In the end, Edward forced me to sign a settlement agreement, telling me to pretend none of it had ever happened from now on.

What did I ever do to deserve this? Why did I have to pay for it with the lives of my mother and my child?

As I walked down the street alone, I recounted everything that just happened to Younger Me.

This time, she didn't say anything.

If Younger Me had still been reluctant when she first agreed to the bet, now the only thing left in her was the same hollow feeling I felt.

After I ended the call, I realized I had wandered to the riverbank.

In the water, a drowning child was crying out for help. I jumped in without hesitation and pulled him out.

But by the time I made it back to shore, my strength gave out, and I blacked out.

…

I stayed unconscious for six days.

When I finally came by, I noticed Edward sitting by my bed, his face drawn with exhaustion. "I told you that we're putting the past behind us, Claire. From now on, I'll take good care of you for your mom."

I froze for a moment before it hit me.

Edward thought I had committed suicide on purpose just to threaten him. But I never wanted his care, nor had I ever agreed to just put the past behind us.

He waved a hand, calling in his and Madison's group of friends. They came in, warmly chatting with me and even wishing me happiness.

But the moment they stepped out into the hallway, they surrounded Madison and comforted her. "Don't let that scheming bitch get to you, Maddie."

"That's right. I can't believe she actually faked a suicide attempt just for attention. That's disgusting."

"After everything she's done, we'll never forgive her."

I scoffed, finding it ridiculous. Who needed their forgiveness?

Using Madison's revenge as an excuse, they mocked me, insulted me, and reported me until I lost my scholarship and graduate school admission offer. They even got the entire campus to boycott me.

After I started working, no matter where I went, they would show up at my workplace and cause a scene.

For five years, I couldn't get promoted. I could only stay at the very bottom, no matter how hard I tried.

The moment I pushed back even a little, they would run straight to Edward, playing victim and calling me manipulative. But in truth, they were the most hypocritical and disgusting group of people out there.

Thankfully, I was about to be free of all of them.

I checked the date, noting that everything would finally be over by tomorrow.

I was discharged on the same day after making sure I was completely fine.

Once I returned to the Herring residence, the household staff were noticeably more respectful toward me. Even Mrs. Herring made a reluctant effort to speak to me.

Edward probably thought this was the happy ending he'd given me—his and Madison's forgiveness, and the acceptance of everyone around us.

But to me, this was only the beginning.

At night, once Edward fell asleep, I made a call.

The voice on the other end sounded lighter than I'd ever heard it. "Madison kept inviting me to that gathering today, but I turned her down every time. Don't worry. I'll stay away from Edward and all of them."

Younger Me let out a long breath before saying, "It's time to move forward, Claire."

Mom named me Claire, hoping my future would be bright. I was never meant to be chained to this place.

That night, I stood on the balcony, watching as the first light of dawn slowly broke across the sky. At the final moment, I turned back to look at Edward's sleeping figure on the bed.

Calmly, I said, "Goodbye, Edward. May we never see each other again."

…

The next day, Edward woke up and frowned at the empty space beside him. He'd had a nightmare the night before.

In it, I was disappearing. And no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reach me.

Edward hurried out of bed and looked around the room, an uneasy feeling settling in.

He headed downstairs and saw Mrs. Herring sitting at the dining table, elegantly eating breakfast. He asked, "Mom, where's Claire?"

She looked at Edward, puzzled. "Who's Claire?"

He looked up at Mrs. Herring, a flicker of unease in his voice. "Claire Rover is my fiancee, Mom. We've been together for seven years. You really don't remember her at all?"

She frowned and walked over, reaching out to touch Edward's forehead. "Do you have a fever, Edward? What fiancee are you talking about?"