Jade had spent the morning meticulously preparing for the flight to Bali. She packed her essentials, double-checked the schedule Claire had sent her, and tried to shake off the unease left behind by the conversation with Milan the night before. No matter how much she tried to distract herself, Vivienne’s threats lingered in the back of her mind like an unwelcome shadow.
By the time the car arrived to take her to the private airport, Jade was dressed in comfortable travel clothes: black tailored pants, a soft cream sweater, and her trusty sneakers. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that this was just another work trip, and climbed into the sleek black car where Milan, Enzo, and Thiago were already waiting.
The ride was unusually quiet, the men exchanging only brief comments about logistics and schedules. Jade kept her gaze out the window, her nerves on edge. The tension between them was palpable, but no one addressed it directly.
When they arrived at the private airport, Jade was greeted by the familiar sight of their sleek jet waiting on the tarmac. The early morning sunlight gleamed off the metallic finish, and for a moment, Jade felt a flicker of excitement. Bali sounded like a dream, and maybe this trip would help take her mind off everything.
But as they approached the plane, a man in a pilot’s uniform came sprinting toward them, his face pale and his expression frantic. Jade froze mid-step, her heart lurching at the sight.
“Milan!” the pilot called out, his voice urgent as he reached them. “There’s been an issue. One of the planes has been sabotaged.”
“What?” Milan’s tone was sharp, his eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. “What are you talking about, Alex?”
Alex, the pilot, stopped in front of them, slightly out of breath. “I was running a pre-flight check on the second jet, the one designated for backup, and I found tampering in the fuel line. It was deliberate. Someone wanted to make it unsafe to fly.”
Jade’s stomach dropped. “Sabotage? Are you serious?”
Alex nodded grimly. “Deadly serious. If we hadn’t caught it, the plane would have been grounded mid-flight—or worse.”
Thiago’s expression darkened, his usually playful demeanor replaced with a cold edge. “Did you see who did it?”
“No,” Alex admitted, shaking his head. “Whoever it was knew what they were doing. They worked quickly and covered their tracks.”
Enzo rubbed his jaw thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the tarmac as if he expected the culprit to still be lurking nearby. “Do you think it’s related to Vivienne?” he asked Milan quietly.
Jade’s eyes widened at the mention of her name. “You think Vivienne had something to do with this?”
Milan’s lips pressed into a thin line, his jaw tight. “I don’t know, but it wouldn’t be out of character for her. She’s done worse.”
“Worse than sabotaging a plane?” Jade asked, her voice rising with a mix of fear and disbelief.
“Yes,” Milan said bluntly, his gaze cold and unyielding. “She thrives on chaos and destruction. If she wanted to send a message, this is exactly how she’d do it.”
Jade felt a chill run down her spine. “A message? What kind of message?”
“To back off,” Enzo said grimly. “Or to show us she’s still in control.”
Thiago crossed his arms, his expression hard. “It doesn’t matter what her motive is. What matters is that she crossed a line.”
Milan turned to Alex. “What about the jet we’re supposed to take? Is it secure?”
Alex nodded quickly. “I’ve already checked it thoroughly. Everything is in perfect working order. The sabotage was limited to the second plane.”
“Good,” Milan said, his tone decisive. “Keep an eye on the crew. No one boards the plane without clearance.”
“Understood,” Alex said before jogging back toward the hangar.
Jade stood there, her mind racing as she tried to process what had just happened. “So what now?” she asked, looking at Milan. “Do we cancel the trip?”
“No,” Milan said firmly. “We’re still going. Cancelling would give Vivienne—or whoever’s behind this—the satisfaction of thinking they’ve won.”
Thiago smirked faintly, though there was no humor in it. “And we don’t let people like her win.”
Jade hesitated, glancing between the three men. “But what if something happens? What if this wasn’t the only sabotage?”
“It won’t be,” Milan said confidently. “We’ve taken precautions. This isn’t the first time we’ve dealt with something like this.”
Jade stared at him, her chest tightening. “How are you so calm about this? Someone just tried to sabotage your plane, and you’re acting like it’s just another Tuesday.”
“Because panicking doesn’t solve anything,” Milan replied evenly. “And because we’ve been through worse.”