Our Anniversary, You Chose Her – I Chose Divorce

The jungle was shrouded in mist at night. A small path was visible at first, but the deeper she went, the denser the branches grew.

Chloe Reed moved slowly, afraid a stray branch jutting out of the darkness might kill her.

She was unfamiliar with this place, forcing her to feel her way forward.

The constant chirping of insects and calls of night birds filled her ears. There might also be venomous snakes and other reptiles.

This jungle was very dangerous.

But she didn’t dare stop.

She didn’t know if anyone was chasing her, but she had to find a place that looked safe to hide.

She had to take her chances.

The feeling of being watched followed her like a shadow; she could sense it clearly, even in the darkness of the jungle.

Heavy, ragged breaths escaped her, and her face was covered in sweat.

Finally, she stopped in a small clearing and sat down on a large rock.

She had water and compressed biscuits in her backpack.

’If I can take out whoever is following me, then I can leave.’

These supplies should be enough to last her a few days.

That was, assuming she wasn’t killed first.

She took a sip of water and tilted her head back, hoping to see the night sky, but all she could see was a sky blotted out by the dense canopy.

Only through narrow gaps in the leaves could she glimpse a tiny patch of the starry sky and the faint twinkle of stars.

Right then, Chloe Reed was scared to death.

’But how can I let so many people lose their lives just for me?’

Although she was terrified of dying, she would feel even worse seeing others get hurt—or killed—because of her.

The image of Walker Grant’s pale, sickly face appeared in her mind, and she remembered all the times he had found himself in danger.

She forced herself to calm her roiling emotions, put her water away, and waited until she had recovered some strength before continuing deeper into the jungle.

SNAP!

SNAP!

Just then, she heard the sound of dry branches snapping underfoot.

Chloe Reed shuddered, every nerve stretched taut.

She peered toward the source of the sound, holding her breath and listening intently. The footsteps were getting closer.

’They’ve caught up!’

Under the cover of night, Chloe Reed’s face was deathly pale, yet she remained remarkably calm. She scanned her surroundings, found a large tree trunk, and ducked behind it. Pulling out her pistol, she aimed it in the direction of the approaching footsteps.

The moment she saw a figure emerge, she would fire.

It was as if the wind itself had stopped. The only sound she could hear was her own frantic heartbeat. A bead of sweat rolled down from her forehead, nearly blurring her vision.

Then, at that very moment, a blurry figure appeared in her line of sight.

She was just about to fire—

”Miss Chloe!”

Simultaneously, Daniel Hayes’s voice broke the silence of the jungle. He had kept his voice low, but it was loud enough for her to hear.

Chloe Reed’s eyes widened in shock. She didn’t dare lower her gun, but she held her fire.

Daniel Hayes drew closer, his figure growing more distinct until she could finally make out his face.

It was really him, not an imposter.

Chloe Reed lowered her gun and stepped out. ”How did you find me?” she asked.

Seeing her unharmed, Daniel Hayes let out a sigh of relief. ”I was worried about you being out here alone,” he said softly.

But Chloe Reed said, ”You need to leave, now. You’ll be in danger if you stay with me!”

But Daniel Hayes just grinned. ”I make my living dancing with death, so I’m not afraid, Miss Chloe. I had my reasons for working with Walker Grant, it’s true, but I also betrayed you. I want to atone for that. Besides, you’re Grandma Sutton’s granddaughter. I can’t just stand by and watch you get hurt. If anything happened to you, how could I ever face Grandma Sutton?”