Chapter 3

My suitcase was small.

I didn't take a single thing from the Sterling Estate, just a few clothes of my own, some essential documents, and a thick sketchbook.

All the jewelry I'd designed for Edward over the past three years filled its pages, from cufflinks to tie clips.

Nearly every accessory he wore at big events came from my hands.

But he never knew. He assumed they were all from the usual sponsors.

I tried everything to get close to him.

I did everything I could.

At last, I could let go.

I closed my suitcase and zipped it up.

The zipper clicked shut. It felt like closing a chapter.

I sent a message to my only friend and my lawyer, Madeline Shaw. [I'm leaving for Lumin. No need to worry.]

Madeline called me right away.

"You're sure about this?" Her voice was full of concern.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I replied.

"Good," Madeline sighed. "Getting out of that mess is the best thing for you and the baby. I've got everything set up in Lumin: a place to stay, a doctor, everything. Move in when you get there."

"Thanks, Madeline."

"No need to thank me." Madeline paused, then added, "Julia, promise me you'll live for yourself from now on."

"I will," I nodded firmly. "For me, and for my child."

After hanging up, I took one last look at the place I'd spent three years in.

This was what I thought was home, the place where I poured all my love and hope. It was nothing but a gilded cage.

I didn't feel a shred of attachment, turned, and walked away.

Downstairs, the car I'd arranged was already waiting.

The driver helped me put my luggage in the trunk.

I got in the car. The car slowly pulled away, and I didn't even glance back.

*****

The airport was packed, buzzing with people everywhere.

Everyone was rushing off to their own destinations.

I wore a mask and a hat, dragging my suitcase as I melted into the crowd.

No one recognized me.

No one knew I was once Mrs. Sterling.

That feeling of being invisible was more liberating than anything I'd ever felt.

I found a quiet corner in the terminal and sat down.

There was still some time before boarding.

I took out my phone and scrolled through my contacts until I found the name burned into my memory: Edward Sterling.

I stared at that name for what felt like ages.

Then, with a single tap, I erased it. Just like that, it was over.

I pulled out my SIM card, snapped it in half with a satisfying crack, and tossed it into the nearby trash can. It was like throwing away all those hopeless years.

I put in a new SIM card and powered on my phone. A new number meant a new beginning.

The boarding call for the flight to Lumin rang out across the terminal.

I stood up and grabbed my suitcase and joined the crowd, heading toward the gate. I scanned my ticket and boarded the plane.

I found my seat by the window, sat down, and fastened my seatbelt.

The plane taxied down the runway, picking up speed, then suddenly lifted into the sky. The rush of takeoff pinned me to my seat.

I glanced out the window. The lights of Silvergate receded into a glittering ocean below, growing more distant, fading away. Until, finally, they vanished from sight.

I gently rested my hand on my belly.

The plane soared through the clouds. In the endless darkness, stars sparkled outside.

'Baby,' I murmured in my heart. 'We're free now. Our new life is beginning.'

The plane cruised smoothly at 30,000 feet.

I closed my eyes and leaned back in my seat. For the first time in three years, I slept soundly.

Goodbye, Edward. Goodbye, the love that made me feel small. Hello, Julia. Hello, my new life.