I smiled. "It's mine and... a friend's."
He clicked his tongue. "Some friend, making a skinny little thing like you haul all this luggage by yourself. He'd better treat you to a nice dinner later."
I didn't respond, just watched the streets blur past the window as memories of Brent flickered through my mind.
I suddenly remembered the morning he'd proposed—holding a small ring bought with his very first paycheck after graduation.
"I'll spend my life protecting you," he'd said.
The promise hadn't changed. Just the person it was meant for.
I slipped the ring off my finger and tossed it out the window.
Half an hour later, we arrived at the airport.
Brent frowned as he took the meal container from my hands. "What took you so long? Agatha has a sensitive stomach—you know she can't skip meals."
Agatha bounced over with a grin. "Eliana, don't be mad at him. We were up so late last night that we missed breakfast. I was going to just grab a bread roll, but he insisted I eat a proper meal. Isn't he annoying?"
Brent gave her cheek a gentle pinch. "No more junk food. Just tell me what you want to eat."
I looked away, grabbed my suitcase, and headed toward the service counter.
As I passed Agatha, the half-eaten meal in her hands suddenly flipped onto me. My white down jacket was instantly covered in stains.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry, Eliana! My blood sugar dropped from waiting so long—my hands slipped..."
This jacket was part of a matching set with Brent's. The only couple's outfit we'd had in seven years together. I'd practically begged him to wear it, using our honeymoon as an excuse.
Well. I didn't need it anymore.
I peeled off the ruined jacket and dropped it in the trash, then dug another one out of my suitcase and put it on.
Agatha's eyes instantly welled up. "Eliana, what's that supposed to mean? I really didn't do it on purpose..."
Before I could say anything, Brent stepped in front of her. "What's with the attitude? It's just a jacket—buy another one! Agatha's blood sugar crashed because you made her wait, and you can't even show a little compassion?"
Compassion. That one word had made me back down so many times. In his eyes, I was supposed to put Agatha first in everything, just like he did. The slightest deviation made me selfish. Petty.
He'd forgotten—I didn't owe anyone anything.
I looked at his face, flushed with anger on another woman's behalf. "Maybe if you two hadn't worn yourselves out so late last night, she wouldn't have missed breakfast. But you're right—I guess I just don't have any compassion."
His expression shifted. "Eliana, I can explain—"
"Don't bother. I'm going to print my boarding pass."
At the counter, Brent walked over. "Hold on. I want to upgrade."
The ground staff, a young woman named Mia Collins, typed a few keystrokes. "Sir, there are only two first-class seats left. Do you still want them?"
"Yes." He handed over his and Agatha's IDs.
"She nearly fainted from low blood sugar because of you, and she's still telling me not to be angry at you. How can you keep fighting with someone so kind?"
"She's not feeling well. First class will be more comfortable. I'll take care of her—consider it my apology on your behalf."
I picked up my economy class boarding pass and let out a soft laugh. "Well then, thank you so much."
Brent stared at me, brow furrowed. "Cut the sarcasm. I'm just—"
I didn't wait for him to finish. I turned and walked toward the security line.
I'd heard the same excuses too many times. From now on, I never wanted to hear them again.
The line inched forward. Brent shot me a resentful look, then led Agatha toward the first-class lane.
He didn't glance back once.
