Chapter 1 Chapter 1

Keith Odell and Michelle Lavigne strapped themselves into the tandem parachute, bound together as tightly as conjoined twins. The secure hold must have provided Michelle with a deep sense of safety as he guided her through the sky. Meanwhile, I stood frozen, a wave of panic crashing over me as I stared at the remaining parachute. A gaping hole marred its surface, the culprit had been brazen enough to leave behind the needle that had caused the damage, as if daring me to defy fate— “You might as well just die!” The hot air balloon drifted past the edge of the cliff, and I glanced down into the abyss, the depths stretching endlessly below me. I closed my eyes and leaped, my unborn child with me. The intense sensation of freefall gripped me as if my soul was being wrenched from my body. I could see myself from above, my body plunging through the thick fog like a discarded rag doll, hurtling toward death at terrifying speed. Memories of the past surged into my mind. I had just learned how to skydive when I found out I was pregnant. I had planned to surprise Keith with the news on his birthday but now, it seemed, he wouldn’t have cared after all. Only moments ago, I had begged him over and over again, “I’m pregnant, please, take me first.” His patience had worn thin. “Chelle is terrified of heights, and she has a heart condition. I can’t leave her alone. If you’re going to fake a pregnancy, at least pick a better time.”“I swear, I’m not lying!” He was furious. “Astrid! Could you just be reasonable and stop causing trouble for everyone?” Keith ignored me completely as he fastened the parachute’s safety straps around Michelle. Meanwhile, I was on the verge of disaster. I watched the two of them as they drifted away, showing no signs of concern. Keith even slowed their descent, as though they were taking time to admire the scenic view below. It didn’t matter if I died, but I couldn’t bear the thought of my unborn child never getting the chance to see the world. I quickly called for help. “Miss Copperfield, please remain calm,” the operator said when the call connected. “First, reduce the weight in the balloon by discarding any unnecessary items. That will slow your descent.” I followed the instructions, throwing out everything I could. “We’ll contact the pilot on standby immediately. Stay on the line.” But the helium was leaking faster than I’d expected. With tears threatening to overwhelm me, I pleaded, “Please hurry, I don’t have much time. I’m drifting towards the cliff.” Before long, the park staff called me back. “Is this Astrid? Isn’t Keith with you?”“He jumped with Michelle first. My parachute is damaged, please hurry!” I cried. The staff member sighed. “This is bizarre. All ten hot air balloons were fully booked today, and every pilot is already in the air. The area you’re in, Zone A, is an odd choice.” Even as they tried to calm my nerves, they guided me through what I needed to do. “Do you know where the gas valve is? Release the air to lower your altitude as quickly as possible.” The hot air balloon floated ominously above the cliff, and I couldn’t see the bottom no matter how hard I looked. I knew that releasing the air now would only speed up my demise. “I can’t release the air. The balloon is hovering too high above the cliff, the drop would be too severe.” The staff member hesitated. “Don’t panic. Keith has already jumped, right? Once he’s back, I’ll have him get to you immediately.” Anxiety gnawed at me as I questioned whether Keith had landed safely. He was my only hope— the most skilled one who could come back to save me. With a faint glimmer of hope, I called him three times before someone finally picked up. “Keith, please help me…” I cried, desperation creeping into my voice. Before I could explain that my parachute was broken, he interrupted me. “Are you pretending to be pregnant again, or is this another act? “You’ve already done skydiving before at the park, and while the boys were so scared, you had a blast. Why are you being so dramatic? “Just jump already! Stop being so stubborn!” Then I heard Michelle’s delicate voice on the other end. “Keith, I feel so dizzy, and my heart hurts.”“I need to take Chelle to the hospital for a check-up. Once you land, you’ll have to make your own way home,” Keith said before he hung up.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

Once I land? I let out a wry laugh, uncertain whether I would even make it home alive. Before I could say another word, he hung up. My relationship with Keith had always been one-sided. I was the only one who made any effort in the relationship. He had always remained stationary, almost indifferent. We had been neighbors since childhood, and I had harbored a crush on him for a full decade. In the tenth year, tragedy struck when he was involved in a car accident that nearly left him confined to a wheelchair for life. His ex-girlfriend, Michelle, used studying abroad as an excuse to abandon him, running off to another country. It was I who stayed by his bedside, nursing him back to health, and accompanying him on countless trips to seek medical help and undergo rehabilitation. I kept vigil by his side day and night. Perhaps out of gratitude, Keith finally accepted my affection. Those days, although challenging, brought me a deep sense of happiness. It was obvious I loved him more than he loved me. Then came our anniversary. I had bought a cake and prepared a feast, eagerly waiting for him to come home from work. I waited from dusk until the early hours of the morning, but he never showed up. I had called him multiple times. “One of my colleagues called in sick, and I’m covering for him,” he had said when he finally answered. “Is anyone even riding hot air balloons at this hour?” I asked. “Don’t be suspicious. I’m just putting in some extra hours. The hot air balloons need maintenance too.”“What time will you be back?” I asked him again. “A little later.”“Okay. I’ve made your favorite dishes, so please come home soon.” As time went on, whenever I asked, his responses became more dismissive. “I’ll be back later.” All those ‘laters’ often stretched into the early hours of the morning. Then there was the night I had heated his meal several times already when my phone suddenly pinged with a notification. It was a post from Michelle. [After such a long separation, we still have so much to talk about. How fortunate I am to have met you in this lifetime.] The accompanying photo showed an aromatic candle. In the comments, someone asked who had given it to her. Michelle replied: [An old friend of mine. We went to a DIY studio today, and he made it for me to help with my insomnia.] The comment section was filled with praise and envy. With a sinking heart, I quickly spotted Keith’s account among the likes. My intuition screamed that he was with Michelle. After all this time together, he had never given me a single gift, yet as soon as she returned he seemed to drop everything for her. I sat on the sofa, tossing and turning, unable to sleep through the night. At three in the morning, Keith returned, reeking of alcohol. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” he asked, the scent of liquor mingled with lavender wafting off him. “You were working late again?” I asked quietly. He glanced at the spread of dishes on the dining table, all of which were his favorites. “A colleague thanked me for covering his shift and insisted on treating me to dinner,” he said. The emotions I had bottled up all night pressed down on me, suffocating me. “Did you forget to mention that today is our anniversary?” Keith rubbed his forehead, visibly irritated. “Is it really necessary to make such a big deal about anniversaries? Valentine’s Day, Birthdays… There are so many. Must we celebrate every single one?” A sense of grievance welled up within me, and I held back tears, afraid to cry. “Is Michelle back in the country?” That seemed to set him off. He looked at me coldly. “Look, Astrid, we’re already in a relationship. What else do you want?” Yes, what else could I want? I had his body, but I could never possess his heart. He retreated to his room while I sat alone on the sofa, silently crying myself to sleep. An hour later, he received a message from Michelle, saying she felt some discomfort in her heart. Despite his exhaustion, Keith didn’t show any signs of annoyance. He threw on some clothes and headed to the hospital. I recalled the early days of our relationship when I had prepared breakfast and gently knocked on the door of his room to let him know. Keith had angrily opened his eyes and hurled an ashtray in my direction.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

“Are you freaking kidding me? Don’t shout at me when I’m trying to sleep! I’m not so stupid that I don’t know when it’s time to eat. Get out!” I hadn’t dodged in time and ended up with a gash on my forehead, bleeding profusely. Now, only a scar served as a reminder. Keith never apologized. “Don’t disturb me when I’m sleeping,” was all he said. At the time, I naively believed it was my fault. I had learned too late that there was either love or indifference. I had already lost completely. --- A loud boom interrupted my thoughts. I screamed, my heart racing as I looked up in terror. For reasons unknown, the hot air balloon had suddenly caught fire, the flames spreading rapidly. At the same time, the balloon began to descend quickly. I immediately pulled out my phone, frantically dialing Keith. “Help me! It’s on fire!”“If your house is on fire, call 911. Is it really worth making such a fuss over such a thing?” Keith asked casually. “No! I—”“Enough! I have to help Chelle. Whatever it is, I’m sure you can handle it.” Once again, he ended the call abruptly. He always took the lead in our relationship. No matter what I said, he never had the patience to listen to me. When he mentioned helping Michelle, I didn’t think it would be about helping her with her latest post. [Thank you for showing me the magnificent landscapes. Although I’m afraid of heights, with you to guide me, I fear nothing. Being with you makes me so happy.] It was a video of them skydiving, not a photo of Michelle at the hospital. I had no time to watch it all—the flames from the hot air balloon grew fiercer, threatening to engulf me. If I didn’t make a decision soon, I would face the double torment of burning flames and rapid descent. I gently touched my pregnant belly, tears blurring my vision. “My baby, I’m so sorry for everything.” I sent one final message to Keith before I jumped. [I’m breaking up with you for your happiness. Farewell.] In the next instant, my spirit found itself in the hospital. Michelle was leaning against Keith, her voice trembling. “My heart hurt so badly just now. I thought I was going to die.” Keith gently patted her head. “Don’t say such silly things,” he said softly. “I hope Astrid is okay. She’s been calling you nonstop,” Michelle said as she feigned concern. “What’s wrong with her? When we were out at the skydiving park with the boys last time, she was the only one who would make the jump. I taught her how to skydive, so she should be home already but she’s saying the house is on fire now.” Michelle looked at him tensely. “The house is on fire?” Keith hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yeah…”“Then… shouldn’t you go back and check?”“I told her to call the fire department. There’s nothing I can do even if I go back. Right now, you’re the patient, and your life is more important.” He gazed at Michelle with nothing but adoration. Despite my death, I felt a sharp pain in my heart as I watched the scene unfold. Was my life so insignificant to him? He didn’t even bother to ask about my condition, ignoring it as if it didn’t matter. I had taken care of him while he had been in a wheelchair for two years, yet all I received in return was his indifference. Keith wanted to take leave to care for Michelle, but his supervisor sternly ordered him back to work. I followed him back to the park office. The supervisor wore a serious expression as he spoke to Keith. “Who authorized you to take tourists to Zone A?” Zone A was known for its treacherous terrain. Once a hot air balloon encountered problems, finding a flat landing spot was nearly impossible. Inexperienced individuals would be incapable of executing a safe emergency parachute jump. Keith brushed it off. “They’re not exactly tourists. One is my girlfriend, and the other is an old friend. My girlfriend can skydive. She wouldn’t get into trouble.” His supervisor remained skeptical. “The rescue team reported receiving a distress call but didn’t find anyone at the landing site. It’s likely that they deviated from their intended location and got into an accident. “They said it’s probably Astrid.”