Chapter 5

Finley Church POV:

I sat in the back of Chloe's car, the damaged hard drive cradled in my lap like a dying bird. My phone buzzed again. Ezekiel. I listened silently to the empty promises spilling from the speakerphone as Chloe drove us to the airport.

"...and I'll book that trip to Hawaii, baby, just like I promised. We'll sort everything out once we're in Austin."

In the background, I heard Blake's disgustingly cheerful voice pipe up, "Zeke, are you talking to Finley? Tell her I'm really sorry!"

I ended the call. I didn't say a word. I simply powered down my phone, popped out the SIM card, and dropped it into the bottom of my purse.

It was midnight. Some choices are final.

Landing in Dublin felt like surfacing for air after being held underwater for a decade. A colleague from the new office, a kind woman named Fiona, met me at the arrivals gate. She smiled warmly, oblivious to the ruins of my past life.

"Welcome to R&D, Finley," she said, shaking my hand. "We were so impressed with your portfolio. It's not often we get a transfer from marketing with your kind of coding chops."

I had never stopped. In the quiet hours after Ezekiel was asleep, I had spent years honing my skills, using my father's old notes to guide me, passing certifications, completing online courses, and building a portfolio of personal projects. My application to the Dublin R&D office was never about following Ezekiel. It was always about continuing my father's unfinished journey.

Meanwhile, three thousand miles away, Ezekiel Phillips was on his way to the Austin airport. The backseat of his sleek black sedan was filled with my favorite flowers, stargazer lilies, and a collection of rare Funko Pops I'd been trying to find for months. He had orchestrated a grand pre-honeymoon proposal, complete with a convoy of his friends' cars ready to follow him in a celebratory parade.

"Zeke's the man," one of his friends said from the back, filming for Instagram. "So romantic. No wonder he's got his woman so well-trained."

Ezekiel smirked at the camera in the rearview mirror, already imagining me crying with joy in his arms, the past few days of "drama" forgotten.

Only Blake, sitting in the passenger seat beside him, looked furious. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest. "Zeke... you're really going to propose to Finley? After everything? What about me?"

He slammed on the brakes, the car screeching to a halt in the middle of the road. He turned to her, his face grim. "Blake, don't you dare say a word of this in front of Finley. I don't want her to get the wrong idea."

Blake's eyes turned red. "But I love you! A woman like Finley, who causes so much trouble, she doesn't deserve you! You changed your transfer for me! You have feelings for me, don't you?"

His friends in the back started chanting, "Say yes! Say yes!"

Ezekiel's jaw tightened. "Stop fooling around."

Blake threw her arms around his neck, her voice desperate. "Finley isn't coming, Zeke. She doesn't want you anymore. Even so, you won't choose me?"

He shoved her away, his patience finally snapping. "That's impossible! Stop this nonsense right now, Blake, or get out of the car!"

The mood in the car turned icy.

At the airport, after rebooking her non-existent flight for the third time, real panic started to set in for Ezekiel. He pulled out his phone, his thumbs flying across the screen.

[We're at the airport. Where are you?]

The message sent. A second later, a bold red exclamation mark appeared next to it. Message Not Delivered.

A wave of cold dread washed over him. He tried to call.

A cold, robotic voice answered. [The number you have dialed is no longer in service.]

He tried again. And again. The same voice. The same finality.

He turned, his eyes wild, and glared at Blake, who was now watching him with a triumphant, malicious smile on her face.

"Where is she?" he demanded, his voice a low growl. "You know where she is, don't you? Tell me!"

Blake started to laugh, a high, unhinged sound. "I told you, Zeke. She doesn't want you. She's probably halfway to Dublin by now."

She paused, letting the words hang in the air before delivering the final blow. "Finley never changed her transfer form. Surprise!"

Ezekiel froze, all the color draining from his face. He looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. Without another word, he shoved his friends aside and sprinted into the terminal, not looking back.