Chapter 2

I didn't sleep that night. I sat on the sofa in the dark, watching the city lights, my mind a whirlwind of plans and checklists. Caleb never came back. I hadn't expected him to. I knew he was with Frances, where the story wanted him to be.

I didn't call him. I didn't text. For the first time in three years, I let him go without a fight. It felt strangely liberating.

When the sun rose, casting a pale glow over the city, I got up. I showered, dressed, and had a small breakfast alone at the massive dining table. The silence of the penthouse was absolute.

Yesterday, I had given every member of the household staff a generous severance package and sent them on their way. Only my old family butler, Mr. Thompson, remained. He had been with my family since before I was born.

He approached me as I finished my coffee, his expression worried. "Miss Jaliyah, are you certain about this? Letting everyone go?"

"I'm certain, Thompson," I said gently. "I won't be needing them anymore."

Soon, this place would be empty. No maids to witness my strange behavior, no chefs to question my lack of appetite. It needed to be a clean break.

Thompson wrung his hands. "But who will take care of you?"

I smiled, a small, sad smile. "I can take care of myself." I pulled a thick, sealed envelope from my purse. "I need you to do one last thing for me. Please deliver this to my parents. And please, make sure you give it to them in person. It's very important."

He took the letter, his eyes filled with concern. "Of course, miss."

The letter contained everything. A heavily redacted version, of course. I couldn't tell them their daughter had realized she was a character in a trashy novel. I framed it as an escape from a dangerous, obsessive relationship that I feared would end badly. I explained my plan to fake my death, to start a new life somewhere far away. I assured them I would be safe, that I would find a way to contact them secretly in the future. I told them not to worry.

I had considered asking them to come with me, to disappear together. But they were the Osbornes. Their lives, their empire, were fixtures in this city. Their sudden disappearance would trigger a massive investigation, far bigger than that of a single lovelorn heiress. It would put my escape at risk. And how could I explain the truth to them? They would think I had lost my mind.

No, this was a path I had to walk alone.

After Thompson left, his face a mask of worried loyalty, I began the next phase of my plan. I dealt with my own affairs quickly, transferring assets, closing accounts. Then, I moved on to Caleb's.

First, I visited his grandmother. She lived in a small, tidy apartment in Queens that I had arranged and paid for. She was a sweet woman with kind eyes who, unlike Caleb, had always been warm to me.

She greeted me with a hug. "Jaliyah, dear! What a lovely surprise."

We sat and talked for a while. She fussed over me, telling me I looked pale. And then, as always, she brought up the one topic that made my chest tighten.

"So," she said, her eyes twinkling. "When are you and my Caleb finally going to get married? I'm not getting any younger, you know. I want to see my great-grandchildren."

I felt a familiar pang of bitterness. Marriage. It was a future that was never in the cards for me. In the novel, Caleb proposed to Frances on the very day my body was supposed to be found.

"We're not in any rush, Nana," I said, forcing a smile. I knew Caleb loved his grandmother more than anyone. He wouldn't want her to worry.

She patted my hand. "I know, I know. But he's a good boy, Jaliyah. He's just... proud. That start you two had, with the money... it wasn't ideal. It put a wall between you. But I can see he cares for you."

I just smiled, my heart aching. She saw what she wanted to see. But I knew the truth. Caleb didn't care for me. He cared for Frances.

I didn't argue. There was no point. Instead, I took out a small, unmarked bank card and placed it in her hand. "Nana, I need you to give this to Caleb. It's some money I'd set aside for him to start his own company. Tell him... tell him I wish him all the best."

I hoped this final gesture, this seed money for the tech empire he was destined to build, would make him think of me with some small amount of kindness after I was "gone." Maybe he wouldn't spit on my grave.

His grandmother looked at the card, then back at me, her brow furrowed with concern. "Jaliyah, is something wrong? Did you two have a fight?"

"No, nothing like that," I said, standing up. "I'm just going on a little trip. For a while."

"A trip? To where?"

Before I could answer, a cold, familiar voice cut through the air from the doorway.

"Where do you think you're going, Jaliyah?"

I froze, then slowly turned. Caleb was standing there, his face a thunderous mask.