Chapter 5

Hayley POV

Spencer didn't come home that night. He only said the company had an urgent merger.

I didn't question him, didn't argue.

If I was going to disappear completely, I had to erase every trace of myself from this world.

I categorized, packed, donated, and destroyed all my belongings.

Finally, I opened the safe in the study.

Inside were all the design sketches Spencer had given me over the past ten years.

At ten, my first dress drawn with a boy's unsteady hand.

At fifteen, a pair of high heels he designed. A note beside it read, “Let me walk every path with you."

At seventeen, the blueprints for The Hayley Observatory, his tribute to Halley's Comet calling me his eternal miracle.

At eighteen,a wedding ring of his own design, with a vow to propose anew each year until I was ready, until I said yes.

...

Without hesitation, I scanned the artworks, packaged them, and anonymously shipped the entire collection to one of the nation's largest art charity foundations.

Note: Unrestricted donation for public auction. All proceeds to fund art education in underserved regions.

News of the priceless, exclusive manuscripts being donated without compensation instantly went viral online.

I finished everything and was about to rest when the front door burst open.

Spencer rushed in, bringing with him the biting night wind. He grabbed my hand, his voice trembling.

"Hayley, you donated all those manuscripts. What does that mean?"

I looked up at him.

He looked like he'd rushed back as fast as possible, his expensive coat still damp from outside, his face etched with unconcealed panic.

I asked softly, "How did you know?"

"It's already a trending topic on social media!"

Before I could speak, he pulled me into a fierce embrace, his trembling words filled with terror.

"Hayley, tell me why? Those are our memories, how could you...?"

"What did I do wrong? Tell me, I'll fix it. I'll change everything. Just don't leave me, okay?"

Finally, he almost cried.

But I just gazed calmly into the empty space before me, my expression utterly indifferent.

If he was so afraid of me leaving, why was he keeping another woman outside?

Was he too confident, or did he think I was too foolish?

Now, with just the tip of the iceberg, he was already panicking.

Well, I eagerly awaited the look on his face when he received news of my "death" on our wedding day.

I slowly pushed him away, my face calm.

"You're overthinking it. Those things were just taking up space. Ideally, they should serve a meaningful purpose, helping those in need. Wouldn't that be better? Why are you so nervous... do you think I should cling to the past?"

At my last question, his expression shifted slightly, but he immediately gripped my hand tightly.

"That's not what I mean, Hayley.” He said decisively. “You know how much I love you! We're getting married soon, nothing will go wrong."

I pulled at the corner of my mouth, "If nothing's wrong, what are you worried about? It's late, I'm tired."

With that, I turned and walked away.