Pretty Wife, Dirty Secret, Big Regret

Mid-flight on her trip abroad, Yara Dye suffered a sudden asthma attack. She survived only thanks to the passenger sitting beside her, Annie Jensen, who administered emergency first aid. As Yara finally caught her breath and was about to thank her, she heard Annie speak with a soft smile. "If you want to thank someone, thank my husband. He's the one who taught me how." Annie gently stroked her swollen belly. "Think of it as me putting a little good karma out there for the baby." Yara's gaze dropped to the diamond ring glinting on Annie's finger, and she couldn't help but sigh softly. "You two have such a sweet marriage." "Right? You have no idea how clingy and fussy he can be." A sweet, just-a-little-exasperated smile tugged at Annie's lips. "Even the sweater I'm wearing? He knitted it." The mention of a devoted husband made Yara think of Shawn Ewing, and a soft, tender smile bloomed on her face. On their seventh wedding anniversary, Shawn had given her a matching ring, vowing to love only her for the rest of his life. This trip abroad was a secret. Yara had planned to come back unexpectedly on his birthday and surprise him. Quiet anticipation filling her, she stepped through the arrival gate the moment the plane landed. Almost immediately, she spotted a tall, slender figure in a trench coat standing a little ways ahead. Joy flared bright in her eyes. Before she could call out to him, Annie threw herself straight into the man's arms, calling out affectionately, "Honey!" In an instant, every inch of Yara's body went ice-cold. She froze on the spot like a statue, watching Shawn lean down and press a soft kiss to Annie's forehead. "The temperature dropped today. Why didn't you throw on another layer?" Shawn slipped off his trench coat and draped it gently over Annie's shoulders. Mid-motion, his gaze lifted and locked onto Yara, standing alone in the distance. Their eyes met. In that instant, tears welled up and glistened in Yara's reddening eyes. "I saved someone on the plane today," Annie blinked, snapping out of it. She grabbed Yara's hand, tugged her closer, and said to Shawn, her tone playful, "We hit it off right away. Honey, let's grab dinner together later." "Sure." Shawn's expression flickered, but he recovered quickly. He offered his hand to Yara and introduced himself, his eyes carrying a clear warning. "Hey there, I'm Shawn Ewing." Yara pressed her lips tight and didn't say a word. Shawn continued. "So, you're over here visiting family?" Family. The second that word left his mouth, Yara snapped back to reality, her whole body trembling. Three years earlier, her mother had been diagnosed with a genetic disease and was receiving treatment overseas. Shawn had covered every last bill. He was using her mother to threaten her. A dull, sharp ache twisted in Yara's chest, and she couldn't find the words. Finally, in a hoarse voice, she said, "...Hello." Annie beamed. "She's here to meet her husband. Shawn, isn't that such a crazy coincidence? Your birthdays are on the exact same day." "Oh, really? That's quite a coincidence." Shawn answered casually, then wrapped an arm around Annie's shoulders. "Annie, go check out the car. I set up a little surprise for you." "Ooh, sounds nice." Annie headed off, all smiles. Shawn stood there for a short second, then lifted his eyes to Yara and said, ice-cold, "You've got some nerve, going behind my back to dig into me." "I wasn't..." "Keep what happened between us from Annie. She's pregnant and emotional right now. We'll talk when you're back home." Shawn cut her off sharply, his tone all command. "I had my assistant book you a hotel and a return flight. Go home early, and don't follow us." With that, he turned without a second thought and guided Annie toward the car. Cradling a bouquet of bright red roses, Annie waved at Yara regretfully through the car window. "Yara, if you've got stuff to do, we can hang out next time." Yara's heart was breaking, but she forced a stiff smile and nodded. The car pulled away into the distance, leaving Yara alone on the freezing winter streets of London, sobbing her heart out.