Chapter 2
I left behind everything Caleb had ever given me—jewelry, clothes, bags, and all those keepsakes that once held our memories—in his penthouse.
I didn't want to make things awkward for his future wife, so I didn't even take a single thing with me.
Two weeks later, with all assets and business ties severed, I was completely free from Caleb. Every last trace of me had been thoroughly eradicated from his duplex penthouse.
I rented a secluded apartment for a fresh start.
The day I moved out, Penny cried her eyes out.
"Mrs. Morton, why don't you wait a bit longer?" she pleaded. "H-How could Mr. Morton ever bear to part with you..."
"I'm not Mrs. Morton anymore," I corrected her.
Wiping away Penny's tears, I cooed, "Once you've handed over your duties, call me, and I'll come pick you up."
"Mrs. Morton!" William Griffith, Caleb's assistant, rushed over excitedly, clutching a thick envelope.
He continued, "Mrs. Morton, Mr. Morton... Mr. Morton had these documents delivered urgently, and he insisted I personally watch you open them."
Penny's eyes lit up. "Mr. Morton must have realized his mistake, and he's written a letter to apologize."
"Mrs. Morton, hurry up and open it," she urged me excitedly.
I stared at the envelope.
It'd been years since Caleb last sent me anything.
Before we got married, it was his heartfelt letters that made me fall head over heels for him.
"Mrs. Morton, come on!" Penny urged impatiently.
She was even more impatient than I was. "Judging by how thick it is, Mr. Morton must feel terribly sorry."
I clenched my fist, then took the envelope in the end.
I opened it and found a detailed plan inside.
Caleb wrote: [I've found Kels, and we'll be returning soon.
[Kels has lost so much weight. Make sure to stock up on her favorite gourmet snacks and desserts.
[You can start choosing a room for Kels now. She gets cold easily, so make sure it faces the south with plenty of sunlight and ample heating. Kels isn't into prominent brand logos—she prefers independent designer brands. The colors that suit her are teal, off-white, pastel pink, and lavender.
[Kelsie's jewelry doesn't have to be too flashy—she has an understated elegance and prefers minimalist designs.]
In the dozens of pages, every single sentence was about "Kels."
The last line read: [Kels doesn't have much in savings. Arrange her welcome gifts and living expenses—make sure you put some thought into it.]
I'd known Caleb for eight years, and we'd been married for three years.
In that moment, the last faint ember of hope in my heart was snuffed out for good.
I could even "hear" my heart shattering into pieces.
"I'm afraid you'll have to handle these arrangements yourself, Mr. Griffith," I said calmly.
Maintaining my composure, I handed the plan back to William.
With that, I turned and walked away without looking back.
Caleb was working on a resort project down in the southern region, partnering with a group of longtime friends.
After finding Kelsie, he didn't rush back.
For one thing, Kelsie whined that she wasn't done having fun and didn't want to go back.
Secondly, he'd already dumped all the responsibility for Kelsie's "homecoming" on me.
That meant he had no need to rush back.
Caleb's POV
Over dinner, one of Caleb's friends joked, "Mr. Morton, you sure know how to have fun. You're off having a good time with your mistress while your wife's stuck at home getting the welcome party ready. Mrs. Morton—oops, I mean Ms. Blaese, is she okay with all this?"
Apparently, he had no qualms bringing this topic up.
Someone immediately chimed in, "Melvin, aren't you a bit out of touch?
"Mr. Morton's great at keeping his wife in line. Mrs. Morton's devotion to him is legendary.
"She's more than willing to welcome another woman. Heck, she'd probably even willingly make way for her if you asked."
Then, he turned to Caleb and asked, "Am I right, Mr. Morton?"
Caleb arched an eyebrow. That much was true.
Vivian was docile and obedient.
She only had eyes for him.
That day, when he told her he was going to give Kelsie an official position, she didn't object in the slightest.
Instead, she even urged him to come home earlier.
It was as if she couldn't even go half a day without him.
Just then, William called. "Has Vivian responded already?" Caleb asked, a confident smile playing on his lips.
This was the first time Caleb had "ordered" Vivian to do anything from afar—and such an "important" task, too.
He reckoned she must be so thrilled that she was at a loss.
William's voice was laced with hesitation, his extreme caution palpable even through the phone.
He said, "Mr. Morton... Ms. Blaese... she's moved out."
"Move out?" Caleb echoed in disbelief.
William replied, "Yes... Ms. Blaese packed up all her personal belongings and emptied her accounts... She'd already vacated the penthouse..."
Caleb shot to his feet.
At that moment, Kelsie suddenly let out a coquettish laugh.
Before this, she had been quietly nestling her head on Caleb's shoulder.
She remarked, "Is Vivian taking a page out of my book now? She's starting to throw tantrums, too.
"But she's already your lawfully wedded wife now, Mr. Morton. Where else could she go?"
The very next second, tears welled up in her eyes, and she continued, "Oh, it's all my fault...
"I shouldn't have been so spoiled... Now even Vivian's picking up my bad habits.
"Cal, can we please go home now?
"Don't let Vivian get so angry that she never goes home."
Caleb scoffed.
Where else could Vivian go? It wasn't like she could run back to Frankie, who treated her like dirt for years.
He knew all too well what a piece of work Frankie and his wife, Edith Donaldson, were.
"Mr. Griffith," Caleb said flatly.
He continued coolly on the phone, "Leave her be. Let her go wherever she pleases."
Caleb wanted to see where Vivian could go after leaving the penthouse and how long she could last on her own.
Caleb wanted to see where Vivian could go after leaving the penthouse and how long she could last on her own.