Elliana met Cutler’s gaze, understanding what he wanted. With a gentle smile, she offered a soft falsehood. “I made a mistake. Forget I said that.”

Katrina thought it over for a second, but wasn’t ready to drop the subject. She looked at Davin. “How come I haven’t seen Jules around? Where did he go?”

Davin glanced at Cutler and then spoke kindly. “Let’s head home, Katrina. I’ll tell you everything along the way.”

“Alright,” Katrina agreed. With a wave to Elliana, she and Davin departed Rosewood Villa.

As soon as they were out of sight, Cutler turned to Elliana. “Please have Davin let everyone in the Griffiths family know that Jules died on a mission, and his ashes were scattered at sea.”

Only by erasing the name Jules completely could he finally step out of the shadow of his old life.

“You have my word,” Elliana replied, already pulling out her phone to send Davin the message.

Davin had flown in on the Griffiths family’s private jet, and it was the same aircraft he used to take Katrina home.

The moment they settled into their seats, Katrina leaned toward Davin, unable to hold back. “Earlier, when I brought up Jules, you acted strange. What’s going on? Tell me the truth.”

“Okay.” Davin opened his mouth, ready to reveal that Jules had taken back the name Cutler—until his phone buzzed. Elliana’s message appeared on the screen. He read it once and swallowed everything he had been about to say.

Following Elliana’s instructions, Davin said softly, “Jules died during the mission where you were injured. His ashes were released into the sea.”

Katrina froze, her eyes widening. “What?”

In her mind, Jules was a friend she trusted. The news hit her like a blow. Davin could only watch, unsure what comfort he could offer.

? ? ? — ? ν

After a long breath, Katrina steadied her voice. “I know I lost my memory because of that mission… But I never knew why. Please. Tell me the whole story.”

Now that Elliana led the Griffiths family, the truth was no longer hidden. So Davin explained everything—from the feud to the mission that went wrong.

By the time he finished, Katrina looked hollow, caught between disbelief and numbness. She never imagined she had been hurt while trying to kill Elliana, or that she and Jules had later grown to despise each other so deeply. The truth was tangled and exhausting. She leaned back, silent, as the plane climbed into the clouds.

Eventually, she whispered, “So, did Elliana kill Jules?”

Davin stayed with the lie. “No. He fell from a cliff during the mission. It was an accident.”

Katrina asked nothing else. She drifted into her thoughts. Even knowing she had eventually hated Jules, she felt a sting of sadness—the Jules she remembered was gentle.

But then, something in her broke open. A flood of memories poured back—sharply, painfully, completely. As the past pieced itself together, her view of Jules shifted. She remembered the harm they had inflicted on each other and the bitterness that had grown between them. The sorrow in her faded.

She turned to the clouds outside the window and breathed out softly. It was done. She felt no love and no hatred toward Jules. Their story had ended. He was gone, carried off by the sea, and she was finally free to live her own life.

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