Surely he’ll call? This can’t be him—
“Hey, honey, are you okay?” An anxious voice cut in. “You look pale,” said a middle-aged woman, staring in concern.
“I, um…” I stuttered, covering my mouth with my hand.
“You look like you might faint. Here, come and sit down.”
My muscles gave way, as I gripped the sink, trying to stay upright.
Her arm wrapped around me, guiding me into the mirrored powder room and easing me into an armchair.
“Just breathe. I think you’re having a panic attack. Have you had a shock?”
Dizzy, I opened my mouth but couldn’t find the words.
She placed a hand on my shoulder. “Take a slow breath in… that’s it. Now out. Good. One at a time.”
“Can I call someone for you?” she asked before I shook my head.
My breathing steadied, the dizziness easing slightly. But my chest felt like lead. My stomach ached.
She checked on me once more, patted me on the arm, then left for her flight.
Karson’s words came back in fragments—
“Ivy Lawrence, you’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve seen…”
“We’ll be together soon...”
“I promise I’ll make sure we can be together…”
How could it all be just lies.
Memories of moments in his arms splintered through my mind. Sharp, disjointed remnants of his smile, of him kissing me, loving me.
Something in my chest gave as I gasped for air. I sat, frozen in the cold chair, unable to speak, waiting to wake up.
Hoping he’d call—tell me it was all a mistake…
But the phone stayed silent.
Hot tears slid down my cheeks as the reality of his betrayal settled in.
The warm, fragrant breeze that had caressed my skin on the tarmac had turned into a hurricane. I swiped at my tears and slowly pushed myself out of the chair.
“There’s someone else…”
A fire burned through me, but the flames flickered into embers before dying out, leaving nothing behind.
Only emptiness.
Hollow, I walked out of the terminal and hailed a taxi home.
10
SILVERAND GOLD
KARSON
