Consumed by Regret

Synopsis

While taking my parents on a high-altitude cable car ride, a breathtaking sea of fireworks erupted at the foot of the mountain, a million bursts of light raining down from heaven and blazing across the sky to form a dazzling declaration: [Romance until death. My heart belongs to you, Sue.] I instantly knew this was a grand gesture my husband had prepared to win over his childhood sweetheart. Under the violent shockwaves from the pyrotechnics, the cable began to sway dangerously, on the verge of snapping. My knuckles went white gripping my phone as I screamed into the receiver, "Edward, are you insane? Stop it now. My parents are still in the cable car." But he let out a scoff, with his childhood sweetheart's sugary voice goading him in the background. He said, "Why should I stop? Three years ago, Sue's parents were lying in the ICU fighting for their lives. You had never failed a surgery before, but that one time, you messed up. "Today, I'm going to make you feel the pain of losing your loved ones." Then came the voice of his security guard acknowledging the order, as he barked out the command, "Double the barrage. Aim every round at that cable car. Don't stop until there's nothing left." His childhood sweetheart's laughter dripped with syrupy sweetness as she egged him on, "Baby, you are so amazing. Make sure those two old things get blown to ashes." The cabin lurched downward. My parents' faces went pale with terror. My eyes nearly split open as I mustered every last ounce of strength and screamed into the phone, "Edward, the people inside are your own parents."