Chapter 6

Lynn's POV

He walked over, trying to hug me, but I dodged to the side.

He missed and collapsed onto the sofa, covering his face in pain.

"There was a major problem with the lab data. The professor was furious and kept me there the whole time... My phone died too..."

He was still lying.

I looked down at him from above, looking at this man I had once loved with all my heart and eyes, and suddenly felt unbearably sad.

"Alexander."

I interrupted his rambling.

"Were you really at the lab today?"

Alexander's whole body shook. He jerked his head up. His bloodshot eyes flashed with extreme panic.

"I... of course I was..."

"Fine."

I didn't press further. I turned and walked back to the bedroom.

"Get some sleep."

One day until departure.

The apartment had been cleaned completely.

All my personal belongings, except for that one suitcase, were gone.

Alexander had been in a state of extreme anxiety these past few days.

He'd sensed the change in me.

To keep me, he even went so far as to buy a real diamond ring.

"Lynn, let's get married."

In the cramped living room, Alexander knelt on one knee, holding up that expensive diamond ring, his eyes burning and crazed.

"Tomorrow we'll go register our marriage. I don't care about graduating anymore. I want to marry you right now."

I looked at that ring flashing with blinding light, then looked at the oxidized, blackened silver ring on my own finger.

"Okay."

I extended my hand.

"Nine o'clock tomorrow morning. I'll meet you at City Hall."

Alexander slipped the ring onto my ring finger and hugged me tightly.

"Lynn, I swear I'll never let you suffer the slightest grievance again!"

However, his phone in his pocket rang with a piercing tone.

It was Lucas calling.

Alexander answered. His face instantly turned deathly pale.

"Alexander, Victoria slit her wrists! She's in the ER! She's been clutching that necklace you gave her the whole time!"

Alexander's body froze violently. His phone nearly slipped from his hand.

He shot to his feet and rushed toward the door like a madman, not even grabbing his jacket.

At the doorway, he suddenly stopped and looked back at me sitting on the sofa.

"Lynn, I..."

His voice was shaking, his eyes full of conflict.

"Go."

I sat in the shadows, smiling self-mockingly.

"After all, in your heart, she's the most important one."

"I'll be right back! Tomorrow morning at nine, I'll definitely be at City Hall on time!"

Alexander looked at me deeply, then turned and rushed into the night.

The door closed.

I slowly removed the diamond ring from my ring finger and threw it into the trash along with the old silver ring.

I stood up and pressed a bank card and a letter under the water glass on the table.

Then, dragging my suitcase, I walked out of this prison that had confined me for two years without looking back.

No tears, no hysteria.

Only complete liberation.

Seven AM, international airport.

I changed into the medical team's uniform.

"Dr. Lynn, we're ready to board."

The team leader called to me from a distance.

"Coming."

I took out my phone and sent Alexander that photo of him and Victoria at the rooftop restaurant proposal scene.

The message contained only one brief sentence:

"Game over. I wish you and Miss Sterling eternal happiness."

After sending it, I removed the SIM card, snapped it in half, and threw it into a nearby trash can.

I turned and strode toward security without ever looking back.