Chapter 18
A deep, familiar voice answered, “Red wine is good.”
My head snapped to the side, and I gasped,
“Oh my God!”
Gordon Kingston sat there, casually reclining in his seat, looking as smug as
ever.
“Are you having a bad dream?” he asked, his lips curling into a mischievous smile.
His question mirrored the one he had asked me on the US Tour bus weeks ag and the déjà vu was unsettling.
ago,
The flight attendant gave me a concerned. look. “Are you okay, Miss?”
I quickly composed myself, forcing a laugh.
“Oh, yeah. Thank you for asking.”
She moved on, but Gordon’s eyes stayed fixed on me, his gaze sharp and full of
amusement.
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“Are you sure?” he pressed.
I ignored his question, narrowing my eyes. at him instead. “You again?!”
“Surprised to see me?” he asked innocently.
I crossed my arms, glaring at him. “How is it that you‘ re always showing up wherever I am?”
Gordon raised his hands in mock.
surrender. “Relax. Had I told you if my playground is global. Of course I am here. to visit my London’s playground.
“But when I got on, you were already fast asleep. I wasn’t going to wake you just to announce myself.”
Then he added with a teasing grin, “I even fastened your seatbelt during takeoff. You‘ re welcome, by the way.”
Realization dawned, and my cheeks flushed. “Thank you.”
He smiled, clearly enjoying my
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embarrassment. “Anytime. But really, can we stop acting surprised every time we run into each other? It’s getting predictable.”
“How can I not be startled when you keep popping up like this? It’s unnerving,” I muttered, glancing at the blanket draped
over me.
“Thanks for the blanket too,” I added reluctantly.
“Oh, that wasn’t me. It was the flight attendant,” he said with a soft chuckle.
“But you’re welcome.”
I huffed, trying to maintain my composure. despite the heat rising to my cheeks. “Do you enjoy teasing me, Gordon?”
“Absolutely,” he replied without missing a beat, his grin widening.
Then, as if realizing something profound, he leaned in closer. “Wait… did you just call me Gordon?”
I froze, my eyes widening slightly. Did I?
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“I… I don’t think I’m fully awake yet,” I stammered, quickly backpedaling. “I need to freshen up.”
I bolted from my seat, heading for the restroom to escape his knowing smirk.
Behind the closed door, I took a moment to splash cold water on my face, glaring at my reflection.
“Get it together, Valerie,” I muttered to myself, feeling like getting déjà vu once again.
When I returned to my seat, the food had already arrived.
I avoided Gordon’s gaze as I started eating, but I could feel him watching me with amusement. He sipped his wine. leisurely, exuding confidence as though he owned the entire plane.
“Valerie,” he said after a moment, breaking the silence.
“What?” I asked, my tone sharper than
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intended.
His lips quivered into a smirk. “Nothing. I just like the way my name sounds when you say it.”
I rolled my eyes, focusing on my meal. But deep down, I could not deny the butterflies. his words stirred in me–an unsettling reminder of the walls I was desperately trying to keep intact.
I had just taken a bite of the warm, crusty bread from the meal tray when Gordon casually asked, “How does going back to London feel?”
The question caught me off guard, and I .. choked on the bread, quickly reaching for
my glass of water.
“Oh my God, did I startle you again?” Gordon asked without guilt.
After a few sips, I managed to compose myself. “What was the question again?”
After making sure I was fine, he asked
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again, “What are you feeling right now, knowing we fly to London?”
“Oh, some part of me is happy,” I admitted cautiously, dabbing my mouth with a napkin. “Because I think I can make time to visit my parents. But another part of me is worried.”
Gordon tilted his head slightly, his piercing eyes studying me. “Worried about what?”
I hesitated. I had confided much in Gordon, but even now, voicing my anxieties made me uneasy. Still, he knew my story–there was no point in pretending.
“When I erased my identity, I told my parents everything,” I began softly. “I even invited them to move with me to
California. But… they refused.
“They love their life in the countryside- gardening, keeping to themselves. They said they didn’t want to disturb me or my new life.”
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Gordon leaned back in his seat, nodding thoughtfully. “They sound like good people. Supportive.”
I smiled faintly. “They are. I’m grateful for that. They’ve always given me the freedom to make my own decisions.”
After a beat of silence, Gordon leaned forward slightly, his voice steady. “If you want, I can take you to your parents‘ house without the reporters finding out.”
My eyes widened. “Is that a promise?”
Gordon nodded confidently, his lips quirking into a reassuring smile.
‘Absolutely. I know you‘ re probably wondering how, but trust me–with me, everything can be done. I promise.”
I hesitated, studying his face for any trace of insincerity. There was none. Finally, I nodded. “Sure, then. Please help me and fulfill your promise.”
**
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The plane landed smoothly at Heathrow Airport, and as I stepped off, I was instantly hit with the cool, crisp air of London–a
stark contrast to the sunny skies of California.
Nostalgia mixed with apprehension as I made my way through the airport, I walked with some reporters shooting me.
But just as I thought I could slip out unnoticed, my gaze landed on one of the televisions in the waiting lounge, displaying breaking news.
The headline blared in bold letters, [The Insider Who Bankrupted Harris Company Has Been Arrested.]
I froze, my breath hitching. The accompanying image was of Anthony, looking grim and exhausted as he exited what appeared to be a courtroom.
“What’s wrong?” Rita asked, noticing my sudden stop.
I shook my head, forcing myself to move.
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“Nothing. Let’s keep going.”
But as we walked, curiosity clawed at me, refusing to be ignored.
Once we were in the car headed to the hotel, I could not resist any longer. I pulled out my phone and searched for the news.
Julie’s name was plastered all over the headlines, alongside Anthony‘ s.
“Julie Osborn, a former secretary to the CEO of Harris Company, has been arrested for embezzling millions and causing
significant financial damage to the
company.
The articles detailed how Julie, under the guise of being Anthony‘ s trusted secretary, had secretly funneled money into her own accounts, draining the company’s resources over the past year.
Her reckless spending and betrayal had come to light during an internal audit.
I scrolled further, reading that the timing
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of her arrest coincided with my US Tour.
While I had been busy building a new life for myself, Anthony’s world had crumbled beneath him, thanks to the woman he had so blindly trusted.
“What a karma,” I muttered under my breath, shaking my head.
