Samuel didn't return until the movie was almost over.

He still smelled of that sickly-sweet, pungent scent.

In addition to that, he brought a box of popcorn.

"Bella, I'm sorry I'm late. The popcorn machine broke down at the theater, and they spent forever fixing it. It's freshly made, though. Eat it while it's warm."

Isabella waved her hand. "I don't want any."

"Not even the ginger tea with honey?"

"I don't want it."

"Alright, no food, no drink, then. Let's just watch the movie."

Isabella scoffed. "The movie's almost over."

"It's all that technician's fault. He took so long to fix the machine."

"So, for the last three hours, you've just been waiting for him to fix it?"

Samuel nodded earnestly. "Yes. Isaac can vouch for me. If you don't believe me, you can ask him."

"No need," Isabella said, grabbing her bag and walking away.

Samuel hurried after her, holding her coat and the popcorn. "Bella, just tell me what I did wrong. I'll change, okay? Don't ignore me. I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Scared that you don't love me anymore."

Isabella stopped and turned to face him, looking straight into his eyes.

It was he who had betrayed their relationship first.

It was he who said one thing and did another.

It was he who stopped cherishing her.

Since that was the case, she decided to take back everything—her heart, her trust, her love…

And her body.

She had given a piece of her clothing to Fauxlife Solutions, the agency that was faking her death. She had torn it up, then bit her finger and smeared the blood on it.

A week later, he would receive that bloody shirt.

And she? She would be gone from his life forever.

"Bella, why aren't you saying anything?"

Isabella exhaled deeply, her voice flat. "It's just my period. I'm a little tired."

"Let me take you home to rest."

"Okay."

On the way home, Samuel kept trying to talk to her, telling her jokes.

But Isabella only responded with, "I'm a bit tired. I want to rest."

With that, Samuel fell silent.

When they arrived home, he walked her to the bedroom.

Isabella asked, "Are you still going to the office tonight to handle work?"

Samuel hummed in acknowledgment. "There are a few things left to do. I didn't finish them yesterday, so I'll need to work late tonight."

"Then you should go."

Isabella turned her back to him as she lay down, sending a silent signal for him to leave.

Samuel stood still, not moving.

He seemed to sense that something was off, but couldn't quite figure out what was wrong.

Isabella suddenly had the urge to play a little prank.

She turned to him and said, "Can you not go tonight?"

Samuel visibly relaxed.

She still depended on him, still acted a little spoiled, and still wanted him close. That meant she hadn't discovered anything.

He smiled gently. "Sweetheart, I've already made plans. The executives are all waiting for me. But next week—next week, I'll make time to spend with you, okay?"

"Next week?"

"Yeah. Isn't next weekend our five-year anniversary? I'm planning a grand ceremony to let everyone in Herswick City know that you're the woman I love most in this life."

A grand ceremony?

Isabella smiled.

That made it all the more exciting.

"Alright, then. Go ahead."

"You're such a good girl, Bella. I'm leaving, then. It's about time for the meeting, and I can't keep them waiting."

Was he in a rush to not keep "them" waiting, or to not keep "her" waiting?

Samuel hurried out.

The tablet on the couch began vibrating again. They were in touch once more.

Samuel: Are you ready?

Jennifer sent a picture. This time, she was in a nurse's uniform.

Of course, not the proper kind—what should be exposed was, and what shouldn't was also exposed.

Samuel: I'll make sure you scream tonight.

Isabella turned off the tablet and began gathering her things. Her clothes, her purse, her shoes—everything Samuel had ever given her over the years.

Then, she went into the closet and continued pulling things out.

Her hand paused for a moment when she touched a metal box.

Inside the box were the letters Samuel had written to her—there was a thick stack of them.

When they first got together, he wrote, [From today, Bella is my one true love.]

On his birthday, he wrote, [My birthday wish is to spend a lifetime loving Bella and growing old together.]

For Isabella's 20th birthday, he wrote, [My darling Bella is of legal age now, I can't wait to marry you.]

On their wedding day, he wrote, [To the most beautiful and lovable Princess Bella, welcome to my world.]

Isabella didn't care to look at the rest. She took all the letters outside and burned them, letting the fire consume them completely.

The next morning, she was woken by the sound of Samuel entering the room.

He sounded angry.

"Bella, our wedding ring was stolen by a beggar, and he sold it at a pawn shop!"

Isabella felt a pang of disappointment.

How did he find it?

"And he sold it for only 10,000! It's such an insult to our ring!"

He came over, took her hand, and tried to put the ring back on her finger. "Now, let's return it to its rightful owner…"

Isabella pulled her hand back, refusing to wear the ring again.

Samuel seemed confused. "Bella, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just... I've gained a bit of weight recently, and the ring doesn't fit anymore."

Samuel laughed. "That's okay. I'll take it to the jeweler to resize it for you."

"Whatever," Isabella replied, then asked, "You didn't do anything to that beggar, did you?"

Samuel came closer and hugged her. "Don't worry. I know how kind-hearted you are, Bella. You wouldn't want to see the beggar suffer. I didn't hold him accountable."

"Maybe we should give him some more money. He's pitiful."

"Alright, I'll give him another 10,000 later."

Just then, Isabella's phone rang, and she answered it.

"Hello, Ms. Jones, this is Fauxlife Solutions. We've completed the new identification documents as per your request. Are you available to pick them up?"

"Sure, send me the address."

"I'll send the location to your phone shortly."

"By the way, will the new documents allow me to purchase flight tickets?"

"Don't worry, they will be fully valid for that."

"Okay, thank you."

After Isabella hung up the call, Samuel suddenly seemed anxious and wrapped his arms around her. "Bella, what's this about new documents? Flight tickets? Are you leaving? Where are you going?"

Being held by Samuel used to feel like happiness. But now, Isabella only felt discomfort.

She broke free from his embrace and stepped away from him, putting a few paces between them.

Samuel seemed even more panicked and rushed after her. "Bella, do you want to go on a trip? Next week, I promise I'll clear my schedule and spend all my time with you. Don't be mad. Don't leave me, okay?"

Isabella only felt a cold emptiness inside.

The man who was begging her not to leave, pleading like this—was he the real Samuel? Or was it the man she had seen on the video, tangled up with Jennifer?

Isabella couldn't tell anymore.

But it didn't matter. Soon, she would leave him forever. Whether she knew which version of him was real, it wouldn't make any difference.

She spoke flatly, "You're overthinking. Didn't you say we're having a ceremony for our anniversary?"

Samuel still didn't believe it and continued to pester her. "But what about the new documents you mentioned? What documents did you get? You even asked about flight tickets."

"It's for a classmate of mine. She lost her documents and couldn't buy a ticket. She needs to get new ones."

"Which classmate?"

"…You don't know her."

"I know all your classmates."

Isabella changed the subject. "Enough about me. What about you? Did you finish everything at work last night?"

"Almost."

Before he could finish, his phone rang again.

Isabella was already used to Jennifer calling him and dragging him away.

No matter what, Samuel was going to leave.

So, she walked away and sat on the couch to wait.

She heard Samuel's quiet reprimand. "I've told you already, don't call me when I'm at home!"

On the other end of the phone, she could hear a woman crying softly.

Then, Samuel sneaked a peak at Isabella guiltily.

"…Fine. I'll come over now."

After hanging up, Samuel hesitated before speaking again. "Bella, there's a small issue at the company that is leftover from last night... I have to take care of it."

Isabella nodded immediately. "Go ahead. Work's been busy lately. I understand."

Samuel hurriedly left once again.

Isabella held her phone. She was waiting to see what shocking video Jennifer would send her next.

As expected, Jennifer's message came quickly.

This time, it was a photo—a hospital checkup form.

[Jennifer Lewis, four weeks pregnant, threatened miscarriage]

Jennifer: Last night at the theater was too much fun, and the baby's showing signs of miscarriage. The hospital says the baby's father needs to be there to sign the forms. Sorry, Mrs. Grant, but your husband belongs to me again today!

Jennifer was pregnant?!

Isabella held the phone tightly, staring at the pregnancy test results. She couldn't snap out of it.

Jennifer: I forgot to tell you, for the next week, he'll still be mine. He promised to go to Hawaii with me to celebrate our little baby.

Jennifer: He's leaving the room to give you a call. Be prepared, Mrs. Grant.

The way she said "Mrs. Grant" was filled with a hint of provocation.

Almost immediately, Isabella's phone rang.

The screen displayed the word [Honey].

She took a deep breath and answered.

"Bella, I'm sorry. Something came up at work, and I need to go on a business trip-"

Before he could finish, Isabella interrupted him directly. "Go ahead."

Samuel continued apologizing, "Bella, don't worry. I'll be back for our anniversary. And the wedding ring—the symbol of our love—I'll put it back on you during the ceremony."

"Samuel, do you love me?"

"Of course! You're the only woman I've ever loved in this life."

Isabella replied, "If one day, you betray our love, I will leave you. Forever."

Samuel laughed like he had just heard a joke. He chuckled and said, "I won't ever give you that chance."

"I'm serious. I'm not joking. If I ever find out, you'll never find me again."

"As long as you're Isabella Jones, it doesn't matter where you go. Even if you run to the end of the world, I'll always find you."

"Really? What if I'm not Isabella Jones anymore?"

Samuel's smile widened, and his voice was lazy and indulgent. "How could you not be Isabella? Alright, Bella, don't overthink things. I'll only ever love you. One week from now, I'll be back to spend time with you."

Ten minutes later, the staff from Fauxlife Solutions sent her an address.

When Isabella arrived, the staff handed her a stack of documents. "Ms. Jones, from today on, this is your new identity."

She flipped through the papers.

Her new name was Elysia Farrow.

Elysia was a beautiful name associated with "parting"—she was about to leave Samuel forever.

She had chosen this name for herself.

From now on, there would be no more Isabella Jones. There would only be Elysia Farrow.

"Ms. Jones… I mean, Ms. Farrow, we've also booked your ticket. It's for next Saturday at 10 a.m. to Frosthaven."

Isabella gathered the documents and nodded, thanking the staff. "Thank you. I'll transfer the full commission to your company's account later."

"Ms. Farrow, you still have a week to reconsider. If you change your mind, we won't charge you any fees."

"No," Isabella stood up, her tone firm. "I won't change my mind."

In the following days, messages from Samuel and Jennifer kept coming in.

Three days before their anniversary, Isabella checked her messages.

Jennifer: The sea breeze in Hawaii is so nice! The seafood is delicious too, but he says I can't eat seafood because I'm pregnant. So, he ran really far to buy me Eastern food!

Attached was a picture of a Hawaiian beach scene.

There was the sand and a coconut grove. Not far away, Samuel was opening a take-out box.

Samuel: There are so few choices of Eastern food here. I had to travel far to find some. Bella, what did you eat today?

Isabella had spent the day with her close friends.

They had a barbeque and had a great time.

After all, she was about to change her identity and leave. It would be hard to see them again, so she wanted to cherish this last time.

Two days before their anniversary, Isabella's phone vibrated with incoming messages.

Jennifer: The baby is only a month old, and he's already studying early childhood education. He's going to be such a great first-time dad!

The attached photo was of Samuel's desk, stacked high with books.

Isabella skimmed the titles—Baby Prenatal Education Guide, The Wisdom of Early Education, and so on.

Samuel: Bella, I spent the whole day reading books. I've learned a lot. What about you? What did you do today?

Isabella had gone to the bank.

She exchanged all the funds from her account into foreign currency, withdrew cash, and closed all the bank cards under the name "Isabella Jones".

One day before their anniversary, Isabella glanced at her phone.

Jennifer: He's so sweet and caring. He doesn't want anyone else to touch my clothes while I'm pregnant, so he's washing them himself. Look!

The attached photo was of Samuel, busy in the laundry room.

Samuel: I didn't realize how exhausting laundry is. I think I'll leave it to the maid from now on. I don't want my darling wife working so hard.

Isabella laughed.

For five years of marriage, she had washed all of his clothes by hand. And now, he was washing clothes for another woman.

How ironic.

Just then, the charity organization arrived.

Isabella carefully cleaned and packed her old clothes, handing them all over to the charity.

When she came back and saw the house nearly empty, she felt a sense of lightness she had never experienced before.

It turned out that the end of love was just a moment's decision.

Once she stopped loving him, she could be so carefree.

-

The night before their anniversary, Isabella went to the mountaintop alone. She just looked up at the vast night sky, dotted with stars, the crescent moon hanging low.

It was beautiful.

When she received Samuel's call, it was already late.

He sounded happy. "Bella, I've just landed. I'll be home soon. I'll bring you some snacks, how about it?"

"I'm not home."

"It's so late. Where are you?"

"On the mountaintop."

"What are you doing on the mountaintop?"

"Watching the stars."

"Wait for me, I'll come right now…"

Suddenly, there was a loud noise on the other end of the line.

It sounded like a woman was speaking.

Samuel snapped something in a low voice.

The woman seemed persistent, and Samuel didn't say anything for a long while. Then, Isabella heard what seemed to be the sound of a kiss.

Isabella sneered. "Samuel, are you still coming?"

His voice was somewhat hoarse as he said, "Bella, starting tomorrow, I'll be with you all the time. I just need to go to the office tonight and wrap things up. After that, I can focus on being with you. How does that sound?"

Isabella laughed. "Sounds good."

"My darling wife is so understanding. Let's meet at the ceremony venue tomorrow. Oh, and don't forget the gift you got me. I'm really looking forward to the surprise you've prepared."

"Samuel," Isabella called him one last time.

"What is it?"

"It's nothing."

Nothing at all.

From now on, Isabella Jones no longer existed in this world.

After descending the mountain, she hailed a taxi.

"Hello, sir. To the airport, please."

The driver noticed she was alone and asked with concern, "Miss, where's your luggage? I can help you with it."

"I don't have any luggage. Just drive."

All she had was a passport and a flight ticket.

Everything else was donated or burned.

Anything related to the name "Isabella Jones" had already been taken care of.

Thirty minutes later, the car stopped at the airport entrance.

Isabella transferred all the money from her phone to the driver.

The driver looked flustered. "Miss, you transferred the wrong amount. It's 30 dollars, not 30 thousand! Let me send it back to you-"

"It's fine. Thank you for the ride."

She got out of the car and tossed her phone into the trash.

Without looking back, she walked into the terminal.