Chapter 3

With my baby's ashes in tow, I saw breathtaking landscapes I'd never witnessed before.

It wasn't until George Halloway, a photography enthusiast, approached me that I broke out of my silence.

"Is that someone you lost?" he asked gently. "You look heartbroken."

He handed me a photo he had just taken. In it, I was sitting with the urn in my arms, gazing into the distance.

I forced a faint smile. "That's… my unborn child."

George's expression softened with apology. "Then I'm sure they'd be happy you brought them to a place like this."

My eyes flickered. "Do you think so?"

"Of course. You brought them somewhere so beautiful, didn't you?"

Encouraged by George, I began to appreciate Acreatic's stunning scenery. His photography was exceptional. He took countless pictures for me.

"These," he said, "can be little keepsakes… for your unborn child."

I looked at the breathtaking views and felt my heart slowly opening.

But Marina still hadn't learned to leave me alone.

Just like before, she sent me a string of photos, then followed up with a tearful message.

Marina: [I'm sorry, Annie. I meant to send those to a friend.]

In the photos, she and Bertrand stood far too close. The intimacy in their body language told me everything. Bertrand had clearly allowed it.

This was his usual tactic of using Marina to punish me.

I touched the urn gently and ignored her childish games.

I didn't even want Bertrand anymore. Why would I care about such pitiful provocations?

Acreatic was beautiful. And for once, Bertrand and Marina no longer had any power over my emotions.

George took more photos for me, some even with the two of us together.

When I looked at my smiling face in one of them, I was momentarily stunned. It had been so long since I'd truly smiled.

Two days before my return flight, Bertrand finally called after a week of silence, furious.

"Annie, this tantrum of yours has gone on long enough. Are you really divorcing me over something this small?"

That's right, I'd sent him a breakup message. He must've forgotten we never actually registered our marriage, thinking this was a divorce.

I almost reminded him, but in the end, I didn't. Because the truth was, we no longer had any ties.

At the airport back home, I ran into George again.

He looked surprised. "You're on this flight too?"

"Yeah. What a coincidence."

After all, what were the odds of returning from Acreatic on the same flight? Maybe we really were fated to cross paths.

After getting our luggage, George and I were going to say goodbye to each other.

"Are you planning to take your baby somewhere new?"

"Mhm. It's time for them to rest now."

I felt the weight of the urn in my bag and, for the first time, felt at peace.

George's eyes dimmed with sympathy. He leaned down and hugged me gently. "Annie, everything's going to be okay."

His warmth touched something in me. I was just about to return the embrace when Bertrand suddenly appeared and punched him to the ground.

"Bertrand, what are you doing?!"

I rushed forward and stood protectively in front of George.

Bertrand's eyes were red, his expression uncharacteristically shaken.

"Annie, who is he to you? Have you forgotten you're a married woman?!"

I opened my mouth to explain that we were never legally married.

But George scoffed coldly before I could speak.

"You're her husband? Then where were you when she went to Acreatic? When she boarded the cruise alone, where were you? Ah… right. With that woman behind you, perhaps?"

He pointed behind Bertrand with a smirk.

Marina was standing nearby and watching the scene unfold like it was entertainment. She was no longer limping.

Bertrand scowled. "She's just a colleague. Nothing more."

Marina's face turned pale, and her posture faltered.

George dusted off his clothes, then suddenly put an arm around my shoulders.

"Then what's the problem? Annie and I are just friends too."

"Let go of her! You bastard—"

I couldn't take it anymore. As Bertrand tried to lash out again, I slapped him across the face. "Enough! What the hell are you doing?!"

Bertrand clutched his cheek and looked at me in disbelief. "Annie…you hit me…for him?"