bChapter /bb179 /b

OLIVIA’S POV

Heughed. “Hey, I’m just saying–you threw up the first time you were on a jet. That was unforgettable.”

“I was pregnant and nauseous,” I said, rolling my eyes while crossing my legs. I reached for the tablet beside me and powered it on. “And besides, I’ve been flying more than youtely. I’m practically a pilot now.”

“Right, right,” Damien said with a soft chuckle, recliningfortably into the leather seat. “Chairwoman Olivia ke–CEO, mom, and certified jet–bsettar/b. What can’t you do?”

I smirked. “Get five hours of uninterrupted sleep, for one.”

We bothughed, the jet humming steadily beneath us as the engines roared to life, signaling our imminent departure. The sun was still trying to riseb, /bcasting a soft pink hue over the edge of the clouds outside the window.

Just then, my phone buzzed on the armrest. I nced at the screen–it was exactly 6:30 a.m., right on time.

The moment tugged at my heart.

This was the exact time Charlie came running into my room each morning, still rubbing sleep from his eyes, his backpack crooked on his backb, /band ba /bhundred questions ready to pour out of his mouth before breakfast. This morning, things were a little different.

I picked up the video call. Rosab, /bthe maid, appeared on the screen holding the tablet.

“Hello, Madami,/i” she greeted politely, standing in what looked like the dining room.

“Hello, Rosa,” I replied, already softening. “Is my son next to you?b” /b

“Yes, ma’am,” she said, then handed the tablet over.

The second his little face popped onto the screen, I felt my heart twist.

“Hey you,” I said, smiling, hoping to keep my emotions buried. “Good morning.”

His bottom lip jutted out, eyes narrowed with that half–pout, half–suspicious look he always gave when he was upset.

“Mom,” he began, “you left without saying goodbye.”

There it was. I had expected this moment, dreaded it evenb, /bwhich was why I’d left so early in the first ce. I knew if I’d stayed and let him wake up to bsee /bme off, he’d cry. Probably beg me to stay. I also knew I wasn’t strong enough to walk away if that happened.

“I know, baby,” I said softly. “And I’m so, so sorry. But Mommy couldn’t miss her flight. I had to leave early.”

From the icorner /iof my eye, bI /bcaught Damien ncing bat /bme with that sarcastic ‘really?i‘ /ilook on his face. I ignored it. Charlie didn’t need to know bthat /bbthe /bjet would’ve waited for me bas /blong as I wanted.

Charlie’s expression dropped again. He looked down, away from bthe /bcamera, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve.

“Hey, listen to me,” I said gently. “I meant what I saidst night. I’ll be back before you even have time to miss me too much. Seven daysb, /bbremember/bb? /bbAnd /bI’m going to bring you iso /imany gifts you’ll forget ever left.”

He looked back up, and the smallest smile formed on his lips. b“/bPromiseb?/bb” /b

“I promise,” I said, pressing a hand to my heart. “Pinky promise, even.”

He held his little pinky bup /bto the camera and I mirrored it with my finger on the screen.

b1/3 /b

b14:44 Mon/bb, /b7 Jul

b“/bI see you’re dressed for school,” I said, noting his neat white shirt and blue checkered tie. “Did you have breakfast?b” /b

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he turned the camera around to show me the dining table, where the maids were bustling around setting down his te–eggs, toast, and a small ss of orange juice. The sight made me feel both proud and a little sad. He looked so grown.

I smiled. “Wow, you’re living like a king.”

“I’ll be sure to double your pancake allowance when I’m back,” Iughed.

He nodded seriously, then looked straight into the screen. “I miss you already.”

I swallowed hard, fighting the lump rising in my throat. “I miss you too. But remember, we’re going to video call every single day, okay? Even bwhen /bbyou’re /bat school, if you want.”

“Okay.”

“Now eat your food, be good to the maids, and don’t forget what I said about telling Rosa if anything’s wrong, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too,” he said quickly, then gave the tablet back to Rosa.

“Alright, Rosa, take care of my son and the house,” I reminded her again, my voice warm but firm as I stared at the tablet screen.

“Yes, ma’am,i” /ishe replied, giving me a respectful nod before the call ended.

The moment the screen went dark, I felt a tiny ache in my chest. That call with Charlie left me a little hollow. I hated leaving him, even for a short bwhile/bb. /bBut + knew I had to do this–for myself, for thepany, and for everything I had built over thest five years.

“You didn’t want to miss your flight?” Damien asked with a smirk, clearly still amused by my earlier excuse to Charlie.

I nced at him, already expecting his sarcasm. “You know why I said that,” I replied, brushing him off as I set the tablet aside.

He chuckled and turned his gaze out the window, but I knew he wasn’t done teasing me just yet.

Just then, my phone lit up with a message. I picked it up, and my heart skipped slightly when I saw it was from Julian. I had texted him a few hours ago bto /binform him I wasing to New York, and unsurprisingly, he was shocked.

Julian: “Does Father know?”

I typed quickly.

Me: “No, it’s kind of a secret. I’m just here to get something and I’ll be back in Mexico in a week.”

A few seconds passed before another message popped up.

Julian: “Alright… Should I get the guest rooms ready?”

IN

I paused, staring at the message longer than necessary. Thest time I stayed bat /bJulian’s house, things ended in chaos. People tried to kill bus/bb. /bThe bh /bexploded. It wasn’t just any house–it was ba /bce with memories, most bof /bthem stained in blood and fear.

As much as Julian wouldn’t want to admit it, I knew that house meant something to him. And I wasn’t about to bring more bstress /bbinto /bbhis /bbspace/b. bNot /bbthis /btime.

Me: “No, there’s no need. I already booked a hotel.”

He responded with a simple:

b2/3 /b

14:44 Mon, 7 Jul G

Julian: “Okay, just don’t forget to stop by before you head back to Mexico.”

A faint smile pulled at my lips. I sent him a smiley face emoji in return, then turned off my phone and set it aside. Now that all the arrangements were made, there wasn’t much left to do except wait.

I leaned back in the plush seat, letting my body melt into the soft leather. My eyelids began to grow heavy, the early morning rush finally catching up to me. Slowly, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to rest.

When I opened them again, everything outside the window was different.

The sky wasn’t the deep indigo of early morning anymore–it was a brilliant blue, scattered with puffy white clouds. I blinked against the light, disoriented at first, then nced at my watch.

11:30a.m.

I sat up straighter, stretching slightly. “Did I really sleep for four hours?” I mumbled to myself.

I could feel the familiar rumble beneath us–the jet tires scraping gently along the runway. We werending.

“You’re finally awake,” Damien said from across me, already buckling his seatbelt. “We’re here.”