Re:life with Karmic Gacha (Modern Family)

Chapter 342 - 342: Last day.

[Edward POV]

"I stayed up all night."

Lying on my bed, I stared at the ceiling, unable to manage a wink of sleep as I tried to rest normally.

"And here I thought I was getting better."

Mumbling to myself, I slowly sat up and got out of bed. For one thing, since I couldn't shut off my brain, I managed to think of a movie plot for Vanessa, a storyline which would make her acting capability shine.

After taking a long shower, I bumped into my aunt as she walked past in the hallway.

"Edward," she called out carefully. When I remained silent, she continued, "I just need to talk to you for a minute."

"Can't it wait until I get dressed at least?" I said teasingly.

A little embarrassed, she nodded and averted her gaze after glancing at my body. "S-sure."

A few minutes later, we sat together in the kitchen, drinking coffee.

"For starters, I want to say I'm sorry." She held my hand affectionately as she apologized.

"What for?" I asked casually, sipping my coffee. "After yesterday, I kind of need to hear the apology in full before accepting it."

Her face faltered at my remark, and her chin quivered. Taken aback, I quickly added, "Not that I'm blaming you or anything."

"Really? You're not angry at me?" she asked, her eyes teary. "I really thought I was doing the best thing by bringing her here." She leaned back and wiped her eyes.

"She lay in bed, not eating. Sometimes she threw things and destroyed entire rooms. She kept crying, saying it was all her fault."

My forehead furrowed as I heard her recount the story. I tend to relate to people, trying to understand their experiences, but I didn't want to hear about my mother.

"Stop," I said in a cold tone. With a biting remark, I added, "Are you trying to emotionally manipulate me with her sob story? Do you want me to open up my heart to her so we can all laugh and joke together?"

Taken aback, Camila's face paled. "I'm... I'm not trying to do that. I just—"

"You want me to understand your actions. You want me to understand my mother too, maybe even forgive her. But the more you try to nudge me in that direction, the angrier I become. So stop trying to talk on her behalf. In fact, don't talk about her at all."

Her eyes reddened, and she bit her lip, stopping herself from arguing.

She forced a smile and struggled, "I'm sorry. I just... like you said... I'm being unfair to you."

Based on the bits and pieces of information I had about her, I realized I may have gone too far. Like me in my previous life, she was an orphan. Miranda had taken her into the family as a teenager.

Everyone has an image of the ideal family in their mind, especially those who have never experienced that kind of love before.

Before I found TV shows and anime at the age of nineteen, I didn't know about it either. After watching those shows, I built up an image of a perfect family and perfect friends in my mind.

A dad like Phil, a mother like Gloria and Claire, siblings like Luke. That's how those shows became special to me. Then, I got a grandmother/mother who took me in and made me feel loved—my Nonni.

My aunt continued, "I just... wanted... you to not hate me." She could no longer hold back her tears and began to cry.

My heart felt wretched as I watched her sob. Guilt and anger bubbled up together, tightening my chest. But I soon ignored all of that since I considered her part of my family.

Without a word, I leaned in closer and hugged her. She cried in my arms as I reassured her, "I don't hate you. I don't hate you at all. I love you, my naive, speed-racing aunt."

I gripped her tank top tightly as I hugged her, tears forming in my eyes.

Despite knowing her for only a short while, I was truly scared for her safety as she planned to return to Cuba to join the freedom fighters. The regime there wasn't kind to its own people; imagine their harshness toward dissidents.

When she was out of my reach and I couldn't help her, I felt anxious the whole time, even if I didn't show it.

That's why, when it became too dangerous, I didn't hesitate to make a deal with the most dangerous man in the world—Raymond Reddington.

Even though it might come back to haunt me in the future, I made this choice to save her—well, her and everyone with her.

I tried not to care, but I couldn't. Yes, this was about my mother.

Despite my anger and frustration toward her, I couldn't just let her die.

When my dad walked into the kitchen and saw us crying while hugging, he looked baffled.

"Edward? Camila? What's wrong?" he asked, concern evident in his tone. We immediately separated and wiped our tears, trying to hide our faces from him.

My aunt cleared her throat and said, "Um, I'm just apologizing to Edward. I think you should do it too."

My dad turned serious. "Yeah, I think we need to talk."

He apologized for his inaction yesterday. "Frankie did more than I did," he said, crestfallen. "You don't have to worry about what she said; I'll make sure she can't get near you anymore," he added, determination shining in his eyes.

My aunt scoffed, "How can she expect you to solve something she herself can't handle? She's delusional. I think bringing her to therapy for a few years might help her regain her sanity."

My dad frowned at her. "Edward, you don't have to bother with her at all. It's an impossible request in the first place."

I shrugged dismissively. "It's not really that hard to topple the regime. It just means taking care of the people at the top. But that won't help save the country."

My aunt's hand grew sweaty as she asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Listen, the country has far more problems than just the government. Let's say all the leaders are replaced by Miranda's faction. Then what? What will you do next?"

She remained silent. I continued, "Food, energy, the ideological brainwashing from the previous government, the trade embargo, and so on. How will you handle that? Do you have a plan?"

Still, she didn't answer. "It's easy to topple a regime; it just means a new one will take its place. Unless you address the deep-rooted issues that plague the country, toppling a regime will change nothing."

As I said that, a few images flew in my mind. They were characters that I knew from my previous life.

For example, Saiki Kusuo has an ability to brainwash an entire world. His ability even changes the fabric of reality , prompting people to have advanced regeneration, born with out-of-the ordinary hair colors and so on.

Hashirama or Admiral Ryokugyu could grow plant life, Iron Man could build an arc reactor, or Hiro Hamada with his microbots could revolutionize construction. There are infinite possibilities in the multiverse, waiting to be explored.

I already have several advanced knowledge that could change the world, my android and worker robot blueprints. I just needed time and effort to bring those things to life. With only two of those, I could already take over Cuba if I wanted to.

So yeah, my mother's request– it's not that hard to do.

...

*Snap *Snap *Snap

A photographer captured my images as I stood in front of a firetruck, posing in a fireman uniform—not the sexy kind.

"Nice! Hotter! More fiery!" he shouted, panting heavily as he pressed the shutter button non-stop. We set up a photoshoot in the fire department, where I stood in front of the firetruck.

After the fire incident, the fire department asked for my help in containing the trend of glorifying fires on the internet by advocating for the department.

I also had to give a speech about fire safety, and I suggested selling a photo calendar for charity. That's why I had to pose for the camera early in the morning.

"Eight hours left before you go, and you still have to work. Poor guy. I hope this doesn't break your spirit," Harvey teased.

There were many impressionable kids among my fans, and the discussions they were having online were worrying. They wanted to start fires so I could come and save them, just like I did for Mrs. Henderson.

"I just needed to do this so that there's no 'jumping in the fire' movement created because of my actions," I replied to Harvey with a smirk.

"Yeah, that would be bad for your image," Harvey said as she handed several documents to me. "Are you sure you want to do this now?" she asked, concerned.

"Well, Dad already agreed to it, and we both think it's the right choice. Strike first, you know?"

In my hand was an emancipation document. My dad signed those after meeting with my mother yesterday. He felt guilty because he couldn't put his foot down and stop the meeting. If we did this, my mother's threat wouldn't work anymore, as I would be officially recognized as an adult.

There are pros and cons to this, and I would be rid of the minor protection privilege I currently received in legal matters, but if I didn't commit any crimes, then it wouldn't matter.

My dad was crestfallen, but he still signed the papers. It wouldn't change our relationship as father and son, but it made him feel awful that he wasn't able to protect me properly.

"Actually, there is something else," Harvey suddenly added.

"Hmm? What is it?" I asked as I took off the fireman uniform and changed into a simple gray fireman shirt.

"The telco company got a buyout offer—$150 billion from Comcast," Harvey said casually.

Our conversation was heard by Randall, whose jaw dropped at the figure. He held his breath, waiting for my reply.

I shrugged casually and said, "We can actually get that number in three years, in terms of pure profits. So I don't think it's necessary to sell. It's not like we don't have any money." If everything went according to plan, there would be some variables, but I was confident that I could do it.

Billions are invested annually in developing telecommunication technology worldwide. Still, many places lack reception even a decade later. That's why the potential of the company is endless. It would be foolish for me to sell it right now.

We returned to the company building after the photoshoot. The deal with the firefighters was good PR for both myself and the company.

"I should develop more fire suppression technologies," I suddenly muttered as I entered the company. Randall looked at me strangely and asked, "What makes you say that?"

I shrugged, unsure why I had that intention. We live in the Pacific Palisades; although wildfires are common in California, it is still within the capabilities of the firefighters.

'It's not like the entire city would burn down, right?'

As I entered the CEO's office, Pepper lit up upon seeing me and rushed over, giving me a bear hug. "Edward! You did it!!"

"Did what? I'm juggling so many things right now that you'll have to be specific," I replied playfully.

Pepper let me go and said, "Number 2 on your list."

My heart skipped a beat in excitement. "The Super Bowl?"

Pepper grinned. "Congratulations! You're shortlisted for the halftime show performer."

This year's Super Bowl was set to be the most viewed in history, with the underdog narrative of New Orleans versus powerhouse Indianapolis. It would be watched by 100 million people, significantly boosting the performer's name recognition.

My brief football career had made this possible. I had garnered a lot of goodwill from football fans, which is why I was considered for the halftime show performance.

"There's also another thing," Pepper said, smiling widely, clearly buoyed by all the good news.

"The Grammy Award selection has begun, and I'm pretty sure you're a strong contender in all categories." My expression froze slightly. "Well, don't get your hopes up."

From what I knew, the award show was highly rigged, so I wasn't looking forward to it at all.

"You're going to the Grammys, aren't you, Edward?" Pepper asked, his voice shaky as he sensed my hesitation.

I smiled wryly. "Well..."

Even Harvey was taken aback. "You're not going? It's the Grammys!"

"I'll go to support Taylor and Chris (Coldplay), but I'm not going to lobby for myself," I replied casually.

"It's the Grammys!" Pepper exclaimed, exasperated. "It's the FREAKING Grammys!"

I shrugged. "It's really not a big deal." Pepper slumped to his knees, whispering and sobbing, "It's the Grammys." I ignored him and spoke to Harvey about Vanessa's album preparation.

I left Pepper to process the news and went to meet with Paige Swanson, the scriptwriter. The first movie Entertain ever made, 'SelfMade,' has already finished production and we're doing an audience test review today. I'll be able to get the movie reaction before I fly to Japan.

"You really are eccentric, you know that, right?" Paige commented as I entered her workspace. "Shouldn't you be at home packing up your stuff?"

"Paige, between fantasy/romance and romcom, which do you prefer?" I asked, ignoring her question.

Paige narrowed her eyes. "Isn't that obvious? Fantasy, of course."

"Oh right, you were a nerd," I recalled, remembering she'd been a child genius.

Flabbergasted, Paige struggled to respond. "Nerd, am I?"

"Yoda you are becoming," I teased, thinking she was joking. Stunned, Paige froze for a few seconds.

"I have an idea for a movie, but I need your input. It's going to be female-led, so I need you involved in the script as well."

"For political reasons?" Paige raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged. "If you think I'm doing this just to check boxes for awards, throw that thought far away. It's not going to theaters—only Netflix."

It was about time for the streaming service to have its own original movies. We had original TV shows but no films yet.

"I have dignity too, you know. You can't keep making me take credit for your contributions," she said, annoyed.

"We're sharing it. We'll split the work, right?" I smiled, trying to coax her.

"You did 90%, and I did 10%. That's not splitting the work," she retorted, frustrated with herself and blaming her lack of capability.

I ignored her and asked, "By the way, you're working on a script of your own, right? Do you have a working title?"

"Huh? Oh—right. It's called The Night Witches," she pouted, turning her laptop screen toward me.

"Hmm, is it a biopic or a fantasy?" I asked, intrigued.

"Biopic," she replied curtly, which told me everything I needed to know.

I thought for a moment and muttered, "It's going to be hard to get this into production. Anything pro-Soviet will undergo severe scrutiny; even the government will likely interfere."

Paige furrowed her brow. "Should I write about the WASPs instead?" she suggested, referring to the American female aviation pilots who contributed during World War II.

"No, the WASPs only transported cargo. The Night Witches were the ones who bombed the Nazis," I replied thoughtfully. "Still, it could be good if you write it well."

"Well, just write about the Night Witches first. Propaganda is propaganda, but we're already writing about Chernobyl, so we're in hot water as it is. Just proceed with it; I'll ensure the project passes production scrutiny."

Paige sighed and covered her face with her hand. "Maybe I should stick to writing romances. Anyway, what are you planning on making?" She changed the subject to my idea.

We had a brief discussion that lasted only an hour before I left the office. Outside, SunHee was already waiting for me, tears in her eyes.

"Oppa! When you leave, I'll have nothing else going for me! I might just quit this job!" she whined, acting out a K-drama scene again.

I flicked her forehead and said, "Just update me about the LOL World Championship. I don't have much time."

She pouted, rubbed her sore forehead, and snarked, "You have time to discuss things lovingly with Paige, but not me."

"Believe me, there's nothing loving or even remotely kind in our previous discussion."

We both kept attacking each other's points without mercy, pointing out logical fallacies in order to come up with the best storyline. It would take many more discussions and rewrites before the project could start.

"That is proceeding smoothly! Just trust me, Oppa!" SunHee grabbed my hand and said flirtatiously. Then she sighed, "The problem is with Arcane. It will take years before it can be completed."

"Yeah, starting an animated studio from scratch will do that," I agreed. "But it doesn't matter; it's better to drag it forward until every household has a smart TV and Netflix becomes a household brand."

Her emotions shifted again, this time to annoyance. "Oppa, what's with that Mythic Quest game you just approved? Are you abandoning us? We're just getting started!"

"No—no, I just... am not limiting myself to only one AAA game. Besides, LOL and Mythic Quest are in two completely different genres."

"They're still going to compete with each other, though," SunHee grumbled, pouting her cheek adorably.

I smiled and teased, "Afraid of a little competition? I'm going to be participating directly in the development of Mythic Quest, you know?"

SunHee widened her eyes, her expression screaming betrayal. "I'm going to quit!" she threatened, feigning seriousness.

After I settled the affairs at the company, I returned home to grab my bag.

"Surprise!"

As I opened the door, all of my friends cheered for me. "It's a Bon Voyage Party!" Enid yelled cheerily.

From Taylor, Selena, Vanessa, Maggie, and Haley to Tara, Jenna, Elsa, Jacob, Abraham, Alex, Luke, Phil, Claire, Manny, Gloria, Jay, Mitch, Cam, and Lily, my dad and Frankie, Dwayne, and several crew members, Pepper, Harvey, Renaldo, Randall, and Aunt Camila—there were so many people in my living room.

Max and Caroline were also going with me, so the party was for them too.

...

[General POV]

Before Edward arrived at the party, Taylor and Haley stood facing each other in the living room. Sparks flew as they locked eyes. Taylor forced a smile and said, "So, you're his girlfriend now. Weird, considering no one here actually knows about it."

Haley smiled back and replied, "The same can be said for you."

Though irked, Taylor maintained her smile, her breathing quickening. "He couldn't tell anyone he's dating me because of a legal issue. He didn't do so with you because he's embarrassed."

Haley chuckled, causing Taylor to raise an eyebrow. "He didn't tell anyone because I told him not to. He's so in love with me, don't you think?" Haley said, her finger tracing the necklace around her neck.

A vein throbbed on Taylor's forehead, but she kept her smile. "Hmm..." She feigned admiration for the necklace. "It's pretty, but also a bit dull. It... suits you."

Suddenly serious, Taylor leaned in and warned Haley, "Edward's going away today, so keep something in mind. There are many temptations out there. Even if Edward promises to stay loyal, who knows how long that will last? Just don't be too heartbroken later on."

Haley scrunched her eyebrows, fear evident on her face. Taylor smirked and whispered, "You know what? I think I'm going to buy a jet too. When he's lonely, maybe I'll go and visit him."

"Slut," Haley mumbled after Taylor walked away. Her mind was filled with conflict as the moment of separation drew closer.

[Edward POV]

As I packed my bags into the car, Enid cried while hugging me goodbye. Jenna, Alex, Billie, and Jacob all had tears in their eyes—Jacob was crying gut-wrenchingly while kneeling on the ground. His girlfriend had to drag him away, embarrassed by his display.

"I'm not gone forever, you guys know that, right? It's a world tour. I'm not going to some isolated place. I'm still contactable. Just call me if you miss me," I said, sniffling secretly and clearing my throat afterward.

"I'm still going to miss you," Jenna said as she hugged me tightly.

"I'm going to miss all of you too," I replied.

"What will I do if I have a nightmare?" Jacob asked. Elsa shot him a death glare. "That's enough already!"

I also stared at Jacob with a deadpan expression. He and Finneas gave me a short goodbye hug, and after everyone else did, I left.

Haley was the only one who joined me for the drive to the airport. We were alone in my Mustang, with an assistant set to drive my car back home later.

As we got onto the highway, Haley suddenly said, "Edward, can we make a stop somewhere?"

"Oh, one last make-out session before I fly out, huh? Let's do it," I teased. However, Haley didn't respond to my joke.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked, concerned.

"Edward... I think we should... break up," Haley managed to say.

I immediately pressed the brakes and pulled to the side of the road, bringing the car to a screeching halt. Haley looked frazzled and turned toward me hurriedly.

"Wh—Why are you stopping?"

My eyes widened as I looked at her, unblinking. "What made you say that?" I was genuinely caught off guard. "I thought we had a really nice week together."

Haley stammered, her voice slightly shaky. "We did! We had a really nice time!"

"So why do we need to break up?"

Haley lowered her head slightly and said, "Edward, I... can't wait that long."

I realized what she meant and asked, "Even if I came back regularly?"

"Coming back once a month will just make me feel cheap. Like I'm just a hookup. I don't mind actually hooking up when you're here, but I don't want to be the girlfriend you visit once a month, have sex with, and then leave again."

"Oh, it's fine if we have sex, but only if we aren't in a relationship?" I pointed out.

Haley looked annoyed. "You know I can't speak the way you do. I just mean, I... cannot keep waiting for you to come back."

She continued, "From the beginning, I knew this was only going to be a week-long thing. I don't want to take it further than that."

She placed her hand on my cheek and said, "To be honest, even though I'm happy, I feel miserable at the same time. I... don't know what to do when I'm around you. You have so much to do, so much more to achieve."

My mind took a moment to process what she was saying.

"I'm not saying I don't like you. I'm just saying we shouldn't be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. If after two years we're still in love with each other, then we can start again. We only dated for a week, so I don't think it will be hard for you to get past this."

She acted like the breakup didn't bother her, but I noticed moments where she tried desperately to hold back tears. I fell silent and drove to the airport without saying anything. We were already close, so it didn't take long to arrive.

"Edward, are you mad at me?" Haley asked, her voice shaky as I parked the car near the private plane hangar. With a sigh, I turned to her and said calmly, "You could've warned me if you wanted to do this and not waited until the very last moment."

"Have you already accepted it?" She was taken aback. "You don't want to fight for us?"

"Is that what I should do? Would you take me back if I did?" I asked, flabbergasted.

Haley thought about it and shook her head. "No...?"

I rubbed my face in frustration and looked at her again. "What exactly are we supposed to do here?"

"I think we're supposed to say goodbye," Haley said, faking calmness as she handed the necklace back to Edward.

...

[General POV]

–Flashback to early morning-

Haley paced toward Edward's house, phone pressed to her ear. "I'm thinking of hiding a few photos in his bag. When he pulls them out, he'll remember me," she said giddily, her heart set on a romantic gesture. Breaking up was the furthest thing from her mind.

Tara chuckled. "Yeah, he'll find them and remember he has a girlfriend, so he shouldn't be talking to any other girls. He watches a lot of anime—maybe he has a crush on Japanese girls. You need to make sure he only thinks of you."

Haley laughed confidently. "Of course he'll only think of me. He's head over heels in love."

"Stop talking about the necklace, please," Tara pleaded, her voice tinged with exasperation. Haley smiled and said, "I will never!"

As Haley neared Edward's house, she collided with a Cuban woman in a floral dress. Startled, she widened her eyes and instinctively stepped back.

The woman smiled softly. "From that reaction, I think you already know who I am?"

"Um, you're... Edward's mother, right?" Haley asked, curiosity mingling with caution.

"Exactly. You can call me Miranda. I've heard a lot about you, Haley Dunphy."

"Yo–You do?" Haley stammered, taken aback. Miranda smiled warmly. "I have to know the girl who's stolen my mijo's heart. You're pretty cute; I can see why he's fallen for you."

Haley felt a blush creep up her cheeks. A thought flickered in her mind: Edward's mother isn't so bad after all.

"If you have some time, why don't we have tea together? I've missed out on so much of my son's life. I know he sees me as the enemy, and he's probably shared stories with you too," Miranda said, her expression tinged with nostalgia before she turned heartbroken.

"Um... Okay. I guess tea is fine..." Haley agreed, albeit reluctantly. Her empathy was pricked and subconsciously, she couldn't help but wanting to gain Edward's mother's recognition.

Haley grew up hearing her mother talk badly about her grandmother, but she herself didn't have much animosity to her. So she wanted to know Edward's mother too, trying to see if what he's saying was true.

Although, Edward never really talked about his mother, so she didn't know much about her.

Miranda beamed and led her inside, where they settled in the living room while Miranda poured the tea.

"How did you meet him?" Miranda asked, leaning in with genuine interest.

"Um, actually, we met when he was trying out for a band—Dylan's band, I mean," Haley stammered, realizing too late that mentioning Dylan might not be the best idea.

Miranda smiled, allowing Haley to elaborate. Haley shared their rocky start where they had beef with each other and how they had gradually become friends. Miranda listened attentively, subtly steering the conversation toward Edward's romantic life.

"I'm sure he's very happy that his first girlfriend is such a considerate girl," Miranda said, her admiration evident.

But guilt gnawed at Haley, prompting her to blurt, "I'm not his first—"

"You're not?" Miranda gasped, feigning shock as her hand flew to her mouth. "Has Edward pursued a lot of girls?"

Haley felt a wave of discomfort wash over her. "He has..."

"Really? That boy! He got that from me, you know? I was quite the player back in the day," Miranda quipped, her tone lightening the mood, which allowed Haley to exhale.

Still, the thought lingered—how many girls had come before her? It kept pricking Haley's brain, and then she thought, 'Should his one night stands count? How much has he done exactly, are they girls he never told me about?'

Like a dam bursting, the thought kept popping up one after another.

"I'm sure, among all the girls, you're the smartest and kindest," Miranda said, attempting to reassure her.

"Huh? Oh, not at all. Abby's trying to become a forensic scientist, and there's another girl... she's a pop star..." Her voice trailed off, and she mumbled, "I'm just an ordinary girl compared to them."

Miranda leaned closer, her voice soothing. "It doesn't matter, as long as he picked you. He's most comfortable when he's with you."

Haley smiled, and her mind thought, 'Yeah. That's true.'

But her expression faltered when Miranda suddenly added, "After all, he's dating someone so far beneath his status—it's laughable if he thinks he needs to try hard to keep you."

"What—?" Dumbfounded, Haley sputtered, tea spilling from her cup as she stared at Miranda in disbelief. Miranda kept her smile even though she was saying vicious words.

"Oh, I shouldn't have said that. You should keep the illusion that you belong with him, that you actually deserve him. It'll help him manage his stress whenever he wants," Miranda continued, her tone chilling.

"Y-You think he's just using me?" Haley felt her pulse quicken, anger surging as she stood abruptly. Miranda's smiling facade struck some fear into her, and she finally understood why Edward didn't want to say much about his mother.

Miranda leaned back, her voice icy and reminiscent of Edward's. "Am I wrong? I don't think there's much more to this relationship than physical benefits. And honestly, I think it's healthy for him to release some stress now and then."

Then she added a biting remark, "Just remember, the toy should know her place and never get in his way. There are plenty of other options to replace her."

Haley's breath quickened, her face flushing. Miranda's words pierced her insecurities, nearly bringing her to tears. Without another word, she fled the house, racing back home.

In the week they had spent together, every time Edward and Haley hung out, she had found ways to tease and seduce him. Deep down, she feared she had nothing else to offer.

The compliments Edward had given her about her fashion sense felt hollow, mere niceties. Despite her father building a studio for her, she hadn't completed a single design. Failing days after days, Haley finally felt that Edward was lying.

'Maybe I'm not good enough,' the thought came back to her.

Everything seemed effortless for him. Until now, she hadn't compared herself to him.

In the tv series, or one of her potential futures, Haley would run every time things got real in her relationship. Maybe, even with her ambitions too as she kept changing her jobs and aspirations.

At the party, Haley absentmindedly touched her necklace, lost in thoughts of her earlier conversation with Edward's mother. Suddenly, Taylor approached her.

"Even if Edward promises to stay loyal, who knows how long that'll last?"

"I think I'll buy a jet too. When he's lonely, maybe I'll visit him."

Those words deepened her insecurities, and she noticed the love in Vanessa's eyes as she spoke to Edward. She saw the same expressions in Jenna's, Enid's, and Selena's.

"I'm deluding myself, huh?" she muttered, her heart breaking.

Her Peter Pan persona—the part of her that refused to grow up—had been shattered, leaving her feeling hollow. Before the goodbye party wrapped up, she made a decision. Removing the necklace, she placed it inside her purse.

As Edward's plane ascended into the sky, Haley broke down, kneeling on the hangar floor. Her sobs were drowned out by the roar of the plane's engine.

One of Edward's bodyguards noticed but Haley implored, "Don't tell him about this. Please. I beg you."

The bodyguard hesitated but ultimately agreed to her request. He drove her home, where Phil rushed to the driveway, concern etched on his face.

"Wh—How did you know?" Haley was shocked that Phil knew about her relationship with Edward.

"Edward called and told me everything. He said you needed me, so I canceled the open house today. Let's go inside, and you can talk to me about everything. Thank you, Clark, for bringing her back."

Haley sobbed as she heard what Edward had done, wrapping her arms around her father. She cried in his embrace while he comforted her.

Clark, the bodyguard, nodded to Phil before departing to store Edward's Mustang. Moments later, he returned, bringing Edward's blue Ford convertible with him—the first car Edward had driven, a birthday gift from Abby.

"He wanted you to take care of this for him," Clark said, handing her the keys after ringing the doorbell.

"What? He's giving me this car?" Haley was astonished, her eyes still red and puffy from tears.

"It was his instruction to bring it when I drove you back. He asked me to give this to you, along with a message."

"What message?" Haley asked, her curiosity piqued. Clark handed her a note, its words carefully penned:

"I know you like the car, so after you learn how to drive, use it. And every time you do, I hope you remember the happy memories we've shared. I don't know what the future holds, but I've cherished every moment with you. I have no regrets. I hope you feel the same."

...

[Edward POV]

At exactly 4 PM, the plane rolled down the runway and took to the skies. I sat facing Max, who had Vader sleeping on my lap. Max asked worriedly, "Edward, are you sure about this? Breaking up with her?"

"I think... it's the only thing left to do," I replied, my tone turning cold subconsciously. "She wanted this, so we're ending it amicably."

Max pointed at my face. "With that expression, I would never in a million years think you guys broke up amicably. It's so cold, like you're about to murder someone."

I changed my expression and sighed. "I should've brought her dad here. He could've comforted her."

I had asked a favor to Mrs Henderson, to send a message to Haley and to give her the Ford convertible. It was a gift I prepared for our first week together, which I had to alter the message because of the breakup.

Max was taken aback. "You're still worried about her?"

I didn't reply.

Who knows when we're going to see each other again?

Rather than torturing her with a long-distance relationship, it's better to end things here, no matter how terrible I felt.

"Let's just hope you'll get cheered up in Japan," Max said playfully. "I heard there's a hostess bar there. We should go to one."

I smiled slightly, amused by her priorities.

I guess I'll blow off some steam fighting the yakuza or something, I thought secretly.

The world doesn't know it yet, but chaos is coming in the next two years—chaos and performances.

Max shouted after her 13th cup of whiskey on the flight, "Let's take over the world!!" It amused me, and perhaps, I could actually do it.

(Season 4 ends. See you guys next month. I'm taking a break until after Eid)