[Julie: You were sick on purpose to prevent me from being alone with Anthony last night, right? I didn’t expect you to be so cunning after I told you about our relationship.]

Attached were photos of her and Anthony, including one of him sleeping naked next to her.

[Julie: Our relationship has come this far, so you can’t even do anything about it, Daisy. We even have a baby, so I hope you’ll just accept it without causing trouble.]

She followed it up with a warning, [We’ll go to Japan tomorrow, so make sure not to disturb us anymore, or I’ll share proof of our affair online.]

How dare she threaten me!

Her arrogance burned through me like a flame, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing my anger. I kept my response short, [Just go.]

The moment I sent the message, Julie’s name lit up Anthony’s phone, her call coming through almost instantly. My stomach churned with disgust, but I forced myself to remain composed.

I quickly locked Anthony’s phone and reached over to wake him.

“Anthony, your phone is ringing,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “It might be something urgent from the office.”

Anthony stirred, groggily rubbing his eyes as he reached for the phone. He answered it, and within moments, his posture stiffened, his voice growing sharp and alert.

“I need to go,” he said abruptly, already grabbing his jacket.

I glanced at him, my expression unreadable.

“Just go,” I replied coldly, echoing the exact words I had sent to Julie earlier.

He paused for a moment, his gaze softening. Leaning down, he placed a kiss on my forehead.

“Make sure to rest and take your medicine,” he murmured before rushing out the door.

As the sound of the door closing echoed through the room, I released a breath I did not realize I had been holding.

I stared at the empty space he had left behind, the void a perfect metaphor for what remained of our marriage.

Later at night, just as I had predicted, Anthony did not return to the hospital. Instead, a message from him arrived.

[Anthony: Daisy, I have a business trip to Japan and have to leave soon. I’ll ask the butler to pick you up at the hospital tomorrow. Please take care of yourself, and I promise I’ll bring you the best anniversary gift.]

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. ‘The best anniversary gift?’ I thought darkly.

Well, his gift that year was truly best of the best if compared with the past one, so best until shocked me to the core.

Shortly after, another notification lit up my phone—my request to delete my identity had been approved and I could use my new identity.

The timing could not have been better. While Anthony was jetting off to Japan with Julie to celebrate their twisted affair, I would be erasing myself from his life for good.

**

The next day, I wasted no time. My body still felt weak from the fever, but my resolve gave me strength. I carefully prepared for my departure, ensuring every detail was accounted for.

Instead of selling my belongings as I had before, I donated them to an auction whose proceeds would benefit disaster victims. It felt symbolic—turning the remnants of my life with Anthony into something meaningful for someone else.

Among my belongings, I prepared a special gift for Anthony. A sleek, elegant box containing the credit cards he had given me, the keys to the luxury car parked in the driveway, and the divorce papers I had signed.

Inside, I also placed a simple handwritten note, [I wish you happiness with your new woman.]

Then, I left the box in Anthony’s study, knowing he would find it when he returned.

However, what I did not anticipate was the relentless buzzing of my phone throughout the day.

Notification after notification lit up the screen, each one a cruel reminder that Julie had no intention of letting me grieve in peace.

She sent photo after photo—pictures of her and Anthony in intimate moments, flaunted shamelessly as if to twist the knife deeper into my heart.

Each image was more audacious than the last: Julie laughing in Anthony’s arms, a selfie of them sharing a private dinner, his hand resting on her growing belly.

[Julie: You should see how happy we are together. This is why you should just give up, Daisy.]

Another messages were also relentless, filled with taunts and provocations, but they did not faze me anymore.

Instead of letting her words get to me, I calmly pulled out my SIM card and tossed it into the trash can in my bedroom.

I no longer needed it.

I no longer needed anything that tied me to Daisy Paul.

I took one final look at the social media accounts I had painstakingly built over the years, then deleted them all with a few taps.

“Goodbye, Daisy Paul,” I whispered to the empty room, feeling a strange mix of sadness and relief.

I was no longer her. I was Valerie Keith, beginning a new chapter of my life, untethered from the past.

Anthony and Julie spent a week in Japan, indulging in their fantasy of a perfect life together.

Julie was radiant, posing for pictures at picturesque tourist spots and hinting at their growing family on social media.

But when they returned, Julie’s excitement reached a fever pitch.

“This is it,” she said, clutching Anthony’s arm as they walked up to the front door. “Our new beginning.”

Anthony pushed the door open, stepping inside, but froze in place almost immediately.

The house felt… empty.

The furniture was still there, but it lacked warmth. The air itself seemed hollow, stripped of the small touches that had once made the Manor a home.

The scent of the candles I had always lit was gone. The photos of us on the walls were gone. Even the garden, where I had lovingly tended to my collection of succulents, was barren.

Anthony took a few steps forward, his gaze darting around in confusion. “What happened here?” he asked, his voice rising.

The butler appeared from the hall, bowing slightly. “Welcome home, Mr. Harris.”

Anthony turned to him sharply, gesturing around the room. “Why does everything look so different? Where’s Daisy? What happened?”

The butler’s face twitched with discomfort. “I’m sorry, Mr. Harris, but Mrs. Harris tidied everything up before she left. She said she needed to move out.”

“Move out?” Anthony repeated, disbelief etched into his voice. “Move out to where? Who told her to leave the house?”

The butler hesitated, his gaze flickering toward Julie briefly before he continued. “She said… she said it was you, sir.”

“Me?” Anthony’s tone grew darker, his brows knitting together. “When did I ever say that? We were talking about rescheduling our anniversary before I left for Japan, nothing more!”

Julie’s grip on his arm tightened as she spoke softly, “Honey, maybe she misunderstood. You know how women can overthink things. Maybe she’s just upset.”

Anthony shook his head, his mind racing. “This doesn’t make sense. Why would she pack everything, leave the house, and…” His voice trailed off, realization creeping into his features.

Julie, sensing the shift in his mood, quickly tried to redirect his focus. “Well, it’s not all bad,” she said sweetly. “This just makes things easier for us, doesn’t it? Now we can truly start fresh.”

But Anthony wasn’t listening anymore. “Where is she now?” he muttered, his voice strained.

The butler hesitated again, finally saying, “She didn’t say, sir. Mrs. Harris only mentioned that she was… moving on.”

Anthony’s heart raced as he grabbed his phone and dialed my number.

The call did not connect. Instead, a cold, automated voice informed him that the number had been disconnected.