Chapter 5 5

The week after the hospital was a blur of grim motion. Kaleb moved like a storm, a quiet, focused force of nature tearing down my life so I could escape it. He sold our shared apartment in less than two days, taking a lowball cash offer without a second thought. He was liquidating my assets, draining bank accounts, and methodically wiping my digital self from existence.

I moved through the empty rooms like a ghost. My job was to pack one suitcase. One. I touched nothing that sang of Kurt, nothing that held a memory of my eight years of devotion. The life I'd built was being amputated, and I had to let it go.

When I stood in the bare living room, the echo of my own breathing loud in the silence, I nearly broke. A sob caught in my throat, thick and painful. Kaleb's hand landed on my shoulder, firm and steady. He didn't say anything. He didn't have to.

The day we were set to leave, my old phone, now in Kaleb's possession, rang. He glanced at the screen, his face hardening. "It's him."

He answered, putting it on speaker.

"Where is she?" Kurt's voice was tight, not with worry, but with sheer, unadulterated annoyance. "I need her to sign the transfer of rights for 'The Seraphina' gown. My father's legal team is breathing down my neck."

A cold laugh escaped Kaleb. It was a sound I'd never heard from him before. "She's gone, Kurt."

"Gone where? This is ridiculous. Tell her to stop this childish game and-"

"Gone somewhere you'll never poison again," Kaleb cut him off, his voice chillingly calm. "Consider this her signature. Any further contact will be considered harassment. My lawyers will enjoy dealing with you."

He hung up before Kurt could utter another word. Kaleb then smashed the phone on the bare floor, grinding the pieces under his heel.

Later, on the plane, the city lights of New York receded below us. I watched them shrink until they were just a smear of distant glitter. There were no tears left. There was only a hollow, terrifying cavern inside my chest.

I pulled out the sketchbook from the hospital, the one with the single angry line. I opened it to a fresh page and pressed the pencil to the paper. I drew the same jagged line again, then another, and another, faster and harder, until the lead snapped. It was the only sound I could make. A silent scream filling the page.

***

Kurt stared at his phone, the disconnected line still buzzing in his ear. He scoffed. Childish, just as he thought. A moment later, a text message came through. It was from Katlynn's number.

*I'm sorry for the drama. I see now I was never worthy of you. I wish you and Seraphina all the happiness in the world. Goodbye.*

He felt a wave of relief. It was a pathetic, groveling message, but it soothed his irritation. He turned to Seraphina, who was examining her new engagement ring.

"See?" he said, showing her the screen. "Perfectly manageable. I was magnanimous, let her down easy."

Seraphina gave him a sweet, sympathetic smile. "You're too good to people, darling."

As he turned away, she took a screenshot of the message and forwarded it to Rhys Chandler.

*Phase one complete. The liability has been removed.*