99 Houses for His Love One for My Freedom novel Chapter 7

Chapter 7

An hour later, I was finally at the airplane–this time, boarding a real flight to Silverpine.

Ethan didn’t stop me.

In fact, he quietly arranged the whole thing himself.

I knew it had been him all along–every delay, every cancellation.

But once he stepped aside, everything cleared up like magic.

He even walked me to the gate.

We stood at the departure barrier, neither of us saying much. He shifted his weight from one foot to the

other, clearly struggling with something.

And just as I scanned my boarding pass and passed through the gate, I heard him call after me.

“Maddie.”

His voice cracked slightly.

“Is there really no way back for us?”

I didn’t stop.

That was all the answer he needed.

The flight from Westbridge to Silverpine took barely three hours, but it felt like a lifetime away.

I’d never been to Silverpine before.

It was colder than I expected, even for August. But the air was clean, the skies open, and for the first time in a long while–I could breathe.

I headed straight to the little guesthouse I’d booked weeks ago.

I didn’t choose a luxury hotel. I wanted something warm. Lived–in.

And Silverpine didn’t disappoint.

The woman who ran the place–Mrs. Harper–greeted me like an old friend.

“You’re finally here! What happened? Your check–in was hours ago–I was starting to worry.”

I gave a tired smile. “Everything’s sorted now.”

“Well, if anything’s ever not sorted, you come straight to me, sweetheart. That’s what I’m here for.”

Chapter 7

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I thanked her for her kindness, and she even insisted I eat something.

She circled a few local favorites on a map and handed it over.

I’d come here to start a new life.

But standing on the edge of it, suitcase in hand, I realized something:

Maybe I didn’t have to rush.

After five years of tiptoeing around Ethan’s reputation, image, and ego, I could finally live for myself.

Maybe starting over could begin… with one carefree night.

Chapter 7