Daniel’s belongings were nowhere in sight when I returned home. He had moved out—packed up his life and settled into Carla’s apartment—leaving me alone in the wreckage of what we once were. But solitude did not break me. If anything, it fueled me.
I refused to crumble.
Instead, I spent the following days crafting my revenge, sharpening it like a blade. I delved deep into research, meticulously learning the art of staging a perfect fake death. Every step, every detail, every possible outcome—I committed them all to memory.
This was my plan. My justice. My retribution.
I would vanish from their lives, leaving behind only devastation in my wake. And when the world turned its accusing eyes on Daniel and Carla, branding them as murderers, they would finally understand what it meant to lose everything.
They might not care about me. Not now. Not ever. But their public image? That was their lifeline and their shield. It was their carefully curated illusion of virtue. And that—that was exactly what I would take from them. Or perhaps, if fate was kind, Daniel might finally feel the weight of his sins. He might finally break under the guilt, drowning in the same torment he had forced upon me.
Pulling my car to the side of the road, I stepped out of it and fixed my sunglasses as I made my way inside a small antique shop in the middle of nowhere. This was where I will meet the people who will help me with my revenge, and upon pushing the door open, I immediately saw him— Nathan, a friend from college who had long since left the world of ordinary people, slipping into the shadows where law and morality blurred. He had contacts, resources, and most importantly, no conscience when it came to deception.
He leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips as his dark eyes raked over me. “Long time no see, Emma,” he mused, his voice laced with amusement. “You’re still as beautiful as ever.”
I wanted to roll my eyes at his flirtation, but I didn’t have time for games. I slid into the seat across from him, my voice firm and unwavering. “Tell me what kind of help you can provide.”
Nathan chuckled, tapping his fingers against the table. “Straight to the point. Just like before.” He studied me, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. “But let me ask you first—why do you want to fake your death? That’s not exactly a small request.”
“Because I want my husband to regret everything he did to me,” I answered without hesitation.
He clicked his tongue in mock disappointment. “Tsk. I told you, you should’ve just picked me instead of him.”
“I’m not here to play with you, Nath–”
“So,” Nathan clapped his hands, abruptly cutting me off. “You said you wants your fake death to be suicide. That’s a bit crucial, but I could make it possible.”
“And the catch is?” I asked because he hadn’t told me yet about the exchange of his service, telling me over the phone last night that he will tell me once I met with him.
Nathan’s smirk widened. “You will marry me and start a new life with me—far away from here.”
His words hung between us, an unspoken challenge in his tone.
I was caught off guard and couldn’t do anything but stare at him, my mind racing. I had anticipated some form of payment, but marriage? That was not part of my plan.
Nathan tilted his head. “Think about it, Emma. You want revenge, but what comes after that? Where will you go? What will you do? I’m offering you a way out. A fresh start.”
I clenched my fists under the table. He wasn’t entirely wrong. If I succeeded, I couldn’t just walk back into my old life. Emma—the betrayed wife—would no longer exist.
Nathan leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You want to make them pay? I can help. But in return, you become mine.”
I swallowed hard.
This wasn’t just about revenge anymore. This was about survival, and for it—I would do anything.
Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and bravely met his eyes before extending my palm to his, muttering, “Deal. Once this is over, I will be your wife.”
