Chapter 4
Ely chose the meeting spot.
It was at the city's largest hotel.
I could hear faint, heavy breathing through the screen.
"Why won’t you listen? I’ve been telling you it’s not safe to be around me."
I had seen every side of Arthur. I had seen him at his gentlest and at his coldest, and yet, this was the first time I was seeing him in such a troubled state.
"I just miss you so much. I'm about to get married to someone else, but you still won’t see me. Have you truly fallen in love with that wife of yours?"
"Don’t be ridiculous. I'm only doing this to keep you safe."
The two of them continued their lovers’ talk until Arthur eventually left.
He had always been a cautious man this time around, but he failed to notice someone hiding behind the screen.
I did not have a mirror to see my expression, but I was sure it was a bitter one, wry with irony.
"Poor you. He's gone. Still, as a fellow woman, I'm willing to hear you out."
Ely proceeded to step out from behind the screen with a smug look in her eyes as if she was soaking in her victory.
Her skin glowed, and she wore well-fitting clothes that flattered her figure. The exposed parts of her skin were fair and flawless like crystal.
I suddenly glanced down at myself and regarded my casual ensemble. Ever since I got together with Arthur, I had been wary of dressing up because I was afraid to expose my scars.
Due to my frequent injuries, I was far frailer than Ely.
She stood in front of me and proceeded to scrutinize me up and down. There was nothing more humiliating than the regard she gave me.
"I’m not here to fight over Arthur with you. I've been with him long enough. While he doesn't love me, I know he still has feelings for me."
After having been with him for so many years, I had also learned the art of bluffing for intimidation.
"I know the reason you’re meeting me today is because you want me to back down. I know I can't win at this point. All I want is a copy of his signature for keepsake."
After that, I walked out of the hotel with a much lighter step.
For the past two days, I had done everything I could think of to pester Arthur. He was cooperative at first, but eventually grew irritated.
Nevertheless, it did not matter. I only cared about achieving my goal.
Two days later, Ely managed to give me a copy of his signature. When I saw it, I heaved a sigh of relief and immediately went to print the divorce papers.
On the morning of the third day, my personal information was officially erased for good.
I sorted out all the presents he had given me over the years, along with the secret diary. I made sure to place them in the most prominent spot in the villa. I decided it was better for these scraps to be returned to their rightful owner.
Meanwhile, I had all my personal belongings burned before I boarded the plane.
At the airport terminal, I reached for my phone and sent a short text to Ely that read: "Thanks."
Just as I was about to close my phone, a notification popped up. It was a text from Arthur.
"Baby, I’ll be home soon. I bought your favorite cake for your birthday. It’s strawberry cake."
"I’m sorry, baby. Ely hasn’t been feeling so good, and since she’s all alone, I figured I should check on her first…"
I had powered off the phone. The screen faded into darkness, but I did not even bother finishing his text. He had gone to spend time with Ely.
I crushed the SIM card and tossed it into the trash can. Then, I boarded the plane.
Meanwhile, in a ballroom somewhere else, Ely and Arthur were together. Her cheeks were flushed red with alcohol, and she was lying on Arthur’s body.
"Arthur, I’ll be fine. Why don’t you go back to Juniper? I just missed you. That’s why I selfishly called you." Her eyes were filled with tears.
Meanwhile, the screen of Arthur’s phone was blinking next to him.
It was not until they emerged from the ballroom that he noticed dozens of missed calls.
The moment he picked up, he heard the rattled voice of his close friend, Jeremiah Burnham.
"Arthur! A lawyer just served you with divorce papers! Juniper found out about your relationship with Ely! We can’t get in touch with Juniper at all, despite exhausting every communication channel we have!"
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