Kayla was utterly drained—emotionally and physically exhausted, and six months pregnant. All she longed for was the comfort of her bed after the emotional toll of saying goodbye to her grandmother, the woman who had always been her anchor.
As she packed her suitcase, her mother stood at the door, concern etched on her face.
“Are you sure you want to leave today?” she asked gently. “You could stay longer, give yourself time to process everything.”
Kayla managed a small, wistful smile. “I wish I could, but I need to get back. Colin’s lost without me, and work won’t wait.”
Her mother nodded, her voice filled with understanding. “I get it. Your father and I will stay a few more days to sort through your grandmother’s things. I just wish she could’ve met the baby.”
Kayla placed a hand on her belly, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Me too. More than anything.”
At the airport, the long lines were exhausting, but Kayla reminded herself that a short flight was far better than a long, uncomfortable drive. With her growing belly, travel was never easy, but at least this meant she’d be home soon.
Once on board, she sighed with relief as a flight attendant offered to store her carry-on. Beside her, another passenger groaned.
“Ugh, I hate flying. Hate driving, too. Should’ve just stayed home,” the woman muttered.
Kayla chuckled. “I know the feeling.”
As the engines roared and the plane ascended, Kayla closed her eyes, hoping for a moment of peace. But something felt… off. A presence.
When she opened her eyes and turned slightly, she saw a man, three rows back, staring directly at her. His gaze wasn’t casual—it was intense, unsettling. She quickly looked away, trying to shake the paranoia, but the feeling of being watched didn’t fade.
Ten minutes into the flight, a flight attendant approached her, expression unreadable.
“Ma’am, could you come with me?” The tone left no room for argument.
Confused, Kayla unbuckled her seatbelt and followed her toward a secluded spot near the restrooms. As soon as they were out of earshot, the woman’s demeanor shifted.
“Kneel. Now.”
Kayla froze. “What? Why?”
“Now,” the woman snapped.
Fear surged through Kayla. She wasn’t about to argue—especially not while pregnant. Slowly, she complied, heart pounding.
Then, the man who had been staring at her stepped forward, his voice calm but authoritative. “Where’s the golden necklace you stole?”
Kayla’s breath hitched. “What? I don’t know what you’re talking about! I just came from my grandmother’s funeral!”
The man pulled out photos and documents, shoving them in front of her.
“This is you at the museum two days ago. And this—” he pointed to another image, “—is you at the hotel where the necklace vanished. We tracked you here.”
Kayla stared at the photos. They were blurry, but the woman in them looked eerily like her. Except…
“Wait! The woman in these photos has a tattoo on her wrist. Look!” She held out her arms. “I don’t have any tattoos! And I’m six months pregnant—she’s not!”
The man grabbed her wrist, eyes narrowing.
“You could be covering it with makeup. And pregnancy? Could be a disguise.”
Terror coursed through Kayla—not just for herself, but for her baby. Then, as if sensing her fear, a strong kick pressed against her belly.
She instinctively placed his hand on her stomach. “You can’t fake this.”
A long pause followed before the man exhaled, his suspicion wavering. “I… I’m sorry. You look exactly like her. I was convinced.”
Relief began to settle in—until a sharp click shattered the moment.
The flight attendant had pulled a gun.
“Enough! Hands behind your backs!”
Kayla’s blood turned to ice.
The flight attendant sneered at the detective, tossing zip ties at him. “You were right about tracking me,” she spat. “But you had the wrong suspect.”
The detective hesitated. With the flight attendant’s back turned, Kayla saw her chance.
Without thinking, she kicked the woman’s leg out from under her. The gun clattered to the floor. The detective lunged, pinning her down.
And that’s when they saw it.
A glint of gold around the flight attendant’s neck—the stolen necklace.
By the time the plane landed, authorities were waiting at the gate. The flight attendant was arrested on the spot. The detective, now introducing himself as Connor, offered Kayla a sincere apology.
“We’ve been tracking her for months. She’s a master of disguises, constantly changing identities. When I saw you, I assumed…”
Kayla gave him a tired smile. “Well, now you know.”
He nodded. “I’m truly sorry.”
But Kayla didn’t dwell on it. Relief washed over her as she stepped through the arrival doors and spotted Colin.
He was waiting with a bouquet of yellow tulips, his face lighting up as soon as he saw her.
“Welcome home,” he murmured, pulling her into a warm embrace.
Kayla melted into him, finally at peace. Whatever nightmare she had just endured, it was over. She was home. Safe.
And that was all that mattered.