Chapter 9

It wasn't until I boarded my flight, when Liam saw that I hadn't softened my stance and had blocked all his contact information, that he finally panicked.

"He came running to ask me where you went!" Mia said, huffing, on the phone. "I told him you went overseas for advanced studies, quit your job! Gone! Never coming back! And I chewed him out! Don't worry, I didn't tell him you just left today. I had no idea you went through so much! Ugh, I take back all my 'he's a good boyfriend' ratings! Him and Chloe should just be locked together, the boundary-less guy and the manipulative faux-tomboy!"

I gazed at the clouds outside the airplane window, softly humming in response.

Truthfully, as the one involved, I felt neither sorrow nor joy anymore.

"Oh, right," Mia suddenly lowered her voice.

"Is Julian with you? His lab assistant said he was supposed to leave last week..."

My eyes unconsciously fell on the seat in front of me—Julian was looking down, reading a book.

"Audrey," Mia chuckled mischievously. "Are you two..."

"No," I interrupted her. "Just friends."

After hanging up, Julian suddenly turned around.

"Want a blanket?" He handed me a soft wool blanket. "It's a ten-hour flight, easy to catch a chill."

I took the blanket, then suddenly asked, "Why did you rebook your flight?"

The cabin was quiet. His eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath his eyes. "I told you."

"The lab documents?"

Julian closed his book, looking directly into my eyes. "I wanted to be with you."

"I know you don't want to talk about this right now," his voice was soft,

"but Audrey, it's been seven years. This time, I want to fight for myself."

I clutched the blanket, my throat tight.

"You don't have to answer now." He smiled, opening his book again. "We have plenty of time."

I turned my head away, saying nothing.

The plane passed through the clouds, and sunlight suddenly streamed in.

In a daze, I remembered many years ago, Liam reaching out to me in the sunlight: "Excuse me, your book."

Back then, we both thought we'd be together forever.

Now, I was about to start my life anew.