Part 1When the Plane Crossed the Starlit Sky

On the eve of our wedding, Elliot Starling suddenly became incredibly busy.

He couldn’t even attend the wedding venue to oversee the decorations, as we had planned.

Feeling guilty, he called to reassure me.

“Riverhaven’s got thunderstorms tonight. Be a good girl and stay home, okay? Don’t go out.”

“Don’t worry about the setup. All you need to do is show up as the beautiful bride you are.”

But I wasn’t convinced. I went to check for myself.

And that’s when I saw him.

In the massive helicopter parked on the lawn, a woman in a flight attendant’s uniform kneeled between his legs.

“Sir, did my service meet your expectations?”

Elliot smirked and pulled the woman into his arms.

But that was supposed to be my wedding venue.

The helicopter? That was supposed to be my dream.

……

Content

The rain in Riverhaven was relentless, a downpour so wild it shook the skies.

By the time I stumbled back home, I was drenched, pale, and shivering like a drowned cat.

Feverish and burning up, I fumbled for a fever pill, swallowed it dry, and curled up under a blanket to make a call.

“Hello? I’ve changed my mind.”

“I want to join Atlantic Skies Airways. Yes, as soon as possible.”

I hung up, sneezing hard as the memory of what I’d just witnessed came crashing back.

I stayed in Riverhaven for Elliot. Now, I was leaving because of him.

The medication kicked in, and I closed my eyes.

Not long after, Elliot’s call jolted me awake.

His voice on the other end was as soft and soothing as if nothing had changed.

“Sienna, I’m swamped. Have you been eating properly?”

I coughed twice.

Elliot instantly grew concerned. “What’s wrong? Are you sick? Didn’t dress warmly enough, or…”

His worry stopped short.

A new sharpness entered his tone. “Sienna… you went out, didn’t you?”

“Mm,” I murmured weakly. “I went downstairs to grab breakfast. Didn’t realize how bad the rain was.”

The tension on his end eased.

“I told you not to go out in this storm! We’ll have someone bring whatever you need to the villa.”

“Our wedding’s just days away. If you’re too sick to stand, where will I find a bride as beautiful as you?”

I didn’t respond.

All I could think about was the helicopter on the lawn and the woman in uniform.

I was sure Elliot would find someone else. If I couldn't reach the altar

“Sienna?”

When I stayed silent, Elliot hesitated.

Then, muffled noises: a stifled gasp, interrupted breaths.

He growled low at someone near him, half-scolding, half-playful.

“Sienna, the rain’s awful. Someone bumped into me out here.”

“Be careful, okay? Don’t drive too fast.”

“Don’t worry.” Elliot’s tone lightened. “Just thinking about finishing these meetings and returning to you makes me want to push seventy on the highway!”

“Gotta go. Call you later.”

The line disconnected abruptly, his usual sweet nothings cut short.

Moments later, a text arrived:

“Sienna, the wedding company just called. There’s a problem with the helicopter we booked—they must send it back for repairs. How about we replace it with a giant floral arch?”

Repairs, huh?

I thought back to the scene in the helicopter.

Or maybe it needed fixing because it got a little too steamy during… whatever that was?

Honestly, having a helicopter at the wedding was absurdly extravagant.

It was Elliot’s idea.

When I was 24, in my first year as a flight attendant, I had a rude passenger pour a scalding cup of water onto my hand.

I still had to crouch down and clean the cabin, fighting tears.

At the time, Elliot was struggling with his startup. I couldn’t afford to take a break, even with bandages covering my burn.

That scar is still there.

Elliot had held me back then, his voice trembling as he made a promise:

“When I make it big, I’ll take you on a helicopter ride.”

“No passengers, no service duties. Just the two of us. Something romantic, just ours.”

But he didn’t keep that promise.

He gave our romance to someone else.

Everything else since then? Just guilt-ridden scraps.

I didn’t want them anymore.

A confused cat emoji popped up in our chat window.

I stared at the keyboard, typing a single word:

“Okay.”