Chapter 5

Over the next few days, I began my decluttering.

The house was packed with gifts Austin had given me over the last four years.

Hermès bags, complete sets of Cartier jewelry, limited-edition designer heels.

Once, all of this had been proof of his devotion.

I contacted a high-end luxury reseller.

Because of the massive volume, they sent an appraiser directly to my door.

"Mrs. Miller, these bags are brand new in box. Are you sure you want to let them all go?"

Wearing white gloves, the appraiser looked at me with genuine regret.

"Sell them."

I took a sip of coffee, my voice calm. "Wire transfer upon completion. As fast as possible."

When Austin returned home, he bumped right into several movers carrying boxes out.

More than half the house had been cleared out, leaving it feeling hollow and barren.

"What's going on?" He frowned, staring at the emptied-out walk-in closet.

"I want to redecorate."

I walked over and gently loosened his tie. "Clear out the past and start fresh with everything new after the wedding. I want every single corner of our home to represent a brand-new beginning."

Austin paused, visibly startled.

Then, a tender smile broke across his face.

He probably thought I was hopelessly in love with him—that I wanted to wipe away my past and devote myself entirely to being Mrs. Miller.

"Alright."

He took my hand and kissed my fingertips. "Whatever you want. As long as you're happy, you could tear the whole house down for all I care."

"By the way."

I pointed toward the dog bed in the corner. "I boarded Dottie at the pet hotel. The house is a mess these days, and I didn't want the noise stressing her out."

Dottie was the Golden Retriever we raised together.

Austin absolutely doted on her.

"Whatever my wife says goes."

He didn't suspect a thing. If anything, he was touched. "Shannon, thank you for working so hard for our family."

Once Austin went into the bathroom to shower,

my phone buzzed. It was a deposit notification from my bank.

The figure was a long string of numbers—more than enough to buy a cozy flat in London.

I deleted the text and opened the encrypted cloud storage app.

I queued up that dashcam footage and scheduled an automated delivery.

Recipient: the master control room at the wedding venue.

Scheduled time: 10:00 AM on the day of the ceremony.

Just as I finished, the sound of running water stopped.

Austin walked out wrapped in a bath towel, water dripping from the tips of his hair.

"Babe, could you hand me my pajamas?"

I passed them to him.

As he took them, he pulled me straight into his arms, his voice a bit husky. "The wedding is the day after tomorrow. Nervous?"

Resting my cheek against his chest, I listened to his steady, rhythmic heartbeat.

Thump. Thump.

"Not nervous at all," I said. "I can't wait."