Chapter 3

I took the torn logbook to the Compliance Department.

On my way through the café, Garrett blocked me. He slapped a ticket on the table.

"Flight back home. Tomorrow morning. Stop causing problems."

Delphine was holding a business-class ticket.

Mine was economy. Non-refundable. Non-changeable.

I ripped it up in front of him.

"The company assigned me here. You don't get to send me away."

Garrett grabbed my wrist—hard enough that bone ground against bone.

"My promotion flight launches soon. You're filing complaints against Delphine right now because you want to destroy me, don't you?"

"She stole my plan, tore up my father's things, and took my job!"

Delphine cowered behind him, eyes shining with tears.

"Sis, I just wanted to be close to him. You already have the engagement. Why can't you even give me this job?"

"That's my job. Not an inheritance."

She broke down sobbing.

"Dad always favored you. He gave you everything. I just take a few sheets of paper and you act like I'm trying to kill you—"

Garrett shoved me away. My hand hit the table edge. A bruise bloomed instantly.

"She has nothing. Would it kill you to let her have this?"

My mother's call came right then.

Before I could even speak, she was screaming, "Drop the complaint! Delphine is sick from all this stress. Do you want to put your own sister in the hospital?"

"She stole my work."

"You're capable. Just do it over!"

Her voice turned vicious. "You've always resented her. If I'd known you'd turn out this heartless, I never would have paid for your education!"

She hung up. I stood frozen.

All these years—their mortgage, their medical bills. I paid it all.

But in their eyes, everything I had was supposed to be shared with Delphine.

And I was supposed to swallow every hurt alone.

I cut off the monthly transfers. Unlinked Garrett from all my shared accounts. Notifications popped up on his phone one after another.

His face darkened. "You're really going to nickel-and-dime me?"

I almost laughed.

"Weren't you the one who taught me? The closest people keep the clearest books."

Delphine smiled suddenly. She pulled out a policy from her bag.

Garrett's aviation accident insurance. The primary beneficiary? Her.

"Oh, and sis, don't be upset. Garrett says you earn good money. You wouldn't miss the payout."

She hugged his arm, voice soft and sweet.

"If he lives, he's mine. And if something happens, he wants to make sure I'm taken care of. You've got the engagement everyone recognizes. That's already more than I have."

I looked at Garrett. Not a trace of guilt.

"Delphine can't function without me. You're so capable, why would you need to fight over what I leave behind?"

So what he gave me was just a show for the families.

Love, work, the future—even death—he gave it all to my sister.

I grabbed my laptop. Two security guards blocked the exit.

"Elara Vance. Internal route data has been copied without authorization. You'll need to be searched."

From the hidden compartment in my laptop bag, they pulled out an encrypted USB drive. Full flight data.

Delphine clasped her hands over her mouth, sobbing.

"Sis, if you hate me, take it out on me! Don't gamble with an entire plane full of people!"

Garrett snatched my badge and slammed it on the table.

"You'd compromise flight safety just to make me cave?"

"It wasn't me!"

I struggled to reach my laptop. He pinned me against the table. The edge dug into my stomach. I doubled over, gasping for air.

"The evidence is right there in your bag, and you're still playing innocent?"

I looked up and saw Delphine slipping a keycard into her sleeve.

My spare keycard. The one from my apartment drawer.

She gave me a silent smile.

Seconds later, my work account went dark.

[Your flight dispatch authorization has been suspended.]