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“Go far away) Chapter7: The Countdown
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It was three days before Clara’s flight. Lily sent her a photo of Ethan at a
beach.
[To celebrate my pregnancy, he took me to the Maldives for a holiday! He
said all I needed to do was relax.]
Clara didn’t reply. She met her friends for a final get–together.
There were two days before the plane took off. Lily sent Clara a photo of
Ethan reading Baby’s First Year.
[New daddy’s already into baby education! He talks to the baby through my
belly.]
Clara didn’t reply. She went to the bank, exchanged all her money for Euros,
then closed her accounts.
The last day. Lily sent Clara a video of a lavish fireworks display over the
ocean. Lily cried and Ethan was comforting her.
[He rented the whole island and bought all the fireworks here for my
birthday!]
It was Lily’s birthday. A double celebration.
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Clara smiled, then called a local charity.“I have clothes to donate.”
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A representative arrived. Clara had already packed five large bags of clothes
and shoes. She donated everything. And then, her ID card, birth certificate,
diploma… everything belonged to Clara Anderson went to a cremation service.
She paid them to burn it all.
Standing in her five–year–old home, she felt alien. It was empty, devoid of
her. She had only a backpack, with her passport. Her phone was her only
remaining possession.
She hailed a cab to the airport. As she paid, Ethan called her.
“Clara, I’m back. I’m coming home to pick you up. Let’s go to dinner.”
He was back, with Lily.
Clara saw them leaving the terminal. Ethan was pushing a cart with two
matching suitcases on it. One was blue and the other pink. Lily clung to his arm.
“How was the trip?”
“Not too bad. Oh, I can open your gift today, right?”
“Yes.”
“Great! You made me wait a week and I guessed what it was every day. It
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must mean a lot.”
“Yeah. You’ll see.”
“Okay, I’ll be home in two hours.”
Two hours later, her plane should have flown over the border.
“Okay.”
“Love you, Clara.”
Clara hung up, seeing Lily pout. Ethan kissed Lily to comfort her.
The driver said, “Ma’am, your fare.”
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Clara transferred him all the money in her account. The driver was shocked.”
Ma’am, you gave me too much. It’s 13 bucks, not 1300 bucks! I’ll return it.”
“Keep it,” Clara said while getting out.“I won’t need it anymore. Thank you
for bringing me here.”
“But I was just doing my job.”
“You don’t understand. You drove me to my rebirth.”
The announcement blared: Ms. Faraway Anderson, please proceed to Gate
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H23. Your flight is about to depart…”
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Clara clutched her passport, took one last look back, and walked to the gate.
< (Go far away) Chapt…
(Go far away) Chapter8: The Aftermath
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Ethan hung up without noticing anything strange. Lily was unhappy.“The
days when you belong to me alone are over so soon. I become a dirty secret again.”
Ethan warned her, “Don’t let Clara know about you, or you know the
consequences.”
Lily started to cry.“Fine, you’ve said it a thousand times.”
Ethan’s tone softened.“Don’t cry. It’s not good for the baby.”
“You’re yelling at me.
“Sorry. I’ll buy you a purse. Which one do you like?”
Lily looked at him. “Let’s go back to the office. We can do it one last time
before you go home…”
Ethan hesitated. He had said to Clara that he’d back in two hours.
Lily started to kiss him and he kissed her back deeply. Something was
aroused.
They went to his office and his eroticism had been hotly aroused by the sight
of her indecent nakedness. When it was done, he realized he was late.
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Ethan’s assistant arrived with the schedule. “Mr. Payne, you have a meeting
in an hour.”
Ethan stood. “How long will the meeting last?”
“About an hour.“–
Ethan grabbed his keys. “I need to go home. If I’m late, proceed without me.”
Lily felt threatened. She stopped him, pulling his arm. “Aren’t I here? Why are you still going to that woman?”
Ethan brushed her off.“Don’t say that again.”
Lily pouted.“I don’t want to share you with her.”
Ethan looked at Lily, his expression serious and stern. “I’ve told you. Clara is my wife. She always will be.”
”
<<Go far away) Chapt…
“Go far away) Chapter9: The Empty House
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Ethan hadn’t been home in days. He felt a strange mix of unfamiliarity and
freshness.
“Clara, I’m home,” he called as he entered the house. The garden was neat,
the house spotless. Clara was always neat.
went.
He wanted to hug her, but she was not here. He asked the maids when she
They maids were clueless.
Ethan felt uneasy.“You don’t even know if she ate breakfast?”
He went upstairs. The bedroom was empty. The windows were open. There
was a note on the dresser: I know about you and Lily. I’m gone. Don’t look for me.
He called her repeatedly, getting no answer.
He searched the house, finding nothing.
“The number you have dialed is busy…”
He finally accepted reality. Clara wasn’t just angry; she left and wouldn’t be
back. He called their mutual friends. They were all mad at him and didn’t tell him
anything.
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He called a last friend. “Hasn’t she been in touch with anyone? Sh must have
talked to someone before she left.”
The friend scoffed. “You’re her husband, and you didn’t notice that. What do
you think we should know? Look back at recent arguments.”
Ethan fell silent. They hadn’t talked in ages. If they had argued, she wouldn’t
have left.
He hung up, panicked. Clara’s things were gone.
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