The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 57

**Chapter 57: Passenger Manifest II**

“We don’t want a maybe!” he shouted, his voice slicing through the air like a knife. “We deserve real closure!”

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!”

“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.”

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?”

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.”

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.”

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.”

“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.”

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.”

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