There wasn't a speck of dust in the room. Even the windows were spotless and clear, a clear sign that someone had been maintaining the property regularly.

After taking a long look around, she made her way upstairs.

Her footsteps halted outside the master bedroom. Resting her hand on the doorknob, she stood there for a long time, unable to turn it.

Taking a deep breath, Stella finally steeled herself and pushed the door open.

The layout and items in the bedroom were identical to how she remembered. The only difference was the potted plant on the windowsill, which had grown wildly lush over the past three years.

She had come back primarily to see just how much Joshua had taken with him. Searching through the room, she couldn't find many of his personal belongings.

Closing the door behind her, she moved down the hall to his study.

On the day of her accident, Joshua had left this house and never returned. He hadn't taken a single thing.

On his desk, she spotted the custom figurine she had given him. The display cabinet nearby was still lined with all the other gifts she had bought for him, exactly as they used to be.

Then, she remembered his diary.

Three years ago, after she accidentally discovered it, Joshua had given up hiding it and simply kept the notebook in his desk drawer for easy access.

She had assumed everything regarding their past was sealed away in this house. But after finding his keychain and her wedding ring today, she realized she desperately needed to check.

It didn't take long to find the diary right there in the drawer.

Flipping through the pages, Stella discovered that his entries went all the way up to the day they were separated. Perhaps, right before he got the call about ber accident he had been sitting in this exact chail, writing in it or reading through his memories.

She searched the rest of the study and confirmed that the most important items were still there.

The keychain and the ring must have been a coincidence. His mental state had been deteriorating rapidly back then; it was only natural he might have missed a few things when packing away his life.

Holding the diary, she weighed her options before deciding to take it with her. She would only have peace of mind if it was safely stashed in her own home. The odds were slifer but if a burglar broke in and the journal somehow leaked, it would be a disaster. Better to avoid any potential risks entirely.

***

Three days later, Gideon called. "Ms. Cameron, I sent some guys to track down the parts for that car... but they came up empty. It looks like a completely custom build. That specific model isn't even on the market. However, managed to get in touch with an elite auto-repair" team. They said that a lot of custom cars use bespoke paint blends. They can analyze the finish and mix an exact color match."

Shortly after, Gideon forwarded their custom repair proposal for her review. Stella read it over and realized the professionals truly knew what they were doing. The plan was flawless.

"The proposal looks solid," she said. "Tell the mechanics to start the repairs as soon as possible. Once it's done, just deliver it." With that, she texted Joshua's contact info to Gideon.

Even though Colby Hunt and Laurel Quinn both assured her the hypnosis was a complete success and that seeing her wouldn't trigger Joshua's memories, it was still best to minimize contact with him.

***

A few more days passed before Gideon reported that the car was fixed and had been delivered to Joshua for inspection. Stella checked her phone. Seeing no angry messages from him, her anxiety settled. It seemed those mechanics really were top- tier.

But to her shock, the very day after the car was returned, Joshua called her. "Ms. Cameron," his cold voice cut through the line, "are you trying to get back at me? Is that why you deliberately botched the repairs on my car?"