I Let My Wife’s Plane Crash Without Me

"Flight TK6587, you are cleared for takeoff."

From the control tower, I calmly issued the clearance to my wife, Captain Olivia Carter.

Her clear voice crackled through the radio, carrying a playful smile. "No 'fly safe' today?"

Every time she took off, I always ended the transmission the same way. "Fly safe. Bring everyone home." Half a blessing. Half a prayer.

This time, I forced down my disgust and hatred before replying evenly. "Fly safe."

As an air traffic controller at Riverside International Airport, my job was simple.

Guide every aircraft safely home. Protect every crew member and passenger.

In my previous life, fifteen minutes after takeoff, Olivia radioed the tower with an emergency. The moment I heard the panic in her voice, every nerve in my body locked tight.

I immediately began troubleshooting with her while monitoring weather conditions, surrounding traffic, and emergency routing.

Working with the entire tower, I coordinated her return. Against all odds, Flight TK6587 made it back. More than one hundred people survived because the aircraft landed safely.

My eyes were red when I rushed to the arrivals gate. I couldn't wait to see my wife again.

I saw Olivia and First Officer Ryan Brooks surrounded by cheering passengers. "They saved our lives!"

"Captain Carter was incredible!"

"Officer Brooks stayed calm the entire time!"

"If it weren't for you two, none of us would be standing here!"

Watching my wife and my best friend receive the gratitude they deserved, I actually felt proud.

Then I walked toward them. Olivia looked at me.

Instead of running into my arms, Olivia recoiled as if I were something filthy.

Smack!

Her palm crashed across my face.

The sound echoed through the entire terminal.

My head snapped to the side.

She pointed at me, her eyes filled with rage and disgust.

"You have no idea what you've done, do you?"

"You put over one hundred lives at risk!"

"The weather changed, and you never gave us proper updates. I could have forgiven a mistake."

"But you didn't make a mistake."

Her voice grew louder.

"You deliberately sent us the wrong instructions!"

"Do you understand that people could have died because of you?"

"You almost turned that plane into a graveyard!"

My mind went blank.

I stared at her in disbelief.

"Olivia, what are you talking about?"

"I followed every procedure."

"I coordinated your emergency return."

"The only reason your aircraft landed safely was because I—"

"Stop pretending!"

Ryan Brooks cut me off.

我知道你债台高筑，为了骗取高额保险金不惜传达错误命令准备害死女主，你怎么这么自私？

你有考虑过其他乘客吗

The terminal erupted.

The passengers who had been thanking Olivia and Ryan moments ago turned toward me.

The gratitude disappeared.

Only disgust remained.

"Someone like him shouldn't be allowed anywhere near an airport!"

"How many people were you planning to kill, you psychopath?"

"You almost got us all killed for money!"

Then they rushed at me.

最终我死在乘客们愤怒的拳头下

The memory ripped through me like a nightmare.

Just like before, exactly fifteen minutes after takeoff, Olivia's voice burst across the emergency frequency.

"Riverside Tower, this is TK6587!"

"We've got warning lights across the instrument panel!"

"There may be a system malfunction!"

Exactly the same panic I'd heard in my previous life.

I slowly removed my headset and slipped on my earbuds instead.

I closed my eyes and pressed play on my music.

Forty minutes later, I looked up at the radar screen.

Just like before, Flight TK6587 had turned around and landed safely.

Only this time, I never lifted a finger.

Instead, I walked down to the apron and waited beside the parked aircraft.

The cabin door opened.

Olivia stormed down the stairs, her face twisted with fury.

She marched straight toward me.

"Ethan Carter! What exactly is your responsibility as an air traffic controller?"

I met her furious gaze without flinching.

"To respect every life."

"To fulfill my duty."

"And to bring every flight home safely."

"The hell you did!" she screamed.

"You lied about the weather."

"You gave me false instructions."

"You almost killed us!"

Before I could answer,

Smack!

She slapped me again.