Hours had passed since Hayden dropped her off, yet Jayden still felt like her soul had not fully returned to her body.
Everything around her felt distant.
Heavy.
Even breathing seemed exhausting.
The stress from the past few days had finally caught up with her physically, leaving her with a mild fever and a pounding headache that refused to ease.
At this point, she knew one thing clearly
Things could not continue this way.
If she stayed trapped in this suffocating situation much longer, she feared she might completely lose herself without realizing it.
Jayden lay quietly on her bed for a long moment before finally sitting up.
She needed space.
Distance.
Somewhere far away from her father's constant pressure and the endless wedding discussions swallowing her life whole.
A temporary escape.
Maybe then she could calm herself enough to think properly.
Maybe then she could decide what she truly wanted.
With that thought in mind, she slowly dragged herself into the bathroom and took a lukewarm shower, hoping the water would ease the tension knotted painfully through her muscles.
Thankfully, it helped a little.
By the time she changed into comfortable homewear, her body still felt weak, but at least her thoughts had become slightly clearer.
She picked up her phone and called her assistant.
"Tracy, please help me get some food and medicine on your way here," she said tiredly. "And bring those files that need my attention too."
"Yes, ma'am."
After ending the call, Jayden opened her laptop and began searching for countries she could temporarily disappear to without attracting attention.
Somewhere private.
Secure.
Remote enough to avoid her father's influence for at least a little while.
Unfortunately, every option seemed flawed.
Either the place felt too exposed, too familiar, or simply unrealistic for someone trying to quietly vanish.
Jayden sighed heavily for what felt like the hundredth time.
"Why is this so difficult?" she muttered weakly while scrolling through another list of countries.
Her stomach suddenly growled loudly.
She frowned.
Even stress refused to stop hunger apparently.
Reluctantly, she stood up to search for snacks while continuing her research.
Several minutes later, a knock sounded at the door.
Finally.
Jayden walked over slowly and opened it to find Tracy standing there with food bags, medicine, and several files balanced carefully in her arms.
"And why exactly did it take you this long?" Jayden asked immediately, though without real annoyance.
Tracy smiled apologetically.
"I had to organize the files properly before leaving the office, ma'am. Then I stopped to get the food and medicine."
She stepped inside before adding,
"Miss Ann also said she'll stop by later once she's done with a client meeting."
Jayden nodded lightly.
"It's fine. Did everything at the office get sorted before you left?"
"Yes, ma'am. Everything has been handled."
Tracy paused briefly while observing her boss carefully.
For the first time since she started working for Jayden years ago, she genuinely looked shaken.
Not stressed from work.
Not tired.
Broken.
"Ma'am…" Tracy hesitated softly. "Are you okay?"
Jayden instinctively forced a smile.
"I'll be fine."
But even she could hear how unconvincing that sounded.
Meanwhile, Tracy had already arranged the food neatly and poured warm water for the medicine.
Still, her concern remained obvious.
Jayden had always been calm under pressure. Even during the difficult startup days of Jay Decor, when they barely had enough clients to survive, she had never looked this emotionally drained.
So what exactly had happened this time?
After a long silence, Jayden finally exhaled softly.
Then slowly
She opened up.
She spoke about the arranged marriage.
Her father's pressure.
The rushed wedding plans.
The dinner with Almond.
Everything.
By the time she finished, Tracy looked genuinely heartbroken on her behalf.
She couldn't imagine carrying that amount of emotional weight while still showing up daily at work with a composed smile.
Honestly, it made her admire Jayden even more.
"Ma'am," Tracy said sincerely, "I really think you need time away from all this."
Jayden stayed quiet.
"A change of environment might help you think clearly," Tracy continued gently. "And… if you don't mind, I may actually have an idea."
That finally got Jayden's attention.
"My elder sister lives in Country Y," Tracy explained. "It's quiet, secure, and far enough that nobody here would easily think to look for you there. You could stay with her temporarily."
Jayden's eyes widened slightly.
Country Y…
Remote.
Private.
Far away from her father's reach.
For the first time in days, genuine hope flickered inside her chest.
"That actually sounds perfect," she admitted quietly.
Tracy smiled.
"But leaving won't be easy," she added carefully. "Especially now that your father probably has people watching you."
Jayden sighed.
"That's exactly the problem."
Tracy suddenly paused thoughtfully before speaking again.
"What if…" she began slowly, "we find someone with a similar body frame and appearance to yours?"
Jayden blinked.
"With makeup and careful styling," Tracy continued, "she could temporarily appear in public places when necessary especially from a distance. Meanwhile, you quietly leave the country disguised as someone else."
Silence filled the room.
Then Jayden sat upright instantly.
"That's actually brilliant."
Tracy laughed softly.
Normally, Jayden would have calmly analyzed the flaws in the plan before reacting.
But now?
The woman looked genuinely excited over the possibility of escape.
Stress truly changed people.
Meanwhile, Jayden suddenly felt lighter than she had all day.
Perhaps because
For the first time since this nightmare began, she finally had a possible solution.
"A problem shared really is a problem solved," she murmured quietly.
Tracy smiled proudly.
Soon, the two women began discussing the details more seriously.
They needed someone believable enough to act as Jayden temporarily.
They needed secrecy.
Timing.
Disguises.
And above all
They needed to move carefully before Mr. Cole discovered anything.
By the end of the discussion, Jayden finally picked up the files Tracy had brought and returned to work with a calmer mind than before.
Meanwhile, Tracy silently accepted the responsibility of handling the most important part of the plan
Finding the perfect substitute before Jayden disappeared completely.