Love Above Three Thousand Feet

"Hubert Anderson, today is Christmas Eve, are you sure you want to divorce me?"

Just after finishing her flight, Carol didn't even have time to change out of her flight attendant uniform before being cornered by Hubert Anderson in the pilot's lounge.

"There's no need to drag this year's affairs into next year. It's better to sign the papers and make a clean break early," Hubert Anderson said impassively as he handed her the divorce agreement.

Carol's heart thumped erratically, but years of professionalism allowed her to keep her emotions in check.

"Grandpa is waiting for us to go back and have a reunion dinner after we get off the plane. Yet you're so eager to regain your freedom."

Her words had meaning behind them, which Hubert understood clearly.

"There are esteemed guests at Anderson Manor tonight, so you shouldn't come...I'll explain the situation to Grandpa, you don't need to say anything."

As he spoke, he put on a black overcoat and dragged his custom suitcase towards the parking lot.

"Esteemed guests?"

Who would go to someone else's house as a guest on New Year's Eve?

Carol was puzzled and chased after Hubert to ask for clarification.

Just who was going to Anderson Manor, that she wasn't allowed home for New Year's dinner...

Just as she reached the parking lot, before Carol could call out, she saw Hubert get into a Mini Cooper. The woman in the driver's seat gave him an enthusiastic hug, then drove away.

Carol's feet froze as if rooted in place, and it wasn't until a gust of cold wind blew by that she shuddered back to her senses.

That woman in the car, Carol recognized her - Hubert's ex-girlfriend Gillian Davies.

Back when they got married, that woman had shown up and caused a scene at their wedding, and was kicked out by Grandpa's security guards. She disappeared without a trace for three years after that.

Carol hadn't expected her to show up again...at this time.

Carol went back to change into casual clothes, putting on a thick cotton jacket, but still couldn't ward off the chill emanating from deep within.

She and Hubert were not only husband and wife, but also colleagues on the same flight.

He was the captain, she was the chief flight attendant.

Everyone said they were a talented match, yet no one knew they had long been secretly married.

A hidden marriage - it was his decision.

She had thought they could make progress in their relationship in the new year, but in the last few days of 2019, the New Year's gift he gave her was divorce papers instead.

On the streets, the wind was bitingly cold.

Carol wanted to find a restaurant to get some dinner, but all the shops along the way had their doors closed, desolate and bleak.

With no other option, she went straight back to her apartment and boiled some frozen dumplings for her meal.

A New Year's Eve dinner alone was more miserable than she could have imagined.

"Ding" her phone rang, it was a call from Mrs. Anderson.

"Grandpa insists on waiting for you to come before starting dinner, hurry back!"

"But..." Hubert had expressly forbidden her from going back.

"No buts, I've already sent a driver to pick you up. Go downstairs and wait now, don't be late." Mrs. Anderson's tone brooked no argument.

Carol's grip on her phone tightened. Her heart was filled with complex emotions.

In the car, the driver Mr. Green didn't say a word, only occasionally glancing at Carol in the rearview mirror, looking like he wanted to say something but held back.

"Mr. Green, are the guests still at the house?" Carol asked.

Mr. Green's eyes flashed as he lightly coughed and sped up the car.

"Well...you'll see when you get home..."

Carol could tell Mr. Green was avoiding the question, and tactfully didn't push further.

Anderson Manor.

Carol handed her gift bag to the servant and was about to look for her slippers when the servant gave her a pair of guest slippers instead.

Carol was taken aback but didn't think much of it.

Over 80-year-old Mr. Anderson senior sat in the head chair, rapping his cane insistently on the wooden floor.

"Where's Carol? Why isn't she here yet..."

Just as Carol was about to respond, she saw Hubert sitting on the two-person sofa next to a woman with big, wavy hair snuggling intimately against him, smiling charmingly.

That woman was Gillian Davies.