Chapter Three
Maren's POV
I look at the gray beginning to show at my father’s temples, and all the grief and hurt I’ve kept buried finally overwhelm me.
In my previous life, I insisted on marrying Rhett. My father nearly drained the entire Prescott family fortune trying to protect me after I married him.
In the end, I died a brutal death and left him to spend his final years alone and miserable.
“Dad…”
I throw myself into his arms, and tears spill from my eyes without warning.
I sob as if I could empty out two lifetimes of tears at once.
My father panics and fumbles to comfort me, patting my back.
“What happened? Did that bastard Rhett hurt you? Tell me, and I’ll break his legs!”
“No, Dad. He didn’t…”
I hold him tightly, sobbing too hard to speak.
“I’m just… I’m just so tired.”
“Dad, I don’t want to love him anymore. I really don’t.”
My father sighs and gently strokes my hair.
“Then don’t. My sweetheart is an incredible woman. You can have any man you want. Why waste your life on someone who doesn’t deserve you?”
“You said you wanted to leave the country last night, so I already have people arranging everything. Getting away for a while will be good for you. You need some distance from all this.”
I lift my head from his chest and nod firmly.
“Okay. The sooner, the better.”
Over the next few days, I stay in my room.
I find a large cardboard box and throw everything connected to Rhett into it, one item at a time.
The birthday gifts he gave me. The pen I treasured for ten years.
The pictures I secretly took of him. The journals filled with his name.
The scarves I stayed up late knitting for him and the recipes I learned to cook for him.
These things are reminders of all the years I spent losing myself in him. Yet as I look at them, I don’t feel the slightest attachment.
I only feel relieved.
I seal the box and tell the housekeeper to throw it directly into the garbage truck outside.
Once everything is gone, I lean against my headboard and pick up my phone.
The moment I unlock it, gossip notifications flood the screen.
Almost every story is about Rhett.
【Sterling Group CEO Turns Heads While Picking Up Mystery Woman at Airport!】
【Rhett Sterling Drops $1 Million on Limited-Edition Sports Car for Stepsister!】
【Sources Say Rhett Sterling May Be Planning the Wedding of the Century!】
In the accompanying photo, Rhett is protectively walking beside a woman in a white dress.
She is wearing sunglasses and smiling sweetly as she clings to his arm.
It’s Kendall.
Because I didn’t touch Rhett in this life, fate has taken a different course.
Kendall never ran away.
She is alive and well.
And Rhett seems determined to make up for his regrets from our previous life by spoiling her every chance he gets.
The two of them look perfect together on the screen. A faint ache spreads through my chest, but I swipe past the story.
In this life, neither of us owes the other anything.
Rhett, you can finally be with the woman you’ve always loved.
I hope you’re happy.
The travel arrangements go smoothly. I can leave for Paris in three days.
The day before my flight, I go to Fifth Avenue to buy a few necessities.
I’m looking at a scarf inside a boutique when an affectedly sweet voice comes from behind me.
“I’ll take that scarf.”
I turn around and see Kendall dressed head to toe in designer clothes.
She removes her sunglasses and looks me up and down, a challenging smile on her lips.
“Well, if it isn’t Ms. Prescott. Shopping all by yourself?”
Kendall walks over and snatches the scarf I was considering from the sales associate’s hands.
“Rhett told me I can buy anything I want. You don’t mind if I steal this from you, do you, Ms. Prescott?”
To be honest, I’ve never liked the way she acts sweet and innocent while deliberately stirring up trouble. We often argued because of it, and Rhett always had to step in before we would stop.
“Not at all.”
I give her a calm glance.
“If Ms. Hayes enjoys taking things other people have already passed over, she can have it.”
Kendall’s expression stiffens.
“What’s that supposed to mean, Maren? Are you saying I pick through other people’s trash?”
“If the shoe fits.”
I can’t be bothered with her, so I turn to leave.
“Stop right there!”
Kendall clearly isn’t willing to let me dismiss her that easily.
She rushes forward and grabs my wrist.
“Maren, don’t think I don’t know what you did to Rhett a few days ago! A shameless woman like you doesn’t deserve him!”
I frown and pull my wrist from her hand.
“Let go.”
The next second, Kendall lets out a startled cry and dramatically falls backward.
She hits the floor and scrapes her elbow. Tears immediately fill her eyes.
“Maren, I know you hate me, but why did you push me?”
She bursts into tears, looking every bit like the wounded innocent.
I freeze and glance down at my hand.
I didn’t use any force.
Before I can figure out what she is doing, a furious voice rings out behind me.
“Maren! What the hell are you doing?”
