Chapter 9

After speaking, I didn't wait for Roberts's reaction but went to get the suitcase I had packed the previous night. My movements were stiff from remaining in one position for so long. Hugo, however, merely lowered his head, eating the breakfast Bella had brought, ignoring me.

I dragged my small suitcase to the door, then remembered something in the refrigerator. Turning back, I found myself directly in front of Hugo. He paused his eating and snorted coldly: "Now you realize your mistake? It's not too late to apologize! Don't be ungrateful; I've spoiled you too much these years!"

I didn't glance at him, focusing on the refrigerator as I said, "Excuse me, please move." He sat with a dark face, pretending not to hear, so I stepped over his legs. From the bottom shelf, I retrieved the meat pie my father had made during his last visit. I clutched it carefully to my chest.

As I turned to leave, Hugo deliberately tripped me. My head hit the corner of the coffee table. He frowned in displeasure: "What's so precious about that box of junk? Should have thrown that garbage out long ago! It makes my whole refrigerator smell like meat filling!"

I pushed myself up, my gaze falling on the flour-dusted floor. My vision blurred as blood trickled down. Bella giggled, seemingly pleased by Hugo's actions. She, my stepmother, had always loathed me and my now-deceased father.

Unspoken Farewell at 30,000 Feet 5.6%

This was because my father had protected me from their bullying—her bullying, while my mother watched coldly, doing nothing. Hugo's face remained dark and superior as he irritably lit another cigarette. "Sophia, can you stop being so embarrassing? Why don't you just kneel down and lick it off the floor? I just helped Bella yesterday; why are you acting so pitiful? Who are you trying to impress?"

"You knew the wedding was fake, so why are you making such a fuss now?"

"A fake wedding—how could that be more important than someone's life?" Even now, he thought my anger stemmed from him missing the wedding. I understood: it wasn't the fake wedding; it was that I, Sophia, had never been important to Hugo. For five years, I had been the inferior one in our relationship. Perhaps Bella was better suited to be his companion.

I had waited countless nights for him to come home, receiving only messages about him socializing with Bella. I would message him to drink less, but the replies were always red exclamation marks. When it got late, they would book rooms at the same hotel, and Bella would use his phone to unblock me, sending messages—complete with room numbers and photos of them together. "Sophia, I'll take good care of Mr. Roberts; you should get some rest!" She did take good care of him, to the point where Hugo no longer needed me.

I stared coldly at Hugo. "Life is indeed important, but my father's life wasn't important to you, was it, Hugo?" His expression darkened.

Unspoken Farewell at 30,000 Feet 5.8%

Chapter [Number]

As I dragged my suitcase to leave, Hugo roared angrily: "Are you determined to act crazy with me today? I can go to the hospital to apologize to your father; isn't that enough? If that's not enough, I can even take Bella to apologize to your father in person! Do you want me to show your father her hospital IV records?"

His accusations ignited fury in my chest. In his eyes, my father and I were unreasonable. Seeing my reaction, Hugo's expression flashed with confusion before he tried to grab me. But Bella's voice stopped him.

"Uncle's tickets were probably fake; he shouldn't have arrived yet. It's probably not about Uncle being upset; maybe Sophia is just angry that you missed the wedding yesterday. It's okay; I can explain to her with the hospital records."

The rage exploded, burning away all rationality. I grabbed the black bag from the shoe cabinet and hurled it at her head.