Chapter 5 My 30 Million

With only two days left, I started my "handover" work. Grant didn't come home at all during those two days. I figured he'd rekindled things with Sylvia and gotten so wrapped up in it that he didn't even want to leave. That worked out perfectly for me. I began clearing out everything in the apartment that carried my traces. Even if I'd been a substitute, I'd still accumulated plenty over the past five years. I had so many clothes, jewelry, and bags. Most of them had been gifts from Grant, and some were things I'd bought myself. I packed up the expensive items Grant had given me. Aside from the few pieces he'd explicitly said looked "just like Sylvia", I sent everything else to a secondhand luxury consignment shop. Cash was what mattered. As for the cheap things I'd bought for myself, like the trendy online pajama sets and slippers I'd bought for just a few dollars, I threw them all away. I cleared out half the closet. Then, I replaced the pair of toothbrushes in the bathroom with a single one. I tossed the pink slippers I'd worn for five years, the ones that were already scuffed and worn thin, straight into the trash. I even emptied the fridge, getting rid of all the stomach-friendly ingredients I'd learned to cook for Grant, even though I had never liked any of them myself. When I finished, the apartment that had once felt warm suddenly looked empty. It was as if I'd never lived there. December 25 rolled around. It was Christmas Day as well as the day my contract expired. Grant finally came back. He looked radiant, which made it obvious he'd been enjoying himself. But the moment he walked in, he sensed something was wrong. "Elodie? Are you home?" The apartment was too quiet, and the emptiness felt unfamiliar to him. I sat on the couch with a document in my hand. It was my resignation letter—or what Grant would probably see as my farewell letter. "Grant, you're back." I stood up, wearing the white dress I'd worn the first time we met five years ago. I hadn't put on any makeup, and my face looked plain and clean. I looked like the young college student I had been back then. Grant froze for a moment. Surprise flickered across his eyes before it turned into guilt. "Elodie, Sylvia just got back," he said. "She's been unstable. So, I…" He walked over and tried to pull me into a hug. I took a small step back, avoiding his touch. Grant's hand stiffened in midair, and he frowned. "What's wrong? Are you mad? Didn't I explain it already? Sylvia and I are just friends—" "Grant." I cut him off and handed him the document. "Let's break up." Grant reacted like he'd just heard a joke. He took the document but didn't look at it. He tossed it onto the coffee table and loosened his tie with impatience. "Elodie, stop this. I know I neglected you these past two days. What do you want? A bag? A car? I'll take you shopping tomorrow." "I'm not making a scene." I raised my head and looked him straight in the eye. It was the first time in five years I'd looked at him with such unyielding resolve. There was no ingratiating sweetness or affection, only the relief of finally letting go. "Grant, Sylvia's back. It's time for me to leave. I was happy these past five years. Thank you for giving me a dream. Now, the dream is over." Grant's expression finally changed. He stared at me, as if trying to find even the faintest hint that I was playing hard to get. But he didn't find it. My eyes held only resolve. "Elodie, do you even know what you're saying?" His voice turned cold, heavy with the authority he was used to wielding. "Where can you possibly go without me? Back to that slum? Or are you going to wait tables?" He sneered. "Don't forget, you're just a substitute. Without me, you're nothing!" Those words would've gutted the "devoted" version of me. But now, they only made me want to laugh. And I did laugh. I laughed until tears slipped out. "Yeah. I'm nothing. So, I don't deserve to stay by your side. Grant, I wish you and Sylvia a happy life together." After that, I turned and walked toward the door without hesitation. "Elodie! Stop!" Grant roared behind me. "If you walk out that door today, don't ever think about coming back! Even if you get on your knees and beg me, I won't spare you a second glance!" I didn't even slow down. Beg him? I'd only come back to buy his company when he went bankrupt. I opened the door and walked out. Snow was falling heavily. The streets were filled with Christmas lights, laughter, and celebration. I took a deep breath. Even the air tasted sweet with freedom. It was finally over. Five years. A total of 1,825 days. I had 30 million dollars in savings. Freedom was finally here. I pulled out my phone to call a car to the airport. I'd already booked a flight to the Maldera Islands. I was leaving tonight to enjoy my retirement. However, as I crossed the street toward the pickup spot on the other side, a truck that had lost control suddenly barreled in from the side. Brakes shrieked as metal slammed into me, and I was tossed into the air before I hit the snow hard. My vision blurred, and panicked shouts rang out around me. Right before everything went black, one thought hit me like a punch. Damn it! I hadn't even spent my 30 million dollars yet!