ManyWriters

The earth shook with a 4.2-magnitude tremor, causing pandemonium. Amid the frenzied crowd, I was knocked down, and in that frightening instant, I lost my grip on the child I was holding. Maxwell, oblivious to my plight, simply took his boss' sister's hand and departed without a word. Later, I returned to an empty home, feeling numb. A package of unused miniature parasols awaited me—a cruel reminder of a shared past. Without hesitation, I discarded the box and made a long-distance phone call. "Ms. Grace Fitzgerald, Air New Zealand welcomes you. Please report within 30 days," said the voice on

Tremors of Betrayal, A Flight from Heartbreak

He charged towards us, and in a flash, Emily flung herself into his embrace, tears streaming down her face.


"Maxwell," she whimpered, "have I done something to offend you again? Did I upset Grace? She invited me here today, and I thought she was going to say sorry to me."


Her voice quivered with feigned naivety. "But as soon as I got here, she called me a nasty imp who takes other girls' boyfriends. I couldn't just let that go, so I stood up for myself, and she struck me."


Her eyes gleamed with defiance as she continued her performance. "Max, I know Grace has never been fond of me, but that doesn't mean you can just hit me like this, does it?"


I felt the intensity of her stare, challenging me to respond.


Maxwell's face reddened with rage as he consoled her, his touch gentle yet firm. "It's alright, Emily. Don't weep."


He turned to me, his eyes blazing. "Grace, you need to apologize to Emily. Right now."


I stood my ground, refusing to yield. "What if I refuse?"


Chapter 5