Chapter 5

The next twenty-four hours were a blur of quiet, methodical work. As soon as Damon left, I received a text. It was from an unknown number.

"I'm pregnant. It's Damon's. He loves me, not you."

Attached was a picture of the ultrasound. A tiny, grainy image that represented the final nail in the coffin of my marriage.

"He's going to leave you for me. For us. You should just pack your bags and get out of his house. It's my house now."

I recognized the tone immediately. Kandy Morris. The pregnancy had made her bold. She thought she had won.

I didn't reply. Her messages meant nothing to me anymore. They were just noise.

I walked through the house, room by room, with a large trash bag. I gathered up all the things that tied me to him. Photos, gifts, clothes he'd bought me. Ten years of a shared life, reduced to a pile of meaningless objects.

I didn't keep anything sentimental. I packed only what I needed: a few sets of practical clothes, my encrypted laptop, and a burner phone. Everything else, I threw away or left behind.

The morning of my departure, I woke up early. My single suitcase was packed and waiting by the door. I sat in the silent living room, watching the sun rise.

My burner phone buzzed again. Another message from Kandy.

This time, it was a photo. Damon was on one knee, holding a ring box. Kandy's hand was outstretched, a massive diamond on her finger. They were in a fancy restaurant.

"He proposed!" the message read. "We're getting married as soon as the divorce is final. He said he wants a huge wedding, bigger than the one he had with you."

"He's tired of you, old woman. He told me he can't wait to get you out of his life."

"You should do him a favor and leave the villa. I'll be moving in after our honeymoon."

I stared at the photo. He had proposed. While still married to me. The sheer audacity of it was almost impressive.

This time, I replied.

"Congratulations. I wish you both all the happiness you deserve."

I added a smiling emoji. Let her wonder what that meant.

A few minutes later, a black, nondescript car pulled into the driveway. My ride to the airport. It was time.

I picked up my suitcase, took one last look around the house, and walked out the door without a backward glance.

The car moved smoothly through the city traffic. We were about twenty minutes from the airport when we stopped at a red light.

I heard gasps and excited chatter from people on the sidewalk.

"Wow, look at that! Must be a celebrity wedding!"

A long procession of white luxury cars was passing through the intersection. The lead car was a white Rolls-Royce, decorated with elaborate flower arrangements.

I glanced out the window, my curiosity piqued.

Inside the Rolls-Royce sat Damon, smiling and waving at the crowd. Beside him, in a white wedding dress, was Kandy Morris. She was laughing, her hand on his, showing off her new ring.

Our cars were side-by-side. For a split second, our eyes met.

His smile vanished. His face went pale with shock and confusion. He saw me, in a strange car, with a suitcase at my side. He saw the cold, empty look in my eyes.

The light turned green. My driver pulled away, leaving him behind.

His phone started ringing. My personal phone, the one he knew. It rang and rang, a frantic, desperate sound.