Thea nearly turned away but caught herself, remembering her hearing hadn't "returned" yet. She froze in place.

Terrence rushed over and stopped before her, his eyes wide with alarm.

When she didn't react, it dawned on him, and he quickly repeated himself in sign language, "Thea, are you leaving me? We're about to get married. Where are you going?"

Thea's expression remained calm. "It's my friend who's leaving."

Terrence studied her face, looking for any hint of a lie. Finding none, he let out a relieved breath. "I'm so glad to hear that, Thea. You have no idea how terrified I was. I don't know what I'd do if you left me."

He pulled her into a tight hug, his face still shadowed with fear.

Thea heard his emotional words but felt nothing. If he was so afraid of losing her, then why had he cheated? Did he think her deafness meant she'd never find out?

Too bad for him—she knew everythi

Terrence was too distracted to calm Alyssa down after hitting the man. On the way to the hospital, he finally noticed Thea's bleeding cheek.

Once they arrived, he insisted that the doctor tend to her face first, even as his own shoulder continued to bleed. "The wedding's coming up. Thea's face has to be perfect."

Guilt heavy in his eyes, he turned to her and explained himself in sign language, "This was all on me, sweetheart. I was just watching out for Alyssa since she reports to me. Don't be mad, okay?"

Thea stayed silent, motioning for the doctor to treat Terrence's shoulder first and ignore her injury. It wasn't like she'd be at the wedding anyway. What did it matter if her face was scarred?

Terrence took her gesture as affection, his expression softening with emotion. The doctor cut through his blood-soaked shirt, revealing the ugly wound beneath.

Thea then realized that the ne

Thea's lips twisted in a bitter smile. He was the reason she was like this. She couldn't stomach another moment of his hypocrisy.

Shoving him out, she turned the lock. "I'm sleeping alone tonight."

Terrence's worried pleas carried through the door, but she pretended not to hear, lying down without another thought.

Thea couldn't silence his flippant words echoing in her mind. He'd sworn undying devotion when they first got together. Back then, she'd truly believed he was her salvation.

Now, she knew better. He wasn't her savior. He was the devil, dragging her deeper into the abyss. He'd given her a love so intense that it had seared her soul, only to destroy her completely.

Thea closed her eyes, a tear slipping free. If she could turn back time, she'd choose never to have known Terrence at all.

…

Early the next morning, Thea opened the door to find Terrence waiting outside, his expression wounded.

"Thea, why did you lock me out last night? Are you mad because I left you at the bridal shop yesterday? Something urgent came up, I swear. Please, forgive me."

Something urgent? Sure, if sleeping with Alyssa qualified as an urgent matter.

Thea didn't bother calling him out. She'd be gone in eight days, and he'd finally realize she'd known everything all along.

She shook her head. "I'm not mad. Work takes priority. I understand."

The calmness in her voice sent a jolt of panic through Terrence. "No! You're my priority, Thea. I swear I'll never leave you like that again."

His hands flew through the signs before he crushed her in a desperate embrace, holding her so tight that it seemed he wanted to fuse them permanently.

Thea said nothing.

Again? There would be no second chances.

Maybe it was guilt, but Terrence stayed by Thea's side the following days, balancing remote work with wedding preparations.

Then, an unavoidable corporate cocktail party arose, and he insisted that Thea join him. Before she could refuse, he had a stylist sent to their home.

Only when they arrived did Thea realize Alyssa was there, too.

Dressed in a curve-hugging V-neck dress, Alyssa approached them, smiling as she said, "Mr. Hatcher, Ms. Lundy."

Thea studied Alyssa. She moved with effortless grace, her demeanor perfectly composed. It was hard to believe this was the same woman who had provoked her just the night before. She was every bit as good an actor as Terrence.

Thea hadn't missed the tension in Terrence's gaze when he noticed Alyssa or the subtle bob of his Adam's apple. Yet, he kept her hand firmly in his, playing the role of the indifferent superior, offering nothing more than a nod of acknowledgment.

Spotting Terrence, party guests drifted over, drinks in hand and eager to chat. A few socialites tried making small talk with Thea, but she stayed in character, feigning deafness and pretending not to hear them.

Terrence smiled and explained on her behalf. Then, as if worried she might grow bored, he excused himself to get her favorite pastries, setting them beside her with a glass of juice.

The guests remarked approvingly at his thoughtfulness.

"Mr. Hatcher truly is the perfect gentleman."

"I'd heard how much Mr. Hatcher spoils his fiancée, and now I see it myself."

Thea kept her eyes downcast, long lashes masking the sarcasm in her gaze.

During the conversation, Terrence's phone rang. He glanced at the screen, and his expression shifted.

"Excuse me. A work issue needs my attention," he said apologetically.

Before leaving, he signed to Thea, "Something came up, Thea. Stay here. I'll be back soon."

Almost instinctively, she scanned the room and noticed Alyssa was gone. Moments later, her phone buzzed. Alyssa had texted her. Attached was a screenshot of a chat log.

The screenshot showed Alyssa's bare back, the zipper deliberately undone at the base, inviting all manner of suggestive thoughts.

Beneath it, she'd written, "Mr. Hatcher, I can't get my zipper up. Care to help me out?"

Terrence's response was brief. "Where?"

"He couldn't hold back. We didn't even make it out of the restroom. People were just outside. It was so intense. He took me twice and left me barely able to stand. That's something you'll never make him feel.

"And we didn't use protection again. We've stopped counting how often that's happened. He said if I got pregnant, he'd let me keep it. Who knows? Maybe I'm already carrying his child."

Thea closed her eyes, pressing a hand firmly against her chest as if she could push the pain away. Had Terrence really been so desperate that he couldn't wait a few more hours?

Her phone buzzed again. She steeled herself for another taunt from Alyssa but instead saw a message from the death-faking service.

"Ms. Lundy, your new identity is ready. Your flight to Elseria departs in five days at 6:00 pm. We require final confirmation. Do you still wish to leave?"

Thea activated her camera, positioned herself in frame, and recorded a brief video. "I confirm my decision to leave."

The words had barely left her lips when a frantic voice interrupted from behind her, "Leave? You're leaving, Thea?"


Thea nearly turned away but caught herself, remembering her hearing hadn't "returned" yet. She froze in place.

Terrence rushed over and stopped before her, his eyes wide with alarm.

When she didn't react, it dawned on him, and he quickly repeated himself in sign language, "Thea, are you leaving me? We're about to get married. Where are you going?"

Thea's expression remained calm. "It's my friend who's leaving."

Terrence studied her face, looking for any hint of a lie. Finding none, he let out a relieved breath. "I'm so glad to hear that, Thea. You have no idea how terrified I was. I don't know what I'd do if you left me."

He pulled her into a tight hug, his face still shadowed with fear.

Thea heard his emotional words but felt nothing. If he was so afraid of losing her, then why had he cheated? Did he think her deafness meant she'd never find out?

Too bad for him—she knew everything.

Terrence, still shaken, slipped an arm around her waist to steer her away. "Thea, let's go home

Chapter 6