The plane rumbled beneath me, but I barely noticed. I stared blankly out the window, watching the clouds drift past. My heart felt as empty as the sky beyond—no, emptier. I was officially divorced. No home to return to. No husband. No past.
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
I ignored the voice at first, too drained to care. But when the person lingered, I sighed and turned my head, ready to snap—only for a wave of nausea to slam into me.
My stomach lurched violently.
I swallowed hard, trying to suppress it, but the turbulence made it worse. My stomach churned violently. Before I could react—
“Oh shit—” he shot up from his seat, looking completely horrified. I barely registered his reaction before I clapped a hand over my mouth and bolted down the aisle, racing for the bathroom.
The stranger followed me. “Hey—are you okay? Do you need water?”
I shut the bathroom door in his face and threw up again, gripping the sink for dear life. My entire body shook as I stared at my reflection—pale, exhausted, and now utterly humiliated.
When I finally emerged, the man was still waiting outside, arms crossed. He was tall, with sharp yet strangely gentle features, his once-clean shirt now ruined. He glanced down at himself and sighed. “Well, that was unexpected.”
“I—I’m so sorry,” I stammered, bowing my head repeatedly. “I didn’t mean to—”
“You can stop apologizing now,” he chuckled. “Though, if you really feel bad, you can make it up to me.”
I blinked. “W-What?”
His grin was boyish, teasing. “Be my tour guide when we land.”
I hesitated. “I—uh, I need to go home first.”
“Fair enough.” He gave me a casual salute. “I’m Aiden, by the way. You look like my—”
He barely finished the sentence before another wave of nausea hit me.
Aiden's smile vanished. “Are you really sick? You should get checked.”
I brushed him off, but a nagging thought gnawed at me. My stomach has been upset for days. I was exhausted, emotional, and—
Wait.
My breath hitched.
When was the last time I had my period?
My fingers curled around the armrest as realization crashed over me.
Was I… pregnant?
---
We parted ways at the airport, Aiden waving cheerfully as if we were old friends. I checked my phone, scrolling to his number—the one he had called minutes ago to make sure it was real.
I slipped the phone back into my pocket and took a deep breath, inhaling the crisp air of the countryside. Peace. That was all I wanted. A quiet life, away from all the chaos.
As I walked through the familiar dirt roads, the scent of fresh earth and blooming flowers filled my lungs, wrapping around me like a warm embrace. The chirping of birds and the distant laughter of children playing in the fields made my heart ache with nostalgia.
“Cienna! You’re back!”
I turned to see some of the townsfolk smiling warmly at me. A group of elderly women, who used to watch over me as a child, clutched their baskets as they approached.
“We haven’t seen you in so long,” one of them said, patting my hand. “You look so thin, child. Are you eating well?”
Another woman squinted at me. “And your husband? Didn’t you say he’s some big businessman?”
I forced a smile, ignoring the pang in my chest. “I’m just here for a break,” I said vaguely.
They nodded, though I could see the curiosity in their eyes. I bid them goodbye before they could ask more questions and continued toward my house.
But the moment I stepped inside, my brief sense of peace shattered.
My mother stood in the doorway, arms crossed, her face twisted in anger.
“You finally decided to come home,” she sneered. “Where’s the money?”
I stiffened. “What?”
“The money, Cienna! I didn’t get anything this month! Do you think I can live off nothing? You were off living your fancy life while I was here struggling!”
My hands clenched into fists. “I was sending you money every month. Don’t act like—”
“Then where is it?!” she snapped. “You think I’d be standing here yelling at you if I got it?”
I swallowed, my chest tightening. I had stopped checking my accounts after everything fell apart with Samuel. Could he have cut me off completely?
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’ll figure something out.”
My mother scoffed. “You better. I won’t feed a useless daughter who can’t even send money back to her family.”
I turned away before she could see the way my eyes burned with unshed tears.
As I stepped outside again, the scent of fresh air did little to calm me. My hand instinctively touched my stomach.
I had wanted peace. A life away from all the problems.
But now… with this unconfirmed baby growing inside me, my problems were only beginning.
And then my phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
[We need to talk. - Samuel.]
My breath hitched. My fingers trembled over the screen.
Did he know?
