Chapter 9
A buzzing sound roared in his mind. Leander felt dizzy and disoriented. Clara was dead? How was that possible?
He pulled out his phone and immediately dialed Elara’s number. No answer. The mechanical female voice kept repeating the same message.
With trembling fingers, he tried again and again, but all he got was “The number you have dialed cannot be reached.”
He hurled his phone to the ground?
The annoying voice finally stopped, but where could he go to find Elara? How could something have happened to her?
Leander swayed as he pushed past his assistant, trying to run out, but Marla blocked his path.
“Leander, this is our wedding. Where are you going?”
She tried to grab him, but he shook her off forcefully. His parents stepped forward disapprovingly.
“Leander, what are you doing! Whatever happened, you should finish the wedding first. With all these guests here, do you want them to see the Everhart family become a laughingstock?”
His father’s face showed anger, but Leander paid no attention. His mind was filled only with Elara. He had to confirm she was safe before he could
rest.
Leander pushed past his father. “I have to find Elara! Nobody stop me–I have to find Elara!” he shouted.
Leander took a taxi straight to the airport. His mind was in chaos. How could Elara be dead?
He walked into the airport and saw staff members bustling about as if something major had happened, but he couldn’t focus on that. He grabbed the first person he saw.
“The flight to Switzerland today–it’s fine, right? Very safe, nothing happened?”
He desperately wanted an answer, but the staff member’s expression turned sorrowful.
“I’m sorry, sir. Today’s flight to Switzerland has crashed. The announcement is broadcasting about it…”
Only then did Leander notice the overhead speakers repeatedly broadcasting the major accident.
“Breaking news: Today, a flight from our province to Switzerland crashed fifteen minutes after takeoff due to an accident. All 178 passengers and
crew… no survivors!”
“Breaking news: Today…”
“No survivors!”
Those four words hammered into his brain. Leander seemed to lose his soul, staring blankly as he muttered:
“How is that possible… how is that possible? How could Elara really be dead…”
He’d just seen her yesterday. How could she be dead today…
He wanted to fly immediately to the crash site to see for himself. He couldn’t believe Elara was gone like thus!
A staff member handed him a paper.
“This is the passenger manifest. Are you a family member of one of the victims?”
Leander nodded mechanically, scanning the list until he found Elara’s name.
Suddenly he seemed to regain his senses, looking at the death confirmation the staff member handed him. Elara Whitlow. Confirmed deceased.
In that moment, all sound around him disappeared.
The staff member’s lips moved several times: “What was your relationship to the deceased passenger?”
What relationship?
What relationship… His mind flashed through all the moments he’d shared with Elara, scene after scene playing before his eyes.
His throat was dry, his voice seeming to be squeezed out:
“Elara was my wife.”
The sorrow on the staff member’s face deepened.
*Please accept our condolences, sir. Your wife has passed away.”
