Rachel was about to leave when Sahara asked her to follow her to the study.

After entering the study, Sahara sat elegantly on the sofa by the window, looking at Rachel coldly.

"Rachel, three years deadline is almost over. When are you planning to leave my son?"

Rachel listened to the scolding without responding.

Back then, she was cornered.

Her original target had been someone else.

She had heard about the rumors about the woman who had failed to seduce the heir of the Holland family and had been driven mad by him.

So, she never planned to sleep with Jared.

However, in the end, she still slept with him accidentally.

Because she had always felt guilty toward the Holland family, so no matter how Sahara and Alice insulted her, she endured it.

"Smack..."

A loud slap echoed in the study.

Sahara slammed her hand on the table. "How dare you zone out when I am talking?"

"I am sorry." Rachel said.

"Have you received the divorce papers I had sent you?"

"Yes."

Sahara's lips curled in scorn. "If so, when are you planning to leave."

"I have already signed the divorce papers and packed my bags. I will leave tonight."

Hearing this Sahara nodded. "Good."

****

After leaving the study, Rachel didn't stay at the estate any longer.

After returning to the Galaxy villa, she picked up her packed bag and was ready to move out.

Standing in the middle of the room, she looked around one last time.

For three years, this had been called her home.

But in reality, it had never truly belonged to her.

Taking a quiet breath, she picked up her suitcase and walked downstairs.

Just as she was about to step out of the door, a voice stopped her.

"Madam, you can't leave like this."

Rachel turned and saw Mrs. Smith standing in the hallway.

Mrs. Smith was the housekeeper Sahara had sent over shortly after Rachel married into the Holland family. Although she always addressed Rachel as "Madam," there had never been any real respect in her tone. Everyone in the house knew her real task was to keep an eye on Rachel-making sure she didn't take anything that belonged to the Holland family.

Rachel's eyes turned slightly cold.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

Mrs. Smith spoke calmly, "Madam, before you leave, I need to check your bag."

Rachel let out a faint sneer.

"What? Do you think I'm a thief? That I would steal something from this house?"

Mrs. Smith pressed her lips together before replying, "Madam, I hope you still remember that according to the agreement, after the divorce you are not allowed to take anything belonging to the Holland family."

Rachel's fingers tightened around the handle of her suitcase.

For a moment, she said nothing.

Then she placed the suitcase on the floor and pushed it toward her.

"Fine," Rachel said coldly. "Check it."

Mrs. Smith stepped forward, unzipped the suitcase, and began inspecting the contents piece by piece.

After a moment, she paused.

From the bag, she took out a delicate bracelet.

"Madam," she said, holding it up, "this belongs to the Holland family. You cannot take it with you."

Rachel's gaze fell on the bracelet.

Jared had given it to her on her birthday the previous year.

"It was a birthday gift from Jared," Rachel said quietly.

Mrs. Smith shook her head.

"But it was given by Mr. Holland, so it's Holland property," she replied firmly.

Rachel slowly lifted her eyes to look at her.

Her gaze had turned completely cold.

"Was this ordered by Sahara," she asked, "or by Jared?"

Mrs. Smith answered honestly, "Madam Sahara gave the order. But Sir hasn't objected, so I believe he agrees as well."

Hearing those words, the last trace of warmth in Rachel's heart seemed to freeze over.

For the past three years, she had tried her best to be his wife.

But in the end, to Jared... she had probably been nothing more than a convenient companion in bed.

Nothing more.

Mrs. Smith continued going through the suitcase, removing several items one after another-jewelry, accessories, and anything that had been bought with the Holland family's money.

By the time the inspection was finished, Rachel's once full suitcase had been reduced to barely half its size.

Rachel hadn't packed many things, just a few of her cosmetics, skin care products and some seasonal outfits. But she even took out the Victoria's Secret lingerie which Jared had bought for her before.

After she was done, Rachel closed the bag without saying another word.

Then she picked it up and walked out of the Holland residence.

This time, she didn't look back.

*****

As soon as Rachel walked out of Galaxy Villa, another problem struck her.

She stood by the roadside with her suitcase and suddenly realized something she hadn't thought about before.

Where would she stay now?

Almost all of her monthly salary went directly toward her mother's medical treatment and rehabilitation center fees. Over the years, she had barely saved anything for herself.

Rachel had already applied for the airline's staff housing, but the approval process would take some time.

At first, she considered staying in a hotel for a few days. But when she opened her banking app and checked her balance, a bitter smile appeared on her face.

Two hundred dollars.

That was all she had left.

Rachel stared at the screen for a few seconds before letting out a quiet sigh. After thinking for a moment, she scrolled through her contacts and called Charles.

The phone rang only once before he picked up.

"Ellie?"

Rachel hesitated for a brief moment before speaking.

"Charles... can you lend me some money?" she asked quietly. "I'll pay you back as soon as I receive my salary next month."

There was a silence on the other end of the line. "What happened? Why do you suddenly need money? Everything alright?"

"Yes. I have decided to divorce Jared and move out from the Galaxy villa." Rachel said calmly.

"How much?" Charles asked, his voice warm and immediate.

"Three thousand? Maybe four? I will pay you back once I get my next month check!"

"Okay. But where are you planning to stay?" He asked.

"I planned to live at the hotel until my housing application is approved by the airline." Rachel said calmly.

"Why waste money on hotel. Come stay at my place. I will clean the guest room for you."

"Won't it be inconvenient for you?" Rachel hesitated.

"What's there to be inconvenient? Aren't we best buddies. What's more, I have no interest in women." Charles said.

Rachel smiled. "Thank you."

As dusk fell, Rachel hailed a cab to the address Charles had sent.

At the small apartment door, a completely unfamiliar man opened it.

He had wheat-colored skin, a muscular build, and stood tall and imposing.

Rachel froze, thinking she must have the wrong address-

until Charles peeked out from behind him, one hand on his hip, the other arm casually draped around the man's shoulder.

"Ellie, let me introduce you to my new boyfriend, Taylor Clark. He's a fitness trainer."

He added, giving Taylor's bicep a squeeze, "See? Much more substantial than Captain Holland, don't you think?"

"..."

Compared to this man built like a gorilla, Rachel preferred Jared's physique.

Every inch of his lean muscles was perfectly sculpted-broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and a pert little butt.

He looked slim in clothes but had solid muscle underneath.

She gave an awkward smile and greeted Taylor. "Hello."

Taylor nodded with a smile, appearing reasonably friendly. He took the suitcase from her hand and carried it into the small bedroom.

Charles noticed her unease. "Relax, you can stay here. My honey and I are both gay. We're not interested in someone like you..."

Physically, they were different.

Psychologically, they were sisters.

Rachel did relax a bit after hearing this.

Charles rested his forearm lightly on Rachel's shoulder and whispered, "Hey, did you move out because of that Olivia? Because you had a fight with Captain Holland?"

Rachel shook her head. "We're getting divorced."

"It can't really be because of Olivia, can it?"

Sort of-but not entirely.

That one night of recklessness with Jared somehow got blown up by the media. Though the Holland family's PR team responded, the story still spread like wildfire throughout L.A's high society.

Not long after, Sahara approached her, demanding she sign a prenuptial agreement stipulating divorce after three years.

Back then, she had no idea Jared harbored a long-lost love and was supporting his younger sister.

To prove her sincerity-to show she wasn't scheming for his money-she signed it decisively.

Looking back now, she felt a twinge of regret.

A man who wasn't meant for her was ultimately impossible to keep.

But if she could negotiate the terms and secure a hefty divorce settlement, that money would be hers-plain and simple.

"Ellie," Charles sighed, thinking she was still grieving over heartbreak. He patted her shoulder. "Let it go. There are plenty of men out there."

Taylor emerged from the small bedroom and chimed in, "Three-legged toads are hard to find, but three-legged men are everywhere. With your qualities, Rachel, you'll have your pick of men in the future."

Coming from a man, these words of comfort carried surprising weight.

Rachel suppressed a smile and nodded.

The three gathered around the coffee table for dinner, quickly growing comfortable with each other.

*****

The next day.

Charles had an early morning flight for work and rose at 5:00 a.m.

The door of the small bedroom was open.

As Charles passed by, he peered inside and noticed Rachel had already gotten up. She had even changed into her work uniform and was applying makeup.

He asked in confusion, "Ellie, aren't you on vacation?"

"Ah, Maya's grandmother passed away. She wanted to take a few days off, so I swapped shifts with her."

Rachel quickly dusted on loose powder, packed away her makeup case, and stood up with her suitcase in hand.

Charles watched her efficient movements and grew even more puzzled. "I thought your July duty hours had already hit the limit?"

"Nope. I can still fly a few more short international routes. Vacation isn't that appealing... might as well earn some cash."

Charles looked at her beautiful face and sighed silently.

As far as he knew, Rachel worked right up to her duty limit almost every month-literally risking her life to earn money.

He took her suitcase. "Give me five minutes to pack. I'll drive. You got up too early... sleep in the car."

Rachel nodded.

*****

Two days later.

Rachel never imagined that after moving out of Galaxy Villa, her next encounter with Jared would be in a conference room at Canada International Airport.

Pushing open the glass door, she immediately spotted Jared seated at the head of the conference table.

He wore a dark pilot uniform, his jet-black hair neatly trimmed, radiating a commanding presence.

What an unfortunate coincidence.

Although both she and Jared worked in the same airline aviation department, crew assignments between flight and cabin teams were not fixed. Due to factors like leave and scheduling, assignments were random.

This July marked the first time they had been assigned to the same flight.

Rachel entered, and Jared's gaze fell on her almost simultaneously.

His cold eyes narrowed slightly, radiating an intense aura.

Rachel pulled out a chair and sat down, pretending not to feel the oppressive weight of his gaze.

"The flight carries 260 passengers, including 12 infants requiring special attention. Two first-class passengers have requested vegetarian meals, and standard meals consist of Thai-style light fare..."

Rachel delivered the cabin report with smooth eloquence.

Moris, the co-pilot seated opposite Jared, frantically signaled to David to look at him.

Jared's face was cold and stern, his gaze fixed directly on Rachel.

It felt as though he could burn right through her, leaving a deep, searing mark.

David and Moris exchanged puzzled glances.

Captain Holland never took off his wedding ring, seemingly deeply devoted to his wife.

But the look he was giving flight attendant Rachel now was far too intense.

Could it be... he had taken a liking to Rachel?

The pre-flight briefing concluded.

Rachel slipped away as quickly as possible.

As she entered the glass-enclosed walkway leading to the aircraft cabin, footsteps behind her grew louder and closer.

Rachel, in her high heels, unconsciously quickened her pace.

The man broke into a short jog. His large hand clamped down on her slender wrist, his voice low and commanding.

"What are you running from? Am I some kind of monster? Or have you done something you shouldn't have-afraid to face me?"

Rachel spun around, lifting her chin defiantly. "Captain Holland, you're overthinking it. I just want to get back to the cabin quickly."

Click-clack... click-clack...

In the quiet, narrow glass corridor, only the two of them existed. Jared's approaching footsteps sounded clear and deliberate.

Rachel held her breath, suppressing the frantic pounding of her heart.

She wrenched her hand free from Jared's grasp and scanned the surroundings. Any small sound in the glass corridor made her jump like a startled bird.

Jared remained utterly composed, slowly bending down to whisper near her ear.

His warm breath brushed against her ear as he murmured, "The divorce agreement on the nightstand-what was that about?"

Rachel's face remained icy as she took a step back, her demeanor distant.

"Exactly what it says. How am I supposed to explain the literal meaning to Captain Holland, who seems to be lacking in intelligence?"

"..."

Jared's expression darkened considerably.

But he knew this was not the place for discussion. Punishingly, he pinched Rachel's cheek and dropped a sentence.

"I'll wait for you in the underground parking lot in L.A."

Then he bypassed Rachel and boarded the plane first.

The pinch wasn't painful-it carried a hint of playful reproach and ambiguity-but Rachel was furious.

"Bastard! You smudged my foundation!"

"Captain Holland, the cabin door is closed, passengers are seated, overhead bins secured, and all crew members are in position. Requesting pushback."

Fifteen minutes before takeoff, Jared sat in the cockpit, listening to Rachel's voice crackle over the internal intercom.

It was completely different from the angry tone of the woman who had just cursed him for smudging her foundation.

Rachel's voice was now gentle and intelligent, like a clear spring flowing over the tip of his heart.

Jared paused for a few seconds before pressing the intercom button. Calm and steady, he replied, "Tower has cleared us for pushback. Ground tow vehicles are ready. Cabin crew, maintain radio silence."

Rachel replied, "Copy that."

The aircraft successfully took off. About an hour later, the intercom rang again.

"Captain, cabin service has commenced. Passengers have reported the air conditioning is too cold. We have adjusted it to 25 degrees Celsius. Will this affect the aircraft balance?"

Jared replied steadily, "No impact. Cabin temperature can be adjusted within the 22 to 26 degrees Celsius range."

"Copy that."

The two co-pilots exchanged glances and chuckled.

Moris laughed. "Flight Attendant Rachel has such a lovely voice... it's practically melting my ears."

David chimed in from the other side, "Don't let her voice fool you. She's not the soft-spoken type her name suggests. Back in college, she was already famous as the aloof goddess."

Moris asked, "Is she really that cold in private? Does she treat her significant other that way too? That sounds stiff and boring."

Jared listened silently throughout.

Stiff and boring?

Only he knew how soft and alluring Rachel could be at night-

like winter ice melting in his palm, pooling into a soft, clear stream.

But outside those moments, Rachel was rebellious and unmanageable by day.

These past few days, she had been especially unruly, leaving behind the divorce papers and walking out the door.

Jared's gaze grew deep and icy...

Moris asked, "Captain, what do you think of this Rachel?"

Jared's tone was indifferent. "She's okay."

Moris and David exchanged glances. Seeing his serious expression and the restrained tone of his voice, it sounded like mere politeness.

Had they misjudged? Did the captain have no interest in Rachel at all?

David looked at the wedding ring on Jared's left hand and smiled, trying to smooth things over. "Our captain has a lovely wife at home. Naturally, she's the best. No one can compare to her."

Jared didn't respond, as if tacitly agreeing.

The intercom was still on.

Rachel had expected instructions from the cockpit, but instead overheard the entire exchange.

She remembered what Charles had said.

Many colleagues in the aviation department assumed Olivia was Jared's wife.

When David said, "Your wife is the best... no one can compare to her," he was referring to Olivia.

And Jared hadn't refuted it.

Hah. This "stiff, boring, free bedmate" of his was nothing but a complete clown.

After over four hours, the plane arrived at L.A's International Airport.

"Captain, no medical emergencies occurred on this flight. Passengers in the rear economy section reported loose tray tables, which have been logged in the cabin report."

The familiar female voice came through the intercom, and Jared paused.

Rachel's tone was cold, as if hiding some emotion-

an emotion clearly directed at him.

His brow furrowed as he pressed the intercom button. "Copy that. Maintenance will handle the inspection. Thank you for your hard work, Flight Attendant Rachel. This flight went smoothly."

The final sentence carried a hint of testing.

On the other end, Rachel's voice grew even colder. "The cabin report will be submitted after the flight. Goodbye."

Jared's frown deepened.

She didn't even address him as "Captain"?

The intercom cut out completely.

Moris shivered. "Good heavens, she truly lives up to her reputation as the Ice Queen. When she turns cold, every word cuts like an ice pick... enough to freeze you to death."

David added, "She's got such a strong personality. I wonder what kind of man could ever win over a woman like Rachel?"

Jared's face darkened. He tugged at his tie with one hand and walked away from the cockpit without looking back.

*****

Rachel changed into casual clothes in the lounge.

The trip back to L.A marked the end of a duty period. For the final three days of July, she was forced to take leave. She wouldn't be able to numb herself with work again until August.

Pushing her suitcase through the airport basement, her phone rang-it was Charles.

"Rachel, is your duty shift over?"

"Yes."

"Then wait at the airport for a bit. Taylor and I will come pick you up."

"No need to go through all that trouble. I'll just take a taxi."

"Alright then. Be careful. I ordered some grilled meat and fresh buns for delivery. We'll have a barbecue at home tonight."

After hanging up, Rachel turned toward the elevator lobby.

This level of the underground garage was filled with private cars; the open-air platform would be a better spot to hail a taxi.

Before she could take two steps, an arm clamped around her from behind.

A familiar, deep voice spoke.

"Our car's right up ahead. Where are you heading?"

Rachel turned, meeting Jared's deep brown eyes directly.

"If Captain Holland is here to discuss divorce proceedings, I'm happy to talk. If not, then no thanks. I'm meeting friends for a barbecue tonight, so I'll just-hey! What are you doing?"

Before she could finish, Jared bent down and hoisted her onto his shoulder, one arm cradling her flailing legs while the other grabbed her suitcase as he strode off.

"Jared Holland! Put me down! What if someone sees us!"

The man chuckled. "Scream louder. I guarantee the whole parking garage will hear your echo."

"..."

In this position, her head was upside down and her chest felt slightly constricted.

Rachel endured the discomfort. Moments later, another wave of dizziness swept over her as Jared shoved her into the back seat of the Bentley.

Jared sat beside her and ordered the driver in a deep voice, "Donald, back to Galaxy Villa."

"Yes, sir."

As the Bentley began to move, Rachel fought off the dizziness and immediately reached for the door handle.

Anticipating her move, Jared swept her into his arms, placing her across his lap and pinning her restless wrists with his large hands.

Rachel struggled, her wrists hurting from the restraint, her anger boiling over. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Taking my runaway wife home counts as me being crazy?"

Rachel shot back, "Who ran away? We're separated-pending divorce."

Jared held her wrists with one hand and gripped her slender waist with the other, keeping her seated sideways across his lap.

"Rachel, divorce isn't like breaking up with a lover. It's not something you can end by simply announcing it unilaterally and then walking away."

Rachel replied patiently, "I've already signed the divorce agreement. All you need to do is sign it, and we can schedule a time to go to the-"

Jared cut her off.

"I tore it up."