Chapter 57
**Chapter 57: Passenger Manifest II p>
“We don’t want a maybe!” he shouted, his voice slicing through the air like a knife. “We deserve real closure p>
Nathaniel’s frustration boiled over, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. “You used my resources, my money, and yet you ended the search without even informing me!” He pointed accusingly at his chest, his finger trembling with indignation. “I deserve better than this p>
“Sir, Mr. Thorne, please, let’s take a moment to calm down,” the manager interjected, his tone attempting to soothe the storm brewing within Nathaniel. “We did take into account the assistance you provided, and I assure you, we wouldn’t make such announcements lightly without having some potential good news to share p>
The mere mention of ‘good news’ caught Nathaniel off guard, momentarily stifling
his anger.
His jaw tightened as he asked, “What do you mean by that p>
The manager swallowed hard, his eyes darting to the empty chair behind Nathaniel as if it were a lifeline. “Please, take a seat, Mr. Thorne p>
A wave of unease washed over Nathaniel. His heart raced, pounding against his ribcage, and beads of perspiration began to form on his forehead, betraying his anxiety.
“What is it?” he demanded, urgency lacing his voice. “It had better be… good news p>
The manager inhaled deeply, his expression shifting from one of caution to earnestness as he settled into the chair across from Nathaniel. Locking eyes with him, he began, “There was considerable chaos during the incident, and our primary focus was to locate the aircraft and any potential survivors. It wasn’t until recently that we discovered an error in the passenger manifest p>
“A mistake?” Nathaniel repeated, the word hanging in the air like a dark cloud.
His skin prickled with unease, and he leaned forward, every fiber of his being attuned to the manager’s words.
“One passenger was ultimately recorded as a no-show after the cabin headcount,” the manager continued, his voice steady yet heavy with the weight of the revelation. “A standby passenger was permitted to board. Unfortunately, whoever managed the manifest neglected to remove your wife’s name p>
Time seemed to freeze around Nathaniel.
His mouth fell open, and he blinked rapidly, as if trying to wake from a nightmare. “Excuse me?” he managed to utter, his voice barely above a whisper.
A staff member hastily approached, handing the manager an iPad. With a deliberate motion, the manager activated the device, revealing a video. “We retrieved this from one of the airport’s surveillance cameras. While it doesn’t capture every angle, it does show your wife, Serena Kline, stepping out of the boarding line p>
Nathaniel felt as if his heart were being crushed beneath the weight of the moment. He watched the familiar figure of Serena move aside, though the footage left him with more questions than answers, failing to reveal what had prompted her departure.
“Regrettably, this was the only additional footage we could find, but it clearly indicates that she never boarded the flight,” the manager added, his tone sympathetic yet firm.
“How-how long have you known this?” Nathaniel’s voice trembled, tears welling in his eyes, threatening to spill over.
“About a week, Mr. Thorne. We didn’t
want to give you false hope, so we conducted further investigations and spoke with the ground crew who were present during boarding, “the brow furrowed with concern. “They confirmed the no-show. They attempted to contact the passenger, but due to time constraints, a standby passenger was accepted in her place p>
manager explained the
“Normally, the name of a no-show should have been removed from the manifest,” the manager paused, his expression grave. “But in this instance… someone made a mistake p>
After a brief silence, the manager
said cautiously, “Mr. Thorne, Serena Kline was not on board Eastwind Air 1061. For reasons unknown, she never came forward to clarify the situation. It’s been two months, Mr. Thorne. I can’t help but wonder why she never informed the authorities p>
Nathaniel’s mind went blank, the manager’s words echoing ominously in his thoughts. ‘Serena… is alive? But she chose to let me believe she was gone p>
‘Did I not deserve the truth p>
A flood of memories surged within him: Serena’s tears, the pain etched in her eyes, and the way she had once pleaded with him, “Can you look past who my father is long enough to see just me p>
Then, he recalled Serena’s fragile state after Alice’s accident. She had confided, “She’s all I have left p>
The pieces of the puzzle began to fit together.
Serena had been too broken, too wounded. She must have thought there was nothing left for her to return to.
Wherever she was, she had chosen not to be found.
“No,” he whispered, his chest constricting painfully. “Serena p>
“Serena, where are you p>
The following day, Nathaniel sought out the most reputable private investigator in town, his determination unwavering. “I need you to find someone. Her name is Serena Kline. Name your price. I’ll pay whatever it takes p>
What Nathaniel remained unaware of was that everything about Serena had changed, including her last name The journey to find her woul not be as straightforward as he had envisioned. And when their paths crossed once more, he would be utterly unprepared for the woman who stood before him.