AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I exited the building. Part of me wanted to stop and text Cat Dad, ask him, “Was it you I just bumped into by the lift?” But I controlled my urge. Now wasn’t the time. I needed to think about whether I wanted to reveal myself to him or not. One wrong move, and I could ruin my lucrative side hustle.
A cold breeze swept off the harbour, making me shiver. I passed the familiar row of busy restaurants, envying all the happy families, groups of friends, and couples I saw through the windows.
Once I move overseas, that’s when I’ll sort my life out. I’ll reunite with old friends and make new friends. I’ll find a partner…
Someone in the restaurant caught my eye. I stopped in my tracks and did a double take.
It was Neil.
He was dining with a woman. At first glimpse, I thought it might be Christine, but when I focused, I realised the woman was younger and more glamorous. She had long brown hair, dimples, and a sweet smile. Red lipstick accentuated her lips, and her dangly earrings sparkled in the light. They leaned in towards each other across the table with effortless intimacy.
Was she his girlfriend?
Ruby?
My insides knotted, a lump rising in my throat.
Neil started to turn his head my way. I tore my eyes from him and strode onwards without looking back.
So what if Neil has a girlfriend? It’s fine. It doesn’t bother me. I don’t even like him, anyway.
Back at home, travel blogs and articles about Europe served as a welcome distraction from thoughts of Cat Dad, Neil, and the mystery woman. I sat in pyjamas, laptop perched on my lap, as I scrolled through images of cobblestone streets, quaint cafes, and historical landmarks, transporting me far from the confines of my tiny apartment.
I needed this. How could I keep going with the way things were while everyone I cared about was living their dreams on the other side of the world? I had to leave and spread my wings.
One thing led to another, and I found myself on an airline website. Why wait? Thanks to my new job, I could afford to book my ticket now, and prices would only increase the longer I left it. The thought of having everything locked in, of knowing that my dream was attainable, was too tempting to resist.
I entered a travel date and destination. A list of flights populated the search results. I scanned the options, hunting for one which struck a balance between price, timing, and number of stopovers. A one-way ticket via Dubai ticked all the boxes.
As I hesitated over the “book now” button, my stomach tightened. Did I really want to do this? Why did I suddenly feel so anxious about pulling the trigger?
I pulled myself together. There was no reason to put it off. I clicked through and filled in the booking form, checking each field twice before moving on to the payment screen. My heart raced as I entered my credit card details. All I had left to do was click “confirm payment,” then it would be official.
I took a deep breath, my cursor hovering over the button.
Okay. Let’s do this.
My hand trembled on the mouse. The ticket was non-refundable. Once I pressed the button, there was no going back.
I held my breath and clicked.
The cursor turned into a spinning wheel as the confirmation page loaded.
The success screen congratulated me on my booking and told me to check my emails to download my ticket.
My flight was booked. I was going to London in January—five months from now. From there, the rest of Europe would be within reach.
I leaned back against the couch, interlacing my fingers behind my head. Good things were around the corner. I just had to stick it out as Neil’s secretary for the rest of the year, then I’d be on my way to a new life. Nothing could stop me now.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Oh my God. What have I done?
I tumbled out of bed the next morning, recalling the impulsive decision I’d made the night before. Why did I let FOMO get the better of me? I should never have booked that flight to London on a whim. I hadn’t done enough research. I hadn’t even sorted out a working visa, and I’d just thrown a huge chunk of my savings at a non-refundable ticket.
Argh!
Oh well. The damage was done. The ticket was booked, and there was no turning back. I had to make it work, somehow.
