Chapter 5

He turned to the now-astonished sales assistant, his voice carrying an unyielding command.

"Starting today, I want you to remember Miss Dubois’s face. From now on, all Thorne Corporation properties will prioritize her service, no questions asked."

With a condescending smirk, Sera dropped the dress.

"No thanks, I don't need this.

"Let the poor, unloved ones have it."

Alex didn't press the issue.

"Whatever makes you happy."

I stood there, watching Alex’s gaze, which never left Sera, and the last shred of warmth in my heart completely froze.

Returning to the villa where I had lived for three years, the key card access system failed to verify.

I was about to call the housekeeper when the main door opened from the inside.

Sera Dubois stood there, wearing my slippers and wrapped in Alex's bathrobe.

She frowned, as if seeing something disgusting.

"I thought you were a decent person. You should know your place."

"Clinging to Alex, is it really worth it? Wearing white clothes to copy me, is that really fun?"

I stood outside the door, feeling the night wind chill me.

Yes, it really wasn't worth it.

What was I even fantasizing about?

I looked down and took off the diamond ring Alex had personally designed for me.

The black card, the car keys.

And my marriage certificate with Alex.

I placed all these symbols of "Mrs. Thorne" identity, one by one, neatly arranged.

Then, I turned and never looked back.

I pulled out a brand new phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, it's me."

"From now on, there is no more Mrs. Thorne in this world."

Alex didn't contact me again, probably assuming I was just throwing a childish tantrum.

It didn't matter.

I was too busy to bother with him.

The gossip headlines, however, were diligently updated.

In the photos, he and Sera were seen together everywhere.

His usually stern face held a tenderness I had never seen directed at me.

Regarding Sera, Alex neither confirmed nor denied anything.

I scrolled past the news, turned off my phone, and continued to list all my assets.

All the wealth I had accumulated to reach Alex was now converted into cash, flowing into the account of a charity fighting human trafficking.

The director was so emotional she was incoherent, thanking me profusely.

But I was lost in thought, looking at the photos of the rescued children.

Alex and I escaped from the bad guys.

But we got lost in the mountains.

Little Alex gave me the last wild fruit he'd picked, while he gnawed on mud to fill his stomach.

But we were caught again.

A rusty iron rod smashed into my body, and I screamed in terror.

Alex, however, shielded me with his body, grunting as he endured all the blows.

The smell of blood filled the air, and he lay there, barely conscious.

While the bad guys drank themselves senseless, I finally found a chance to crawl through a small hole, barely big enough for a dog, and called the police.

Later, Alex was picked up by his family, and I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye.

His promise to marry me, whispered before he passed out, became my sole obsession for many years.

I used all my strength to slowly make my way to him, becoming his wife.

But it was nothing more than a one-woman show.

Alex had long forgotten.

Back at my short-term rental, Sera Dubois was casually sitting inside.

She even looked up and smiled.

"You're back?"

The next second, police sirens blared outside.

The door was kicked open with immense force, and a group of black-suited bodyguards burst in, pinning me to the ground without a word.

"Don't move!"

Then, Alex rushed in, pulling Sera into his arms, his voice laced with a raw, uncontained relief.

"Sera, it's alright. I was careless and let them snatch you."