With that, Claire went home.
The house was empty. No surprise—Finley hadn’t come back.
She grabbed a suitcase and started packing.
Emma noticed Claire packing, curiosity written all over her face. “Mrs. Lloyd, why are you packing? Are you going somewhere?”
“Just leaving for a few days,” she said, keeping it vague.
In reality, her ticket to the Maldives was already booked. The ocean was calling her—the one promise Finley never kept, she’d keep for herself.
“Does Mr. Lloyd know?”
“He doesn’t need to.”
After finishing, Claire carefully placed her prenatal records, ultrasound images, and the hospital report from her miscarriage into a small box. It would be her last “gift” to Finley.
Part of her wondered what he’d feel when he opened it. Regret? Guilt? Sadness? But none of it mattered. The baby was gone, and no reaction from him could change that.
She handed the box to Emma. “Give this to Finley tomorrow morning.”
Emma frowned, confused. “Why not wait and give it to him yourself?”
“I won’t be here,” Claire said simply, a faint smile tugging at her lips. Why wasn’t she staying? Because she couldn’t stand to see him again—not now, not ever.
As the plane to the Maldives soared into the sky, a wave of relief and joy washed over her.
So this was what it felt like to let go of someone who didn’t love you. It felt amazing.
