He immediately forgot everything else, scooping her up and rushing back to the car.
One of the bodyguards saw his signal and, misunderstanding it, he loosened his grip.
The urn slipped from his hands.
By the time Alannah lunged forward, it was too late.
She could only watch as her mother’s ashes dissolved into the muddy rainwater.
Overwhelmed by grief and helplessness, she collapsed to the ground, too numb even to cry.
At that moment, nothing else could compare to the deathly stillness in her heart.
When the rain finally stopped, she forced herself to stand.
She called for a cab, went straight to the county clerk’s office, and retrieved the divorce certificate alone.
The booklet felt strangely light in her hand. For the first time in years, she felt… free.
Returning to the villa, she packed her things quickly, hailed another cab, and headed to the airport.
On the way, she saw Quincy and Pearl again. He was holding an umbrella over her, his face showing a gentle smile.
Alannah’s heart didn’t even ache anymore. She simply took out her phone and organized every piece of evidence she had—recordings, screenshots, videos—and uploaded them all online the moment she reached the airport.