Page 363 of Beautiful Villain

After doing a lot of research, I settle on the notion of escaping Havenfield, a city located approximately three hundred miles away. The geographical distance is intentional, providing a sufficient buffer to minimize the risk of unwanted encounters and associations tied to my past life in Windsor Grove.

Havenfield… a refuge from prying eyes. A place where the past can be shed and discarded, left for dead, and the opportunity to start anew can take root. The city lights become a backdrop to the silent transformation as I navigate the unfamiliar terrain, the promise of a fresh beginning beckoning.

The decision to cover my tracks is a commitment to liberation, a strategy to evade the relentless pursuit of those who might seek retribution. The road ahead is uncertain, but with every careful move, I inch closer to the elusive goal of starting anew, leaving the echoes of the old life behind like footprints erased by the passage of time.

Havenfield has a robust job market and affordable living conditions, a place where I can secure employment without drawing unnecessary attention and rebuild a semblance of a normal life. The choice is made not only for its practicality but also for its distance from the web of connections associated with Derrick and the Scarlet Vipers.

Navigating through the city's outskirts, I scope out neighborhoods that strike a balance between safety and inconspicuousness. A rented apartment in a modest complex becomes the starting point for this new chapter, providing a base to rebuild and redefine.

The city's cultural diversity offers an additional layer of camouflage. Here, different faces and backgrounds are woven into the fabric of everyday life. It's a city where people come and go, and blending into the tapestry becomes an art form.

The decision to choose this new destination is a calculated move to create a fresh start. As I settle into the rhythm of this unfamiliar city, the hope is to carve out a life free from the shackles of the past. The road ahead, though uncertain, is paved with the potential for rebirth, and I approach it with a mix of caution and optimism.

It doesn’t take me long at all to secure myself an apartment, and I almost feel as if I can breathe again. My next task will be to find a job, but maybe this will work.

Maybe I’ll be safe.

Maybe one day, I can be happy again.

The new apartment in Havenfield is both a refuge and a symbol of the fresh start I've been yearning for. Cooking whatever I want again… Not having steak four nights a week… eating seafood again since Derrick hated anything remotely fishy…

I even find myself smiling again as I go about buying new furniture or going grocery shopping.

I’m starting to feel like myself again.

There is one issue, though. The landlord didn’t ask for any identification paperwork, not with my willingness to hand him cash for four months in advance, but a new job will require an SSN. I suppose I can worry about that once I receive a job offer.

First, though, I need to line up job interviews.

Before I picked Havenfield, I ensured there were job openings in my field, so it doesn’t take me long to apply to several. The biggest issue is that I can’t use my former employer as a reference.

A twinge of guilt plagues me. After all, I just upped and vanished. I’ll never see Angela again. I never did take one bite of her recipe. I had to have been reported as missing by now, Derrick too, unless the Scarlet Vipers have a connection with the police to keep it under wraps from the public. I ditched my old phone in the gulf along with Derrick and his body.

I still have the box, though, and the gun and bullets. Bullets in the gun this time. The gun is always in my purse wherever I go.

There was nothing else in the box, and it’s black so you can’t see any of the blood on it. Maybe I should’ve gotten rid of the murder weapon.

Death weapon? It had been self-defense…

My stomach twists into knots. So far, things haven’t been too terrible, but I don’t feel safe yet.

Maybe I never will.

My first job interview is with Harmony Dynamics, a tech company. It’ll be different from my old position, but I need a job. I need roots here.

I need to start over fresh so maybe a new career would be smart.

The job interview, a crucial step in rebuilding my life, offers a glimmer of hope amidst the uncertainty. However, as I arrive at the office, an unsettling sight greets me. A car I’ve noticed a few times before, a black nondescript, faded black sedan, loiters outside. The only way I recognize it is from the peeling paint and dents that suggest years of wear and tear. It’s an older model that blends into the sea of vehicles on the highway, but I swear I’ve seen it before.

Anxiety tightens its grip as I try to dismiss the paranoia that creeps in.

You’re just nervous about the job interview, Olivia. Get a grip.

I exhale and hurry inside Harmony Dynamics. There’s no reason for me to be afraid.

But I am.

I complete the job interview with a lingering sense of unease, and honestly, I have no idea if “Emma Lawson” will be offered the job. I’m too uptight and nervous, and I’m sure the interviewers picked up on that. Adding that I told them they couldn’t talk to my previous employer even though I tried to assure them that it was because I didn’t want to risk losing my position there without having another one lined up first, and I doubt they’ll want me.

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