---- As soon as I got my phone back, I checked for any calls. Nothing from Elias. Not even his so-called lawyer. But then I noticed social feed notifications. Mireille had posted over twenty updates on Instagram within two hours. Not that I was checking. She made sure to tag me. Repeatedly. The first was a side shot of her perched in Elias's passenger seat, all windswept hair and coy smiles. A girl in the comments gushed: "Wow, fancy car!" Next came two more posts-her laughing, fingers pressed to the window. "Out for a drive? So jealous!" someone wrote. Mireille didn't correct them. Instead, she dropped three more updates like sugar- coated bombs: Her and Elias grinning at the gas station. Elias handing her an ice cream. Elias driving, one hand on the wheel, the other casually resting near her thigh. ---- The comments? Predictably nauseating. #Goals # FamilyVibes #LivingItUp With every post I scrolled past, the bile in my throat rose a little higher. An hour later, my phone buzzed. Elias left a voice mail. "Tl call the lawyer for you soon, babe," Elias said, his voice casual, as if I were just an afterthought he'd remembered. "I'm still driving, thought I'd take Mireille out of town in case the police catch up with us. Just wait a little, alright? Love ya!" And then, he hung up. Isat there in my living room, phone still warm in my hand, the silence settling around me. I thought about calling him- telling him I wasn't with the police, that I was fine. But then I decided to wait for Elias and his so-called lawyer. I wasn't waiting because I had any hope left toward him. That had evaporated somewhere between the words "Just wait" and "Love ya." No, I was waiting to see just how far he'd push this. ---- Would he really forget me completely? One hour. Two. God knows how many more. Then another ping lit up my screen. Another feed. It was a video this time-shot from a low, sneaky angle like it wasn't meant to be posted. Mireille and Elias sat at a vineyard table, wine glasses in hand. Mireille's voice soft and uncertain. "Should we call Sera now? Maybe just check in to see how she's doing?" Elias shrugged lazily, sipping his wine, "It's better if we don't call her right now. It would blow up the whole story if the police knew we were involved." "But I feel... wrong about leaving her behind," Mireille murmured. "Do you think she'll be mad?" Elias laughed, a sound so carefree it stung. "Please. As if she ever gets mad at me. She loves me too much. Besides, she can handle herself. Don't worry about ---- her." I clicked off the video, setting my phone down as I slowly stood. I'd known Elias had been drifting for months now. That's why I wasn't entirely surprised when he didn't even think to include me in his escape today. But I didn't expect him to take Mireille with him. As if he cared about her. What happened today had stripped away the last of my excuses. I picked up my phone and dialed the police. "Hi, I need to report something about that casino you guys searched today. A male and a female were on the run. They might have something shady going on." Consider this my gift to him. Because we're officially done, Elias. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!