James looked at me with a bright, indulgent smile. "It's only a dress. If my wife asked for the moon, I'd still find a way to give it to her."

He handed me the dress and urged me to try it on.

That was when Cassandra happened to walk into the boutique as well.

The moment James saw her, his fingers tightened until his knuckles turned pale, and his gaze drifted instinctively toward the entrance.

They had been this obvious all along. Why was I only seeing it now?

Looking back, the signs had been there for a long time.

At every family dinner, James's eyes lingered on Cassandra more than they ever did on me.

Once, when Morgan was away on a business trip, Cassandra stayed at our place.

A thunderstorm broke out that evening. James sprang out of bed instantly and rushed straight to Cassandra's room. He covered her ears, pulled her into his arms, and soothed her gently.

What he forgot was that I was afraid of thunder too. While he was with her, I spent the night awake, curled up alone in the dark.

James always cut my apples into little rabbits. Back then, I thought it was sweet. Later, I realized the truth. Cassandra liked them that way, and I was never the only one eating them. He always split the apples and gave her half.

I was nothing more than a convenient cover he used to disguise his feelings for Cassandra.

While I was lost in thought, Cassandra noticed the gown in James's hands and exclaimed in surprise, "It's so beautiful! Can I try it on?"

James took two steps back and placed the dress directly into my arms. "I'm afraid not, Cassie. I bought this gown especially for El."

Cassandra froze for a moment, then smiled. "I was only joking. You took it so seriously. I wouldn't go so far as to fight Elsa over a dress. Still, James, you and Morgan really are alike. Both of you dote on your wives in the same way."

She paused, then added lightly, "I won't disturb you two any longer. I'll go look around elsewhere."

With that, Cassie shot me a provocative look and walked away in her heels.

James didn't pull his eyes away until she was gone, and for a brief moment, reluctance showed plainly on his face.

When he noticed me watching him, he slipped back into his usual smile. "Wait for me downstairs. I'll go upstairs and have the staff wrap the gown for you."

He returned empty-handed. Before I could react, he said, "Darling, the assistant was clumsy and scratched the fabric while wrapping it. I couldn't let you wear something imperfect. Don't worry, I'll find something even more beautiful and expensive for you."

What a coincidence. Right after Cassandra praised the dress, something just happened to go wrong with it.

I understood James's intentions perfectly, but I simply looked at him in silence and said nothing.

After a long moment, I nodded. "As you wish."

It didn't matter anymore. I would be leaving soon anyway.

James's eyes flickered. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but before he could, his phone rang. A message had come in. There was no need to guess who it was from.

Sure enough, he immediately made an excuse and said he had something urgent to deal with.

This time, I didn't stop him either. I watched him walk away without a word.

The moment he turned his back, my own phone rang.

It was a call from the staff handling my staged death.

As I answered the call, I accidentally put it on speaker. The staff member's voice carried through the room.

"Ms. Granger, everything is ready. We're just waiting for your signature. Once that's done, you'll be free to leave without any worries."

James stopped mid-step and turned back, grabbing my hand. "Leave? What do you mean by that? Darling, you're leaving?"

I smiled. "Don't overthink it. My best friend is going abroad. I'm just helping her handle some paperwork."

Hearing that, James let out a sigh of relief. He gave me a long, unreadable look, and after a moment of hesitation, he still chose Cassandra over me.

The truth was, if James had asked more questions or even glanced at my phone, he would have seen that I wasn't handling any travel documents at all.

Unfortunately, he did neither, which was fine by me. That way, I could leave without a single burden.

After they left, I took a car to the fake death service center.

When I saw the silicone body, crafted to mirror me exactly down to the skin texture and most minor details, I couldn't help but be impressed by their skill.

While I was still staring, a staff member handed me a contract. "Ms. Granger, we've booked your flight to Milanos and wiped all your identity records. The replacement is ready. On the day you chose, we'll make it fall from the banquet hall rooftop exactly as instructed.

"From that moment, Elsa Granger will no longer exist—only Faith Winslow. Sign here if you're ready."

Faith Winslow was the name I chose for myself, symbolizing self-redemption and the hope of finally shining like a star on my own.

Just then, Cassandra posted an update on her social feed. "All it took was me saying I wanted it, and he got it for me."

The photo displayed the very gown James had insisted was long gone.

I smiled coldly and signed the contract immediately.

…

Before long, our fifth wedding anniversary arrived.

James and I were going through the motions of the ceremony when he suddenly clutched his stomach and left midway, claiming he felt unwell.

The next second, Cassandra sent me a message. "Come to the changing room."

Since I was leaving anyway, there was nothing left to worry about. I went.

Through the narrow gap in the door, I saw Cassandra wearing my gown, kissing James as if no one else existed.

"These past few years, you've really suffered for my happiness," she said softly.

James's ears flushed red. "As long as it's something you want, I'll give it to you."

I watched coldly, taking out my phone to record everything in silence.

After saving the video, I checked the time. My flight was coming up soon. I changed out of the gown and handed it to the fake death staff so they could dress the body.

Then I took a taxi home, placed the prewritten suicide note, the divorce papers, and the printed screenshots of Cassandra's taunting messages neatly on the table.

When everything was done, I grabbed my luggage and left without looking back.

The moment I arrived at the airport, news of my "death" hit the headlines.

In the footage, James's face turned ashen the moment I fell.

I let out a cold laugh, switched off my phone, and boarded the plane.

From now on, there was no Elsa, only Faith. This time, I would be my own salvation.

"James, I hope our paths never cross again."