“Claire, I’m sorry,” he said, turning to me with a forced smile. “Looks like you’ll have to go on this trip alone.”
“Madeline said if I don’t see her, she’ll sue you for intentional harm. I can’t let that happen—not for your sake.”
Even now, he framed his betrayal as though it were some selfless act for my benefit.
“Ethan,” I said quietly, “if you walk away right now, you’ll never see me again.”
He chuckled, ruffling my hair like I was a child throwing a tantrum. “Don’t talk nonsense, Claire. I’ll be back before you know it.”
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the airport.
Minutes after he left, the boarding process began. Then, as the plane taxied down the runway, a deafening explosion rocked the airport. Flames erupted into the sky as the plane crashed to the ground.
It was the flight to Iceland.
...
