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

Maxwell had transformed into someone I barely recognized, a far cry from the man I'd known for years. If not for the genuine look in his eyes, I might have doubted everything about our five-year relationship.


As we were departing Queenstown, Maxwell abruptly halted my RV.


He dropped to one knee, presenting a dazzling diamond ring that sparkled so intensely it nearly blinded me.


"Grace, I adore you," he declared, his voice brimming with feeling. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you become my wife?"


For five years, I had longed to hear those words. Yet as I stood there, prepared to leave everything behind, I realized they no longer carried the same significance.


Had he proposed just three months earlier, I would have eagerly accepted, thrilled at the prospect of becoming his bride.


Chapter 8