Twins and the billionaire

2.

The agent’s fingers flew over the keyboard, and before I knew it, I had a flight booked. The boarding pass felt like it weighed a ton as I took it from her hand, but it was the first step toward the life I was choosing to build.

I had no idea what I was walking into. I didn’t speak French fluently. I had no friends there, no family. But it didn’t matter. At least I would be far away from the place where everything had fallen apart.

I wandered through the terminal, my mind still spinning. I could feel the tightness in my chest, the nerves that made every step feel like a leap of faith. But it was the kind of leap I needed to take.

Once I found my gate, I settled into an empty seat and watched the people around me. Some were reading, some were talking, and some were already dozing off before their flights. I was surrounded by strangers, and it was almost comforting. I was just one person in a sea of faces, one woman on her way to a new life.

I pulled out my phone, intending to check messages or emails, but my fingers hovered over the screen. There was a message from Caroline, my best friend, asking what happened. I stared at the message for a long moment before typing back.

“I’ll explain later. I’m getting away for a while. I need time to think.”

I sent the message, and almost instantly, the weight on my shoulders seemed to lift a little. Caroline would understand. She always did.

A part of me felt guilty for not telling her sooner, for not giving her a chance to support me through all of this. But I knew this was something I had to do alone. Leaving Mark wasn’t just about walking away from him; it was about walking away from everything that had been holding me back.

I stood up when the gate number was announced, pulling my carry-on behind me. I felt the familiar flutter in my stomach, the mix of excitement and fear that came with starting something new. The plane was waiting, ready to take me to a new city, a new chapter.

As I boarded, I couldn’t help but think of Mark one last time. What would he say if he knew? Would he even care?

I shook the thought from my mind. I wasn’t going to waste another second on him. I was done.

I found my seat by the window, buckled myself in, and stared out at the runway. The city below was a blur of lights and buildings, a place where I had once felt at home but now felt so far removed from.

The plane began to taxi down the runway, and as it lifted into the air, I exhaled. It was over.

The life I had built was behind me. I was free.