Chapter 7

Hunter declared, "Estrella, I've said this before and still mean it today. You are heaven's gift to me. Without you, I would have been dead long ago. I only want you in this life, the next life, and the life after that!" It was such a beautiful promise—so beautiful that Estrella had given up everything to stay in this world with Hunter. But now, the explicit photos in Estrella's phone proved just how laughable those words truly were. Hunter had chosen a snowy destination for their vacation because he remembered that Estrella loved the snow. As soon as they boarded the plane, Estrella shut her eyes, not wanting to watch his theatrical performance of loving her. "Would you like a blanket, ma'am?" a voice asked. Suddenly, Hunter squeezed Estrella's hand tightly, obviously feeling tense. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Rowan, who was challenging her with her gaze. Hunter had not noticed that Estrella only opened her eyes after hearing the voice. His expression was filled with anger as he glared at the woman who repeatedly ignored his words. Meanwhile, Rowan looked at Hunter innocently. "Captain Greene, is Mrs. Greene hard of hearing? I just wanted to ask if she needed a blanket." She reached toward Estrella, but Hunter grabbed her wrist before she could touch her. "That won't be necessary. Thank you." His voice was sharp, each word carrying a warning. As Hunter was about to release Rowan's hand, she quickly twisted her wrist and gently scratched his palm. Estrella noticed that Hunter could not sit still once Rowan had left. When his phone chimed with a notification, his briefly relaxed body instantly stiffened again. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly turned his head and said, "Honey, I'm going to the restroom." Hunter did not wait for Estrella's response. He simply stood up and walked away. Estrella's fingernails dug into her flesh. She had seen the message that briefly flashed on his screen. Rowan wrote, "It fell onto the floor. Should I still wear it?" Shortly after Hunter left, Estrella followed him. Walking quickly, he did not notice Estrella right behind him. Just as he turned into a compartment, a flight attendant appeared out of nowhere and stopped her. "I'm sorry, ma'am. This is the crew's rest area. You can't enter," she explained. Estrella took one last look inside before turning away. She waited for what felt like forever before Hunter returned with his shirt sleeves rolled up. "The restroom was crowded," he said, as if explaining himself. However, Estrella kept her eyes closed, too tired to respond. Like a cat who had stolen cream, Hunter had forgotten to wipe away the lipstick on the inside of his shirt collar. Naturally, Estrella knew that Rowan had left it there deliberately for her to see. Hunter was in a great mood. Just as he raised his arm, wanting to pull Estrella into his embrace, she suddenly sat up straight. He looked at her in confusion and asked, "What's wrong?" Estrella looked directly into his eyes and signed, "Did someone spray perfume in the restroom? I smell the same scent as that female flight attendant." "Maybe. I was wondering why it was so strong in there," he replied lamely. Estrella watched as Hunter lied to her as if she were a fool. She could not believe that he had actually come up with such a pathetic lie. Then again, Hunter relied on the fact that she had never questioned anything he said. The cabin Hunter had chosen for their stay had the perfect view of the night sky, where countless stars twinkled above.