"Your parents are definitely going to love her."
I thanked Bertram for his words and sank into thought.
Both Bertram and Melissa had reacted completely naturally. Their tone, their expressions—nothing suggested evasion or discomfort.
So where was the problem?
Why had they insisted, after my previous life ended, that they'd never seen Amy at all?
I needed to push Amy's presence to the absolute maximum. I took her hand and pulled her to her feet beside me.
Under her puzzled gaze, I raised my voice so the entire cabin could hear.
"Sorry to interrupt, everyone. Just a couple of minutes."
"Today's a big day for me. I'm bringing my girlfriend home to meet my parents for the first time. We've been together three years, and we're planning to get engaged right after the visit."
"Sharing this flight with all of you at thirty thousand feet feels like fate, so I'm hoping you'd be willing to give us your blessing. Would you?"
Every pair of eyes on the plane turned toward me and Amy.
No one hesitated. Applause broke out across the cabin, warm and generous.
"Congratulations! Wishing you two a lifetime of happiness!"
"You two are adorable together. Here's to forever!"
"Can't wait to hear about the wedding!"
Amy beamed through the chorus of well-wishes, her cheeks flushed a deep pink. She thanked each person she could, then tugged me back into my seat.
"Ernest, what's gotten into you today?" she whispered, half-laughing. "Since when are you this bold? You're embarrassing me."
I gripped her hand tight, my expression dead serious.
"I'm just terrified of losing you."
Now every single person on this plane was a witness.
I refused to believe anything could still go wrong.
Amy's face softened. She reached up and ran her fingers gently through my hair.
"Silly. I love you this much. How could I ever let you lose me?"
"Is this because you're nervous about introducing me to your parents?"
To ease my anxiety, she pulled my favorite snack from her carry-on bag—a tangerine.
She peeled it carefully, head bowed in concentration, then held a segment to my lips. "Stop overthinking. Eat something. We've still got over an hour before we land."
I stared at the tangerine she was offering, and my hands went still.
In my previous life, this was the exact moment I'd gotten up to use the restroom because I couldn't hold it any longer. When I came back, Amy was gone.
All that remained was this peeled tangerine.
Right now, the pressure in my bladder was building again. But there was no way I was leaving this seat.
I ate a segment and held on to her hand like a vice.
"From this moment on, you don't leave my sight. Not even one step."
Amy laughed softly, shaking her head. "Okay, okay. I won't go anywhere."
The words had barely left her mouth when the plane lurched violently.
"Attention, passengers. We are experiencing severe turbulence due to strong air currents. Please fasten your seatbelts, grip your armrests, and remain seated."
The announcement blared through the speakers, and the shaking only grew worse. The cabin lights began to flicker—strobing, stuttering—then cut out entirely.
Total darkness.
Every passenger clung to their armrests, frozen, not daring to move.
Two seconds passed.
The lights snapped back on. The plane steadied.
My heart was still hammering. My first instinct was to grab the arm beside me.
My hand closed around nothing.
I whipped my head to the left.
Amy's seat was empty.
She was gone.
She'd been holding my hand just seconds ago.
How could she vanish in the span of a single blink?
