Keiran quickly masked the flicker of guilt that flashed across his face, his smile almost too perfect.

“My sweet, understanding wife, how about we save that for next time? This trip is crucial, and I may not even have time for a break. I’d feel terrible if I couldn’t spend more time with you.”

Claudette looked at him, the man who always wore that innocent expression just for her, and she chose not to press him further.

“All right.”

She saw the relief on Keiran’s face as though a heavy load had been lifted from his shoulders. It was no wonder they said that when one person starts to tire in a relationship, it’s often a sign that it’s time to let go. To Keiran, Claudette had become nothing more than an obligation.

His heart was already claimed by the fresh, youthful college girl, someone full of promise, not someone like her, who was nearing thirty.

After Keiran left, Claudette glanced at the time, realizing she had less than two weeks. She packed up her belongings with a quiet finality and sent them off to the place where they would no longer belong to her.

Then, she gathered all the jewelry Keiran had given her and exchanged it for cash; after all, she deserved that much. During the seven years of her youth, taking those things felt like the least she could do.

With everything in place, Claudette grabbed only her phone, bank card, and ID and bought a one-way ticket to Lexington Bay. When she landed, she splurged on an outfit that would transform her. If Keiran had seen her now, he wouldn't have recognized her even if she had stood right before him.

Amid the busy streets, she felt like a stranger, out of place in a world that didn’t belong to her. She wandered through the crowd, snapping photos with her phone. Who knew if she’d ever get another chance to visit? She wouldn’t let this trip go to waste.

The familiar name sliced through the air, and she turned her head without thinking. “Keiran, come on, come hold me!”

Keiran gently lifted Corinne onto the ice sculpture, taking his time to photograph her in different poses, each one more radiant than the last. Almost as if in a daze, Claudette pulled out her phone and captured the scene, her finger trembling slightly as she pressed the shutter.

Back then, she had begged Keiran to take just a few pictures with her at an amusement park. Those photos had been her treasures, proof of the love she once thought was endless.

Now, watching this scene unfold, Claudette felt a stab of bitter realization, how foolish she had been. She had come all this way only to watch them flaunt their love so effortlessly, each moment another cruel layer of her heart breaking.

She uploaded the Ice World photos to her Facebook feed, leaving them captionless, just a few pictures to speak for themselves. The effect on Keiran and Corinne was immediate.

[You shameless woman! Following us around, do you think this will win Keiran back?] Corinne’s message practically vibrated with rage.

Just below it, Keiran’s texts appeared, his tone starkly different, carrying a tense urgency.

[Did you go to Lexington Bay?]

[Why didn’t you tell me?]

[Where are you? Why aren’t you answering my calls?]

Claudette watched her phone light up with each call and each message. She simply let it ring, her fingers resting still, refusing to respond.

Corinne fumed, her anger simmering beneath the surface, but she didn’t dare to let it spill out. Then, Keiran’s sudden announcement made her freeze.

“Pack up, we’re heading back,” he said, his tone firm.

“What? We’ve only been here two days! I haven’t even begun to enjoy myself. There’s so much we haven’t done. I’m not going back.”

Corinne thought her tantrum might soften his stance and that he would relent as he always did. But this time, Keiran’s gaze held steady, unbending.

“Fine. If you don’t want to go back, then we’re done. Don’t contact me again.”

But Corinne wasn’t about to let Keiran slip through her fingers. He was her gateway to the life she’d always dreamed of. After reaching the airport, she fired off another message to Claudette.

[This is all your fault. If it weren’t for you, we’d still be enjoying ourselves. Why do you keep haunting us like a shadow? You’re not young anymore; shouldn’t you stay home instead of following us around?]

So, Keiran was still terrified of Claudette learning the truth. But if he feared her reaction so much, why had he betrayed her in the first place?

From the moment he boarded the plane until he touched down, he bombarded her with messages. Claudette couldn’t make sense of it. If he cared so much, how could he have cheated so casually? Did he love her? She wasn’t sure anymore. And yet, to say he didn’t love her felt off; everything about his anxious behavior screamed he feared being found out.

After all their years together, Claudette decided it was time to indulge herself for once. She ignored every call and every message and spent her days in Lexington Bay.

A figure stumbled toward her when she stepped inside, nearly knocking her off balance. Keiran, frantic and trembling, clung to her, breathing hard, murmuring her name the way he used to in their most intimate moments. A wave of nausea washed over her. She tried to break free, but he held on desperately, like a man searching for something he’d lost. When his fingers moved to unbutton her shirt, she shoved him back with all her strength.

He stared at her, eyes red and wide, frozen in disbelief. He looked worn, his stubbled face hollowed by dark circles and a clenched jaw. His hands trembled, balled into tight fists.

“What’s going on? Did something happen?” Claudette’s steady, cool voice only seemed to heighten his panic; she’d never spoken to him like this before.

“Are you upset with me? Tell me where you want to go, and I’ll take you, right? Please, don’t shut me out. I’ve been searching everywhere for you. You didn’t answer my calls, didn’t respond to my messages… You have no idea how worried I was,” he pleaded.

Claudette looked at the pitiful man in front of her, clinging to her like a lost child. She might have fallen for this act if she hadn’t seen the truth behind his facade.

“Oh, my apologies. After I posted on Facebook, I misplaced my phone. Someone found it and handed it to the hotel desk. When I got it back, I was rushing to make my flight. Besides, weren’t you busy with business? I figured I’d enjoy myself for once. I’m an adult; I can take care of myself.”

For days, Keiran hardly left Claudette’s side, skipping work entirely to stay close to her.

“Claudette, have you noticed anything missing around here?” he asked.

Following his eyes, Claudette shrugged. “I might’ve tossed a few things; they seemed pointless. Can’t quite remember.”

“True. Sometimes, the old things just lose their charm. It feels refreshing to replace them with something new.”

She had always seen Keiran as sentimental, but he was here craving change. So that was it, that was what led him to Corinne?

Claudette’s eyes fell on the calendar. Just five days left.

Keiran wrapped his arms around Claudette from behind, breaking her thoughts with his sudden warmth. “It’s been ages since we felt close like this. I miss it.”

Claudette instinctively shifted away, and at last, Keiran seemed to catch on. “Why have you been so distant lately, not even letting me near you? Have you met someone else?”

Seeing the accusation flash in his eyes, Claudette almost laughed. Here he was, the one betraying her, yet he dared to act like the wounded one.

“You’re reading too much into things. I’m just tired. Still haven’t quite adjusted after the trip.”

Keiran’s phone wouldn’t stop buzzing, each alert followed by some flimsy excuse, a quick trip to his study, another urgent call.

Claudette watched him slip away each time, clearly messaging Corinne. “They’re planning a get-together. I won’t be long.”

Feigning understanding, Claudette urged him on, watching as he left. The moment he was gone, she headed to the bathroom, scrubbing at her skin where his touch lingered, each swipe of the soap an attempt to erase the lingering ache.

As expected, he never returned. The next morning, his assistant’s call was all too familiar, saying he had too much to drink and stayed at a hotel, so she did not need to worry.

The next morning, Claudette opened her phone to a message from Corinne, complete with two photos. One captured Keiran cradling Corinne, a sickeningly tender moment. The other displayed a gleaming necklace, a gift from him to Corinne.

[See this, old woman? This necklace is Keiran’s way of apologizing to me. What’s the point in keeping him around when his heart’s clearly mine?]

Yet Claudette’s gaze lingered not on the woman in his arms but on that necklace, its emblem unmistakable. It was from the “Love” collection, the very line Keiran had chosen for his first gift to her back when he took over the family business.

Claudette had always admired the brand's designs, and to her, "Love" had symbolized everything their relationship stood for. Keiran had even bought the entire line, placing it under her name to ensure it was hers alone.

But now, the "Love" necklace hung around another woman’s neck, its significance shattered. What had once been her exclusive symbol of their love was now tainted. She had once intended to keep it as a reminder of their bond, but now, it seemed more like a bitter memory.

With a quiet resolve, she pulled out the custom pieces she had left, and without hesitation, sold them all.

The countdown had begun.

Three days left.

Lately, whenever Keiran returned home, it seemed that more and more of Claudette’s things were gone. The house, once filled with her presence, now only echoed with the things he had bought. Each day, his unease grew as if he could feel the emptiness creeping in around him.

Keiran had been anxious ever since Claudette had disappeared once before. He handed over his company responsibilities to avoid another repeat of that nightmare. He instructed his staff to leave him be unless absolutely necessary.

One quiet morning, the sound of clanging dishes echoed through the house. At first, Claudette thought there was an intruder, but when she entered the kitchen, she found Keiran cooking.

“You’re up! Breakfast’s nearly ready. Just sit tight for a minute; your royal meal will be served soon, courtesy of your knight in shining armor.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

Her simple words froze him in his tracks.

“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head and returned to his task, clearly lost in thought.

Perhaps it was guilt or some attempt to make amends. Still, Keiran surprised her later by taking her to an amusement park.