Chapter 5

I bit my lip and said nothing.

Selena glanced around the apartment again before letting out a mocking laugh.

"You've been letting him live in a place like this? Supporting you with construction jobs?"

She looked at me with open disdain.

"Miss Stone, not only are you not good enough for him, you've made him suffer all this time. If you had even a shred of decency, you'd disappear on your own."

She held out a check.

"Buy yourself a flight ticket. Go wherever you want. Just don't come back."

I didn't take it.

Selena set the check on the table.

"You took care of Landon for six months. On behalf of the Pierce family, thank you."

Her gaze hardened.

"But some fantasies need to end."

She stepped closer and lowered her voice.

"Don't fool yourself. The first thing he'll investigate after recovering his memories is that lie about the fifty thousand dollars. You know exactly what you did."

My entire body stiffened.

"Leave, and I'll give you another one hundred thousand dollars. That should keep you comfortable for a while."

I picked up my phone and called Landon.

No answer.

I called again, and still no answer.

Seven or eight calls later, every single one had gone unanswered.

[Landon has his memories back. He doesn't want to take her calls.]

[He's about to enter an arranged marriage. Why would he bother with her anymore? Carol brought this on herself.]

[Honestly, one hundred thousand dollars is a great deal. She should take the money and leave. It's a much better ending than she got in the original story.]

The last of my hope shattered.

Suddenly, I laughed.

"You think this is enough to get rid of me?"

"How much do you want?" Selena narrowed her eyes.

My mind raced.

If I was going to leave, I needed enough money set aside for the baby.

"Ten million."

"What?"

For the first time, Selena looked genuinely stunned.

"Are you insane?"

"Then we don't have a deal."

I turned as if to close the door.

"I've been with Landon for months. I don't believe he'd just abandon me. I'll cling to him for the rest of my life if I have to. What exactly are you going to do about it?"

Selena's face darkened.

The hand gripping her designer handbag tightened until the veins stood out.

After a long silence, she spoke through clenched teeth.

"Six million. That's my final offer."

"Deal."

The answer left my mouth instantly.

The truth was, my heart was pounding.

I'd never even seen that much money before.

After the transfer came through, Selena said coldly, "Leaves this afternoon. If you try to play games with me, I promise you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Then she left.

I stared at my phone screen.

Landon still wasn't answering.

Tears splashed onto the display one after another.

He had his memories back.

Of course he hated me now.

I sniffed hard, wiped away my tears, and started packing.

Then I blocked every way Landon could contact me.

I dragged my suitcase behind me and walked out of the apartment for the last time.

As I passed the neighborhood market, the owner called out to me.

"Carol, your boyfriend ordered those premium cherries you like yesterday. He was supposed to pick them up today. Do you want to take them with you?"

I stopped in my tracks.

Then I shook my head.

"No. Just cancel the order."

I cried the entire ride to the airport.

The driver kept glancing at me through the rearview mirror, looking like he wanted to say something but never did.

By the time I arrived, I had checked in and collected my boarding pass.

I wiped my face, gripped the handle of my suitcase, and headed toward security.

Just as I handed over my boarding pass and stepped toward the checkpoint, the airport announcement system suddenly crackled to life.

"Attention, passengers. All departing flights have been temporarily delayed. We are currently attempting to locate the following individual—"