The click of the airplane seatbelt felt unusually final as I settled into my window seat. A man sat beside me, his attention absorbed by an envelope stamped with a red ‘Confidential’ label. The print was bold enough to catch my eye, even though I was trying not to look directly at him. Date: March 15, 2023. My hands clutched my purse tighter, the weight of my newly acquired independence still unfamiliar. He shifted slightly, and a glint of a gold ring on his finger flashed briefly, almost as if mocking my own bare hand. « You seem nervous, » he said, his voice calm yet carrying a depth I couldn’t place. « First flight? » I forced a smile, nodding, and glanced at the flight attendant demonstrating the safety procedures. His gaze remained on the envelope, not bothering to feign interest in the instructions. As the plane began to taxi, I wondered why he cared. The air hummed with the sound of the engines, and I found myself focusing on the envelope again, questions swirling. Who was he, and why did that envelope matter so much? The answers, I feared, might unravel more than I was ready to face.
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