Chapter 13

AURORA. Again, rich people made me sick. After Nathaniel emailed me the details of the meeting and my itinerary—though I was skeptical about bearing the responsibility of such a high-value deal—I had been expecting to head to the airport and board a flight to Italy. Now tell me why I was at a hanger staring at a freaking private jet with Nathaniel standing near the tarmac looking so ridiculously good in black slack pants and a white T-shirt. Tinted Ray-Bans sat on his nose covering his eyes, his hair dancing with the strong pull of the wind. His driver stood behind him. He was probably going with us. What was Nathaniel doing here? “Good morning,” I said, getting closer. “I thought I would be going alone.” I couldn’t see his eyes clearly behind the sunglasses. “I thought so too. Fortunately, I have nothing on my schedule for the day.” Narrowing my eyes, I watched him. After yesterday when he’d dropped the bomb on me, I hadn’t seen much of him. It felt more like he had been purposely avoiding me for some reason but I couldn’t be sure. He was a busy man and he had a company to run. I couldn’t expect him to lie around all day just so I could look at his face. “Shall we?” I asked. “Yes, please.” A hostess standing at the mouth of the jet ushered us in and as I moved, I could barely contain my awe at the lavishness of it. The interior exuded elegance, with plush leather seats arranged in a spacious and tastefully decorated cabin. The warm glow of ambient lighting cast a soothing ambiance, creating an atmosphere of comfort and exclusivity. I noticed the impeccable attention to detail in every aspect of the cabin's design, from the high-end materials used for the furnishings to the meticulously crafted wood paneling adorning the walls. Crystal glassware and fine china were neatly arranged on a polished mahogany table, hinting at the exquisite dining experience that awaited during the flight. Nathaniel chose a seat next to the mirror and I followed suit, scolding myself for acting like I had never experienced luxury before, seating opposite him. I might have been glad that I wasn’t going alone but there was still some tension in the air from yesterday. Whatever stoic expression he might try to put on, I was fairly certain I’d sensed some anger from him. His head was turned towards the window so I took the opportunity to study his side profile. His jawline was so defined, it could cut through glass. High cheekbones gave a natural contour and his nose looked straighter from this angle. God help me, but he was the most beautiful man I’d ever met. “Take a picture,” he suddenly said. “It’ll last longer.” Blushing, I averted my gaze. Beautiful, yet arrogant. “I’ve seen better,” I mumbled, then froze. Shit. Why had I said that? His gaze snapped to mine with a speed that rivaled The Flash and I was so sure I was going to get fired for contempt but when he lowered his shades, I could’ve sworn I saw humor swirling in his eyes. “You have a mouth on you, don’t you?” “I’m sorry,” I quickly muttered. “I didn’t mean to be rude.” He chuckled. “Don’t apologize. It’s good to take a punch to my ego every now and then. Keeps me humble.” I didn’t reply, mostly because I didn’t have anything to say to that. Thankfully, the pilot’s voice floated in the air to fasten our seatbelts and get ready for takeoff. Afterward, the air hostess came over to offer us champagne. I politely declined, requesting for coffee instead. With Nathaniel, I couldn’t afford to lose my wits or I’ll sink further into this ridiculous infatuation I had with him. **** From the hangar, we drove straight to the meeting because we were running a little behind schedule. I was quiet for most of the meeting, letting Nathaniel take the lead while I took down important notes for Doris. I was a bit jet-lagged but Nathaniel had assured me we would be heading to our hotel after this so I could get some rest. An hour later, the deal had been finalized. I watched as Nathaniel exchanged pleasantries with his business partners and once they were done, we headed out. All that way for one hour. “You were awfully quiet in there,” Nathaniel said once we were alone in the elevator. “Did you forget you were supposed to head this deal?” I shrugged. “I thought since you were here, you might as well just do what you do best. I hadn’t been wrong.” He snorted just as the elevator tinged open. “Flattery will get you nowhere, Aurora.” “Really?” I smiled cheekily at him. “With an ego as big as yours? I beg to differ.” We walked together to Nathaniel’s car where the driver had dropped us off—I made a mental note to ask the driver his name—but when we got there, he was nowhere to be found. Cursing, Nathaniel brought out his phone to make a call to his driver, absentmindedly stepping into the side lane, phone pressed to his ear. Which was probably why he had not seen the motorcyclist coming at an alarming speed. Time seemed to slow as panic gripped my heart. "Look out!" I yelled to him, instinctively stepping forward and pushing him away from the impending danger. My action was fueled by a surge of adrenaline and not common sense, my only thought being to protect him at all costs. As I redirected Nathaniel to the side, the motorcyclist's vehicle collided with me, and I felt an intense impact that sent me tumbling to the ground and screaming out in pain. “Shit!” Nathaniel was instantly at my side. “Aurora? Can you hear me?” I could hear him but it was a distant sound. Blinking, I fought to keep my eyes open but my subconscious was fighting me and threatening to win. It must have been several minutes of Nathaniel talking to me before I heard sirens blaring in the distance. Nathaniel’s focus remained on me, guilt reflecting in his eyes. I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault that I had not been thinking of anything else other than keeping him safe, that I had not been able to suppress the feeling of fondness that had been growing inside me for him but my mouth refused to speak. The world spun around me as I was suddenly lifted and placed on a stretcher and I winced in pain. As the pain intensified, my vision blurred, and my surroundings seemed to fade in and out of focus. As if enveloped in a heavy fog, my thoughts became fragmented, my eyes drifted shut and time seemed to lose its grip on me. The pain receded into the background, replaced by a numbing sensation that engulfed me entirely. The sounds around me became indistinct, and I felt detached from my body as if I were merely an observer of my own ordeal. Finally, my body gave in to the overwhelming exhaustion, and I surrendered to the darkness, slipping into unconsciousness.