Chapter 52: Chapter 52

The rest of the afternoon, after meeting with Safira, Jonea rushed home and quickly changed her clothes. She grabbed her bag and wallet and exited the highway to find a taxi.

In the fast-moving taxi, Jonea kept checking the watch on her wrist.

"It's almost 8:00 p.m., Sir. Can you drive faster? I have to be at the airport before 08.00."

"Oh, Miss, this is max speed already. You chose the wrong time to travel. Tonight is the peak night of the winter festival. Everyone is taking to the streets, and traffic jams are everywhere," said the taxi driver.

Jonea was so panicked and anxious. She only had at least 20 minutes to arrive at the airport and stop Aland from going to Auckland.

While talking to Safira at the cafe, Jonea learns a surprising fact.

"I'm not Aland's girlfriend," Safira said calmly. "I am her older sister."

Those words kept ringing in Jonea's mind. She didn't think that far ahead. Safira is too beautiful and young to be an older sister to Aland. But, in fact, it is. They were only four years apart, but Safira looked so young.

"We were separated when we were little. Our parents divorced because of problems they couldn't handle. Aland and I were victims of the divorce. Actually, this is a very embarrassing thing to say. But I think you are the right person to save Aland."

"What do you mean?" Jonea still needs to understand the thread of their conversation.

"My father came from an ordinary family. He worked for a small company, and my mother was the main heir of the Hamilton Group. They met at a business forum and fell in love."

"Are they separated because of the difference in social status?" Jonea asked straight to the point.

Safira nodded. "My father wants to live like a normal family and have a happy day. But it's different with my mother, who is very ambitious and a perfectionist. For my mother, career is everything. My father asked for a divorce to save us. My mother fought hard to get custody of one of us."

"And that's Aland?"

Safira nodded. "Aland had a tough time as a child. He became withdrawn, gloomy, and always alone. He always kept himself busy with things like sports to divert his anger and hatred at our parents' divorce."

"And you?" she asked.

"For Aland, I was his first love. Because I was always with him whenever our parents fought and argued. There is no other girl that Aland can trust beside me. He thought I was everything."

Safira was pensive and looked somber.

"But, I know it won't be good for his future. Aland has to change and start a new life by getting to know more girls out there."

Jonea regretted her evil thoughts about Aland all this time. "But, in reality, Aland stays away from the girls and his friends."

The coffee in Safira's hands was almost cold. The girl nodded grimly. "I felt a bit relieved when he befriended B4. However, the three alphas of each werewolf pack can compensate for Aland's solitude."

Jonea was surprised. She didn't think that the other three members of B4 could cure Aland's loneliness. Even though all this time, Aland seemed too aloof and as if he had misplaced when he befriended B4.

"Thanks, Hunter. He was the first to come and reached out and accepted Aland as a friend. From then on, I felt no need to worry about leaving him alone in this country. Now, things are different. Aland needed to leave Blue Sapphire and come with me to Auckland. I think it happened because he feared facing his feelings about true love."

Jonea still needs help understanding. She just kept quiet and listened.

"When Aland told me about you, I realized he was in love. It's just that Aland has not been able to give a name to his feelings. He was too scared to make his feelings real. Because of that, he tried to escape."

Safira looked seriously at Jonea.

"So, Jonea…."

Safira reached out and took Jonea's hand.

"Please, stop him. I don't want him to get worse and worse from the inside of himself. Stop him and keep him here. I'm sure only you can do it!" asked Safira.

Tin! Tiinnn!

Jonea gasped in surprise when the taxi driver pressed the horn so hard. Suddenly, the taxi driver braked, and Jonea almost tripped over the seat before her.

"Gosh, why are these youths so careless? They're running red lights!" shouted the taxi driver.

Jonea checked the watch on her wrist again. In five minutes, Aland will make his flight to Auckland. If Jonea came too late, the young man would never return here, and Jonea would lose her chance.

"Sir, how far is it to get to the airport?" Jonea asked frantically.

"10 more minutes at most. I will drive the car faster. Fasten your seat belt, lady!" cried the taxi driver.

They drove at a very high speed. When passing one of the theater halls, Jonea remembered her promise to watch the concert with Marlyn.

Jonea started digging into her bag, looking for her cell phone, and she couldn't find it.

"Damn it!" hissed Jonea. "I even forgot to bring my cell phone. I haven't even charged the battery yet. What if Marlyn waits for me in the town square for a concert?"

Jonea looked around the street. She had to quickly make a decision on which appointments she should prioritize.

"I'm sorry, Marilyn. I couldn't come and keep my promise. Hope you're not mad at me. Right now, stopping Aland is more important to me."

On the other hand, Hunter was already standing in front of the amusement park entrance. He looked at the Ferris wheel in the distance, which looked big and full of lights.

Hunter slipped his hands into his coat pockets. He was holding a small velvet box and kept smiling while watching the visitors starting to arrive.

"Jonea, you have to come! I want to surprise you."

Hunter clutched the blue velvet box in his hand and smiled as he imagined he would give the gift to Jonea.

At the airport, the boarding pass for the flight to Auckland has already been announced.

Safira dragged her suitcase to the ticket checkpoint. She stopped and turned to Aland.

"You will not regret this choice of yours?" Safira looked worried for her brother.

Aland shook his head. "In fact, I will regret if I let you alone this time. I've wanted to follow you to live with Papa in Auckland for a long time."

Safira looked desperate. Occasionally, she glanced at the entrance but didn't see Jonea.

"Your friends are not coming to accompany you?"

Aland shook his head. "I told them not to see me off."

"You…cruel!" protested Safira.

The last announcement for boarding passes was broadcast again. Safira gave up. She and Aland walked hand in hand toward the ticket checkpoint.

The taxi arrives in front of the airport. Jonea was running around after paying. She was breathlessly looking in all directions for any place Aland might be.

Jonea saw on the notice board that the plane bound for Auckland had just taken off.

The girl suddenly bent down with her breath still panting and her heart beating fast from running around. Both hands support the knees.

Amid the bustle of the airport on the eve of the winter festival, Jonea laments and regrets her delay.

"You lost something?" said someone behind Jonea.

The girl gasped and slowly turned her head back.