---- for you two to switch clothes. I'll take Elena out the back." Elena turned to me, her eyes full of silent pleading. I gave a bitter smile and took off my jacket, handing it to her. Finn didn't even glance at me as he shielded Elena and left. Seconds later, the protesters realized they'd been duped. They stormed in. "That's not Elena! She's a fake!" The angry crowd surrounded me. Someone yanked my hair. Someone else threw hot coffee. I felt a boot slam into my ribs. My body curled in on itself, trying to shield what I could. It wasn't until someone shouted "Cops are coming!" that they fled, leaving me bruised and burned on the floor. ---- Only a trembling waiter helped me up. I dragged myself to the hospital, got my injuries treated, then went home to finish packing. I was on the phone with the airline, confirming my flight, when Finn came back. He heard me say "tomorrow morning's flight" and casually asked, "Taking a little trip?" "Seeing some friends," I replied calmly. He nodded. "Good, you should get out for a bit." Then his eyes landed on my bandaged arm. "Damn, they really went after you. Sorry-I didn't think it would get that bad." You didn't think? Or you just didn't care? I smiled faintly and didn't answer. He walked away and disappeared into his study- probably texting Elena again, the door clicking shut ---- like punctuation on our story. Watching that door slowly close, I nodded to myself. It was time. The next morning, I got my divorce certificate. When I got home, I ran into Finn, who was just about to leave. "Tneed to tell you something," I said. Finn glanced at his watch. "I don't have time right now, something urgent came up. Can we talk tonight? " "Let's talk now," I said, pulling the divorce certificate from my bag and handing it to him. He took it without looking, casually tossing it into a hall drawer. "'Aren't you going on vacation or something? No rush to come back. Enjoy yourself." No rush? There would be no coming back. ---- I dragged my suitcase out of the mansion's front door. In my heart, I said goodbye to him one last time. Goodbye to these three demeaning years. Goodbye, Finn. The next time we meet, I won't be your wife. I'll be Vicky, the woman who lost everything but found herself. And somewhere outside the house, Finn felt a sudden, inexplicable unease. It gripped his chest without warning, a hollow ache spreading through him. It was as if something rare, something irreplaceable, had been quietly ripped from his soul.