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

"You don't deserve Maxwell, Grace. He's mine alone. You've got no family status, no attractive figure—what can you possibly offer that I can't?"


"You wretched woman, I hope a bird strikes you mid-flight and your plane goes down, ending your life."


Hadn't I endured enough? I decisively cut off contact with Emily, and finally, peace descended.


Following a grueling three-month training period, I aced the final evaluation. The company rewarded us newcomers with a fortnight's break, and I seized the chance. I rented a camper van and took off. My solo road trip across New Zealand's South Island had officially commenced.


Chapter 7