Chapter 1 The Plane Crash

I felt like my brain was stuffed with a thick wad of cotton which muffled all of my thoughts. I stumbled like a drunken person across the red carpet of the cabin.

It wasn't alcohol that caused my loss of control, but the whirlwind swirling in my heart.

In my arms, I cradled the urn that held the ashes of my comrade.

We lost much that was important in that nightmare of a battle, including some of our comrades. It was the last battle I fought in during my time in the military. I tried to push the tragedy out of my mind.

But fate never tires of playing cruel jokes.

Just before I boarded the plane, I received a call from my girlfriend. She spoke coldly and quickly. "Marlon, we are not meant to be together. We need to break up. You can't give me the life I want. I'm going to marry Cohen in a week. If you come to our wedding, I hope you can give us your best wishes as a friend. Then we can all move on with our lives."

Anger and despair tore my heart to shreds.

My girlfriend had been in love with me for five years, but decided to dump me when I was finally discharged from the army! Not only that, but she was going to marry my close friend!

She was getting married in just a week?

How the hell could this be happening? How could she betray me so blatantly?

I felt like a clown out of place in the middle of a tragic play.

The plane took off. The feeling of weightlessness was uncomfortable, like an invisible hand squeezing my heart.

My mood continued to spiral downwards.

"What should I do?"

I ran my fingers over the urn. I couldn't help but ask the question, even though I knew no one would answer.

I wanted to fly back to my hometown immediately and punch Cohen Ruiz in the face!

Then I would tell my ex-girlfriend that I wasn't going to stand by quietly and let her and Cohen betray me in such a heinous way!

But I knew that this would only make things worse.

Besides, Cohen's family held a lot of power in my hometown. He would easily be able to dispose of me if I confronted him.

My silence was interrupted by an exclamation from the passenger next to me.

"Oh my God! You're carrying an urn!"

I turned around and saw an attractive blonde woman sitting next to me. I could tell she was beautiful even though she was wearing sunglasses, but her beauty was marred by the look of disgust on her face.

"Stewardess! Stewardess!" she shouted. "Upgrade me right now! I can't believe I would encounter such a thing during my first time flying in the economy class! Stay away from me. You will bring me bad luck."

I clenched my fists and glared at her. "I'm holding the ashes of my comrade-in-arms," I said in a hoarse voice. "He's a national hero, and you should show some respect for his sacrifice!"

The disgust did not leave the blonde beauty's face. "How do I know you're not lying? Your face is as pale as a ghost! You don't look like a soldier at all!"

"How dare you!" I wanted to slap her, but I held myself back.

From the stewardess's shocked reaction, I knew that my face must be a red mask of anger.

"Madam, what can I do for you?" The stewardess walked over gracefully, keeping her distance from me. I saw on her nametag that her name was Tracey Happer.

"I want to upgrade to a higher class! I don't want to sit near him," the blonde beauty snapped.

"I'm sorry, Madam, but the business class is full," the stewardess said sheepishly. "Please wait a moment. I need to ask my manager what to do."

Just as she finished speaking, the plane began to tremble, and then to shake violently.

A voice said over the broadcast system, "Passengers, please don't panic! Fasten your safety belts! Take the oxygen mask stored above you and put it on! Please stay in your seat!"

Chaos filled the cabin, and the sounds of screaming and crying echoed off the walls.

I forgot about the blonde woman's anger, fastened my seat belt, and put on the oxygen mask.

The plane shook intensely, filling me with a sense of weightlessness.

It was clear that the plane was falling quickly!

All I could do was grasp the urn tightly and pray.

I knew that holding an object during an impact could cause me to be injured, but I refused to let go. I was holding a hero, my closest comrade-in-arms!

Damn you, fate! Why keep playing these sadistic jokes on me?

Resentment filled my heart.

I saw parts of the plane falling off and the sea rushing up below us.

The plane hitting the water produced an ear-splitting crash. Seawater instantly poured into the cabin. The cold and bitter water filled our mouths and noses.

I couldn't just sit here and wait to die!

I unfastened my seat belt and was about to swim to safety when I saw that the blonde beauty next to me was struggling desperately in the dark water.

She was trapped by her seat belt.

Her hair drifted like seaweed in the cold water. I couldn't help but pity her frightened face.

Then I remembered the disgusted expression that had been on her face just a minute before. I hesitated.

Should I save her or not?