Chapter 6

On my third day on the island, I learned how to scuba dive.

My instructor was a local man with sun-kissed skin and a brilliant smile. "Don't be afraid," he told me in broken words. "The ocean will hold you."

With the oxygen tank strapped to my back, I fell backward into a world of deep, silent blue. The feeling of weightlessness was fleeting, replaced by an unparalleled sense of peace.

Silence reigned. The roar of the city, Jose's icy indifference, Alivia's petty provocations, and the hushed whispers of my colleagues were severed by this vast, tender blue.

I was left with nothing but the pulse in my veins and the gurgling of bubbles with each breath I took.

Schools of brightly colored fish swam past, curiously observing the intruder in their world. A massive coral reef stood like a silent, underwater palace. Sunlight pierced the surface, transforming into a thousand shifting beams of light, illuminating this mysterious, beautiful world.

I reached out my hand, as if I could touch the light itself.

In that moment, I wasn't Summer Hayes. I wasn't Jose's wife or a marketing manager. I was just a fish that had finally broken free from the net and returned to the sea. I was free and reborn.

I was exhausted when I came out of the water, collapsing onto a beach chair. The butler brought me iced coconut water and a plate of fresh fruit.

I squinted at the horizon, where the sun was slowly sinking into the sea, painting the sky in fiery shades of orange and red. The clouds looked like cotton candy set ablaze.

It was so beautiful that it made me want to cry.

In the past three years, I had seen countless sunsets from my office window, from the back of a car on the way home from a business dinner, and from the empty villa during another one of my cold wars with Jose.

Every one of those sunsets had meant the end of a day and the end of another exhausting performance.

But this sunset was different. It wasn't an ending. It signified that on the other side of the world, a new day was about to begin. So did my new life.

My phone vibrated. It was Cody. He sent me a screenshot of an email from Shaun. It was aggressive, laced with Jose's trademark arrogance.

[Mr. Trevino does not consent to a divorce. Please instruct Ms. Hayes to cease this unreasonable behavior and return to the country immediately. Otherwise, Trevino Group's legal department will take all necessary measures to protect Mr. Trevino's legal rights.]

I looked at the email and smiled. Unreasonable behavior? Legal rights? The words sounded so ironic coming from Jose.

I texted Cody back: [Follow standard procedure. Ignore them.]

He replied with an "OK" emoji.

Cody: [By the way, he tried to freeze your bank accounts. But I checked. Besides your salary account, none of the cards in your name have seen large transactions.]

Cody: [The money he sent you was deposited into an overseas account you opened with your pre-marital ID. He can't touch it.]

I was a little surprised. I had only used the overseas account on instinct, not wanting to use any of my domestic ones. A lucky break.

I replied: [Got it. Thank you.]

Cody texted: [No problem. Enjoy your vacation.]

I put the phone down, the smile on my face deepening. Jose really thought his money was all-powerful? Did he think he could still pin me under his thumb with his power and status?

What a pity. The times changed. And so did I. His old tricks didn't work on me anymore.

As the final glow of twilight vanished into the sea, darkness embraced the world with a gentle touch. I stood up and walked barefoot on the cool, soft sand, the waves lapping at my ankles.

I sent a message to my assistant: [Please submit my resignation letter. Make the effective date today.]

Then, I blocked her number and blocked everyone from my past life.

As of today, Summer Hayes was dead. The person who survived was just me.