Passenger log in hand.
Professional smile in place.
Adrian slowly walked toward me.
When he had boarded at Bellmere International Airport, he looked polished.
Powerful.
Untouchable.
Now he looked exhausted.
Broken.
Ten years older.
He stopped directly in front of me.
“You destroyed everything before we even reached cruise altitude.”
His voice trembled.
I held his gaze.
“No, Adrian.”
I gave him the exact same professional smile I had offered when he boarded.
“You destroyed everything when you mistook my trust for ignorance.”
He stared at me.
“I simply made sure you paid for the ticket.”
For several seconds, Adrian said nothing.
Then he stepped through the aircraft door.
And walked alone down the long jet bridge into Aurelia.
I watched him disappear.
Then turned back toward my crew.
I smoothed the front of my navy coat.
Checked the cabin.
And began preparing the aircraft for our return flight to Bellmere.
I had helped build Valecrest Holdings.
I knew the contracts.
I knew the accounts.
I knew exactly what my signature was worth.
And for the first time in ten years, I no longer had to pretend not to see what was directly in front of me.
The cabin was quiet.
The sky ahead was clear.
