Chapter 6
Chapter 6
The plane jolted a few times during the journey.
Each time, I woke briefly from my restless sleep, staring blankly out the window at the endless sky.
Ethan must have spent months planning this wedding.
Even if something happened to me last minute, I doubted he would cancel it.
By now, Madison had probably stepped in to take my place, slipping into the expensive gown and basking in the blessings of the guests.
er all, in our eight years together, my photos had never been made public.
That idealized love story Ethan created for the world wouldn’t crumble just because he switched the lead actress.
No one would notice.
I didn’t know how much time had passed when the plane finally landed.
The team’s agent met me at the airport, handed me a new phone, and explained why my old one couldn’t stay with me.
“It’s evidence now,” he said. “That call to Ethan needs to remain in the country to hold up the story. If you took it, he’d know something was off.”
I nodded without asking further questions.
After swapping in the new SIM card, I followed him to the apartment they had arranged.
Their company was impressively thorough.
Everything had been planned down to the last detail.
The apartment was spotless, cleaned and prepped for immediate use.
After placing my suitcase in the bedroom, the agent gave me a firm handshake and smiled.
“Ms. Sullivan, your order is officially complete. Thank you for choosing us. I’ll head back to take care of the follow–up work. Once everything checks out, I’ll notify you for the final payment.”
I didn’t try to stop him.
I simply wished him a safe trip and said goodbye.
A minute later, I was alone in the silent, empty apartment.
To avoid raising Ethan’s suspicions, I had packed light.
After organizing my belongings, I powered on my new phone and began researching the area.
This country had always been on my list of dream destinations.
The scenery was breathtaking, and the climate was perfect.
But back then, Ethan’s career was at a critical stage, so I never brought it up.
Now, after all this waiting, I was here–but I came alone.
I let out a bitter laugh.
After leaving the apartment, I headed downstairs to find a nearby supermarket for essentials.
As I passed the local plaza, my steps faltered.
On a giant screen, footage from the wedding was playing.
11:46
Photos, Lies, and Fire
$12%
Chapter 6
The three–hour time difference meant the news of the bride’s tragic death in a fire hadn’t reached this side of the world yet.
The broadcast showed snippets of the lavish ceremony.
I stopped on the sidewalk, unable to resist watching.
Even if I couldn’t attend in person, seeing it through someone else’s lens felt like closure in a way.
The camera briefly panned over the guests, and in an instant, I spotted her.
Madison Carter, dressed in an elegant white gown, stood out effortlessly.
Her carefully crafted makeup made her look every bit like today’s bride.
expression, however, was far from joyful.
Confusion, frustration, and disbelief painted her face.
Perhaps she couldn’t understand why, after everything she’d sent me, I had still gone through with the wedding.
She didn’t know about the eight years Ethan and I had spent together–the memories, the promises, the scars.
To her, this was just another triumph.
But for me, this wedding was the conclusion to a chapter I needed to close, no matter the outcome.
The host’s voice was animated, describing the extravagant details of the event.
Renowned international designers.
Elite planning teams.
The kind of opulence most people could only dream of.
Yet Ethan was nowhere to be seen.
I knew why.
By now,
he had likely heard about the fire and rushed back to the house.
The memory of his frantic messages before I left made me feel a twisted sense of satisfaction.
The footage shifted abruptly, cutting to scenes of the burning mansion.
The home I had lovingly built, now consumed by flames.
Ethan arrived at the scene, dressed in his custom–made wedding tuxedo.
Ignoring the fire crew’s warnings, he charged toward the inferno.
“Get out of my way! My wife is still in there!”
“Today was supposed to be our wedding day! If she dies, I swear you’ll all pay for it!”
