"No need… I'm just—" Hailey Tang's eyes drifted to the sandwich in the girl's hands. Her stomach cramped again, and without thinking, she blurted, "I haven't eaten. My stomach's acting up."
The girl laughed, warm and genuine. "Then this is perfect. I haven't touched it. Here, take it."
Hailey hesitated for a second, then reached out and accepted the sandwich. "Thank you…"
"You don't need to thank me. We're seatmates, aren't we?" The girl tilted her head, her tone breezy. "Are you from C City too?"
Hailey's fingers paused. She looked up and gave a small nod. "Yeah. You too?"
"Yep! Looks like we're from the same hometown." The girl grinned. "I'm Qiao Ning. 'Qiao' as in bridge, 'Ning' as in peace."
Hailey froze. The name hit her like a slap. She knew that name—knew it all too well.
And she knew exactly who this girl was.
But on the surface, her smile didn't waver. She extended her hand, forcing herself to keep her tone natural. "Nice to meet you, Qiao Ning."
"Nice to meet you too!" Qiao Ning shook her hand with a friendly grip. "Are you flying back for vacation, or…?"
"I'm not a student," Hailey said, then paused. "You're studying abroad?"
Qiao Ning nodded. "Just a one-year exchange program. Today's the day I finally go home."
Hailey's smile was stiff, but she masked it with a polite nod. "What a coincidence. Can't believe I met you like this."
Qiao Ning blinked. "Yeah… It really is a small world."
What Qiao Ning didn't know was that for Hailey, this wasn't just a random encounter—it was fate circling back with cruel precision.
In her last life, she'd met Qiao Ning under similar circumstances.
And later… she'd killed her.
No. Not on purpose. Never intentionally.
But it had been her behind the wheel. Her hands gripping the steering wheel. Her rage. Her heartbreak. Her blind impulse to hit Lin Xin'er.
And when Lin Xin'er stood frozen in the middle of the road, it was Qiao Ning who had pushed her out of the way.
It was Qiao Ning who died instead.
Hailey had been haunted ever since. Sometimes, in the dead of night, the crash replayed in her dreams like a curse. Qiao Ning's pale face, the sound of shattering glass, her own scream.
She could never forget it.
Even now, sitting side-by-side on this airplane, sharing a harmless sandwich, Hailey felt like her hands were stained.
She wanted to say something. Warn her. Apologize. Anything.
But she couldn't.
Qiao Ning chatted beside her, bubbly and open, completely unaware of the storm brewing in Hailey's chest. In just a short flight, the two had become fast friends—chatting about life, about C City, about their families.
Qiao Ning mentioned she had a stepbrother. No blood relation.
She didn't say his name, but Hailey already knew who it was.
Chi Xiyang.
Of course it was him.
And once again, she was entangled in the same web of people, the same messy fate.
Back then, Qiao Ning had loved Chi Xiyang. And he—he had only ever had eyes for Lin Xin'er.
So why? Why would Qiao Ning risk her life for a love rival?
Hailey had never understood. She still didn't.
Later that night, halfway through the flight, Hailey suddenly jolted awake from a nightmare, sweat clinging to her skin.
"Hailey?" Qiao Ning's voice came gently through the darkness. "Are you okay? You looked really scared."
Hailey stared at her, stunned by how real she looked. Alive. Breathing. Warm.
This time… would things be different?
"I'm fine," she whispered hoarsely. "Just a nightmare."
Qiao Ning smiled, trying to cheer her up. "Well, I've got some good news. The plane's about to land. We're finally home."
Home.
Hailey turned toward the window and saw the familiar skyline of C City gleaming under the early morning sun.
It looked the same—but everything felt different.
Once the plane landed, the two women retrieved their luggage and walked out of the terminal together.
"Let's keep in touch, okay?" Qiao Ning said cheerfully as a car pulled up to the curb. "Here's my number. Call me whenever."
"I will," Hailey nodded. "You too. Take care."
Qiao Ning got into the car, waving goodbye. Hailey stood there, watching her disappear into the traffic, heart tangled in a thousand unsaid words.
She didn't move until the car was out of sight.
Then she hailed a cab of her own.
She didn't want to go back to that apartment—to the place she shared with Ethan Yu.
No. That place wasn't her home anymore.
She gave the driver her grandfather's address and leaned back, letting her body sink into the seat.
She needed a break. A reset. A moment to breathe without his shadow looming over her every move.
Hailey turned her phone back on—and almost immediately, it rang.
Ethan Yu.
She stared at the name, her thumb hovering above the screen. What time was it in New York? Three in the morning?
Why was he calling now?
He should be asleep. He should be celebrating.
She hesitated for another second, then finally answered.
"Hello?" Her voice was calm. Distant.
There was a beat of silence on the other end. Then came the low, familiar voice, laced with exhaustion.
"…You left."
"I did." No explanation. No apology.
"Without a word."
She exhaled slowly. "I thought it was what you wanted."
Another pause. Then, a quiet sigh. "We need to talk."
"About what?" she asked coldly. "About how you left me out of your biggest deal? About how you kept me around like a trophy wife—then pretended I didn't exist in front of your team?"
"You're overthinking it," Ethan said, his voice tight.
"No, Ethan. I finally stopped overthinking." Her tone sharpened. "I saw things for what they really are."
"I didn't bring you to that meeting because I didn't want you to get hurt."
"I'm already hurt."
He didn't respond.
"Look," she said after a long pause. "I'll send you the divorce agreement soon. We can make this easy."
"You're not sending me anything."
"I'm serious."
"So am I." His voice was firm now. "We're not done."
Hailey's grip tightened around the phone. Her heart thudded painfully against her ribs.
"You're not the only one who gets to decide this, Hailey."
And with that, he ended the call.