Chapter 5 - Turbulence at 30,000 FeetThe Gulfstream climbed steeply through the cloud cover, leaving the flashing lights of the city far below.
Nia sat in a plush leather armchair, staring out the oval window at the endless expanse of stars floating above the storm. The adrenaline was finally wearing off, leaving behind a hollow, vibrating ache in her bones.
Jyn walked out of the cockpit area holding two crystal glasses of amber liquid. He handed one to Nia, who didn't take it, so he placed it on the side table before sitting down opposite her.
"You haven't asked where we're going," Jyn said quietly.
"You said a compound in the Bernese Oberland," Nia replied, her voice flat. "I assume it has high stone walls, armed guards, and very good Wi-Fi so I can still freelance my logo designs."
Jyn let out a dry, humorless chuckle. "It has all of those things. Plus an indoor heated pool and a nursery that was built forty years ago for my older brother—who never used it."
Nia turned her gaze from the window to look at him. The harsh cabin lighting carved sharp shadows across his angular jaw and high cheekbones. "Why didn't you tell me three years ago? When we met in Geneva?"
Jyn’s expression shuttered, the dark water freezing over completely. "Because three years ago, my father was still alive. The war with the Chong family was at its peak. If I had brought you into my world then, you wouldn't have survived the week. I walked away to keep you clean."
"And instead you left me to raise your child alone while you played corporate warlord," Nia snapped, her voice rising.
"I didn't know!" Jyn leaned forward, the mask slipping for a fraction of a second, revealing a raw, jagged vulnerability beneath. "I didn't know you were pregnant when I left. Your father gave me a message that you wanted me gone—that my life was poison."
Nia stared at him, her breath catching. "My... my dad told you that?"
"He met me outside your apartment building with a check and a passport," Jyn said bitterly. "He told me you cried for two days and never wanted to see my face again."
Nia’s hands tightened around the armrests. Her father had always been a traditional, overprotective man who treated her life like a corporate merger, but this—this was a betrayal of astronomical proportions.
Before she could speak, the cabin lights flickered violently.
May you like
The low, steady hum of the jet engines stuttered, dropping into a sickening, coughing whine that rattled the overhead compartments.
Thor let out a sharp, piercing bark, jumping to his feet and slamming his massive paws against the cockpit door.
