The Family Trip: No Return Ticket Chapter 2

With that thought, I immediately turned off my phone.

Last time, I had willingly told Ryan about the booking. So this time, if I just canceled the tickets before he found out, everything would be fine.

But I hadn't expected that simply turning off my phone would arouse his suspicion.

He feigned a pout. “What’s wrong, honey? Got something on your phone you don’t want me to see?”

My heart leaped into my throat, but I forced a smile. “That’s right. A secret message from my lover next door. Can’t let you see that.”

Ryan chuckled and pulled me into another cloying embrace. “So, is this lover of yours coming on the trip with us?”

“If you don’t mind, I could invite him along.”

“You dare!” Ryan playfully pinched my nose, a hint of jealousy in his tone. “I don’t even know where we’re going, and you’re already planning to bring someone else? You’re unbelievable!”

I put on my usual playful pout. “A secret destination is the best part of any surprise trip. Don’t worry, you’ll love it!”

He smiled, stroking my hair. “Alright, alright. I’m eager to see where my dear wife is taking me.”

“I’ll tell you after my shower,” I said casually, grabbing my phone and heading for the bathroom.

The destination was one I had carefully chosen. I’d barely seen any negative reviews online. Still, I decided to cancel the tickets in the bathroom first, and then do a deep dive to figure out what the hell was wrong with that place.

But the moment I stepped into the bathroom, a cold dread washed over me.

I had grabbed the wrong phone.

I immediately opened the door to swap them.

But it was too late. I saw Ryan staring at a brightly lit screen, his expression unreadable.

He was looking at my phone.

The moment he saw me, he started walking towards me. I instinctively tried to run, but he grabbed my arm in a death grip.

Before I could say a word, he raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face.

“You could have gone anywhere! Why did you have to pick a place like that?”

I couldn’t understand how the man who had been so gentle and loving just a second ago could transform into this monster at the sight of a booking confirmation. The malice in his eyes was something I had never seen before.

I was trembling with fear, but a plan quickly formed in my mind. I dropped to my knees, feigning submission.

“Honey, I really didn’t know we couldn’t go there. If you don’t want to go, I’ll cancel the tickets right now!”

“How about we go somewhere else for the holiday? We could go to the Grand Canyon! We could hike, see the sunset!”

But my words didn’t placate him. They only made him angrier. “You had the thought, and now you dare talk to me about another trip? Are you trying to run away?”

He advanced on me menacingly, reaching out to grab me. I dodged his hand and fled desperately to the balcony.

Looking down at the people milling about below, an idea struck me. I screamed at the top of my lungs. “Help! Somebody help! Domestic abuse! He’s trying to kill me!”

It was just after work hours, and many people were out for a walk in the complex. My cries drew their attention.

I immediately climbed over the railing, half my body dangling over the edge, and pleaded with Ryan. “Honey, I just wanted to go on a trip! If you don’t want me to go, that’s fine! Why are you trying to kill me?”

Ryan gritted his teeth. “You bitch! Shut up!” he roared.

He wanted to drag me back inside, but the building’s security team had already broken down our door. Several guards forcibly pulled him away. “Can’t you two talk things out?” one of them urged.

A dozen or so elderly neighbors had gathered to watch the spectacle.

“He looks so respectable, but he’s a violent beast!”

“His wife just wanted to go on a trip. What’s the big deal?”

“I bet he’s just too cheap to pay for it!”

“Being cheap is no excuse for violence! Someone call the police!”

Ryan’s fists were clenched, his face dark as he stared daggers at me. But with so many eyes on him, he couldn’t do anything.

Then, as if a thought struck him, a cruel smile touched his lips. He immediately pulled out his phone and called my parents.