"Are you scared of flying, miss?" he asked, his tone filled with concern.
His captivating silver eyes stared deep into Christine's soul, and she feared he would uncover the things she had worked hard to hide.
She nodded, indicating her fear, though flying was something she usually enjoyed. But today was no ordinary day.
The man who had haunted her dreams for all these years was here, in the flesh, staring at her.
The man who took her virginity and left her with child, without even being aware of it.
Could she blame him? No, she couldn't. If there was anyone to blame, it was none other than herself.
He was even more breathtakingly gorgeous than her memory had illustrated, especially now that she could see his mesmerizing eyes, the missing piece of his image. Though she should have suspected that Ethan had inherited the same grey shade from him, as her own eyes were hazel.
"Have we ever met before?" he asked, causing her heart to skip a beat. She ignored his question.
'He won't recognize me. There's no way he would. I have nothing to be afraid of,' Christine kept telling herself.
He grabbed a bottle of water, filled a cup, and handed it to her. "Here, drink this. It'll make you feel better."
She accepted the offer, using it as a way to calm her racing heart.
As she sipped from her cup, she couldn't help but notice that she wasn't the only one captivated by his enchanting features. The two women seated behind them whispered and giggled, stealing glances at him from time to time.
If Christine were to ask either of them to switch seats, they would do it without hesitation. But for some unknown reason, she couldn't bring herself to do it.
She felt sorry for them, unaware that he was a married man. Or at least, he had been married five years ago. For obvious reasons, she hadn't kept in touch with her stepsister or stepmother.
Even men seemed intimidated by him, evident in their demeanor. Truth be told, his ultra-masculine style would make even movie stars worship him.
On the other hand, the man seemed oblivious to everyone else, his attention solely focused on her.
One could assume that he was accustomed to such attention wherever he went. After all, even Christine couldn't escape the unwanted emotions stirred by his mere presence, as if her body remembered every skilled touch from their past.
'Oh God, Christine, snap out of it!' she inwardly reprimanded herself.
Suddenly, turbulence jolted the plane due to severe weather conditions, and his right hand landed on her bare thigh, sending a surge of heat through her body. To her disbelief, he kept his hand there even after the turbulence subsided, lightly caressing her skin.
Rage stirred inside her, regretting being swayed by his good looks. Without a second thought, she slapped him with all the strength her body could muster.
'Note to self, never wear a short skirt during a flight. Ah, and never fall for an amazingly attractive man; he's most likely an entitled piece of shit,' she thought.
Rising from her seat, she requested the flight attendant to relocate her, making sure to send him a lethal glare before leaving.
He cursed himself under his breath, realizing he had acted like a pervert. Though his hands had unintentionally landed on her soft skin, it was his own fault for succumbing to temptation. His fingers may have yearned to explore her silky-smooth thigh within his reach, and her curves may have appeared to be sculpted by gods, but he should have known better than to let his body act on its own.
It was the first time a woman had ever slapped him, and a twisted part of him found some sick pleasure in it.
Usually, women threw themselves at his mercy, granting him their desires. Not her—she had even switched seats, purposefully distancing herself from him without sparing a single glance in his direction. He was aware of this because he had observed her throughout the entire flight, almost like a stalker.
Her wide hazel eyes continued to invade his thoughts, blazing with emotions and intelligence. It was the kind of sexiness he admired, the kind that could steal one's heart and willpower with a single glance. The kind of person that one can only meet once in a lifetime.
From the very first moment he set eyes on her, she had captivated him in a way he couldn't fully explain. Even though he had divorced Martha two years ago, the pain she had inflicted upon him still lingered, casting a shadow over his life. Admittedly, it might sound pathetic, but he hadn't quite managed to heal and move forward.
Martha had changed so drastically after their marriage. He still grappled with the question of why her entire personality had taken a 180-degree turn, transforming from the sweet woman he had dated into a cold and distant person. His most cherished memory was from their wedding night, but after that, everything fell apart. It was as if she had been possessed, behaving in despicable ways.
Perhaps if he had tried harder, spent more time with her and less time attending to his business, things could have been different. But the past was the past, and nothing could change it.
So, when he saw the woman with long, chocolate-colored hair, lightly tanned skin, stunning hazel eyes, and plump, kissable lips on the same plane as him, he did everything in his power to switch seats and sit next to her. The elderly lady who accepted his offer to swap places was more than happy to occupy the VIP seat he offered her.
Yet, he had been foolish enough to receive a well-deserved slap from her. Foolish enough to lose the only chance he had with her. After the plane landed, she disappeared into the crowd, and he wouldn't have the opportunity to properly apologize.
As soon as the plane reached the ground and stopped at the designated gate, Christine took off as if her life depended on it. She had managed to resist the temptation to glance at that man for the entire two and a half-hour flight from Princeton to Miami. She could even say she was proud of herself. Her heart had pleaded with her brain to cooperate, but her brain hadn't failed her.
After enduring so much suffering, her senses remained on high alert when it came to married men, especially those connected to her dear stepsister and her obnoxious mother.
Christine found herself in the parking lot, scanning her surroundings. She had expected Loukas to be there by now, but he was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey, Michael! I'm here!"
Her lips formed into a genuine smile as she spotted Michael, the driver and her close friend, actually the only friend she had.
He gave her a once-over before saying anything, and she rolled her eyes jokingly.
"Christine! I'm so glad to see you! Girl, you look even more beautiful than before, and I didn't think that was possible!" he declared, hugging her.
Christine could feel a blush creeping onto her cheeks.
"But where is Loukas?" She released herself from the warm hug and scanned the parking lot with her eyes.
"Oh, didn't he tell you?"
"What?" She narrowed her eyes at Michael, confused.
"His business partner took the same flight as you, and he will be staying with us for a few days."
"Ahh, now that you told me, I think he did mention something. I will be working with him, actually."
She would be taking over a small branch of Loukas' corporation, working closely with one of his partners. In fact, he and his partner owned that small branch together, or something similar. She wasn't sure; Loukas still needed to fill in the details for her.
Now that she thought harder, she recalled Loukas mentioning that his partner was also a family friend and he would be staying with them because he wanted to test the company's new smart home technology in his own house, and it would take about a week to implement it.
"Yes, that one. Hunter Gray."
The name Hunter Gray sounded a bit too familiar to her ears.
"Christine, my dear! I've missed you so much!" Loukas' voice called from behind.
When she turned around to face him, time seemed to slow down, and her heart sank, for he wasn't alone.
Her child's father stood beside him.
"Meet Hunter Gray, my associate."
'No! This can't be happening to me! Damn my life!'
Her knees went weak, and she struggled to maintain her composure. Avoiding this man for the rest of her life wasn't part of her plan. She had meticulously plotted her revenge against her stepfamily for five long years, anticipating that he might become entangled in it. But his unexpected presence was overwhelming, and she found it hard to breathe normally. "And this is Christine, my daughter," Loukas announced, jolting her out of her thoughts. Though he was her savior, she could never quite get used to being called someone else's daughter. After losing her family and her inheritance, Loukas had insisted on giving her his name and making her his legal successor. It took two years of persuasion before she finally accepted, and now she and Ethan proudly bore the name Blaine. If it weren't for the change in their last name, her carefully laid plans would have crumbled at this very moment. If Hunter had realized he was married to her stepsister, all her revenge schemes would have been in
One would be completely out of their mind and definitively mistaken to think that Christine wanted to impress someone in particular by applying more makeup than usual that day. And she couldn't be blamed for looking stunning in everything she wore, her perfectly fit figure worthy of a fashion model. The only reason she had chosen to wear a mid-thigh black dress that hugged her body in all the right places while still maintaining a sense of class was because it was her first day in the office, nothing more. Laughter rang through the air, captivating her attention and drawing her towards Ethan's room earlier than expected. The scene before her left her momentarily stunned, her stomach tightening with a whirlwind of emotions. Hunter stood beside Ethan, helping him get dressed for school, while the boy's contagious giggles filled the room. Ethan gleefully expressed his desire to emulate his father's style, and Christine couldn't recall the last time she had seen him so elated. Without
The little boy lay on the ground, tears welling up in his eyes. He couldn't comprehend how cruel his new classmates were, taunting him for not having a father. But was it Ethan's fault for not having one? No, it wasn't. There was no one in the world who longed for a Daddy more than him. "What's so special about him that the teacher praised him so much, making us look like fools?" one classmate sneered. "Yeah, there's nothing remarkable about him!" another chimed in. "My mother told me he doesn't even have a father!" "That's true, my mother said his mother had him when she was 19." These words pierced through Ethan's heart, fueling his pain. Despite knowing that his mother loved him dearly, he yearned for the embrace of a father's love. Suppressing his vulnerability, he summoned his strength and rose from the ground, shouting, "I do have a father! He's the richest CEO in town!" "We don't believe you!" "You're just a liar!" The bullies continued to laugh and mock him, their word
One could reach an agreement that the scene unfolding before everyone's eyes was undeniably inconvenient, and Ethan was surely bound to have his share of suffering from it. That's why Christine's heart twisted in pain and her stomach muscles clenched, not because of some sort of jealousy. It was out of genuine concern, nothing else. The man held no such power over her, so why would she be jealous of a cheating bastard? The only thing he deserved from her was hate. It wasn't even her he cheated on; it was Martha. For what it was worth, she should have felt rather grateful if her stepsister got to taste the pain of betrayal. Even if a tint of jealousy might have coursed through her veins, she was quick to brush it off, maintaining a dignified demeanor. The same couldn't be said about Hunter; his absurdly handsome features were crossed by different emotions. One could spot embarrassment, confusion, anger, and distress, not particularly in that order. He muttered a curse, while Christi
Time slowed down as his words resonated in her head. Her mind raced, attempting to grasp the meaning behind them, yet her brain couldn't have chosen a worse moment to deny her its cooperation. The instant he leaned his head on her shoulder was the same instant she snapped out of the trance she had fallen into. She blamed her fluctuating hormones for her lack of basic self-respect. All her analytical thoughts seemed to have vanished into the heavy air, likely due to the tense circumstances and her practically nonexistent sex life. There were no other reasons. The confined space and the memory of the night Ethan was conceived surely played a part in stirring up her feelings, mixing them and leaving her confused. What could he possibly expect from her by undressing in the elevator? Certainly, he wouldn't dare to believe that she would strip naked and jump into his arms just because he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his amazingly fit body. There might be other women who would do just
In his dimly lit room, Ethan tossed and turned, unable to sleep a wink. His mind raced with unlikely scenarios, keeping him awake. For the past two days, he had tried everything he could think of to bring his Mommy and Daddy closer, but his attempts had failed miserably. A frown twisted his adorable features, making him look even more cute than usual, if that was possible. Since the unfortunate incident with his teacher, Christine had avoided any unnecessary contact with Hunter. She managed to outsmart every effort Ethan made to bring them together. At least things had settled down at school. After his Mommy had a conversation with the principal, which probably included some unspoken threats, or so he believed, the teacher apologized in front of Ethan's entire class for the misunderstanding she caused. She claimed that she had mistaken his father for another man, but even the little boy knew it was a lie. She had to comply with this request to keep her job, enduring only a three-mo
On the terrace, Christine and Loukas were having breakfast while Hunter had a meeting with a client, and Ethan was still sleeping peacefully like a little angel. "I wanted to ask you something, Christine," Loukas announced, his serious expression overshadowing their casual conversation as he sipped his rich espresso. "You can ask me anything, you know that," Christine replied, curious about the change in Loukas' demeanor. Loukas waited for the maids to set the tray of warm croissants and fresh sliced fruits on the table, ensuring their privacy before continuing the conversation. His hesitance indicated the importance of what he was about to discuss. "Since you and Hunter will be working together for a long time, I need to know how you feel about him," Loukas finally revealed, catching Christine off guard. Her heart raced, and she struggled to catch her breath, feeling as though her heartbeats were amplified for everyone nearby to hear. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. She took a sip o
In his office, Hunter was preparing for the crucial meeting with the CEO of Ada Corp. This particular client held the potential to invest a staggering five billion in the Smart Home Project, making it imperative to secure that capital. Although Hunter knew that prioritizing the business proposal should be at the forefront of his mind, his devious thoughts had other plans. The image of Christine kept invading his mind, clad in that alluring nightgown, her disheveled hair adding to her irresistible charm. Even in her absence, he could vividly picture her, her flushed cheeks betraying her embarrassment. Her hazel eyes, adorned with scattered flecks of gold and green, seemed to beckon him, enticing him in ways that consumed his thoughts. The curves of her body promised nights of passion and sleepless gratification, igniting a desire in him that hadn't been stirred in years. Hunter knew he needed to snap out of this seductive reverie, but how could he resist when Christine looked so dam