Chapter 7

Hannah's POV

During my three days grounded, I went to the airline medical center.

The initial review for the Damascus deployment had passed. Today was the day for the in-depth physical.

The flight doctor was maybe in his fifties. He looked at my paperwork and sighed. "Ms. Bennett, you need to really think this through. Damascus—an airport there was bombed just last month. If you go, you'll be living on the edge of death. You're so young. Why would you choose to go there?"

I smiled, my eyes clear. "It suits me better."

He shook his head and pulled a thick document from his drawer, handing it to me. "This is the liability waiver. Once you sign, if anything happens to you in Damascus, the airline only covers the death benefit. They take no other responsibility. Think it over."

I took the pen and signed my name on the last page without any hesitation.

The pen scratched across the paper with a soft rasp, like it was severing every tie to the past.

Coming out of the office, I walked toward the exit with my exam reports.

Just as I rounded the corner, I ran face-first into Adrian and Sophie.

Sophie's index finger was wrapped in gauze. She was leaning against Adrian, pouting. "Captain Pierce, it hurts so much. Will it leave a scar?"

Adrian looked down at her hand with rare patience. "It's just a little nick from cutting fruit. The doctor said it would've healed on its own if you'd come even a little later. Don't worry."

When Adrian looked up, he saw me standing not far away.

He froze, his gaze quickly scanning my pale face, finally landing on the stack of papers in my hand.

"Are you sick?" Adrian's brow furrowed, and he instinctively took a step forward.

I tucked the exam papers behind me, my tone indifferent. "No. Just a routine check-up."

When Sophie saw me, she straightened up immediately. She deliberately raised her bandaged finger and said sweetly, "Hannah, are you here to see the doctor too? Captain Pierce says I can't get my hand wet, so he's going to be cooking at home for me these next few days. You don't mind, do you?"

Cooking for her.

That kitchen that had once been mine alone. That kitchen where Adrian had hugged me from behind to teach me how to cook—it was about to welcome a new mistress.

I looked at Sophie's provocative face and said calmly, "That's nice. I've got things to do. I'm going."

I walked past them, heading straight forward.

Adrian grabbed my wrist.

"Hannah, what exactly are you angry about?" Adrian lowered his voice. "Three days grounded hasn't been enough to wake you up? You won't be satisfied until our relationship is completely broken?"

I lowered my head and pried his fingers off one by one.

"I'm very awake." I looked up and stared into his eyes. The corners of my mouth even curved up in the faintest smile. "Captain Pierce, I wish you both happiness."

With that, I turned and left.

The day before I left New York.

I did the final cleanup in the apartment.

I called a local courier and shipped off the few old clothes and books that were mine. Everything else, anything I couldn't take—I threw into trash bags.

All those expensive dresses, bags, and jewelry Adrian had bought me—I didn't take a single thing. I hung them neatly in the closet.

I walked to the vanity, pulled open the drawer, and took out a velvet box.

I opened it. Inside lay a plain band.

It was the ring Adrian had bought when he proposed to me in Paris years ago. He'd said once he got promoted, we'd get married. I'd worn this ring for years. The band already had fine scratches on it.

I took the ring off and placed it on the living room table.

Next to it, I set down the apartment key I'd used for years.

When everything was done, the whole apartment felt empty, as clean and soulless as a model home. No more of my slippers, no more of my water glass, none of the traces of my life left behind.

My phone buzzed.

It was a message from Adrian: 【There's a banquet tonight, with people from the airline. Come. Stop sulking. We'll talk things through together, and the grounding business will be over.】

I looked at the words on the screen and found it a little funny.

He thought I was throwing a tantrum. He thought all he had to do was wave his hand and I'd come crawling back gratefully like before.

I tapped lightly and replied: 【Okay.】