After I Vanished, He Finally Realized What He Lost

Chapter 5

His gaze seemed distant as he explained, "This morning, Themis couldn't change, so I let her freshen up here."

I simply nodded, offering nothing more than a quiet, "Okay," as I stepped aside to give him space.

As Linus gathered the intimate clothing, he was about to leave when he suddenly stopped. "If you're going to overthink this, I won't take you with me."

I waved my hand dismissively, signaling it wasn't a big deal.

Linus hesitated for a moment, his thoughts clearly conflicting, just as Themis called out to him again, urging him to hurry.

After hanging up, he looked at me and said, "I'll be back after I drop her off. Make an appointment; we'll pick up the marriage certificate tomorrow."

With that, he hurried out the door.

Once everything was packed, I scrolled through my social media to pass the time. Themis had posted again; the first photo showed a slender hand testing the water temperature at the edge of a bathtub. The second was a selfie of her, with soft lighting illuminating her profile as a man focused on washing her hair in the background.

[Brother said my hand can't touch water because I'm injured, so he has to help me wash my hair and bathe. Why do I feel a little shy about this?]

I shifted my bandaged hand and cast one last lingering glance at the house I had shared with Linus for eight years.

Just then, Linus's text message popped up: Something came up; I can't come back. Cancel the marriage certificate appointment for tomorrow.

I reassured myself that it was fine since I hadn't actually made the appointment yet.

With my luggage in tow, I stepped out the door and hailed a taxi headed for the airport.

As the plane climbed into the sky, I sent Linus a final text to end things between us and then turned off my phone.

As the plane soared through the sky, I surrendered to a deep, uninterrupted sleep, each moment a soothing escape.

Upon arriving at the airport, the foreign orchestra greeted me with warm enthusiasm.

"Welcome, Miss Morris!"

"It's a true privilege to have someone of your talent joining our orchestra!"

Henry Bradley, the owner, praised my abilities effusively, while the other members looked at me with awe, as though I were a beacon of inspiration. This kind of recognition was rare, I'd never encountered such admiration back home.

In the past, whenever praise was heaped upon me, Linus's frown would cloud the moment, like a dark storm. No one wanted to upset him, and I certainly didn't want to see him unhappy. Over time, I became little more than a shadow in the orchestra, acknowledged only when my name was linked to his.

Henry then introduced me to the pianist I'd be collaborating with, marking a significant step in my new journey.

The man, exuding a gentlemanly charm, extended his hand toward me, his face carrying a flicker of recognition. "Hello, Miss Morris. I'm Jarren Morgan. It's a pleasure to work with you."

In that moment, memories flooded back. Jarren had been the runner-up in the competition where Linus first made his name ten years ago. Since then, Jarren had devoted himself to perfecting his craft, earning accolades both at home and abroad, his talent now rivaling Linus's.

I felt a thrill at the prospect of collaborating with such an accomplished artist.

After a delightful welcome dinner arranged by Henry, I settled into the apartment provided by the orchestra.

With everything in place, I finally had a moment to glance at my phone. Dozens of missed calls, WhatsApp messages, and voice notes flooded my notifications, nearly overwhelming my device.

Every one of them was from Linus.

[What do you mean you're breaking up with me? Who authorized you to change my new manager without saying anything?]

[Naia, is this your new scheme?]

[It makes sense now why you've been so quiet, just putting on a show. I noticed you took down all the wedding photos from your social media, I completely underestimated you!]