Chapter 4

Elton's face darkened.

"What are you throwing a fit over now? Do you have any idea how many strings I had to pull to get you this job?" he demanded through clenched teeth.

"And now you're just going to quit? You were only supposed to talk for a few minutes. It's practically second nature to you by now. Is this what your so-called love for astronomy amounts to?"

I remained unfazed. "I do love astronomy, but my passion isn't there to entertain people or help you impress anyone."

Elton's expression turned furious. "Lula is just a friend, and I'm offering you the title of Mrs. Werner. What more do you want from me?"

I shook my head. "Save that title for someone else. I'm done."

I turned away from his furious face and walked straight out of the planetarium.

He'd turned even my last sanctuary into his personal playground. There was no reason for me to stay anymore.

Once outside, I took out my phone and called the head of the Arctic research station.

"Hello, this is Betsy Hull. I've finished handing over my responsibilities ahead of schedule. There's no need to wait until next week."

"Great. How soon can you leave?"

"As soon as I book my ticket."

After hanging up, I noticed a text notification pop up on my phone.

Elton: [I booked a table at your favorite restaurant. After the wedding tomorrow, let's bring Lula along so the three of us can talk things through. Stop being unreasonable.]

I couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of it all.

He had no idea that there would be no tomorrow for the two of us.

That night, I went home, collected the suitcases I'd packed, and took a cab straight to the airport.

Early the next morning, Elton arrived outside my apartment building with an entire entourage of groomsmen. They crowded around the entrance, pounding on my door and shouting.

"Hey, Betsy! The groom's here to pick up his bride! Open up!"

No one answered.

The groomsmen exchanged amused glances and nudged one another.

"Looks like the bride thinks we haven't brought enough good luck money! Come on, fellas. Let's slide those cash envelopes under the door!"

Laughing, they began stuffing red envelopes full of cash through the gap beneath the door.

"We've got plenty of cash here! Tell the bridesmaids to show some mercy and let the groom in to claim his bride!"

But the apartment remained silent.

As the minutes passed, the atmosphere in the hallway grew increasingly awkward.

The smile slowly disappeared from Elton's face. Fighting to contain his temper, he pulled out his phone and sent me a message.

[Betsy, that's enough. Open the door right now. There's a time and place for throwing a tantrum.]

The message went unanswered. It was like a stone sinking into the ocean, disappearing without a trace.

"Fine! So this is how you want to play it?" Elton finally roared.

He spun around and barked at the groomsmen, "Break the damn door down! Let's see how long she can keep this up!"

The groomsmen stared at him in shock.

But faced with his fury, none of them dared to argue. After exchanging uneasy glances, they reluctantly fetched some heavy tools and began forcing the lock.

With a loud crunch, the lock gave way, and the door swung open.

"Betsy, have you had enough..."

The words died in Elton's throat.

The groomsmen peered into the apartment, exchanging bewildered looks.

"What the hell? Where's the bride?"

Elton pulled out his phone and called the wedding planner. The moment the call connected, he launched into a furious tirade.

"How does your company manage its schedule? You took the bride away early without even giving me a heads-up?"

"Mr. Werner... what do you mean by taking the bride away?"

"I'm talking about Betsy! Where did you take her?"

The manager drew a sharp breath, sounding bewildered.

"Didn't you know? Ms. Hull paid the cancellation fees in full and canceled the wedding two days ago!"

Elton's pupils contracted, the color draining from his face.

His phone slipped from his hand and hit the hard floor with a sharp crack, its screen splintering into a web of fractures.