Chapter 6: Goodbye My Fairytale Love

Spending one last night with her dream man was all Kyla needed before leaving. In the early hours of the morning, Reece noticed that Kyla was not sleeping, just staring at the ceiling. He tugged her head closer to his chiseled chest.

"Can't sleep? Me too," Reece said, staring at her.

She cleared her throat and closed her eyes, trying to force herself to relax, to keep her heart steady.

"Ignoring me now, huh?" Reece added, making her open her eyes.

"I'm not ignoring you. I just need to rest; you know it's hard for me to fall asleep," Kyla said, trying not to make eye contact with Reece. He gently planted a kiss on her forehead and wrapped his arms around her tightly until she could feel the steady beat of his heart. She took a deep breath, her heart aching as she realized this would be the last time she'd be in his arms.

"Promise me you'll never leave, that you won't even think about it," Reece said under his breath, his voice a vulnerable whisper.

"I promise," Kyla lied, her voice barely holding steady. She struggled to contain the tears stinging her eyes, her heart breaking as she spoke. Before her facade could crumble, Reece’s phone rang, and he loosened his hold on her.

"Okay, sure, I'll be down in five," Reece said as he spoke to his driver over the phone.

Turning back to Kyla, he cupped her face and kissed her softly. "I have to go; I have an important meeting, but I'll come see you as soon as it's done, okay?" He quickly dressed, not noticing the sadness in her eyes, and went downstairs to meet his driver, Andrew.

As the door closed behind him, Kyla took a shaky breath, feeling the emptiness settle around her. She took one last look at the room before beginning to pack, folding each piece of clothing with care, as though each fold was sealing away a memory. Every item felt heavier in her hands, each a reminder of the life she was leaving behind. She couldn’t let herself look back; she was already breaking apart inside.

With her passport and flight ticket secured in her bag, she glanced around the room one last time. This was it. The time she feared had come, and there was no turning back. She took a deep breath, grabbed her suitcase, and headed to the airport.

When she arrived, the check-in line was painfully long. As she waited, her phone rang. She saw Mrs. Hastings' name flashed on the screen. She knew better than to ignore the call.

"Kyla, darling! Are you at the airport already?" Mrs. Hastings’ warm voice asked, a comforting yet bittersweet sound.

“Yes, Madam, I’m about to check in,” Kyla said, her voice shaky.

“Good girl. I just wanted to make sure. I know this is hard to leave your family, but remember, it’s for the best,” Mrs. Hastings replied, her tone soft yet firm.

Kyla swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes, I know. Thank you for everything… for taking care of me like a mother.”

“Take care, Kyla. And if you ever need anything, you know I’m just a call away.”

Kyla felt her heart shatter as the call ended. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus, and returned to the check-in line.

But before she could fully process the emotions from her conversation with Mrs. Hastings, her phone vibrated again. It was an unknown number, but the persistent ringing made her step out of line to answer.

"Hello, is this Mrs. Kyla?" a soft female voice asked.

"Yes, this is she," Kyla replied, her heart racing.

"I'm calling from St. Blaise’s Hospital. Your sister, Emma, is in the ICU. She was severely beaten and left at the hospital entrance. Could you come right away?"

Kyla’s heart pounded. Her sister was in critical condition? Without hesitation, she turned away from the check-in line, her mind already racing to get to the hospital.

Meanwhile, when Mrs. Hastings called Kyla’s number, Reece happened to overhear her end of the conversation. His expression shifted as the truth hit him.

“So she lied to me. I can’t believe this woman,” he thought, running his hand through his hair, disbelief and hurt mingling on his face. Without another thought, he grabbed his phone and dialed Andrew.

“I need the earliest flight to London. Cancel my entire schedule,” Reece commanded as he strode to the elevator.

“But sir, the board will notice your absence,” Andrew replied, his voice cautious.

“Tell them I’m on a short vacation,” Reece snapped, his face set in determination. He hurried down to the parking lot, climbing into his car, Andrew already knowing exactly where he was headed.

The airport.