The door clicked shut, and the oppressive atmosphere left with her parents. Adriana let out a long breath, her body sinking back into the mattress.

Janna handed her a cup of water, her hand trembling slightly. "You scared me. The way you talked to them... it was like you were a different person."

Adriana took a sip, the cool water soothing her raw throat. She looked at Janna, really looked at her. In the other timeline, Janna had been beaten black and blue by Troy Boggs. She had been a shadow of herself, terrified and broken.

The memory was a knife in Adriana's chest. She couldn't let that happen again.

She set the cup down and reached out, grabbing both of Janna's hands. Her grip was tight, almost painful.

"Janna, listen to me," Adriana said, her voice low and intense. "This is important."

Janna blinked, startled by the intensity. "What is it?"

"You need to break up with Troy Boggs. Today. Right now."

Janna's face flushed. She tried to pull her hands back, but Adriana held on. "Why are you bringing him up? Troy loves me. He's just stressed."

"He's stressed?" Adriana repeated, her voice hard. "Is that what he calls it? I see the way he looks at you when other guys are around. He doesn't look at you like a partner, Janna. He looks at you like property."

Janna went pale. "How... how could you say that?"

"Because I have eyes, Janna," Adriana said, leaning closer. "He checks your phone, he tells you what to wear, he isolates you from your friends. That is not love. That is a cage. And that cracked phone screen last week... you told me you dropped it, but did you, Janna? Did you really?"

Janna looked away, her bottom lip trembling. "He said he was sorry. He bought me that necklace..."

"A necklace is an apology for a mistake," Adriana said fiercely. "It's not a license to do it again. Janna, he is going to hurt you. I know it in my bones."

Tears welled in Janna's eyes. "You don't know him like I do."

"I know that you deserve better," Adriana said, her voice cracking. She let go of Janna's hands and cupped her friend's face, forcing Janna to look at her. "You are the best person I know. You are smart and kind and you do not need a man to validate you. I cannot lose you to someone like him."

Janna stared at her, the fight draining out of her. She saw the desperation in Adriana's eyes, the raw fear, and it scared her more than Troy ever had.

"I'll try," Janna whispered. "I'll talk to him."

"No," Adriana said firmly. "You don't talk to him. You tell him it's over, and then you block him. If he comes near you, you call me. If he threatens you, you call the police. Promise me."

Janna swallowed hard, then nodded. "I promise."

Adriana let out a breath, her shoulders dropping. It wasn't a guarantee, but it was a start. She had planted the seed.

"Good," Adriana said. She reached for the phone on the nightstand. "Now, I need you to do me a favor. Hand me my bag."

Janna grabbed the designer tote from the chair and handed it over. Adriana dug through it until she found her phone. She plugged it into the charger, waiting for the screen to light up.

It booted up, and instantly, it buzzed with notifications. Missed calls from her mother. Texts from her father. And dozens of messages from Everette.

She didn't read them. She deleted them all without a second glance.

Then she scrolled through her contacts until she found the number for her grandmother's personal assistant.

"Who are you calling?" Janna asked.

"Someone who can help me get out of here," Adriana said. The line connected. "Hello? It's Adriana Guzman. I need to access my trust fund. All of it. I need you to start the process immediately."

The doctor stood in the doorway, his arms crossed, his expression stern. "Ms. Guzman, I cannot discharge you. Your blood loss was significant, and your psychological evaluation-"

"I am signing myself out against medical advice," Adriana said, pulling the IV line out of her hand for the second time in this life. A small drop of blood welled up, but she ignored it, pressing a cotton ball to the spot. "Give me the forms."

"Adriana," Janna said, hovering by the bed. "Maybe you should stay one more night."

"No." Adriana swung her legs over the side of the bed. She was wearing the clothes Janna had brought her: simple black pants and a cashmere sweater. The collar of the sweater hid the bandages on her neck.

She stood up, her legs steady. The dizziness was there, but she pushed through it. She didn't have time to be weak.

She signed the forms with a flourish, ignoring the doctor's disapproving stare. She grabbed her bag and walked out of the room, her heels clicking on the linoleum.

The sunlight outside was blinding. It was a beautiful, crisp morning, the kind of day that felt like a fresh start. But all Adriana felt was the chill in the air.

"Where are we going?" Janna asked, following her to the curb.

"You're going home," Adriana said, pulling out her phone. "Remember what I said. Stay away from Troy."

"But what about you?" Janna grabbed her arm. "You can't just go back to the hotel. Everette is looking for you."

"I'm not going to the hotel," Adriana said. She opened the Uber app and typed in an address. "I'm going to Long Island."

Janna's eyes widened. "The Mills Estate? Are you insane?"

"Probably," Adriana said. A black SUV pulled up to the curb. The driver rolled down the window. "But I have to finish this."

She climbed into the back seat before Janna could argue. She closed the door, shutting out her friend's worried face.

The car pulled away from the hospital, merging onto the expressway. Adriana watched the city skyline give way to the leafy suburbs of Long Island. Her heart was beating fast, but her mind was clear.

Her phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.

Emergency trust liquidation authorized. Funds will be available within 24 hours. Awaiting your final instructions.

Five million dollars. Her grandmother had come through. It was her inheritance, the money that was supposed to be for her wedding. It was enough to start over. Enough to disappear.

The car turned onto the private road leading to the Mills Estate. The wrought-iron gates stood open, a silent invitation to the gilded cage. The house loomed at the end of the drive, a massive stone mansion that looked more like a museum than a home.

Adriana paid the driver and stepped out. The air smelled like cut grass and money. She walked up the steps to the front door.

The butler opened it before she could knock. His face was a perfect mask of professional calm, but his only sign of surprise was a fractional hesitation before he stepped back, his voice a low, even murmur. "Miss Guzman."

"Where is he?" Adriana asked, her voice leaving no room for small talk. "Where is Everette Mills?"

The butler hesitated. "Mr. Mills is in his study."

"Good," Adriana said. She didn't wait for an invitation. She stepped past him and walked into the grand foyer. Her heels echoed on the marble floor, a steady, rhythmic sound that matched her heartbeat.

She walked down the long hallway, her eyes straight ahead. She didn't look at the family portraits on the walls. She didn't look at the fresh flowers that cost more than most people's rent.

She was here for one reason. To burn the bridge to the ground.

She reached the study doors. They were heavy oak, carved with the Mills family crest. They were slightly ajar.

She raised her hand to push them open, but a voice from inside stopped her.

"You can't be serious, sir." It was Graham Fletcher, Everette's head of security. His voice was tight with panic.

Adriana froze, her hand hovering in the air. She leaned closer to the crack in the door.

Adriana held her breath, pressing her ear closer to the gap. The voices were clear, drifting out into the quiet hallway.

"Sir, this is career suicide." Graham's voice was strained, bordering on desperate. "You're talking about giving up your seat on the board. The Mills Corporation board. Your birthright."

A cold knot formed in Adriana's stomach. The board seat. In the other timeline, Everette had fought tooth and nail for that seat. He had sacrificed his marriage, his family, everything to keep it. And now he was just giving it up?

"It's done, Graham." Everette's voice was flat, but there was an edge to it. A weariness that sounded almost like defeat. "I've made my decision."

"Sir, please." That was K. Stone, his assistant. "This isn't just about the seat. If you step down now, the other directors will move in. Everything we've built for the last five years will be gone. You'll be out."

"Then let them have it," Everette snapped.

Adriana's jaw dropped. Let them have it? This wasn't the Everette Mills she knew. The man she knew would rather die than let go of power.

"Why?" Graham asked, echoing her thoughts. "Why are you doing this? It makes no sense. Is it because of the girl? Because of what happened at the hotel?"

The girl. That was her. They were talking about her.

There was a long silence. Adriana could almost picture Everette standing behind his desk, his jaw clenched, his eyes dark.

"Because I have to," Everette finally said, his voice low and rough. "Because if I don't, I lose everything that matters."

"That's not an answer," Graham pushed. "This is irrational. You're acting out of fear."

"Fear?" Everette let out a bitter laugh. "You have no idea what fear is, Graham. Now get out. Both of you."

Footsteps. Adriana jumped back, pressing herself into the alcove behind a large statue. The door swung open, and Graham and K. Stone walked out. Their faces were pale, their expressions shell-shocked.

They walked down the hall, their voices low but still audible.

"He's lost his mind," Graham muttered. "He hasn't been right since he came back from that hotel. Now he's throwing it all away for her."

"I've never seen him like this," K. Stone replied, shaking his head. "He's terrified. I've seen him face down hostile takeovers without blinking, but this... he looks like a man staring at the end of the world."

They turned the corner and disappeared.

Adriana stepped out of the shadows, her mind racing. Terrified? Everette was terrified? Of what? Losing her?

No. That couldn't be it. The Everette she knew didn't care about her. He had proven that in the woods. This had to be a trick. Some kind of elaborate manipulation to make her feel guilty, to make her think he was sacrificing something for her so she would stay.

It was a trap. A new, twisted version of the same game.

Well, she wasn't falling for it.

She straightened her sweater, lifted her chin, and walked to the door. She pushed it open wide. It hit the wall with a bang.

Everette was standing by the window, his back to the door. At the sound, he spun around. His eyes were red-rimmed, his tie loosened, his hair disheveled. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

Their eyes met. The shock on his face was real, quickly replaced by something intense and unreadable.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Adriana walked into the room, letting the door swing shut behind her. "I heard."