Chapter 3 I'm All Free

After stepping into the bedroom, Claire began packing her belongings with quick, practiced movements. When she finished, she took out a second phone and opened a messaging app she hadn't used in years.

Inside a small group chat with only a few people in it, she sent a single message.

"I'm divorced. Back to being single."

Almost instantly, her phone buzzed without stopping as replies flooded in.

Nate Singh, her racing partner, responded first, "Wait. What? Claire, did someone hack your account?"

Right behind him came Kenneth Wright's reply-the medical genius everyone jokingly called a miracle doctor. "This deserves a celebration. You're free now. Drinks tonight. No backing out."

Next to appear was Zayne Ford's reply-the hacker of the group. "Want me to erase your online footprint? Send me your IP. I'll do it for free. Cade won't be able to track you."

Jemma Scott, Claire's jewelry designer friend, chimed in with obvious excitement. "About time. I told you that man was never good enough for you. Claire, I'm sending you something from my 'Rebirth' collection. Let the world see how brightly you can shine."

The notifications came so quickly that the screen began to blur.

Reading their messages, Claire felt something inside her soften. These friends were noisy, stubborn, and unfailingly loyal.

With calm fingers, she typed a short reply. "I'm serious. Divorce is finalized. See you at the same place later."

After placing the phone aside, she walked to the farthest corner of the walk-in closet. Hidden behind a row of hanging clothes, a concealed drawer quietly slid open.

Inside, there were no garments at all. Only a black metal case rested there.

Claire placed her thumb on the scanner, and with a soft click, the lock released.

Everything inside the case was laid out with flawless order. A surgical scalpel reflected a cold metallic shine. Beside it rested a set of unique racing keys, a sleek high-end laptop, and a thick pile of design drafts filled with precise lines and meticulous detail. The work looked refined enough to hang in a gallery.

For three years, she had locked all of it away so she could live as Cade's wife.

During that time, she buried her sharp instincts, her drive, and every trace of the life she once lived.

Now those parts of her would return.

Claire lifted the laptop from the case and switched it on. The familiar system appeared on the screen as her fingers quickly moved across the keyboard. Within moments, she had slipped into the Willis Group's internal network.

One by one, she removed every record of the crises she had quietly resolved during the past three years. The deletion included the core technology she personally created, the same project Willis Group had planned to use in their cooperation with the Morgan family.

Cade had always assumed those successes were the result of luck or capable staff.

He would never realize how many nights she spent awake while he slept, clearing every obstacle standing in his path.

When the screen displayed the message "DELETION COMPLETE," Claire's face remained calm.

The marriage was over. Now, every last connection between them had to go.

The Willis family no longer had any claim on her. From this moment on, they would never gain another benefit from her efforts.

After closing the laptop, Claire picked up her phone and sent a private message to her closest friend, Rylie Miller. "I'm all free."

Rylie's response came almost immediately. "Give me ten minutes. I'll be outside that idiot's house to pick you up."

That was how Rylie operated. When she made a decision, she moved fast enough to make people nervous.

She promised ten minutes, yet the roar of an engine reached the street in less than six.

A striking sports car glided to the curb and stopped sharply. Dressed entirely in black, Rylie leaned against the vehicle with complete confidence. The moment she spotted Claire stepping out with her suitcase, a wide smile spread across her face.

"Congratulations," Rylie said brightly. "You're finally free."

Claire hadn't even opened her mouth when Rylie suddenly produced a bottle of champagne like a stage magician. With an effortless flick of her wrist, she popped the cork.

The cork shot skyward, and sparkling foam burst into the air under the glow of the sunset before splashing onto Claire's shoulder.

"I didn't have time to grab anything extravagant," Rylie said with a playful grin. "So, champagne will have to do. Let's celebrate your new beginning."

The cold liquid soaked into Claire's shirt, but she barely noticed. Instead, a warmth filled her eyes as tears threatened to surface.

It felt wonderful.

Now that she'd walked away from Cade, the life that truly belonged to her was finally beginning again.

With a mischievous smile, Rylie tossed her the keys and raised an eyebrow. "Want to drive?"

"Hop in." Claire caught the keys, slid behind the wheel, and pressed the accelerator without hesitation.

The Bugatti Veyron roared awake and surged forward, pulling away from the house before merging smoothly into the flow of traffic.

The speed rose quickly, yet the car remained perfectly stable under Claire's control.

Rylie leaned deeper into the seat and tilted her head toward Claire. "So tell me something. What finally snapped you out of that awful taste you had in men?"

"His first love returned," Claire said evenly without taking her eyes off the road. "They're together again."

Rylie nearly erupted. "Are you kidding me? She ran off, disappeared, then strolled back three years later? Are there no other men in the world? She had to go after your husband?"

Her frustration kept building, the words pouring out faster with every second. "And Cade? Total jerk. Married, and still clinging to his first love. Honestly. He's revolting."

Claire stayed silent. Rylie's outburst was so fierce that she wasn't sure how to respond.

Sensing her friend's discomfort, Rylie coughed lightly. "I'm just furious about it. They get to pick up where they left off while you're expected to quietly disappear? Why make things convenient for them? And that Dina-come on. You should compete with her directly."

Claire shot back calmly, "And what would that accomplish? Announce to the world that I'm the woman who got thrown aside?"

"But they're getting off far too easily!"

"They're not," Claire said softly, though her tone carried quiet certainty. "From now on, I'm simply Claire. I'm not anyone's accessory anymore. I never will be again."

"Now that's what I wanted to hear." Rylie's mood shifted just as quickly as it had ignited, the anger fading away. "This calls for a celebration. Drinks?"

"We'll do that later," Claire said as she turned the steering wheel slightly. "I need to make a stop first. I'm getting a new look."

"Finally." Rylie's eyes brightened with excitement. Then another thought crossed her mind, and she leaned forward slightly. "Oh, right. You've been completely absent for three years, and a bunch of people in the medical world have practically gone crazy trying to track you down. When are you planning to return?"

Claire's face remained calm. "The timing feels right now. Let the news spread."

Rylie chuckled, clearly entertained. "Speaking of that, Cade has been searching for you as well." Her amusement only grew as she continued, "Apparently, his first love needs treatment. He won't realize the truth, not until it smacks him directly in the face. The woman he discarded so casually is the one he desperately tried to reach for help: the legendary figure, Dr. L."

A sharp smile formed on Rylie's lips. "Honestly, I can't wait to watch his expression when he finally figures it out, when that smug confidence of his finally cracks."