---- Chapter 8 On the first day, Kaylee posted a photo on Facebook of Darius meticulously cutting a prime piece of Wagyu steak for her at a fancy restaurant. His expression was focused and tender. The caption read, "He says my hands are for wearing rings, not for holding knives. " Joana went to the backyard, built a small fire pit, and burned every photograph of them together. She watched as their smiling faces turned to ash and smoke. On the second day, Kaylee posted a breathtaking silhouette of them kissing in a hot air balloon at sunrise, the clouds stretching below them like an ocean. The caption was simple: "On top of the world with him." Joana hired a landscaping crew and had them uproot every single white rose in the villa's garden, the one he had planted for her. She instructed them to grind the trunks and stems into mulch. On the third day, Kaylee posted a long, gushing Facebook status, attaching screenshots of what she claimed were poems her "secret boyfriend" had written for her. The words were flowery and passionate. Joana went to the study and pulled out the hundreds of love letters he had written to her over the years. The paper was ---- yellowed with age, but his handwriting was still clear, every word a promise he had broken. She ran her fingers over the ink one last time, a silent farewell to the man he used to be. Then, without hesitation, she fed them all into a paper shredder. On the morning she was scheduled to leave, she woke to find him standing by her bed. He was holding her phone, his face a thunderous mask. "What did you deactivate?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. Her heart leaped into her throat. She snatched the phone back and unlocked it. A confirmation message was displayed on the screen: "Identity Cancellation Protocol Initiated. Final confirmation required." Thank God for screen locks, she thought. He had only seen the notification banner. "It was just an old encrypted cloud server," she said, her voice surprisingly steady. "The security protocol expired, so I'm wiping the redundant data." He seemed to relax. He pulled her into his arms, his relief palpable. "| brought you a surprise," he said, his voice softening. "To make up for the other night." She knew what it was before he even said it. "Cream puffs," she said softly. ---- He looked surprised. "How did you know?" How could | not? she thought with a pang of sorrow. It was his signature peace offering. Whenever they fought, he would show up with a box of her favorite cream puffs, and her anger would melt away. She didn't care for jewels or expensive cars, but that simple sweetness had always been her weakness. "You're so easy to please," he used to say, stroking her hair. "It's not that I'm easy to please," she had told him once, her expression serious. "It's that | love you. That's why | forgive you. If | didn't love you, you could kill yourself in front of me and | wouldn't care." The memory faded. He was holding out the box of pastries, smiling his charming smile. Joana met his gaze, her own smile faint and sad. "There's nothing you can hide from me, Darius." His heart skipped a beat. A sliver of fear pierced through his confident facade. "Joana..." he started, but she didn't let him finish. She stood up and went to the bathroom. When she came back, he was gone. She saw his car speeding away from the villa. A moment later, she followed him out the door. She froze at the entrance. Not far away, Kaylee was standing there, a defiant look on her ---- face. Darius stormed over to her, grabbing her wrist. "What are you doing here?" he hissed. "I told you not to come when Joana's home!" Kaylee's eyes filled with tears. She leaned against him, her voice a pathetic whimper. "| can't be without you. The baby can't be without you." She took his hand and placed it on her stomach. He snatched his hand back as if burned. "My assistant will take you home. I'll see you in a few days." "No!" she cried, clinging to him. "Take me yourself." She stood on her toes, hooked her fingers in his tie, and pulled his face down to hers, kissing him. He frowned, intending to push her away, but after a moment, he gave in, his arms wrapping around her as he deepened the kiss. They stood there in the garden, locked in a passionate embrace. Suddenly, he stopped. He pushed her away gently. "You need to leave." She whispered something in his ear, her eyes pleading. He sighed, a look of conflicted resignation on his face. "Fine. I'll spend the day with you." Kaylee's face lit up. She climbed into his car, a triumphant smirk on her face. ---- Darius turned to go back inside. Joana quickly ducked back into the house. A few minutes later, he came in, looking flustered. "A work emergency," he said, not meeting her eyes. "l have to leave. | promise, I'll spend the whole day with you tomorrow." He waited for her response, a nervous energy about him. She looked up at him, her expression a calm, unreadable mask. But in her eyes, he saw it. The light was gone. The sight made him freeze, a cold dread creeping up his spine. The vibrant, passionate woman he loved had been replaced by this empty shell. "Joana," he whispered, his voice cracking. "Go," she said, her voice soft and even. "Take care of your work." He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He gave a weak smile, ruffled her hair, and turned to leave. The sound of his car faded into the distance. The smile on Joana's face vanished. A single tear traced a path down her cheek. She wiped it away, her movements precise and deliberate. She walked to the table, picked up the box of cream puffs, and dropped it into the trash can. ---- She went back to her room and retrieved her packed suitcase. Standing in the living room, she took one last look at the home that was no longer hers. She took out her phone and sent Darius one final message. "Three weeks are up. You can open your anniversary gift now." His reply was almost instantaneous. "I'll be home soon, my love. We'll open it together." A faint, sad smile touched her lips. No, Darius, she thought. You'll be opening it alone. For the rest of your life, you'll be alone. She removed the SIM card from her phone and tossed it into the trash can next to the cream puffs. She picked up her suitcase and walked out the door into the bright morning sun. From now on, no one would ever find her.