Chapter 9

It was a text from Spencer. It read, "Suzie, an urgent project just came up at work. I'll be away on business for a week. Stay home and take good care of yourself while I'm gone. "Make sure you take your medications at the right time. I have a surprise for you when I get back. Don't forget to miss me." As Suzanne stared at the text, fresh tears streamed down her cheeks. Yet, something inside her had gone completely cold. Spencer Price wasn't going to be the only one with a surprise. She had one in store for him—one he'd never have seen coming. Her hands trembled as she rubbed the tears off her face. She reached for her phone to call her lawyer. Before she even unlocked her phone, the screen lit up with an incoming call from Andrew Lloyd. Her heart lurched. She drew a deep breath and clicked the "Answer" button. "Ms. Trent, your divorce from Mr. Price was completed yesterday. The divorce certificate has been issued. I've just picked it up from the registrar's office. "Are you available now? I can bring it to you, or you can come here." The divorce certificate had been issued! It was finally over. "I'll come get it," Suzanne heard herself say. Her voice was hoarse yet eerily calm. "Right now." "Alright. I'll be waiting for you at the firm." An hour later, Suzanne walked out of the law firm with the divorce certificate tucked in a maroon folder. "Ms. Trent," Andrew began as he walked her to the door, his expression tinged with sympathy and concern. "What do you plan to do next? With Mr. Price..." "Mr. Lloyd," Suzanne interrupted, lifting her gaze. Her eyes were steady, almost hollow. "I need two more favors from you." "Go on." "First, I need you to get my records marked as deceased. I no longer want the name Suzanne Trent." Andrew's pupils constricted. "Deceased? This... Requires a legitimate basis. And the process is complicated. It takes time." "The basis? Accidental death," Suzanne said, each syllable even. "As of today. You can make it work, can't you? "Money isn't an issue. My personal assets are more than enough to cover everything—and to properly thank you." Seeing the resolve in her eyes, Andrew knew nothing could change her mind. He nodded heavily. "I understand. And the second thing?" Suzanne turned her head slowly, gazing in the general direction of the villa. In the depths of her eyes, a spark of destruction flared. "Second, help me burn down that villa. The fire doesn't need to be huge, but it must look like an accident. Most importantly, Suzanne didn't make it out." Andrew instantly understood her intentions. It was an escape tactic. She wanted Suzanne Trent to "die" in that fire, once and for all. To disappear cleanly from everyone's world. He knew her heart was already shattered, and her decision was irreversible. "You..." His throat was scratchy, and he gulped in an attempt to ease the dryness. "Have you thought this through? Once this is done, Suzanne Trent will never exist again." "She should have died a long time ago," Suzanne muttered, almost like a sigh. "On the day she believed in fairy-tale love." Silence stretched between them. The air felt viscous. At last, Andrew heaved a deep sigh, as though it drained all his strength. "Very well. I'll help you. But you must promise me this—once you leave, never return to Rivoria. And never reveal your new identity or whereabouts to anyone. Suzanne Trent must die completely." "I promise." Suzanne nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Mr. Lloyd." "Take care." He shook her hand, a complex mix of emotions tumbling in his eyes. When Suzanne emerged from the firm again, there was not a sliver of hesitation in her step. She headed straight to the airport and bought the earliest departing flight. After everything was arranged, she made herself comfortable in the bustling departure hall. She watched as planes rose and fell beyond the glass walls. Inside her, there was only a vast, hollow calm. Her phone vibrated. She looked down to see a message from Andrew. It contained a single "OK" emoji. Everything was in place. She powered off her phone and removed the SIM card. Decisively, she snapped it in two and dropped it into a nearby bin. As if on cue, the boarding announcement for her flight sounded. Suzanne rose, passed through security, walked the jet bridge, and assumed her seat by the window. The aircraft taxied, accelerated, and took off, soaring into the sky. Beneath them, Rivoria shrank, gradually swallowed by clouds. This was goodbye. No, it was farewell forever. To Spencer Price and Mason Lowell… May their paths never cross hers again. And may they both find whatever they were seeking in their world built on deceit and harm. Suzanne leaned against the window, watching the rolling sea of clouds give way to the starry sky. Her eyes drifted shut. Tears slipped down her cheeks. But this time, they weren't for what she'd lost. They were for rebirth.