Chapter 2

The reply came quickly: "You can really let go of Sebastian?"

Vivienne gave a hollow, bitter twist of her lips.

But tears fell in fat drops onto the screen, blurring the message.

She typed a single word: "Yes."

His heart had long been divided in two. What was the point of fighting for half of it?

The irony was almost funny. Sebastian -- the man who swore, over and over, that even if she had truly sold herself, he would never mind.

And yet, just like everyone else -- he found her dirty.

Seven years ago, she and Sebastian had fallen in love, only to face fierce opposition from the Caldwell family.

The night she gave birth to their child -- unmarried -- they made their plan to elope.

But the Caldwells sent men to abduct her in secret, sold her overseas, and told Sebastian she had taken their money and abandoned him and the baby.

She spent five years in a living hell abroad -- but guarded her innocence with her life.

Sebastian, though he had married his arranged match, never stopped looking for her.

Finally, when Jasper was six, Sebastian followed a thread of evidence to the overseas compound and broke her out.

He didn't need a single word of explanation from her. He divorced Diana on the spot and married Vivienne immediately.

But five years apart had left the child distant from her, and photographs taken of her under duress had somehow leaked. Everyone assumed she had sold herself willingly, that she had become a kept woman for money.

No matter how thoroughly the world condemned her, Sebastian had never let it change him -- not for a moment.

He, who always doted on the child, even scolded Jasper sternly on more than one occasion: be good to Mom.

But Jasper was never her child at all.

Through those five years of torment, the greatest thing keeping her alive had been Sebastian and their baby.

Now there was nothing left.

Sebastian came out of the bathroom looking thoroughly satisfied, the scent of desire still clinging to him, and settled back into bed.

The moment his fingers touched her tear-wet cheek, he pulled her close with an almost instinctive reflex.

"What's wrong, Viv? Another nightmare? It's okay -- I'm here. I'm right here."

He kissed her tears away with tender, careful lips.

Those five years had left Vivienne with severe trauma. In the early days after their reunion, she woke screaming from nightmares every single night.

No matter how important the next day was, Sebastian sat up with her through every hour of darkness.

Just so she'd know, when she opened her eyes, that he was there.

To help her heal, he had sought out every renowned therapist he could find, and pushed himself to become something like a therapist himself.

But the way his kiss instinctively veered away from her lips -- just barely, unconsciously -- still betrayed him.

Vivienne wept quietly, then suddenly smiled. "Sebastian, there's a document I need you to sign tomorrow."

She wanted to leave without any ties to Sebastian or his family. Divorce was the necessary first step of her plan.

A drowsy Sebastian didn't question it. "Sure -- after we visit the cemetery tomorrow, hand it to me."

The next day was Vivienne's late mother's memorial.

Sebastian had promised to go with her.

He still rose early to make her breakfast, as always.

The distinguished man, wrapped in an apron, stood at the stove carefully stirring a pot of porridge -- the picture of a devoted husband to any outside eye.

But this time, Vivienne noticed: he had made two servings.

Just as he finished ladling the second bowl, Jasper appeared in the kitchen doorway and tugged at Sebastian's sleeve.

"Daddy, Mom's asking where breakfast is! Don't forget -- she gets stomach cramps if she skips!"

Sebastian immediately quickened his movements, packed the second breakfast to go, and swept out the door with Jasper's hand in his, calling back out of habit:

"Viv, I'm dropping Jasper off at school -- back soon to take you to the cemetery. Let the porridge cool a bit before you drink it, okay? Don't burn yourself."

The warmth of those words had barely faded before father and son disappeared.

Vivienne stood alone in the kitchen until the porridge went completely cold. Then she swallowed it in silence.

The housekeeper found her and gasped. "Madam! Why are you drinking it cold? If Mr. Caldwell sees this, he'll be heartbroken!"

Her stomach was already ice. But Vivienne felt nothing -- only a dry, self-mocking smile.

Would he really be heartbroken?

His eyes seemed to have stopped seeing her a long time ago.

She waited from breakfast until dinnertime. Sebastian never came.

The driver lingered awkwardly. "Mr. Caldwell may have gotten tied up -- would you like me to take you to the office to wait?"

Vivienne caught a glimpse of Jasper's social media page.

"Daddy and Mommy came to cheer for me at the track meet -- Jasper is the luckiest kid in the world!"

The photo showed Sebastian and Diana, both leaning in to kiss Jasper's cheeks.

She hadn't even known there was a track meet today.

That picture of their perfect little family made her feel like a shadow -- a dark, intrusive thing lurking at the edges of a life she had no right to.

Vivienne tucked the signed divorce papers into her bag.

"We won't wait for Sebastian. Take me to see my mother."

One last visit to her mother's grave -- and then she would leave this city forever.

But she never expected what awaited her at the cemetery.

She had barely passed through the gate when her mother's headstone cracked apart with a thundering crash and toppled at her feet.

And standing before the grave -- was Diana.