My Husband Was a Stand-In, Now I Race Free

Chapter 6

Vivian's POV:

Evan took a sip of coffee and answered in a flat voice.

"No idea."

Listening to their conversation, I instinctively glanced at the man on the poster. Then I took Luke's hand and walked around them.

Over the next few days, Evan either left early and came home late or didn't come home at all.

I didn't ask. I didn't care.

I simply counted down the days until I left.

On August 28 at 2 p.m., my phone sent a reminder.

Flight Reminder: Ms. Vivian Sinclair, your outbound flight will depart in 10 hours. Please keep track of the time. Safe travels.

I cleaned the entire house from top to bottom. Then I contacted a courier to ship the large items I had already packed to my new home abroad.

When Evan came back, the courier was just finishing checking the packages.

He looked at the two huge parcels with confusion on his face.

"Vivian, what are you doing?"

I gave him the excuse I had prepared long ago.

"I'm doing a deep clean today. I cleared out a pile of things we don't need and plan to send them away for charity."

Evan nodded and didn't suspect anything.

"There are a lot of clothes in the walk-in closet that I've never worn. Send those along too."

I shook my head calmly.

"There's no need to send yours."

Evan watched the courier carry the large parcels away and said nothing more.

He walked into Luke's room, took out a brand-new model race car, and handed it to Luke.

"Luke, this is your birthday present from Daddy this year. Do you like it?"

Luke took the model race car, but he wasn't as excited as before. He only muttered softly, "But my birthday already passed."

Evan rubbed his head and smiled.

"Daddy is home today, so let's properly make up your birthday. Whatever birthday wish you have, I'll make it come true today."

Luke looked at me, then looked at Evan. Finally, he asked tentatively, "Can you have dinner at home with Mommy and me? Our family hasn't eaten together in a long time."

When I heard my son's wish, my fingers curled into my palm.

For a child, simply sitting down with both parents for a meal was already a wish.

He probably knew we were leaving this house forever. That was why he made that birthday wish.

Evan held Luke in his arms, guilt showing on his face.

"I was too busy before. Today, the three of us will have a proper dinner at home."

I could feel Luke brighten at Evan's answer.

I didn't expect anything from this dinner.

But since it was Luke's wish, I couldn't let him down.

I put real care into the meal.

There were honey barbecue wings Luke loved, braised short ribs Evan liked, and cilantro-lime slaw that I loved.

When Evan came to the table, his brow tightened slightly.

"Why is there cilantro? You know I don't like it."

I calmly picked some up and placed it in my own bowl.

"But I like it."

Because he disliked cilantro, I hadn't put it in a single dish for five years.

For this meal, I wanted to put my own tastes first for once.

From now on, I would eat whatever I wanted. I would never make myself smaller for a man again.

Evan said nothing more and was about to sit down when his phone rang at the worst possible time.

He glanced at the screen and declined the call.

A moment later, his phone chimed with a new message.

Evan picked it up and looked at the screen. His expression shifted slightly.

He instinctively glanced at me, as if he didn't know how to say what came next.

"Vivian, something happened at the club. I need to go over."

My hand paused as I poured milk for Luke.

"Can you go after this meal?"

A hint of hesitation crossed Evan's face, but it vanished almost at once.

"It's urgent. I should go now."

With that, he stood up.

"Daddy, you broke your promise again." Disappointment was written all over Luke's little face.

Evan looked guilty, but he still bent down and touched Luke's hair.

"Daddy promises this is the last time. From now on, I'll be a daddy who keeps his word and is always on time."

After Evan left, I looked at the disappointment in Luke's eyes, and my heart twisted painfully.

'From now on? Evan Lancaster, there is no from now on. This is the last dinner I ever make for you and Luke.'

After Luke and I finished dinner, I had just cleaned the kitchen when I saw another post from Jenna on my phone.

Jenna: Men love young, beautiful women most. Women past their prime only become tiresome.

The attached photo showed Jenna and Evan sitting in a dim room watching a movie, their fingers intertwined.

In the photo, the man's wedding ring was painfully conspicuous.

I looked at the post and gave a humorless little smile.

Then I opened Jenna's contact and pressed delete.

From now on, I would no longer sit there as a prop in their love story or a witness to their affair.

After that, I took the SIM card out of my phone and flushed it down the toilet.

At 8:30 p.m., I finished checking all the luggage and looked around one last time at the house I had lived in for five years.

Everything that belonged to Luke and me had been cleared out.

From now on, there would be no trace of us here. Everything was wiped clean.

After clearing everything away, I left only one thing connected to me in the house everyone had called a home.

It was the divorce agreement.

I placed the signed divorce agreement on the nightstand in the master bedroom.

I slipped a note beneath it.

Vivian: I owe you nothing, and I won't look back. Goodbye.

From this moment on, our paths split for good.

I looked one last time at this so-called home. Then I took Luke's hand in one hand, pulled my suitcase with the other, and turned to leave.

The night was quiet.

A woman and a child walked away without looking back.

End of Vivian's POV.