.

I get into the School of Cinematic Arts, but before I can finish my freshman year, my health gets worse and I take medical leave.

That's when I start doing voice work online to help pay my tuition.

And that's how I meet Chase Nolan.

Chase has brutal insomnia.

The first time he hears me on a late-night stream, he messages me afterward.

Can you talk for another ten minutes?

Ten minutes turns into an hour.

Then another night.

Then every night.

Somewhere along the way, he starts calling me baby.

Almost a year later, we're dating.

At least, that's what I think we're doing.

Chase has never seen me in person.

He knows what I looked like before I left Westbridge School of Cinematic Arts, but he has no idea how much I've changed since then.

We make plans to finally meet when I come back to campus.

Three days before I'm supposed to return, Sabrina drops an old picture of me into a Westbridge School of Cinematic Arts group chat.

My hair is a mess.

My face is swollen from medication, my skin is breaking out, and I'm wearing an old T-shirt that hangs off me in all the wrong places.

Then she tags me.

Sabrina: Avery, I know you're the girl Chase has been talking to.

Another message pops up before I can answer.

Sabrina: Wanna make a bet?

The chat immediately starts moving.

Wait. That's Chase's girl?

THAT Chase Nolan?

No fucking way.

Sabrina sends a laughing emoji.

Sabrina: My birthday party is Friday. Chase is coming.

Sabrina: If he sees you and still wants you, I'll admit I was wrong.

Someone replies:

And if he doesn't?

Sabrina answers almost immediately.

Sabrina: Avery posts a face reveal on her public account.

Sabrina: Caption has to say, “Yeah, I catfished my boyfriend.”

Sabrina: And she leaves it up for a week.

The chat explodes.

Girl don't do it 😭

Chase is gonna see her and suddenly remember he has somewhere else to be.

Be serious. He could date literally anyone.

I'd fake my own death before showing up.

Sabrina adds one more message.

Sabrina: It's okay if you're scared, Avery. Nobody's forcing you.

I stare at the screen.

She still thinks I look like that picture.

So does everyone else in the chat.

None of them knows I've spent the past year recovering, training, and losing almost fifty pounds.

None of them has seen me since I left Westbridge School of Cinematic Arts.

And Sabrina definitely doesn't know what I've been doing while she's been busy laughing at my old pictures.

Last month, Violet Echo passed three million followers.

Last week, I won one of the biggest voice acting awards of my career.

Two days ago, I signed the biggest contract I've ever had.

Chase knows Violet Echo.

Actually, he's a fan.

He just has no idea the girl whose voice he listens to online and the girl he calls every night are the same person.

I read Sabrina's message again.

Nobody's forcing you.

I almost laugh.

Then I tap the link to join the bet.

Avery: I'm in.

I type one more message.

Avery: And when Chase doesn't dump me, you can post the apology yourself.