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[Julie: You were sick on purpose to prevent me from being alone with Anthony last. night, right? I didn’t expect you to be so cunning after I told you about our relationship.]
Attached were photos of her and Anthony, including one of him sleeping naked next
to her.
[Julie: Our relationship has come this far, so you can’t even do anything about it, Daisy. We even have a baby, so I hope you’ll just accept it without causing trouble.]
She followed it up with a warning, [We‘ 11 go to Japan tomorrow, so make sure not to disturb us anymore, or I’ll share proof of our affair online.]
How dare she threaten me!
Her arrogance burned through me like a flame, but I refused to give her the
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satisfaction of seeing my anger. I kept my response short, [Just go.]
The moment I sent the message, Julie‘ s name lit up Anthony‘ s phone, her call coming through almost instantly. My stomach churned with disgust, but I forced myself to remain composed.
I quickly locked Anthony‘ s phone and reached over to wake him..
“Anthony, your phone is ringing,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “It might be something urgent from the office.”
Anthony stirred, groggily rubbing his eyes. as he reached for the phone. He answered it, and within moments, his posture
stiffened, his voice growing sharp and
alert.
“I need to go,” he said abruptly, already grabbing his jacket.
I glanced at him, my expression unreadable.
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“Just go,” I replied coldly, echoing the exact words I had sent to Julie earlier.
He paused for a moment, his gaze
softening. Leaning down, he placed a kiss on my forehead.
“Make sure to rest and take your
medicine,” he murmured before rushing out the door.
As the sound of the door closing echoed through the room, I released a breath I did. not realize I had been holding.
I stared at the empty space he had left behind, the void a perfect metaphor for what remained of our marriage.
Later at night, just as I had predicted, Anthony did not return to the hospital. Instead, a message from him arrived.
[Anthony: Daisy, I have a business trip to Japan and have to leave soon. I’ll ask the butler to pick you up at the hospital tomorrow. Please take care of yourself, and I promise I’ll bring you the best
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anniversary gift.]
A bitter smile tugged at my lips. “The best anniversary gift?‘ I thought darkly.
Well, his gift that year was truly best of the best if compared with the past one, so best until shocked me to the core.
Shortly after, another notification lit up my phone–my request to delete my identity had been approved and I could use my new identity.
The timing could not have been better. While Anthony was jetting off to Japan with Julie to celebrate their twisted affair, I would be erasing myself from his life for good.
**
The next day, I wasted no time. My body still felt weak from the fever, but my resolve gave me strength. I carefully prepared for my departure, ensuring every detail was accounted for.
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Instead of selling my belongings as I had before, I donated them to an auction whose proceeds would benefit disaster victims. It felt symbolic–turning the remnants of my life with Anthony into something meaningful for someone else.
Among my belongings, I prepared a special gift for Anthony. A sleek, elegant box containing the credit cards he had given me, the keys to the luxury car parked in the driveway, and the divorce papers I had signed.
Inside, I also placed a simple handwritten. note, [I wish you happiness with your new woman.]
Then, I left the box in Anthony’s study, knowing he would find it when he returned.
However, what I did not anticipate was the relentless buzzing of my phone throughout the day.
Notification after notification lit up the
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screen, each one a cruel reminder that Julie had no intention of letting me grieve.
in peace.
She sent photo after photo–pictures of her and Anthony in intimate moments, flaunted shamelessly as if to twist the knife deeper into my heart.
Each image was more audacious than the last: Julie laughing in Anthony‘ s arms, a selfie of them sharing a private dinner, his hand resting on her growing belly.
[Julie: You should see how happy we are together. This is why you should just give up, Daisy.]
Another messages were also relentless, filled with taunts and provocations, but they did not faze me anymore.
Instead of letting her words get to me, I calmly pulled out my SIM card and tossed it into the trash can in my bedroom.
I no longer needed it.
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I no longer needed anything that tied me to Daisy Paul.
I took one final look at the social media accounts I had painstakingly built over the years, then deleted them all with a few taps.
“Goodbye, Daisy Paul,” I whispered to the empty room, feeling a strange mix of sadness and relief.
I was no longer her. I was Valerie Keith, beginning a new chapter of my life, untethered from the past.
