Chapter 9

The relentless downpour outside mirrored the storm inside Lisa’s heart. Rain blurred the city skyline, streaking the towering windows of the penthouse as though mocking the tears she refused to shed. Lisa stared at her suitcase on the bed, her hands trembling as she folded the last item of clothing.

This was it.

Leaving had been a fleeting thought in the past—when the weight of their “fake” marriage had become too much or when Williams’s coldness pierced her heart. But each time, she had stayed, clinging to the hope that there was something real between them. That hope had shattered the moment he placed the photos on the table, his gaze hard and accusing.

“Explain this,” he had demanded.

The betrayal she’d seen in his eyes had cut deeper than the words themselves. She had tried to explain—how the man in the photos was her cousin, how their meeting had been innocent. But he hadn’t believed her. The seed of doubt Morgan had planted had grown into a twisted vine, choking the fragile connection they’d built.

Her fingers brushed against the wedding band on the nightstand. It gleamed under the dim light, a stark reminder of the life they had pretended to share. She had grown to love him, despite the arrangement, despite the walls he had built around himself. But love wasn’t enough when there was no trust.

The sound of the front door opening broke her thoughts. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing louder as they approached the bedroom. Lisa stiffened, her heart pounding. She didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

“Lisa.”

His voice was low, hesitant.

She turned slowly, her arms crossed over her chest. Williams stood in the doorway, his dark eyes filled with a mix of regret and frustration. His shirt was rumpled, his tie loose, and his usually composed demeanor unraveled. For a moment, her heart ached at the sight of him. But then she remembered his accusations, and her resolve hardened.

“You’re leaving,” he said flatly, though there was a tremor in his voice that betrayed him.

“Yes,” she replied, her tone clipped.

He stepped into the room, his fists clenched at his sides. “So that’s it? You’re just going to walk away?”

Her eyes narrowed, her anger flaring. “What else am I supposed to do, Williams? Stay and let you keep doubting me? Pretend that every time you look at me, I don’t see the suspicion in your eyes?”

His jaw tightened. “You expect me to just ignore what I saw?”

“What you saw was a lie!” she snapped, her voice trembling with frustration. “But you didn’t even give me the benefit of the doubt. You didn’t ask me, didn’t listen to me. You just assumed the worst.”

“And what was I supposed to think?” he shot back, his voice rising. “You’ve been distant—sneaking around—”

“Sneaking around?” she interrupted, her voice incredulous. “I’ve been working on building a life for myself, Williams! Trying to find some piece of happiness in this… this arrangement. But you wouldn’t know that, would you? Because you’re too busy looking for reasons to push me away.”

The silence that followed was heavy, suffocating. Williams stared at her, his expression unreadable, but Lisa could see the flicker of something—doubt, guilt, maybe even regret.

She shook her head, her voice softening as she spoke. “I thought… I thought we were building something real. Something worth fighting for. But I can’t keep fighting alone.”

Her words struck him like a physical blow. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came.

Lisa turned back to her suitcase, zipping it closed with deliberate care. She picked it up and walked past him without a second glance.

“Lisa,” he said, his voice quieter now, almost pleading.

She paused at the door, her hand resting on the knob. Without turning around, she whispered, “Goodbye, Williams.”

The door clicked shut behind her, and with it, the last thread of hope Williams had held onto unraveled.

He stood frozen in the empty bedroom, his breath shallow and his chest aching. For the first time in years, he felt truly, utterly alone.