I noticed that it was actually Grace, who should have been back in economy. Though her legs were shaking and her voice faltered, Grace stood firmly in front of me, looking up at Lucius, who was much taller than she was.
Grace said, “I heard a huge commotion back here and rushed over as fast as I could. You’re not hurt, are you?”
I rose to my feet with Grace’s help and was overcome by a wave of emotion that I couldn’t quite put into words.
Lucius shot her a venomous glare. “You’d better stay out of this, you old hag! You already took my money, so scurry back to your seat and stay out of my way!”
Grace gestured toward the two bank cards on the floor. “I never intended to take your money to begin with. I would never take such filthy money from a man who thinks wealth gives him the right to bully people and strike his own wife! I would feel utterly disgusted if I took it!”
Lucius took a step forward. “What did you just say? You ought to know that I have every right to put her in her place! You can go ahead and ask the passengers around here about the horrible things this woman did to Belinda!”
It was then that someone chimed in. “That’s right! That woman has been tormenting that pregnant lady—putting thumbtacks outside her house and nearly causing a miscarriage! She did all of that because she can’t handle another woman being near her husband!”
I retorted loudly, “Do you have any evidence if you’re accusing me of bullying you, Belinda?”
Belinda’s gaze shifted uncomfortably at the mention of evidence before quickly finding an excuse. “You know exactly why there isn’t any evidence, Zoe. You forced me to delete all the evidence every time you bullied me, threatening to kill my unborn child if I didn’t. I was terrified, so I had to delete it all!”
Belinda’s explanation, delivered with such a heartbreakingly vulnerable expression, won over the crowd; most of the passengers firmly took her side.
Grace alone remained unmoved. “I believe Zoe is a good person! She went out of her way to help me so much earlier, so there’s no way she is capable of doing the things you’re saying!”
Lucius let out a derisive sneer. “I couldn’t care less what you believe. If you persist in sticking your nose into our private business, then I’ll put you in your place right alongside her!”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I lunged at him, shoved him aside, and struck him across the face. “Haven’t you had enough, Lucius? You’ve already laid a hand on me, and now you’re threatening an innocent old lady!”
Lucius was visibly stunned. He stared at me in utter disbelief. “How dare you hit me over some stranger, Zoe Miller!”
“I’m doing more than just hitting you. I’m telling you right now that the moment we land, I am filing for divorce.”
“You actually want to divorce me over such a trivial matter?”
“I’ve finally seen you for who you really are. You think your money gives you the right to harass whoever you want, but the truth is, you’re pathetic. You don’t know the first thing about marriage.”
Lucius, who was furious, grabbed me by the collar. Seeing the situation, Grace immediately stepped in to stop him.
Ms. Greene also rushed over to assist me. “I’d like to ask you to stop making a scene right now, sir, as we are beginning our final descent. Please return to your seat right now!”
In the middle of the scuffle, Grace unexpectedly lost her balance and fell. She hit her head against a seat, and her arm was badly cut by the shattered plates on the floor. She was bleeding heavily.
I was so frightened that I quickly rushed over to check on her. “Is there a doctor on board? I need help over here. She has passed out!”
Lucius panicked after seeing the situation, but he quickly went on the defensive. “That woman tripped and fell on her own! I have nothing to do with it!”
I didn’t waste a second on him; instead, I called out to Ms. Greene to bring an emergency medical kit immediately. It was also then that one of the passengers, a doctor, hurried over to stem the bleeding from Grace’s wound.
In the midst of it all, a sharp beeping noise erupted from Grace’s watch. I couldn’t spare a moment to look at it. My eyes were fixed frantically on Grace as I held her.
Just then, the overhead broadcast broke through the chaos, notifying the passengers that the plane was on its final approach for landing.
I looked out the window to discover the ground flooded with a fleet of matching black Hummers, while the rotors of several helicopters whipped the air into a frenzy.
In the very next moment, as soon as the cabin door was thrown open, a unit of doctors in specialized medical uniforms swarmed the plane. “Mrs. Howard Senior!”
It was then that the sharp, rhythmic click of leather shoes sounded against the cabin floor, and a tall man dressed in a black bespoke suit, standing at well over six-foot-three, strode inside. Ethan Howard asked, “What happened here?”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
