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“Check James’s itinerary for the past few days.I want everything in ten minutes!”
Watching her angry demeanor on the screen, I couldn’t help but find it amusing.
Emily was always composed,in control with me.
I’d never seen her so rattled.
What was the point of this act when I was already gone?
Within ten minutes, her phone rang. Her eyes lit up with hope as she answered eagerly.
She lit up,answering eagerly.
Nathan’s cloying voice came through.
“Tomorrow night,don’t stand me up.I’m waiting for your birthday surprise!”
A look of irritation flashed across Emily’s face.
“Sorry,I have to leave for something urgent.Celebrate your birthday alone this year—I’ll have my secretary send a gift.”
Nathan sounded completely stunned.“Emily,did you mix me up?I’m Nathan,not James!”
I sneered silently.
No wonder Nathan was shocked.
It was always me she ditched,me who got gifts via her secretary.
Already on edge,Emily snapped.
“I’m not senile—I know my husband from others.”
“Nathan,I’ve let you have the paintbrush,but why put it on your dog?James is genuinely mad this time!”
Before he could respond,her eyes brightened,and she hung up.
This was the secretary’s message she’d been waiting for.
“He bought a ticket to Italy for today.”
A smile spread across Emily’s face as she quickly ordered a ticket for the same flight.
“James has always wanted to see that exhibition with me.I’ll make it up to him!”
She rushed out,vanishing from the footage in seconds.
I shut off my phone,tossed the SIM card in the trash.
I wouldn’t need it soon anyway.
The Italy ticket was just a ruse.
Even if Emily made it to the airport,she wouldn’t find me.
I wasn’t going abroad.
Given her wealth and connections,tracking me wouldn’t be hard.
So I planned to teach in a remote mountain village.
Deep in the mountains,there was no internet, no cameras, and no proper roads.
Perhaps there, I could finally escape the clutches of Emily and Nathan.
Life there turned out to be as peaceful as I’d hoped it would be.
The village had one small school,with a handful of teachers for all the kids.
One day,I saw a student doodling with a stick in the dirt.
My eyes welled up with tears,and I guided him a bit.
The boy’s eyes sparkled.“Teacher James,you’re amazing!”
He dropped the stick and hugged my arm.
“I love drawing!Will you teach me?”
My face stiffened,glancing at my empty right sleeve.
“Teacher’s hand is gone.I can’t draw like I used to anymore.”
The boy looked puzzled.“Why not use your left hand?”
My heart jolted,a spark reigniting.
Months later,a reporter visited.
He ran a column on teachers dedicated to remote schools.
To avoid any potential trouble, I kept my distance from him.
He didn’t push,but insisted I join a group photo.
Unable to resist his enthusiasm and the hopeful glances from the kids, I stood at the back, my head bowed.
The harsh mountain life had changed my appearance,so I figured no one would recognize me.
But a month later,Emily stood at the school’s entrance.
“James,I finally found you.”
After half a year,she looked haggard.
Her expensive clothes were stained with cow dung.
“Come home with me.”
