His steps faltered and he turned back, his expression guarded. “Oh? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? Did you see anyone?”
“No.”
A visible wave of relief washed over him, his shoulders relaxing as he forced a smile. “Next time, let me know in advance. I’ll have the staff line up to welcome you properly.”
I watched him carefully, my heart sinking as his façade of composure slipped back into place. He tucked the blanket around me with practiced care before heading downstairs.
The moment he was gone, I reached for my phone, dialing my mentor’s number with trembling hands.
“Teacher,” I said, my voice low but resolute, “I want to apply for the research confidential program. And I need to cancel all my identity information.”
There was a pause on the other end. “Are you sure, Clarissa? Once you make this decision, there’s no going back.”
“I’m sure. I just… I need to disappear completely.”
After finalizing the arrangements to leave in five days, I hung up and sank back into bed. A heavy weight lifted from my chest, replaced by an eerie calm. Sleep came quickly, pulling me into its merciful embrace.
***
Five days later, the house smelled of a feast as Harry prepared for our seventh wedding anniversary. I woke to the sound of his humming downstairs, the aroma of dinner wafting up to the bedroom. For a moment, I lay still, staring at the ceiling, wondering if I was making the right choice.
A knock at the door broke the fragile peace.
“Harry, the power’s out at my house,” came a soft, sugary voice from the hall. “I’m so afraid of the dark. Can I stay here for the night?”
I knew that voice. Evelyn. His good friend’s cousin, the woman who looked like a younger version of me but with sharper edges and an undeniable boldness.
I sat up, listening as Harry hesitated. “No way,” he said firmly. “Clarissa doesn’t like having outsiders stay in our home.”
But there was a tremor in his voice that betrayed him. And I realized then: this wasn’t just about a harmless guest seeking refuge. It was about the cracks I could no longer ignore, the betrayal that lay hidden beneath every word and gesture.
As their voices faded, I sat there alone, my mind racing. I had five days to leave this life behind. Five days to find myself again. But would five days be enough to escape the shadows of Harry’s love?