t our research facility in West Africa for a minimum of three years.

a calm finality. Her name was Victoria, an old college acquaintance I b

she continued, her eyes holding mine. "Your life as

ffice. Three years. A complete erasure of my existence.

steady. "I need to end my current

d. Once you' ve settled your personal affairs, the approval process

to a new life. It

e home. The first thing I di

ervation under the name Ethan M

Chloe had planned meticulously, down to the last

onfirmed, sir,"

er word. The relief was

for, I scrolled through my phone. I wasn't looking for anything

ck into town. It was a picture of him and Chloe, their arms wrapped around each other, grinning a

The same afternoon Chloe had told me she

oof I didn't even kn

s. Her engagement ring, the one I had worked double

pen up in my chest. Not pain, but a quiet, chilling clarity. It

cal school education. He was a kind man, a successful businessman who saw potential

than, promise me you' ll take care of Chlo

then an engagement. It wasn't love that bound us, but my sense of

ter a few glasses of wine, the one whose old photos she kept in a box under

a fool. A placeholder. A convenient solution to h

ngry. I was

have each other. I would give Chloe the freedom

ger an escape. It