A timid voice called from outside the room, "Mr. Moore, your colleagues are getting ready to leave. Are you done talking with your friend?"

Luke hesitated, and then pulled off his gloves with an indifferent look. "Give me a second," he replied.

He tossed his lab coat onto the edge of the bed, turning to Gillian with a cold glint in his eyes. "If I ever find out you've let Ashton touch you, don't blame me for what comes next. It'd be smart for you to keep your distance and stay on my good side. Don't push me, Gillian."

With that, he strode out, and the oppressive tension in the air finally broke.

The moment he left, Gillian rushed to fix her clothes and slipped out of the exam room before anyone else could show up.

Once she got outside, she hurried to her car and drove straight back to work. No matter how hard she tried to relax, a strange ache in her legs made it impossible to focus. All afternoon, her mind spun with worry.

How much longer could she keep getting tangled up with Luke? Who knew what else he might try to pull?

Her thoughts were still a mess when a knock sounded at her door. A nurse peeked in to tell her that the hospital director wanted to see her.

After climbing the stairs to the director's office, Gillian learned that the hospital was about to host a joint seminar with a team in Khoyver, and she had been chosen to represent her department.

She agreed without hesitation.

The idea of putting some distance between herself and Luke sounded like the best news she had heard all day. She even wondered if she could have the procedure done in Khoyver, somewhere far from his reach.

Since the seminar was set for the next afternoon, Gillian wasted no time booking a flight and rushed home to pack her bags.

Halfway to the airport, her phone rang. It was her closest friend, Nina Foster.

Gillian answered with a puzzled frown, saying, "Nina? Is something wrong?"

"Gillian, where are you?" Nina's words tumbled out in a panic. "I just saw Ashton at a jewelry store with another woman! He spent over five million on a necklace for her, and they looked just like a couple!"

Shock drained all the color from Gillian's face. It was one thing for Ashton to lose interest in her, but stepping out with someone else before they had even called off the engagement? That was something she never expected.

"I'm... I'm at the airport. I'm about to board my flight," she said, her voice tight with nerves. "Maybe it's all a mix-up? I'll talk to him."

Once the call ended, she tried dialing Ashton, hoping for an explanation. He didn't answer.

Her chest tightened. He used to answer on the first ring, no matter how busy he was. What had changed so suddenly?

She stared at her phone, waiting, until his name finally flashed on the screen.

"Sorry, I ended the call by mistake earlier. What is it?" Ashton's voice was short, clipped, and carried an edge of annoyance. "I'm swamped with work right now. If this isn't important, I'll get back to you later."

The background was silent, nothing but his breath on the line. It seemed that he was really working. Maybe Nina had gotten the wrong idea, or seen someone who only looked like him.

Trying to sound steady, Gillian forced a little smile into her tone. "It's nothing. I just wanted you to know I'm flying out to Khoyver for a conference."

She added quietly, "You should focus on your work."

Gillian was about to end the call when a high, sweet voice floated through the phone. "Ashton, who's on the phone with you, baby?"

Before she could react, the call cut off. Gillian's hand went stiff around her phone.

That voice was unmistakable. It sounded just like Meagan Brown—her father's adopted daughter.

Meagan was supposed to be at school. Why was she with Ashton?

Gillian stared at her darkened phone, heart plummeting, unable to make sense of any of it.

The taxi rolled up to the terminal, and Gillian, nerves on edge, made her way through check-in and settled into the first-class lounge. Her phone hovered in her hand, the chat with Ashton still open, but every possible message she thought of died before she could type it.

Should she just ask outright if he was with Meagan? Demand the truth about that necklace, or if he'd really betrayed her?

Despite knowing he no longer had feelings for her, Gillian felt her courage fail her.

She sank into the plush lounge chair, lost in thought. Without warning, the door opened.

Gillian barely glanced up, assuming it was just another traveler, but the scent of tobacco and amber reached her before the footsteps stopped behind her.

"Well, what a scene. Am I interrupting your romantic texting session with your fiancé?" said a low, playful voice as a hand began to caress the back of her neck.

The second Gillian felt that touch, every muscle in her body went rigid.

She twisted around and found herself staring up at Luke's smirk, a chill sliding down her spine. How did he keep appearing out of nowhere?

The answer was right in front of her—Luke was dressed in a sharp pilot's uniform, white shirt crisp, gold stripes gleaming on his sleeves, his tie knotted perfectly.

It hit her then. Of course, Luke was an airline captain. Of all the lounges, of all the days, he had to show up here.

She bit back a groan. Why was Luke always hanging around her?

"Keep your hands off me!" Gillian snapped, shoving at his chest, but Luke only tightened his grip, pulling her right into his lap.

The motion sent a jolt of pain through her already sore legs, and as she landed against him, tears pricked her eyes. Her strength faltered, and for a split second, all she could do was brace herself on his solid thighs.

"Let go of me! This is a public place! Are you out of your mind?" Gillian shoved against his chest, her eyes brimming with angry tears. "What are you up to? Have you ever heard of boundaries?"

Luke just grinned, unfazed by her outrage. "You really want to know what I'm up to?"

He adjusted her easily so she ended up sitting astride his lap, as if she was just another toy for him to arrange. "Since when did you start mouthing off? Someone's gotten awfully bold. Maybe you need a little discipline."

Gillian's whole body went rigid, and she sucked in a sharp breath as his hand slipped beneath the hem of her dress and started tracing up her thigh.

Outside, the constant hum of airport noise drifted in, voices, footsteps, announcements, while the frosted glass hid everything happening inside the lounge.

"Get off me, you creep! If you don't stop, I'll call security right now!" Her voice cracked as she struggled harder, trying to break free.

Luke just gave her a light tap, a lazy smile on his lips. "Go ahead, scream all you want. Draw a crowd. Let everyone see you like this. You want the spotlight? We can give them a real show."

His taunting smirk never faded as his hand continued to roam. "Honestly, I don't care if the whole world's watching. Think of the headlines, Gillian. Our names would be everywhere."

It struck her then—he really was out of his mind.

Her eyes grew even redder, but she lowered her voice, desperate to escape. "Please, let me go. If people find us, it won't end well for you either. What will people talk about your family?"

"The Moore family's reputation isn't my problem." Luke let out a soft laugh. "I'm more interested in how we're going to keep ourselves entertained until your flight leaves. We've got two hours to kill, after all."

Gillian's heart lurched at his words. "How do you even know which flight I'm on?"

His grin only widened. "Simple. I'm the one piloting your flight, and when I checked the manifest, your name jumped right out at me. So here I am, just doing my rounds."

He leaned in and grazed her earlobe with his teeth. "You're the only passenger in first class. Tell me, how do you want your captain to take care of you today?"

Gillian went quiet.

Was the universe really this cruel? How did she always end up tangled up with this man, no matter where she ran?

Biting down hard on her next words, she growled, "I don't need you to serve me. I need you to leave. Is that too much to ask?"

A metallic taste filled Gillian's mouth, and tears burned at the corners of her eyes. "Why won't you just let me go? Someone like you could have anyone—why chase after me?"

"But you're the one I want." Luke nuzzled against her neck, his tone rich and persuasive. "Yesterday, you didn't seem so opposed to being in my arms. Whatever Ashton can offer, I promise I can give you more. Why won't you even give me a chance?"

Gillian's mind rebelled, but unwanted memories of how she had given in to him flashed through her thoughts.

When she forced herself to look at the facts, it was clear—Luke was actually Kenneth's chosen heir, and for the sake of her family's company, did it even matter who stood beside her at the altar?

His breath tickled her collarbone, breaking her train of thought, and she caught herself chewing her lip.

A deep laugh rumbled from his chest as he suddenly drew her into a kiss.

Gillian trembled, and then snapped, biting him hard, "You monster! Get away from me! I told you, don't touch me! I want nothing from you—just stay out of my life for good!"

Luke jerked back, pain etched across his face, and let out a muffled sound as he loosened his hold. His eyes, now cold and sharp, locked onto Gillian with a chilling intensity.

Fear gripped her, and she instinctively tried to put space between them, but Luke let out a dry laugh and tossed a small paper bag her way. "Relax, will you? I just wanted to see if you needed something for the pain. Call it a rare moment of kindness."

He brushed off his wrinkled uniform with steady hands and looked her up and down. "But let me give you a warning. Don't go making decisions about surgery to please Ashton. If you try to fix things for his sake, you'll regret it."

Without waiting for a reply, Luke turned on his heel and strode out of the lounge.

Gillian's hands shook as she stared at the bag, half-tempted to throw it away. But when she peeked inside, she saw it was ointment for swelling.

Heat rushed to her cheeks as she remembered the humiliation in the examination room, and Luke's mocking words echoed in her mind.

After a moment's hesitation, she tucked the ointment into her bag and hurried out, nerves still jangling.

Her palms were slick with sweat, but no one seemed to notice her distress as people bustled through the terminal.

One thing was certain—she would never let Luke get close again. She was done with his games and every twisted encounter.

Forcing herself to stay calm, Gillian found a busy corner to wait, finally feeling a sliver of safety in the crowd.

Soon, boarding was announced over the airport's speakers.

With a deep breath, she made her way onto the plane ahead of the other passengers. Right away, she spotted Luke standing near the first-class section, his mouth still faintly bruised from her bite.

His eyes found hers, darker than before. "Glad you could join us."

Gillian refused to acknowledge him. She focused on stowing her luggage, determined to act as if he didn't exist.

There were no other first-class passengers—if Luke decided to pull anything, she would have nowhere to hide.

He watched her with a trace of amusement, unaffected by her cold shoulder. He took her bag and slid it into the overhead bin without a word, and then disappeared into the cockpit.

After takeoff, turbulence struck and the plane rattled violently.

Shouts broke out near the front, and a few frightened passengers began to cry.

With shaky fingers, Gillian lifted the window shade, only to find a wild storm raging outside. Bolts of lightning slashed through the darkness, making the endless black sky look even more menacing.

All around her, flight attendants hurried up and down the aisle, trying to reassure frightened passengers. The turbulence just kept getting worse, rattling the plane and sending panicked cries echoing through the cabin.

Gripping her seatbelt so tightly her knuckles went white, Gillian tried to steady her breathing.

A moment later, a calm, familiar voice broke through the chaos, broadcast over the intercom. "Good evening, everyone. This is Captain Luke Moore. We've hit some rough weather, but my crew and I are here for you. We'll do everything possible to keep you safe and get you where you need to be."

His tone never wavered, and slowly, the panic in the cabin ebbed away.

Something in the way he spoke made Gillian feel as if his last words were meant for her alone.

The plane rocked and rolled, thunder rumbling all around, but Luke's steady hands on the controls kept them from falling apart. Bit by bit, he guided them through the storm's fury, and finally, the plane broke free of the clouds.

By the time the wheels touched down, Gillian's back was soaked with cold sweat.

She didn't waste a second disembarking, practically fleeing the plane to avoid running into Luke again.

The academic seminar stretched across three days, and for once, everything unfolded without a hitch.

Still, Gillian kept thoughts of surgery locked away, haunted by the threat of Luke's interference.

When the last session ended, she packed up and caught the first flight home.

She had barely set foot in the arrivals hall when her phone rang, the hospital director's tone brisk and urgent.

"Gillian, we've got a high-profile patient in a crash just outside the airport. I need you there now—assess the situation, stabilize if you have to."

"I'm on my way," Gillian answered, already moving. She flagged down a cab and relayed the directions.

The accident site came into view with one sports car overturned, debris scattered across the asphalt, twisted metal catching the afternoon light. The second car sat behind it, its front end battered but upright.

Gillian's breath caught. She stood motionless for a second, trying to process the chaos, when emergency crews swarmed the scene.

"Dr. Brown! Over here—we need you to evaluate the driver!" someone called out.

Snapping out of her daze, she rushed forward, just as a man's desperate voice carried from inside the crumpled car. "Please—can anyone get me out of here?"

A chill ran down her spine. That sounded just like Ashton.