Ryan stared at the contents, his face turning crimson.

He immediately began searching the cabin.

But I lowered my head.

He hadn’t found me.

Not yet.

Twenty minutes into the flight, Ryan finally appeared beside my seat.

“Kylie?”

I looked up calmly.

“Hello, Ryan.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Flying to Chicago.”

“Why?”

“Mom’s in the hospital.”

His expression changed.

“Is she okay?”

“She’s stable.”

He reached for my hand.

I pulled away.

“Don’t.”

Ryan glanced nervously toward the other passengers.

“We need to talk.”

“About the jewelry box?”

He swallowed.

“Kylie, things aren’t what they seem.”

I almost laughed.

“I watched you kiss Megan.”

His shoulders dropped.

“It’s complicated.”

“Eighteen years of marriage, three children, and that’s your explanation?”

“Please lower your voice.”

I hadn’t raised it.

“Go back to your seat, Ryan. My mother needs me right now.”

He remained there briefly before walking away.

I turned toward the window, struggling to understand how two people I’d trusted completely could betray me together.

Once the plane reached cruising altitude, I connected to the onboard Wi-Fi.

A message appeared.

It was from Dawson.

Megan’s husband.

Kylie, strange question. Are you traveling with Megan?

I frowned.

No. Why?

His reply came almost immediately.

She told me you two were spending the weekend in Chicago together.

I closed my eyes.

Megan had used me as her excuse.

Then another message arrived.

She also said you were having marriage problems and needed some time away.

My hands started shaking.

Ryan had invented a business trip.

Megan had invented a girls’ weekend.

And both had built their stories around me.

I typed carefully.

Dawson, Megan isn’t traveling with me. She’s on my flight with Ryan. I saw them kissing.

Several minutes passed.

Then he replied.

Are you absolutely sure?

I wish I weren’t.

He tried calling, but I explained that I couldn’t speak during the flight.

His next message hurt even more.

Megan told me she spent last month helping you through problems with Ryan.

I remembered those visits.

She’d come to my house three times, hugged me, asked questions about my marriage, and listened sympathetically.

I’d believed she was checking on me.

Now I wondered whether she’d been gathering information.

When we finally landed, Ryan and Megan waited near the jet bridge.

Megan’s eyes were swollen.

“Kylie,” she whispered.

I walked past her.

Ryan followed.

“Please. Can we talk?”

I stopped.

“Fine. How long?”

He looked toward Megan.

“Four months.”

She began crying.

“It wasn’t supposed to happen.”

I stared at her.

“You used my name to deceive your husband.”

She lowered her eyes.

Ryan stepped forward.

“We made mistakes.”

“A mistake is forgetting an anniversary,” I replied. “Four months of dishonesty requires planning.”

Neither answered.

Megan whispered, “Could we discuss this somewhere private?”

I almost smiled.

“Now privacy matters to you?”

Then I turned away and arranged transportation to the hospital.

Thankfully, Mom was recovering.

Her dizziness had been related to dehydration and a medication issue. Doctors wanted to adjust her prescription and observe her overnight.

When she saw me, she frowned.

“Kylie, why do you look more exhausted than I do?”

“Long flight.”

She studied me.

“Try again.”

So I told her everything.

She listened quietly, holding my hand.

When I finished, she hugged me.

Then she asked something unexpected.

“Did you at least make him uncomfortable?”

I couldn’t help laughing.

“Mom!”

“I’m seventy-four, sweetheart. I still appreciate a little justice.”

When I explained the jewelry box, she laughed so hard that a nurse came to check on us.

“Everything okay?”

Mom wiped her eyes.

“Perfectly fine. My daughter just returned two defective gifts!”

The next morning, Dawson called.

Megan had returned home early and admitted the relationship.

Apparently, she’d used my name as an excuse for several trips.