Chapter 8 Final Goodbye
Her face drained of color, and she gasped, her voice trembling. “How… how does he know?”
Then she thought about her laptop.
It wasn’t just her WhatsApp. She’d set it to auto–login since she was the only one who used it.
Which meant all her chat logs with Callum were right there.
[Gideon is your biological son, isn’t he? I just don’t get it. If hiding it was such a burden and being with me was so exhausting, why’d you even marry me?]
[You made me realize just how pathetic these past five years have been. Not gonna lie, I cried so hard I ran out of tears. But none of them were for you. I cried because I finally saw how little I was worth.]
[As your husband, I hate you with everything I’ve got. But as a firefighter, I don’t regret saving the three of you from that hotel fire. And now, I’m heading back out on another mission.]
[Just pretend I died out there, okay? Let this be the last thing. between us. Consider this letter my final goodbye.]
Her mind raced back to that day when she’d attended Gideon’s parent–teacher conference with Callum.
Chapter 8 Final Goodbye
Her mind went blank, her heart a hollow void.
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She realized Julian had seen it all. She knew he must have seen the messages, and somehow, he must have known about her trip to the parent–teacher meeting with Callum.
He must’ve seen everything.
Every word in that letter felt like a hammer striking her chest, relentless and heavy.
She struggled to breathe, her thoughts spiraling.
After what felt like an eternity, she snapped back to reality, fumbling for her phone to call Julian.
“It’s not what you think,” she whispered to herself, her voice shaky. “Yes, Callum and I had a past, but I never betrayed you during our marriage…
“Why do you get to decide the end of our marriage? Don’t I get a say? Have you ever once considered me?”
As the call rang, she muttered defenses under her breath.
Her heart raced with a strange, unfamiliar panic, the kind that came when a secret was laid bare.
But she hadn’t betrayed him.
She couldn’t let Julian walk away, not like this, not so recklessly.
Chapter 8 Final Goodbye
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He was always so meticulous, always checking in, and discussing every little thing with her.
This sudden, cold decisiveness was unlike him. Even knowing
why he’d changed, she couldn’t accept it.
And then there was the fire he’d mentioned.
Her calls kept going to voicemail, each unanswered ring tightening the knot in her chest.
“Even if he’s out fighting a fire, it’s been days. It should be over by now. Why is his phone still off?”
A chilling thought crept in. “What if… something’s happened to him?”
Elizabeth sank onto the edge of the bed, dialing his number over and over, each attempt met with the same dead tone.
Worry flickered in her eyes. After a moment’s hesitation, she called Edward.
Despite the late hour, the call was answered instantly.
“Ms. Bennett, what can I do for you?” came the respectful voice on the other end.
“I need you to check if there’ve been any fires in the city over the past few days,” Elizabeth said, her voice tight.
Chapter 8 Final Goodbye
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“If there were, find out how serious they were and which fire department responded, specifically if it was Julian’s team, Team
Two.”
Her heart pounded as she added, “Do it fast. Report back the second you have something.”
“Yes, Ms. Bennett!”
The call ended, and Edward, puzzled, stared at his phone.
Why is Ms. Bennett suddenly so interested in this?
Sure, he knew Elizabeth’s husband was a firefighter, but she’d never shown the slightest concern for fires or his work before.
“Ms. Bennett’s acting different about Mr. Thornton today,” he muttered to himself, already starting the search.
Thirty minutes later, Elizabeth’s phone buzzed with a message from Edward.
[Ms. Bennett, I’ve got the details. No fires in the city recently, but there was a massive wildfire in the western mountains a while back.]
[It was brutal. Reports say nearly all the firefighters from nearby towns didn’t make it. Mr. Thornton’s Team Two was deployed to assist a few days ago.]
Elizabeth’s face drained of color. She shot to her feet, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Chapter 8 Final Goodbye
[Is the fire under control now? Any casualties from Julian’s team?]
Her fingers shook as she typed the words and hit send.
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At that moment, she couldn’t name the storm of emotions churning inside her. Her chest felt constricted like something was suffocating her from within.
Edward replied: [The situation on the ground is still unclear.]
[But the fire’s been contained over the past few days.]
[Ms. Bennett, Mr. Thornton’s always been lucky. I’m sure he’s fine.]
Elizabeth closed her eyes, a helpless sigh escaping her lips.
Edward didn’t know the full story, but she did. Julian had vanished days ago, his phone off, unreachable.
And that last line in his letter haunted her. She knew he was in a dark place, and the thought of him acting recklessly, throwing himself into the fire without care, gnawed at her.
She typed back: [Alright, I understand.]
[Find me the exact location of the wildfire. I’m heading there now.]
Her eyes snapped open, resolve hardening within her.
Chapter 8 Final Goodbye
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Whatever issues lay between her and Julian, those were private, theirs to untangle as husband and wife.
For now, he was still her lawful husband.
She needed to know he was safe.
Edward responded: [Understood, Ms. Bennett.]
[Also, Mr. Harlow reserved a dinner spot for tonight. He
mentioned you haven’t replied to his messages and asked me to check if you’ll be attending.]
Elizabeth frowned at the message. She didn’t hesitate long before making her choice.
[Tell him to cancel.]
[I’m busy tonight. We’ll reschedule another time.]
[Yes, Ms. Bennett!]
The conversation ended, and Elizabeth couldn’t sit still. A restless anxiety clawed at her. She grabbed her keys and sped toward the western mountains.
