A free vacation with a stranger sounded too good to be true. But the email didn’t ask for a credit card, a deposit, or even personal details—just a plane ticket, a luxury hotel reservation, and a mystery companion. It felt like a dream.
Or a trap.
But curiosity won.
So, I boarded the plane, wondering who my travel partner would be.
I never expected it to be the last person on Earth I wanted to see.
It was a Friday evening, and exhaustion clung to me like a second skin. The weight of the entire week bore down on my shoulders.
Kicking off my shoes, I collapsed onto my sister Deborah’s couch, letting out a deep sigh. One arm draped over my face, while the other lazily scrolled through emails on my laptop.
Deborah, on the other hand, was in her own little world. She strutted in front of the full-length mirror, twirling, striking poses, and dramatically flipping her hair. The rustling of shopping bags filled the room as she tried on outfit after outfit, her excitement practically bouncing off the walls.
She stopped mid-spin and turned to me with an expectant look. “Well?” she asked, arms stretched out.
I lifted my head just enough to glance at her before smirking. “It’s nice, Deb. But seriously, how many dresses do you need?”
She gasped, placing a hand over her heart like I had deeply offended her. “Excuse me? You clearly don’t understand! I spent my childhood in nothing but hand-me-downs! This—” she gestured to the mountain of clothes, “—is healing. It’s therapy, Charlie.”
I shook my head with a chuckle. “Whatever you say.”
I returned my attention to my inbox, sifting through a mountain of junk mail. Bills, spam, newsletters I kept forgetting to unsubscribe from—
Then I froze.
The subject line of one email caught my attention: “Congratulations! You’ve won a free two-day vacation with a mystery travel companion!”
Before I could process it, Deborah interrupted.
“How about this one?” she asked, slipping into another dress.
I didn’t answer. My eyes were glued to the email.
Silence stretched between us before she spoke again. “Charlie? Are you even listening?”
I blinked and shook my head. “Sorry, I just got some weird email…” My brows furrowed as I reread it. “It says I won a free two-day vacation with a stranger. Definitely a scam.”
Deborah gasped. “What!? A free trip? Oh no, this is classic scammer behavior. Let me guess—they need your credit card number, your social security, and the blood of your firstborn?”
“That’s the thing… they don’t.”
I scrolled through the email again, looking for the usual red flags—no suspicious links, no banking details requested, nothing shady. Just my name, a confirmed flight itinerary, and a fully paid hotel reservation.
Deborah practically lunged across the couch, eyes wide. “Show me!”
I tilted my screen towards her, watching her expression shift from skeptical to intrigued.
“No way…” She clicked on the links, cross-checking the details. “Charlie, this looks real. The reservation exists! Flights, hotel, even travel insurance. It’s all here.”
I shook my head, still unconvinced. “There has to be a catch. Nobody just hands out free vacations.”
Deborah crossed her arms, lips curling into a grin. “Well, it looks like you actually won. Congrats, sis.”
I chewed my lip, unsure whether to feel excited or terrified.
“I can’t just go on a trip with some random person.”
Deborah rolled her eyes. “Why not? It’s free! And maybe this ‘stranger’ is a hot guy who’ll finally break your dry spell.”
I threw a pillow at her. “Deborah! I like being single!”
She smirked. “Sure… keep telling yourself that.”
I huffed, but as much as I hated to admit it, a tiny part of me was curious.
What if…?
The next day, I stood at the airport, gripping my suitcase so tightly my fingers ached. The ticket in my hand felt like it weighed a thousand pounds.
I still couldn’t believe Deborah convinced me to go.
This was insane. Completely ridiculous.
Some strangers sent me free tickets for a contest I never entered, and I agreed to fly out with a mystery companion?
What am I doing?
I exhaled sharply, ready to walk right out the door.
But something in me stopped.
For once in my life, I wanted to take a risk.
So, I boarded the plane.
Business class was like stepping into another world. Soft leather seats. More legroom than I’d ever had in my life. Complimentary drinks.
I should have been excited.
Instead, my heart pounded as I scanned the passengers, searching for my mystery companion.
Then I saw him.
A man sat hunched forward, scrolling through his phone. My steps faltered as I got closer.
He turned slightly.
And my stomach dropped.
“…Luther?” My voice barely escaped my lips.
His head snapped up, and when our eyes met, his expression mirrored my own shock.
“Charlotte?” His brows furrowed. “What the hell are you doing here?”
My heart slammed against my ribs. “Please don’t tell me you also got these tickets.”
Luther ran a hand through his hair, looking just as bewildered. “…Through some contest email? Yeah. You too?”
I groaned. Every part of me screamed run.
“No. No, no, no. This is too much—I’m leaving.” I turned, ready to march straight off the plane.
Before I could, a gentle but firm hand landed on my shoulder.
A flight attendant smiled at me. “Ma’am, the plane is preparing for takeoff. Please take your seat.”
I turned to argue, but Luther spoke first.
He shot the flight attendant his signature charming smile. “It’s fine, everything’s fine.” Then he reached for my hand, squeezing it lightly—just like he used to when he wanted me to calm down.
For a second, my breath caught.
Then, reality hit me like a train.
I yanked my hand away. No. Not again.
“Charlotte, our marriage ended years ago,” Luther said quietly. “Please don’t ruin your free trip just because of me.”
I narrowed my eyes. “If I had a dollar for every time I heard that from you—”
Luther smirked. “You’d be rich.”
I sighed heavily. Two days. Just two days.
Reluctantly, I dropped into my seat.
“Fine,” I muttered. “But don’t talk to me.”
Luther leaned back, grinning. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
I turned toward the window, my heart still racing.
I never expected to see Luther again.
And honestly?
I had hoped I never would.
