Chapter 01

The pen tapped on the table softly as Avery’s eyes fixed on the title of the papers. There was a little smile on her face, one that looked painstakingly beautiful. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then muttered to herself.

“This is it. The contract and the promise, they all end here. This is what I’m supposed to do.”

 She opened her eyes and gripped the pen tightly between her fingers before signing on the dotted line of the last paper of the document. She is finally divorced from her husband, Caden Wright.

Avery arranged the papers neatly before leaving them on the dining table and then got up from the seat as she kept the pen beside the documents. There was a pinch of pain in her chest and it was confusing her. This is what she is supposed to do, right?

She shook her head and walked to the door. The condominium was silent as usual and it brought her immense peace. But this was the last time she was going to feel that. She looked back at the wall with their large wedding photo and Avery really didn’t know why tears filled up in her eyes.

She chuckled to herself as she sucked in the pain she was feeling and then got out of the condo and closed the door behind her.

“Good luck to you, Caden.”

She whispered softly as she walked away.

--- Six months ago ---

The twenty-five-year-old female pilot, Avery Foster, was just back from a long flight that drained all the energy out of her. She had been flying almost every day with minimum sleep for a pilot for almost two weeks now.

It had not helped that her co-pilot and observer was new to the Passenger Department from the Freight department. Working in a cargo plane and a passenger plane were two different things and both those two colleagues were still processing that.

“A bottle of the best champagne you have.”

Avery placed her order at the bartender before leaning to the table and closing her eyes. Her head was aching like a bitch. Then she looked around at the simple yet elegant architecture of the pub and smiled to herself. “Palm Beach” was a small pub at the end of another insignificant street of the city.

The bartender placed a bottle of champagne and a glass in front of Avery before attending to other customers and Avery smiled at the bartender before immediately grabbing the bottle.

“I needed this.”

She said to herself as she poured the drink into the glass and took a sip. Her face scrunched up for the taste, even though she was used to it now. But what made her groan is when she remembered her conversation with her mother that she had over the phone half an hour ago.

“Hard day?”

Her peace was interrupted by the baritone voice of a stranger. She was not really in a state that she would like a conversation but when she turned to him, her breath got caught up in her throat.

He was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen. Sharp features and intriguing eyes. Built body in a branded suit. And that smile… that smile which curved on his lips as if to play with her emotions intentionally.

“Well… to be fair, let me start. I had a shitty day.”

He said when she didn’t reply and then turned to the bartender. Now his pleasant smile was replaced with a professional one.

“The usual.”

He said to the man behind the counter and turned to Avery again and this time, she smiled.

“You come here often?”

She asked, looking around the place, this time with a different eye. The place was small and, though it was elegant, she thought it is really not the type of place this man here would be.

“Yeah. I drop by when I have time. This place makes me feel at ease…”

He said, pausing, and Avery just nodded. She knew that she only met this person now but how they are slowly building a comfortable conversation was both making her glad and scared at the same time.

“Caden Wright.”

The man extended his hand for a shake and Avery smiled as she shook it.

“Avery Foster. I’m a pilot and just after a long two weeks.”

She replied, thinking that she might be friendly as well as she could see the man was going to be her company tonight.

His eyes widened at the response, as surprise and appreciation crossed his face at the same time.

“A female pilot? Interesting… It’s rare to meet one.”

He nodded his head approving and Avery chuckled. Just then the bartender brought him the drinks and soon enough, both Avery and Caden were in a full-blown conversation.

They didn’t go into deep details of their life. Like Avery never went beyond introducing herself as a pilot and Caden never crossed beyond saying that he is a CEO. But both of them found each other interesting enough to behold a conversation for the night and it wasn’t a secret that they found each other comforting.

“So, what’s bothering you?”

Avery’s voice slurred as she spoke, the effect of alcohol finally hitting her. Maybe she regretted agreeing with Caden when he invited her to have the drinks with him but right now, she wasn’t really conscious to think about it.

“My family… they want me to… settle down.”

Caden’s voice wasn’t much different from hers. Both drunk and wasted.

“They want me to marry. They keep complaining that I’m too immersed in work.”

Caden sounded exhausted as both of them trippingly poured more drinks for each other and then he chuckled.

“I know this sounds too simple and people have more problems in their life… but it is mentally draining me. I don’t know how to explain but I’m not ready yet. Plus, I haven’t met any person I want to tie the knot with.”

“Nooo… I get it. We have the same problem.”

 “Really?”

Caden’s eyes lit in happiness, probably because he found someone in the same wavelength as him and this time Avery nodded, almost falling to the ground. But before she could hit the ground, Caden’s strong arms wrapped around her body and secured her.

He was struggling to stand himself but managed to prevent them from falling. But the result of the struggle brought their faces only a few inches away from each other. They could feel the heat of each other’s body due to the proximity and both of them found it so foreign.

Seconds pass as both of them stare into each other’s eyes and, as if a moth is drawn to a flame, Caden instinctively places his lips on hers. They close their eyes as their lips touch each other and devour the taste. When they pull away, they are both panting heavily.

 “My mother… is against me becoming a pilot.”

Avery’s voice hitches as she says and Caden’s hand wraps around her waist protectively.

“She believes it is not suitable for a woman.”

“That’s not true. Females are as talented as men in that and they deserve any job as long as they are dedicated and know what they are doing.”

Caden interjects defensively and that makes Avery laugh softly before she wraps her hands around his neck and raises her eyebrow suggestively.

“Yeah? But my mom doesn’t think so. She wants me to quit. Marry a man and have kids to settle down in life. According to her, that is the biggest accomplishment for a woman.”

“That’s not true…”

Caden says under his breath as holds his breath when her face leans in closer once again.

“Exactly. So, I told my mom that it is not the accomplishment I want and we had this big brawl over the phone. Things turned ugly…”

Caden couldn’t wait and the anticipation was killing him so once again, he took the initiative and kissed her lips hastily. This time, he could feel his stomach somersaulting and he could feel how Avery’s body needily reacted to him.

“By the way…”

He said in a raspy voice as they broke the kiss and Avery looked at him, blinking several times as if she was innocent.

“Wanna take this somewhere else?”

He asked and she smirked with cloudy eyes that were trapped by the effect of alcohol.

“Thought you would never ask.”

 She replied.