We arrived at the airport a few minutes too early. The airport buzzed around us, but it couldn’t distract me from the storm still brewing in my chest. 

I clutched my passport tightly as we followed the attendant toward the first-class boarding lane. Sloane walked ahead, her strides long and unbothered, but the way she gripped her phone told a different story. 

She lifted it to her ear. “Hello?” 

The voice on the other end was loud enough for me to catch the shrill start of ...