I Upgraded To First Class And Downgraded Him To Ex-Husband Chapter 01

I Upgraded To First Class And Downgraded Him To Ex-Husband Chapter 01

It wasn’t until the third day of my marriage that I realized a honeymoon isn’t necessarily a twoperson affair.

I’d snagged those discounted plane tickets three months out—two seats to Havenport, a little coastal town I’d always wanted to see.

The night before we left, my husband said his mom’s back was acting up and she wanted to soak in the hot springs, and his sister had just quit her job and needed a break.

I said fine, we’re family.

When we got to the guesthouse, the owner told us only one double room was left.

I assumed he’d ask for a rollaway bed.

Instead, he glanced at his mom, then at his sister, and turned to me.

“Go see if the front desk has an hourly room so you can shower, then just make do on the couch for the night,” he said.

As he spoke, he reached over and took his mother’s luggage from her hands.

I stood in the hallway with my roller bag. Jenna poked her head out of the room.

“Hey Tessa, can you run downstairs and grab me a bottle of water? The one in the room isn’t cold enough,” she called.

The ocean breeze off Havenport hit my face, so cold it left my mind clearer than it had ever been.

I stood downstairs and changed my return flight.

I only bought one seat.

Mine.

***

“The front desk says no hourly rooms this late—just splash some water on your face in the restroom and make do on the lobby sofa for the night,” Caleb Reed’s voice message came through as soon as I slid into the taxi.

“Tomorrow morning, take my mom to that trendy brunch place. Her stomach’s sensitive, so tell them no onions.”

“Get there early to line up—don’t let my mom wake up hungry.”

I pulled the phone away from my ear.

The cab was quiet.

“Where to, miss?” the driver asked, eyeing me in the rearview mirror.

“The airport,” I said.

“Flight number? I’ll see which terminal it is.” The driver turned the steering wheel.

“The earliest flight back to Oakhaven. I’ll buy the ticket when I get there.”

He paused. “Middle of the night, fight with your boyfriend?” he asked.

“No fight,” I said, watching the streetlights slide past outside the window. “The airport. Please hurry.”

My phone buzzed again—this time a voice message from my sisterinlaw, Jenna Reed.

“Hey Tessa, why are you taking so long to get water?”

“Never mind, my brother just ordered me a fancy iced drink, delivery’s on its way.”

“Just watch the bags properly in the lobby, okay? Don’t let anyone steal my designer purse.”

Attached was a photo.

In the photo, Caleb was crouched on the floor massaging his mom’s legs, and Jenna was taking a mirror selfie with a frosty fruit drink.

The background was their oceanview suite.

I typed two words.

“Got it.”

After sending it, I slipped the matching wedding bands off my ring finger.

Caleb had picked them out—tiny diamond chips, very cheap.

He said we should save the money for a down payment on our future kid’s home.

I’d thought he was very grounded back then.

I rolled down the window and dropped both rings into a trash can on the curb.

“Miss, you throwing those away?” the driver asked, hearing the noise.

“Don’t need them anymore,” I said. “They don’t fit. They chafe.”

At the airport, the terminal was nearly empty.

I walked to the ticket counter.

“Hello, what’s the earliest flight to Oakhaven?” I asked.

The ground agent checked her computer. “There’s a 2:30 a.m. departure, but only first class left—the price is quite high.”

“Book me one.” I handed over my ID card.

The agent clicked at her keyboard. “That’ll be 3,850 dollars. How would you like to pay?”

“Card.”

I took out my payroll card and handed it over.

This was my own card.

Caleb’s payroll card was held by his mother; he said old folks felt safer managing the money.

I used to think it didn’t matter; I earned more anyway.

Now that I think about it, it really did feel safer.

With my boarding pass in hand, I sat on a cold metal chair in the waiting area.

My phone screen lit up. Caleb was calling.

I answered.

“Tessa Mitchell, where the hell have you gone?” Caleb’s voice was loud, laced with unmistakable impatience.

“The delivery guy said he didn’t see you in the lobby. You can’t even watch a few bags properly?”

“My mom just fell asleep. Can you stop being so inconsiderate all the time?”

I put the phone on speaker.

“Say something! Are you throwing another tantrum?”

“I’m telling you, don’t you give me that attitude today.”

“My mom’s back is bad, and Jenna just quit her job and is feeling down. What’s the big deal about you being the bigger person?”

“You can’t handle even a little hardship. How are you going to be a mother like this?”

I listened quietly.

The boarding announcement echoed through the hall.

“Attention passengers bound for Oakhaven, your flight is now boarding.”

A beat of silence on his end. “Where are you? What boarding?” Caleb asked.

“The airport,” I said.

“What are you doing at the airport?”

“Making room.”

“Are you insane? Playing runaway at this hour?”

“Caleb.” I cut him off.

“What?”

“That line at the honeymoon guesthouse front desk about me taking a shower and making do on the couch for a night—that’s the last thing you will ever say to me in this lifetime.”

I hung up.

In the same motion, I tapped his profile and dragged it into the block list.

Then Jenna, then my motherinlaw Patricia.

Every single family group chat—I tapped to leave.

After doing all this, I switched my phone to airplane mode and dropped it in my bag.

I picked up my suitcase and walked toward the boarding gate.

The flight attendant smiled at the cabin door, checking boarding passes.

“Ms. Mitchell, welcome aboard.”

I nodded and settled into my spacious seat.

The flight attendant offered a hot towel.

“Thank you.” I took the towel and wiped my hands.

From my bag, I pulled out a divorce agreement I had drafted long ago but had been hesitating to sign.

I uncapped my fountain pen and heavily signed my name at the bottom right.

The handwriting was crisp and clear.

Not a single tear fell onto the paper.