Chapter 3

All my past expectations and fantasies were laid bare before my eyes in the most sickening way imaginable.

I didn't cry. I didn't shed a single tear.

That progress bar hovering above Julian's head had already given me all the undeniable proof I needed. These hidden photos were merely a detailed footnote to his betrayal.

I walked over to the vanity, pulled open the drawer, and took out the stack of wedding invitations I had originally planned to mail out next week.

I dropped them straight into the trash can. Then, I slid the engagement ring off my left hand and left it on the dressing table.

With that done, I grabbed my suitcase by the handle and walked out of the bedroom.

The atmosphere in the living room was vastly different from before.

Harper was curled up on the sofa, her face buried in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. Julian stood nearby, gripping his phone so hard his knuckles were white. His face was livid, his eyes brimming with restless fury.

At the sound of the suitcase wheels rolling across the floor, Julian snapped his head up, his gaze cutting into me like a knife.

"Maeve, do you have any idea what you've done?!" He stormed over to me, furiously shoving his phone screen in my face.

The screen showed Sarah's social media page. She had posted the photo she took last night, accompanied by a merciless caption: "Some homewreckers are truly on another level."

"Because of whatever nonsense you replied to Sarah, she's convinced Harper is the other woman and posted this for the whole world to see! Now all of Harper's colleagues are screenshotting and forwarding it in their group chats. Her promotion assessment is completely ruined!"

Julian practically roared at me. "I need you to use your account right now and post a statement! Clarify that this is all a misunderstanding and clear Harper's name!"

I looked at his exasperated, furious face, then glanced at Harper, who was shaking with tears on the couch. I just found this entire farce incredibly laughable.

"I'm not posting any clarification," I said, calmly meeting his gaze. "Did Sarah say something wrong? I didn't slander her. Isn't that picture, or rather, the way the two of you look right now, the absolute truth?"

"The truth my ass! We've done absolutely nothing wrong!" Julian barked, letting out a humorless laugh.

It was only at that moment that his eyes finally landed on the massive suitcase in my hand. He froze for a second, then his frown deepened. "What's with the suitcase? You're playing the running-away game again? Maeve, Harper's entire career is up in flames because of you, and you still have the nerve to pull this hysterical stunt?"

"I made myself perfectly clear in the study earlier. I'm not throwing a tantrum, and I'm certainly not running away." I looked right at him. "Julian, the engagement is off. We're done."

Julian stared at me dead in the eye, as if the sheer coldness in my gaze had actually stung him.

He was so used to my past tolerance and endless compromises. Now, my absolute resolve was clearly slipping out of his control, triggering a deep sense of panic within him. But he immediately masked it with an even more explosive rage.

"Fine! If you want to break up, then we break up! Maeve, don't think the earth stops spinning without you! If you walk out that door today, don't ever come crawling back to me!" he roared through gritted teeth.

Just to provoke me—just to prove that he didn't care at all about me leaving—he suddenly grabbed Harper, pulled her in, and crashed his lips fiercely onto hers.

Harper's eyes snapped wide open, letting out a muffled gasp of pure shock. She clearly hadn't expected the situation to spiral out of control like this. After a brief second of being frozen, she frantically shoved Julian away with all her might.

"Julian! Are you crazy?! What are you doing?!" Harper covered her mouth, her face a mask of panic as her eyes darted wildly between him and me.

But Julian didn't even look at her. After being shoved away, his eyes remained locked intensely on me, his chest heaving heavily.

His eyes were a volatile mix of rage and deeply ingrained arrogance. He simply didn't believe I could throw away five years of feelings so easily. He was waiting for me to lose my mind. Waiting for me to scream, to lunge at them in a fit, to finally yield out of sheer jealousy.

But I didn't.

I just stood there, watching this pathetic, poorly acted stunt, and a sudden, unprecedented wave of relief washed over me.

"That's nice," I let out a light laugh, my eyes holding nothing but mockery and utter contempt.

"Congratulations. Now you don't have to hide behind the excuse of 'friendship' to keep your hands off each other."

With that, I turned around without a second of hesitation and dragged my suitcase out of the apartment.

I hauled my luggage straight to the RV rental agency. The moment I found those hidden travel photos, I had already booked a motorhome for myself.

I stepped on the gas pedal, and the RV smoothly merged onto the road.

I was finally about to embark on my very own coastal road trip.