Chapter 6

I nodded.

"Yes."

The clerk looked like she couldn't quite understand.

Gideon Whitaker wasn't exactly a dazzling name, but it was a lot nicer than something as painfully common as Michael Davis.

What she didn't know was that common was exactly what I wanted.

The more common the name, the lower the chances of being found.

There had to be tens of thousands of Michael Davises across the country, and every day plenty of them boarded flights to every corner of the world.

That would make it much easier for me to disappear.

When the clerk finished processing everything, she handed me a receipt.

"Your new ID will take effect in a week, along with the expedited passport. After that, you can start living under your new name."

I nodded and put the receipt away.

"Thank you."

When I walked out of the service center, I felt lighter than I ever had.

Even the air seemed to carry the scent of freedom.

Now that I'd let go of everything, I felt a kind of ease I'd never known.

Letting go had set me free.

That evening, when Marissa got home from work, even she could tell I was in a good mood.

She smiled and reached out to hug me.

"Did something good happen, Gideon?"

I just smiled.

"You'll find out in a week."

Marissa raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"Perfect timing. I've got something good to tell you too."

"Oh, yeah?"

I wasn't interested. I brushed her off and dodged her affection.

But Marissa wouldn't let it go and followed me.

"Aren't you going to ask?"

Of course I didn't need to ask. I'd been reborn.

In a week it would be my birthday. To celebrate, Marissa had booked us an Alaska cruise out of Vancouver.

We'd spent two wonderful days on board, watching the sunrise, the seagulls, the whales.

On the third day, the ship went down.

Right up until the moment before I was reborn, I'd firmly believed she loved me.

Then I'd heard her last words before she died—asking me to take care of Elliot and their child.

Marissa didn't notice how cold I was. She kept coaxing me gently.

"Your birthday's in a week. I've got a really special gift for you."

I wasn't interested.

"Okay."

"Gideon, aren't you excited?"

I gave her one flat word.

"Sure."

What I was really thinking was that I wasn't excited at all. No matter how good the gift, if it came from the wrong person, it meant nothing.

The new ID would take a week. In that week, I needed to get myself in good shape. After all, I'd have several connecting flights ahead of me, and long-haul travel takes a lot out of you.

I made myself a nutritious dinner: meat, eggs, dairy, all of it.

A pot of chicken soup was simmering on the stove, something hearty to build my strength back up.

Marissa saw it and looked pleasantly surprised.

"Baby, are you getting yourself in shape... for some quality time with me?"

I smiled and didn't answer.

Marissa took that as a yes and lit up. She wrapped her arms around me from behind, and her lips found the side of my neck, trailing back and forth, a clear invitation.

"I asked the doctor today. I'm past the three-month mark, so it's actually safe now. Tonight, maybe we could... hmm?"

The wet touch on my neck made my skin crawl, like a cold snake slithering over me. I quickly pushed her away.

Marissa tried to get close again, but her phone suddenly rang.

She finally let go of me and shot me a wary look.

"Um... it's a client. Gideon, I'm going to step out and take this."

"Sure."

I knew it was Elliot calling. But I no longer cared.

Right then, my own phone buzzed with a meaningless notification.

Out of habit, I scrolled through social media and saw that ten minutes earlier, Elliot had posted a photo carousel.

[Elliot: Spent all day cooking up a feast. Wish I had someone to share it with.]

Every photo was a different dish. I skimmed through them. Almost all of them were Marissa's favorites.

Soon Marissa came back from her call.

She explained apologetically.

"Gideon, I'm sorry. A big client's coming in, and I have to go entertain them. I'll spend tomorrow night with you, okay?"

I nodded again.

"Sure."

Marissa hugged me and kissed me.

"You're the best, Gideon."

After she left, I calmly ate the healthy dinner I'd made for myself.

An hour later, when I figured the timing was about right, I put my phone away, called a cab, and headed straight for Elliot's place.

When I rang the doorbell, I heard Elliot's irritated voice.

"Wh-who is it? Coming by now? Great timing..."

I smiled coldly and raised my voice.

"It's me, Gideon. Marissa's out at a work dinner, and the food in your post looked amazing, so I came to mooch some."