Chapter 3

3

With only three days left before my departure, I started erasing my presence from that house.

I packed up the clothes that were still wearable and dropped them off at a local women's shelter.

Everything else went straight into the trash.

I deleted all my social media accounts and spent the afternoon at the government offices getting my paperwork in order.

Quinn had no idea any of this was happening.

He was currently in the Bahamas with Marilyn, celebrating her big win.

The Bahamas was their little private paradise; they flew there every chance they got.

Two days left.

Marilyn sent me a photo of a young boy building a sandcastle on the beach.

The caption read: 【The little guy wanted to build a castle today, so Daddy took him to the shore～】

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning.

The boy in the photo looked hauntingly familiar.

I had seen his face on Quinn's phone wallpaper before.

Back then, I thought Quinn just liked kids.

But now I knew the truth. This boy was their son.

No wonder he never wanted kids with me. No wonder he claimed he didn't want me to suffer through pregnancy.

He already had his perfect little family waiting in the wings.

I was the only one playing the role of the fool.

On my final day, Marilyn didn't send photos. She sent an audio clip.

It was the sound of her and Quinn in bed together.

I listened to the whole thing with a blank expression, then left a single letter on the nightstand.

I walked out of that house for the last time.

At the airport, my family's security detail was already waiting for me.

They stood in perfect formation, tall and imposing, guarding the private terminal.

Just as I was about to board, Quinn called.

"Babe, I'm back from my business trip. I'm coming to pick you up for that art gallery opening."

He was back, alright. I could see him across the terminal, Marilyn and their son clinging to his sides.

My voice was steady. "The gallery closes in thirty minutes. Can you make it?"

He was laughing while adjusting the boy's shirt, about to answer, when Marilyn leaned in and kissed him.

"Honey, you promised to take us to the zoo first, and then we have to get little Leo back to the island. There's no time."

The little boy tugged on his hand. "Daddy, I want to see the elephants!"

Finally, a text popped up from Quinn: 【Babe, something came up. Let's push the gallery visit back a few days.】

I let out a soft, relieved laugh and turned off the phone.

I walked toward the gate, literally brushing past him in the crowd.

Quinn suddenly stopped and looked back at my retreating figure.

"That woman… she looked a bit like Sienna."

Marilyn laughed and patted his arm. "Don't be silly. A woman surrounded by that many bodyguards? That could never be Sienna."

Quinn chuckled. "You're right. My eyes must be playing tricks on me."

"Let's go, Leo! To the zoo!"

The plane roared down the runway and pierced through the clouds.

I closed my eyes and let the silence wash over me.

Quinn, we are officially strangers now.