A heaviness that didn't ease, not even with time. It wasn't fear—it was something deeper, like the remnants of a bond she hadn't fully severed, no matter how far she tried to run.
But everything changed the moment the courier handed her the envelope.
Her new passport.
Official. Sealed. Final.
The moment her fingers touched the smooth cover, Lina finally exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. It was as if a thousand invisible chains loosened around her chest.
She was free now—truly free.
And soon, she would be gone. Far from Christian. Far from his reach. Out of his territory and out of his life.
There would be no more late-night calls. No more pleading. No more waiting for a love that never came on time.
This time, she would leave first, and watch what would happen at a safe distance.
