The Day I Walked Away

PART 2 — THE WOMAN HE COULDN’T FIND

Vincent Moretti had never been a man who begged.

But that morning, after Claire disappeared from the hospital, he ordered his entire security team to find her.

“Check every hotel, every apartment, every property under her name,” he commanded.

His right-hand man, Marcus, hesitated.

“Boss, perhaps Mrs. Moretti just needs some time.”

Vincent slammed his hand against the desk.

“She’s pregnant with my child! You think I can simply give her time?”

Sophia sat on the sofa, watching him nervously.

“Vincent, maybe Claire misunderstood what happened between us.”

He turned toward her.

“Don’t mention my wife.”

Sophia’s face stiffened.

“But you told me—”

“I said don’t.”

For the first time, Sophia realized that Vincent’s anger was no longer directed at Claire.

Meanwhile, I was already miles away from Chicago.

Madison had taken me to a quiet lakeside town where her aunt owned a beautiful guesthouse. I had no intention of returning to the Moretti mansion.

I contacted my lawyer and signed the initial divorce documents.

Then I changed my phone number.

Three days later, Vincent finally discovered that I had left.

He arrived at the mansion expecting to find me waiting in our bedroom.

Instead, he found an empty wardrobe, my wedding ring on the dresser, and a sealed envelope.

Inside was a short letter.

Vincent,

I loved you enough to spend five years waiting for you to remember that I was your wife.

But I won’t teach our child that love means accepting humiliation.

You can keep your empire, your money, and your beautiful assistant.

I only want my freedom.

Claire.

Vincent read the letter twice.

Then he noticed another document beneath it.

A copy of the divorce petition.

His expression darkened.

“She actually filed?”

Marcus nodded.

“Her lawyer confirmed it this morning.”

Vincent threw the papers onto the desk.

“Find her.”

“We’ve checked everywhere, Boss. She isn’t using any of her old accounts.”

Vincent stared at the wedding photograph on his desk.

For the first time, he realized that Claire had not simply left the house.

She had erased every path that could lead him to her.

And that frightened him more than any enemy in Chicago.

Meanwhile, my pregnancy progressed peacefully.

I found a small apartment, began attending prenatal appointments, and slowly rebuilt my life.

I stopped checking Vincent’s social media.

I stopped waiting for his calls.

Then, one afternoon, Madison showed me a photograph.

Sophia was standing beside Vincent at a charity event, wearing an expensive diamond necklace.

The headline read:

VINCENT MORETTI AND SOPHIA REYNOLDS: CHICAGO’S NEW POWER COUPLE?

I stared at the picture for a moment.

Then I handed the phone back.

“Good for them.”

Madison looked surprised.

“You’re not upset?”

I smiled faintly.

“No. I’m just glad I finally understand that I was the only one trying to save our marriage.”

What I didn’t know was that Vincent had seen the same headline.

And he had immediately ordered his public relations team to remove it.

Because despite everything, he still wanted the world to believe Claire Moretti was his wife.

But he was already too late.