Chapter 4 Seven years together . Id thought that would mean something that Castro would at least trust my character . But in Orianas presence , those seven years might as well have been seven minutes . Her word alone was enough to condemn me. One accusation , and I was guilty beyond redemption . The favoritism was unmistakable , his blind devotion to her undeniable . And me ? I was just the understudy whod forgotten her place . There was no point in arguing further . Ignoring Castros angry calls , I walked away , my cheek still stinging from his slap . Not wanting to cast a shadow over my colleagues celebration , I quietly settled the bill and texted them : Something came up . Please enjoy the rest of the evening dinners on me . Back home , I found myself really seeing our apartment for the first time in seven years . Every corner held memories : the window seat where wed shared Sunday morning coffee , the kitchen -island where hed taught me to make his grandmothers tiramisu . What once felt magical now felt poisonous , each memory a thorn in my heart . I found a moving box and spent the night methodically erasing our relationship : the matching Beauty and Beast slippers , the his and hers coffee mugs that fit together , and a whole collection of professional couple photographs holiday cards , vacation shots , carefully staged moments of perfect happiness . These had been my security blanket , my proof that what we had was real . Now they were just artifacts of an elaborate performance . Castro didnt come home for two weeks . Between finishing my last jewelry designs ,, I systematically emptied the apartment . The space returned to its original state : stark minimalist , black and white , emptiness echoing off the walls . The night before my departure , I tried calling him one last time . Each attempt met with immediatel rejection . Chapter 4 Finally , a text appeared : Unless youre ready to admit your guilt and properly apologize to Oriana , we have nothing to discuss . I laughed bitterly at my phones screen . So be it . Some conversations were better left unsaid . My early morning flight beckoned . As I wheeled my suitcase out , this space that had once felt so precious now felt like a prison I was finally escaping . Just before boarding , my phone lit up with birthday wishes . Friends and colleagues sending hopes for my future , wishes for happiness , prayers for true love . I responded to each one before switching off my phone . As the plane lifted off , I made a silent promise to myself : I would be happy . With so many people wishing me well , how could I not be ? ( 0 ) Five-year-old Annie, who can understand animals, saved Landon Hawthorne, a wealthy businessman, from suicide. Now she's his whole world and he's her legal cheat-code against every villain fate throws ...