"Is that so?" I laughed in bitter anger, tears streaming down my face as I spoke. "Would you like this kind of honor for yourself? How noble you make it sound, Ryan. I never knew you could be so despicable."
Only then did I finally understand why he had bought me the mango cake yesterday. It turned out my graduation project could be dismissed with nothing more than a fruit cake.
"If you have no evidence, don't bother me. I still have a business trip to attend to," Ryan said slowly, meticulously wiping his hands.
He watched me desperately search the computer for a backup of my project, only to realize it had been completely deleted long ago.
In that instant, everything became clear to me. I also realized how utterly ridiculous I had been.
"Ryan, since you've chosen to go this far, don't blame me for what comes next!" I sneered.
With red-rimmed eyes, I packed my things.
Just as I gripped the handle of my suitcase by the door, Ryan suddenly warned me, "Don't even think about touching Annie."
Standing beside him, Annie spoke softly, "Charlotte Shelton, if it wasn't meant for you, let me fulfill it in your place."
I glanced at my watch, realizing I had to leave for the airport quickly. After declaring that I would "pursue this to the end," I pulled my suitcase and walked away.
Annie clung to Ryan's arm, pretending to be worried as she asked, "Mr. Fulmer, what will she do after leaving you? She won't really leave and never come back, will she?"
He let out a chuckle, remembering how I once followed him everywhere, my eyes never leaving him. "She won't. Charlotte can't live without me."
On the way to the airport, I dialed a number I hadn't contacted in years. "Sir, this is Charlotte. Can you do me a favor?"
After hanging up, I saw Ryan had posted a video of Annie receiving an award on his social media. The timestamp showed it was from last night, right before he picked me up.
A wave of nausea washed over me. Without hesitation, I blocked his number, then went on to block everyone connected to him.
At the same time, Ryan felt an inexplicable restlessness, his mind flooded with images of me screaming in despair, his heart clenched tight.
After sending Annie away, he called me repeatedly, but the line was always busy.
Once I arrived at the airport and switched to a new SIM card, I thought back to the pure joy I had felt when I married Ryan, always believing that one day I would melt his heart. Now, it was time for that dream to end.
In another place, Ryan suddenly felt an inexplicable wave of agitation; the image of me crying hysterically filled his mind. It was as if his heart was being tightly squeezed, making even his breathing difficult.
For the first time, I had made him feel what heartbreak was like.
He kept dialling my number after Annie was gone, but none of the calls went through. When he opened the chat messenger, he discovered that I had blocked him.
"Boarding is now open for the flight from New York to Milan," the announcer informed.
Without hesitation, I boarded the plane. As it soared into the sky, I watched New Orleans grow farther and farther away, shrinking into a tiny dot.
I closed my eyes and silently whispered in my heart.
"Goodbye, New Orleans. Goodbye, Ryan."
