Chapter 1

"So… what reason should we use for our vanishing act?" Rachel asked. Her not-so-clever brain struggled to come up with a good excuse.

I shook my head and pulled up the itinerary Kai's assistant had sent me.

Kai really did know how to charm women. The day after we got married, he insisted that his assistant send me his weekly schedule without fail.

Back then, he'd cuddle up to me, calling me "honey bunny" with stars practically twinkling in his eyes. He said he needed me to keep him on a leash, and that it made him feel safe.

And just like that, I fell for it. The two of us were sweet as honey in those days.

But now? That same charm he once lavished on me… he probably used it all on his mistress.

Still, that itinerary turned out to be useful. It made planning my "disappearance" a whole lot easier.

"Kai has a business trip next week," I said. "It's a project with the Rangoon Ventures, so Lex Rangoon will likely be there too. And since it's peak travel season, we'll just say we want a seaside vacation. When the time comes, we'll pretend we got swept away by the waves."

Rachel nodded vigorously beside me.

"Carrie, you're a genius! Once we're out, let's just travel wherever we want. Those two bastards don't care about us anyway. We might as well enjoy our freedom."

She'd voiced exactly what I was thinking.

After ironing out the rest of the plan, we began to prepare.

The night before we left, I called Kai.

"Hey, honey. I'm thinking of taking Rachel on a beach vacation tomorrow. You and Lex can focus on your business trip, alright?"

I'd practiced that line dozens of times. My tone was light and natural—flawless. There was no way he'd suspect a thing.

There was a pause on the other end.

Then a woman's voice answered, sweet and familiar, "Is that Carrie? Kai is in the shower…"

Before she could finish, I hung up.

Briana Kempton had just returned from abroad. She used to be Kai's childhood neighbor. Now, she was heading one of Huxley Ventures' project teams.

I'd seen her at the office a few times, and every time, I could feel an inexplicable hostility from her. Not to mention, Kai had bought her a luxury car.

I already knew he was cheating, but hearing her voice just now—confirming it—still stung more than I expected.

Leaving him… really was the right decision.

The next morning, Rachel and I boarded a plane to a tropical island.

At the beach, before Kai and Lex had even started work, I called Kai on video. I made sure the camera was aimed straight at Rachel as she surfed.

"Honey, is Lex with you? Quick, let him see Rachel!"

The moment I said her name, Lex leaned into the frame.

He was always the serious type, but the second he laid eyes on Rachel, his expression softened.

I couldn't tell who he was trying to fool.

I kept my smile bright, though in my heart I was rolling my eyes.

Suddenly, Lex's expression changed.

Out on the water, Rachel—who had just been waving cheerfully from her board—lost her balance.

In an instant, a massive wave crashed over her and swallowed her whole.

"Rachel!"

Lex's scream tore through the air.

I dropped my phone and bolted into the ocean.

On the other end of the call, Kai realized what I was doing. But all he could do was shout helplessly into the screen, "Carrie!"

But it was too late.

Neither one of us would ever answer them again.

All they saw in the end… was a sky of endless blue.