Five Days After the Divorce, I Vanished from His World のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 10

With four days left, Evelyn entered the townhouse for the last time as the project lead. Claire's foundation dinner was about to be held there."Evelyn, you know this project better than anyone." Claire stood in the middle of the hall with photographers gathered behind her. "People keep saying the two of us don't get along. Help me get this last dinner right and it will put that to rest."Evelyn gave her a brief look, refused to engage with any of it, picked up the run sheet and worked through the lighting, the rigging and the fire exits item by item.Soon, everything Claire wanted to stage or prove would have nothing to do with her.At four the stage rehearsal began.Evelyn had just reached the side hall when a metallic shriek tore through the air. A decorative lighting rig overhead tipped violently and came crashing down toward the main stage."Claire!"Screams went up. Crew hauled Claire clear and the rig grazed her shoulder and came down hard on the floor, throwing fragments everyw

On the fifth day, rain hammered New York.Evelyn carried the last suitcase out of the apartment, leaving the rooms empty behind her. At ten, she took her seat in the hearing room. The investigators formally asked Hartwell to produce the raw server logs.Her lawyer told her quietly that once the logs were filed, the primary allegation against her could be dropped and the travel restriction lifted.Evelyn looked across at Julian. He looked tired and entirely calm. Yesterday he had promised that next time he would be on her side. She did not need him to favor her. She only needed him not to stand in the way of her getting out.The court adjourned for ten minutes.In the corridor outside, Claire stopped Julian. Through the glass, Evelyn could not hear the beginning of their conversation, but Claire's voice came through clearly when it rose. "Four years ago you promised me you would never let me be the one Hartwell sacrificed."Julian said nothing."Are you breaking your promise? Was your l

In the six months after Evelyn disappeared, one scandal after another shook New York. Evidence surfaced piece by piece, proving that Claire's team had altered the foundation's construction plan without authorization, planted the account used for the leak, and tipped the media off to the car's route. Claire had not caused the crash with her own hands, yet her fingerprints were on every link in the chain that led to it.Hartwell publicly withdrew every false statement it had made about Evelyn and restored her credit on every project she had worked on. Julian covered the full cost of Sophie's long-term rehabilitation and ended all business with the Reed family. Robert Reed was forced off several important boards, and Claire lost the foundation and almost every brand relationship she had.The last time they met, Claire stood in the doorway of Julian's office, her voice cold. "Pinning all the blame on me now is awfully convenient. Every one of those choices was yours. I never forced you int

The day after the reunion Julian asked to speak with her alone. Evelyn agreed only to the studio's meeting room, with the glass door open and Noah and the staff in the room next door.Julian took in the arrangement and said nothing about it."Why didn't you tell me you were alive?"Her hand paused on the file. "Tell you what?""That you were alive.""Why would I owe you that?""I looked for you for three years.""That was your choice.""Evelyn.""Julian, three years ago, when I was under investigation, you had the raw logs, the lawyers, and all the authority you needed. Every single time, you had the power to protect me. Every single time, you told me to wait and said you would deal with it later." Evelyn raised her eyes to him."I dealt with Claire," Julian said."I know.""Her team was investigated, Hartwell ended all business with the Reed family, and Sophie's treatment was fully funded—""Those things should have happened anyway." There was no edge in Evelyn's voice. "I also know y

Three hours after the story broke, reporters were already blocking the studio door, and a photograph of Lily had been published online. Evelyn's palms went cold the moment she saw it. She did not care what anyone said about her, but the photograph showed Lily's face clearly.Rumors spread everywhere. "Did Evelyn Reed stage her own disappearance three years ago?" "Did the Bennett family help her conceal her identity and evade the investigation?" A number of longtime clients, afraid of being dragged into Hartwell's scandal, canceled their contracts.Back at the house Evelyn dragged out a suitcase that had sat untouched for years and started packing documents and clothes. Noah watched her."Moving again?""The reporters have Lily in their sights.""Where?""Away from here, for now."For the past three years, this had been her most familiar response: whenever danger appeared, she changed her number, her home, and her city. Halfway through packing, Lily ran over with a drawing and solemnly