Justine ran in. His face looked wild, desperate. He lifted me into his arms. I could hear him whispering telling me to wake up, saying sorry over and over.
The world went black.
When I opened my eyes again, I was in a hospital bed. My body hurt everywhere. Justine was sitting beside me, eyes lowered.
“This is just a small punishment,” he said flatly. “You should learn from it. Stop bringing up the past. Don’t hurt Cerese or her daughter again.”
My vision was blurry, but I looked at him anyway. My voice came out small. “Who’s hurting who?”
He didn’t answer. His jaw clenched. Then he turned and walked out.
For the next three days, he came to visit me. Brought food. Adjusted my pillows. Acted like we were still husband and wife. Like he hadn’t thrown me to hell.
On the fourth day, he came in wearing a suit. “Tomorrow’s my promotion ceremony,” he said, almost smiling.
I waited, thinking he’d bring up the divorce. Maybe finally let me go. But instead, he said, “I told you before I’d never let you down. I meant it. As long as you want, you’ll always be Mrs. Halley”
I stared at him, stunned, and then I laughed. It came from deep in my chest, bitter and ugly. “If this isn’t betrayal,” I said quietly, “then what is it? You already destroyed me. Isn’t that enough?”
Before I could finish, his phone rang. His face changed as soon as he answered. “I’ll be right there!” He rushed out, leaving me staring at the door.
The sedatives kicked in soon after. My eyes grew heavy, but before I fell asleep, I made up my mind. I was leaving the hospital tomorrow.
When I opened my eyes again, I wasn’t in a hospital. The air was cold. My hair whipped around my face.
I was standing at the edge of a cliff. Below me, the ocean roared. In front of me stood Justine, his face pale and hard.
“Because of you,” he said slowly, “Cerese left with my daughter. You need to apologize. Swear you’ll never try to clear your name again. Tell her you were wrong and beg her to come back.”
His voice was colder than the wind.
“Impossible,” I said. My throat hurt, but I didn’t care.
He took a step closer. I didn’t move. For the first time, I wasn’t afraid.
“This started with you,” Justine said. “Only you can end it.”
He took a step back, and that’s when I saw it. A black urn sitting by his feet. My breath stopped. I didn’t need to look twice to know what it was.
Ten years ago, I held that same urn against my chest, walked out of the funeral home, and buried it with my own hands. My daughter’s ashes.
My knees went weak. “Justine, what are you doing? Are you insane?”
My voice cracked halfway. I could barely believe what I was seeing. He looked calm, too calm, standing there in the cold wind with Amy’s ashes at his feet.
He just sneered. “You’re the one who’s insane. She’s dead, Emily. But I’m still alive.” He tugged at his tie, his patience slipping. “You don’t get it. Cerise’s father is my superior. If Cerese doesn’t come back, he’ll destroy me. Everything I’ve worked for! All these years, it’ll be gone.”
I just stared at him. I couldn’t even breathe. He was talking about promotions. Careers. While holding our child’s ashes.
“You’re really doing this?” I whispered. “She’s your daughter, Justine. Your own flesh and blood.”
He didn’t even look at me. Instead, he picked up a lighter. He held it over the photo album sitting on the rock nearby, the one filled with our pictures. His hand didn’t even shake as he flicked it on.
“No, don’t!” I tried to run, but the bodyguard behind me grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down.
The flame caught fast. The edges of the first page curled. Amy’s tiny face smiled up at me before the fire ate it.
When the first page turned black, I remembered being fifteen, when my parents divorced and left me behind. Justine held my hand and said we’d face everything together.
When the second page burned, I saw the beach in my mind. We were eighteen, barefoot, laughing, running until sunset. He hugged me tight and said he’d give me the best future.
When the third page fell apart in flames, I saw him kneeling in front of me, holding a fake diamond ring, tears in his eyes, promising me that one day he’d make it real.
Each memory turned to ash right in front of me. He’d reached his “highest position.” And he didn’t need me anymore.
“It’s almost morning,” he said, glancing at his watch. “You don’t have much time left.”
Then he lifted the urn.
It hit me what he was about to do. He was going to throw Amy’s ashes off the cliff.
My heart felt like it was on fire. I dropped to my knees. My forehead hit the stone hard. I didn’t even feel the pain.
“I’m sorry, Cerise” I said hoarsely. “I shouldn’t have tried to clear my name. I was wrong.”
Another bow, harder this time. “I’m sorry, Cerise. I shouldn’t have gone against you and your child. I was wrong.”
Blood ran down my face. My vision blurred. I kept going. “I’m sorry, Cerise. I shouldn’t have come back. I shouldn’t have taken what was yours. I was wrong.”
The bodyguard’s boots shuffled behind me, and I heard Justine’s voice again. “Is the recording done?”
Someone answered yes.
He stopped me then. Pulled out his phone and called Cerise.
“It’s done,” he said.
Her voice came through, light and pleased. “Then come pick me up. Sofie and I will live with you from now on.”
“Of course,” he said softly.
He turned back to me after the call. “Emily, go home first. We’ll talk later.”
Then he walked away.
I stayed there, kneeling, shaking, my face wet with blood and tears. I had waited for him for ten years. I had believed him through everything. And this was how it ended.
Something in me snapped. I pushed myself up. The bodyguards didn’t expect it. I broke free, ran straight to the cliff, and grabbed the urn.
“Emily!” Justine shouted, spinning around.
