"Did you hear that, Ms. Simmons? If you lay a hand on Miss Sullivan again, we'll have airport security waiting at the gate."
"I'd suggest you behave."
They ushered Eve out with the care and deference reserved for royalty.
I pulled the glass shards from my knees one by one, my whole body trembling with pain.
Then I got up and limped back to my seat.
The flight attendants swarmed around Eve and her son, treating her with the reverence of courtiers before a queen.
"Miss Sullivan, we're so sorry for the disturbance. Please, this is a freshly opened bottle of champagne to help calm your nerves."
"And for the little gentleman, this is a limited-edition collector's model, brand new. We hope he likes it."
"Please don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything else you need. Again, our sincerest apologies for this unpleasant experience."
I sat expressionless. I connected to the in-flight Wi-Fi, pulled up the photo of our marriage certificate on my phone, and sent it to Dominic.
A long pause before he replied.
"? I'm swamped at work, practically dying over here. I really wish I could spend your birthday with you."
I typed back:
"Dominic, is our marriage certificate real?"
### Chapter 4
No reply ever came through on my phone.
At the same time, a syrupy, tearful voice drifted over from nearby.
"Babe, this stupid plane is the worst! I'm never flying again! I'm so mad I could cry..."
"What happened? Who upset my baby? Tell me."
The tenderness soaking through that male voice made me look up involuntarily.
On Eve's screen, I saw the husband who'd told me he was working overtime, lounging against a leather sofa.
The Patek Philippe on his wrist, the one I'd always assumed was a knockoff, caught the light of a five-star hotel suite and threw back a cold, unmistakable gleam.
Eve wept like a willow in the rain, the picture of wounded innocence.
"There was this hideous psycho on the plane who had the nerve to bully me! Babe, you have to make her pay!"
The way Dominic looked at her was drenched in devotion so thick it could drown.
"Don't cry, baby. When you cry, it breaks my heart."
"I can't just swallow it! Look, that tramp ruined my hair. I paid thirty thousand dollars for this blowout!"
A flash of genuine pain crossed Dominic's eyes. His voice turned even more indulgent.