Watching his back disappear into the distance, the relatives around me started whispering.
"Isn't that Old Mr. Henson's son-in-law? Why is he walking off holding some strange woman?"
"Could it be their relationship fell apart and they're getting a divorce? That's way too brazen."
Mom hugged me painfully tight.
But I didn't cry.
Because my failure to see people clearly made Dad leave behind a lifetime of regret.
What right did I have to cry?
After handling my dad's funeral arrangements, my nerves were on the verge of collapse.
Dragging the last of my strength, I returned to the apartment Dad had bought me while he was alive.
The moment the door opened, a strange perfume hit me in the face.
Scarlett sat cross-legged on the couch, holding my game controller, sunflower seed shells spit all over the floor.
"Holy crap! Colin, heal me quick! I'm about to die! Hurry, hurry, hurry—get in front of me!"
Colin sat on the carpet, his face full of indulgence.
"Don't panic, don't panic, I'm here! Who dares touch my bro, I'll wipe him out!"
The two of them bantered back and forth, high-fiving from time to time. That easy, natural intimacy made it seem like they were the couple.
Seeing me push the door open, Scarlett didn't even turn her head. Like she was ordering a maid around, she shouted:
"Oh, Elise is back. There aren't any drinks—go downstairs and grab some Red Bull, okay? Cold, got it! Gaming's got me heated!"
Colin chimed in:
"What are you standing there for? You're the lady of the house. We have guests—hurry up and play hostess!"
I almost laughed.
"This is my apartment. Who said she could come in? Get out!"
Colin's expression darkened.
"Scarlett was worried you'd be home alone overthinking, so she came to keep you company, play some games, help you relax. What's with the attitude?"
I looked at him coldly.
"Keep me company? Or come here to flaunt in my face? Spitting sunflower seed shells all over the floor—aren't you disgusted?"
His brows knitted.
"When did you get so nitpicky? That's just how Scarlett is. Her being casual here means she doesn't see us as outsiders."
I gave a bitter smile and pulled a divorce agreement from my bag.
"Fine. Then I'll be the outsider. Perfect timing—let's divorce."
Colin's expression shifted.
"What the hell are you saying? Just because I avoided a conflict of interest and didn't let you board? I don't agree!"
He pulled a bright red certificate from the nightstand and slapped it onto the table.
It read:
[Captain Colin Matthews, facing unexpected flight oversales, handled the situation properly, prioritized the overall interests, effectively avoided passenger complaints, and protected company reputation. Hereby commended.]
"See this?"
He pointed at the certificate, voice smug.
"This is what avoiding conflicts of interest gets you. I earned my promotion on my own merit, and I got an award!"
"Leadership praised my professional ethics. Because I didn't play favorites and sneak family onto the flight—I put the passengers first."
"Elise, your sacrifice was worth it. This is my honor, and it's yours too. You should be proud to have a husband like me."
Looking at his smug, self-satisfied face, all I felt was nausea.
"Passengers?"
I let out a cold laugh.
"You mean your 'female bro'? Funny how you didn't worry about conflicts of interest then."
Colin didn't show a shred of shame.
"You and I have a marriage certificate. Scarlett and I have nothing."
Scarlett sauntered over, giving me a provocative smile.
"Yeah, just bros. What's there to avoid?"
"Good thing Elise cooperated, or Colin wouldn't have gotten that certificate. Oh right, there's also a bonus—perfect for treating everyone to dinner!"
