Fifty three

Belle's POV

The plane was packed, but somehow I felt utterly alone. The low hum of passengers chatting, the shuffling of luggage, and the faint hiss of the air vents above me faded into background noise. I had sunk into my seat, my body pressed into the soft cushions, but I could still feel the tightness in my chest, a dull ache that I couldn’t quite shake.

I closed my eyes, trying to block it all out, but the moment I did, silent tears began to slip down my face. I couldn’t stop them even if I tried. I wasn’t crying because I was sad, not entirely. I wasn’t even sure what I was feeling anymore. All I knew was that my heart ached, not from leaving behind the life I had known, but from the things I didn’t say—the things I had run away from.

Someone tapped me gently on the shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts. I wiped the tears away quickly, hoping whoever it was hadn’t noticed. I turned to see a kind face, a woman with dark, wavy hair and a soft smile. Her accent was unmistakable, e