Chapter 1868

Yvette’s excitement was growing, her mind racing at the thought of flying business class.
But when she turned her head, her eyes landed on Karina and Wilfred.
Karina was looking up at him, sharing something that made her smile, while Wilfred gazed down at her with a soft, unguarded expression. There was an effortless tenderness in his eyes that he didn’t seem aware of. Together, they looked so harmonious, like a scene straight out of a painting.
As Yvette stood there observing, Karina was completely oblivious to her gaze. She was busy sharing a funny story with Wilfred.
“When I was going through security just now, I saw this guy carrying a huge bottle of fresh milk. The staff told him he had to take a sip. But instead of just taking a sip, he chugged the entire thing! Then he kept burping for ages-it delayed the whole line!” Wilfred chuckled softly, indulging her humor.
As they prepared to board, he turned to Karina. “You go ahead and find your seat. I’ll take care of the luggage.”
Karina nodded. “Got it.”
It wasn’t until then that she suddenly remembered Yvette. Looking around, she realized she hadn’t seen her in a while.
“Yvette? Where are you?” Karina called out.
A faint voice came from behind her. “Oh, you’ve finally remembered I exist. I was starting to think you both decided I’m invisible.”
Turning around, Karina found Yvette standing there, arms crossed and expression full of mock indignation. Feeling a bit guilty, Karina scratched her head sheepishly.
“Uh, how about I buy you an in-flight meal to make up for it?”
Yvette huffed, but her eyes twinkled with amusement. “You’d better.”
Despite her playful complaints, Yvette didn’t press further about Karina and Wilfred. She decided to save her questions for later. It wasn’t the right time to pry.
However, as they found their seats, Yvette noticed something.
“Wait, your seat’s right next to Wilfred’s?” she blurted out, glancing at the boarding pass in disbelief. Hers was several rows back.
Once the flight took off, Karina looked back briefly, scanning for Yvette. But with so many passengers, Yvette was nowhere to be seen.
“That’s strange,” Karina murmured. “Why is her seat all the way back there?”
Wilfred froze for the briefest of
moments, his eyes flickering with a quick flash of guilt. If Karina had
been paying attention, she might
have caught it. But her focus was on searching for Yvette, leaving her oblivious.
When she finally turned back, Wilfred’s expression was calm and collected, as though nothing had happened. “Tickets are assigned randomly,” he said smoothly. Karina nodded, not suspecting a thing.
The plane ascended, and for the first time, Karina experienced something unexpected-air sickness.
Her head spun, her stomach
churned, and every subtle vibration of the plane felt magnified. It was as if her thoughts were muddled, and the faint hum of the engines only worsened it.
Wilfred, seated next to her, was quick to notice her discomfort. Seeing her sway slightly, he immediately steadied her with a hand on her shoulder. “Lean back,” he said gently, guiding her into a more comfortable position. “Are you feeling airsick? I think I packed some medication-hold on.” He stood and walked briskly down the aisle.
Despite the nausea clouding her senses, Karina caught a glimpse of his retreating figure and felt a sense of relief, even in her current state.
Moments later, Wilfred returned with
a small cup of warm water and a
couple of pills cradled in his hand. His usualcomposed demeanor seemed colder as he made his way back, passengers instinctively stepping aside as he passed.
But when he reached Karina, his icy exterior melted away. His voice softened, carrying a note of reassurance.
“Think you can sit up for a moment?” he asked, leaning closer.