Chapter 9

On the morning of the wedding anniversary, Chandler left early to oversee the arrangements at the opera house, while I stayed at home alone.

He'd invited a long list of elites, filled the venue with tens of thousands of roses, and hired Osnea's top symphony orchestra for a live performance. The entire evening was to be streamed live across major social platforms.

For our seventh wedding anniversary, he custom-made a massive seven-tier cake. Each layer was a beautiful tribute, decorated to represent a different year and a cherished memory from our seven years together.

He said he had a surprise for me. And by coincidence, I had one for him, too, though I wouldn't be there to deliver it in person.

I'd packed all my belongings and gathered every keepsake from our years together. After tossing them into the trash can in the backyard, I set them ablaze.

"Where are we going after this, Mom?" Alfie asked uneasily and held my hand as we stood before the fire.

I forced a smile. "To another man's place. He was a good friend of mine a long time ago… though we had a fight. I think he'll be kind to you, but even if he isn't, I'll always be here to protect you."

Alfie nodded and didn't probe further as a Rolls-Royce pulled up at the gate. I recognized it as the car sent to pick us up.

"Goodbye, Chandler."

I took one last look at the house and the roaring flames. And without a trace of nostalgia, I turned and got into the back seat.

…

At the opera house, Chandler moved through the crowd with a glass of champagne, greeting guests one by one.

Everyone praised him for being a true model husband, devoted and loving even after seven years of marriage. But he felt a growing, unexplainable unease as his eyes constantly drifted toward the entrance. I was the one he was waiting for, and yet, I was still nowhere to be found.

He pulled out his phone and checked our chat. The latest messages were all from him.

"My love, are you awake?"

"The venue is all set. Have Gordon bring you over."

"My love?"

He sent another message, only to realize he'd been blocked.

A cold dread washed over him as he tried calling and attempting other social platforms, only to find that he'd been blocked everywhere.

With trembling hands, he called Gordon. "Haven't you picked up Mrs. Leighton yet?"

Gordon's stammering, hesitant voice came through the line. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Leighton. We just went inside to check, and it seems Mrs. Leighton has left on her own…"

Chandler froze, his voice trembling as he spoke. "That's impossible! Look again. If you don't find her today, don't bother working in that house again!"

As he ended the call, his heart pounded wildly.

"It can't be… She wouldn't leave me…" he muttered to himself, scrambling for a reasonable explanation. "She said she had a surprise, so maybe she's just preparing it."

Just then, the doors of the ballroom swung open, and every guest turned their eyes toward the entrance.