port lounge, watching the rain streak against the floor-t

a new

isis. CEO Emilio Acosta Acc

he headline.

ave you seen the news? It's bad. Hayden... she's spinning it. She's telling ever

taking a slow, deliberate sip of my

ding a press conference right now. H

lounge TV to th

hrust in his face. Beside him stood Hayden, wearing a modest black dress, clutching his arm like a

voice shook. "The leak... the unauthorized transfer of assets to

g to crimes he didn't commit. He

ane," I w

this?" Ayla asked

tion settling like cold stones in my stomach. "Or because h

Is it true you mortgaged your personal propertie

... Elana and I are separ

ouse? The

Hayden with a desperate, blind devotion. "I will do whatev

n. His

burning down his world to keep them warm,

ayden just texted me.

w wh

s a copy of the new insurance

ze. "

the divorce is finalized... the pay

sucked out

icing himself. He was

in. It wasn't Ayl

tton. But a morbid curiosity took over. I needed to hear his

nsw

less. I could hear the chaotic swell o

voice steady against his ch

y were going to arrest Hayden. I couldn

let me bleed ou

le

you waive your claim to the marital assets, I can use the liquidity to save the c

to fund his mis

ed, my voice trembling with rage. "I am

she's fragile! If I lose th

be then you'll see h

anger. The defense mechanism. "She's stood by me! Whe

me!" I screamed. People in the lo

"The board is calling. Just sign t

en, cold calm washed over me.

it q

not coming back. You chose your f

la

ung

ed the

ed away by security. Hayden turned to the camera for

. She thought she had s

e had just stripped m

s now boarding," the an

. I picked

hter. With every step, I left behind the

t to the attendan

light, Ms. Aco

ed. The name tasted like fre

telescoping tunnel felt like a birth c

plane. I found my

y, the engines roared to life. The

ifte

ent lights. Somewhere down there, Emilio was fighting for a

sed m

ispered to the glass. "

el fear. I

the clouds, breaking into

a small, sad smil

the reflection in the wi