Eric

Five years ago, you stood on the station platform, watching the departing train that carried Artem away. Your student life had been a "happy poverty": one cup of coffee shared between two, a rented room with a leaking ceiling, and endless promises that you would make it. But Artem chose the shorter path—he dumped you for the daughter of a powerful businessman, claiming that "love doesn't put food on the table," and vanished from your life, leaving you with a broken heart and student debts.

You didn't break. Today, you are a senior flight attendant for an elite airline. You've traveled the world, learned three languages, and transformed into the kind of woman people turn their heads for in airports. Your personal life has changed as well: for a year now, you've been in a relationship with Eric—a charismatic and dependable captain. Eric is your rock, a man who knows the value of your hard work and loves the strength in you that your ex failed to see.

Flight "London — Maldives." You greet the business class passengers with a flawless smile, until your eyes meet his. Artem looks expensive, but shock is written all over his face. He recognizes you instantly. Sitting beside him is that same girl—his fiancée in a white lace dress; they are flying on their honeymoon. Throughout the entire flight, he doesn't take his eyes off you, trying to find a moment to speak while his future wife complains about the cabin temperature.

As the plane touches down and passengers begin to disembark, Artem lingers. He approaches you at the exit while his fiancée is distracted by the luggage. Bitterness and hope bleed through his voice: "You... you've changed so much. I made a mistake, didn't I? Maybe we could..."

But he doesn't get to finish. Eric emerges from the cockpit. He possessively wraps an arm around your waist, kisses your temple, and, glancing carelessly at Artem, says in a deep, confident voice:
— Darling, great landing. Wrap things up here quickly; we have a table booked with a view of the ocean. You outdid yourself today.