We are currently on her private plane, and she sits quietly by the window, staring outside, deep in thought. The distant look in her eyes makes me wonder whatâs on her mind.
"What are you thinking about?" I ask, my voice gentle as I turn to face her.
She blinks, as if pulling herself back to the present, and then exhales softly. "Nothing much⦠I was just thinking about what kind of present I could buy for my grandparents." Her fingers absentmindedly trace patterns on the armrest. "Iâm not even sure if I should visit them now or wait a little longer."
I reach for her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze, offering her a warm smile. "You should go. Weâre here with you and Lesley is here too, and you donât have to overthink it. Iâm sure theyâd love to see you."
Ruby remains silent for a moment, then lets out another sigh. "Itâs just that⦠I havenât seen them in a long time. What if they think Iâm only visiting because I feel obligated to?" She bites her lip. "I donât want them to think Iâm forcing myself."
I shake my head and rub small circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. "Youâre overthinking again," I say softly. "Family doesnât keep track of visits like a scorecard. Iâm sure they miss you and will be happy to see you, no matter what."
She chuckles lightly, though the uncertainty in her eyes remains. "You really think so?"
"I know so," I assure her.
After a few seconds of silence, she finally nods. "Okay⦠Iâll visit them."
"Good," I say, relieved that sheâs finally deciding to go. "And about the present, what do they like?"
She hums in thought, leaning back slightly. "My grandmother loves collecting antique tea sets, and my grandfather enjoys old books. Maybe I can find something rare for them."
"That sounds perfect," I say. "Iâll help you look for something once we land."
A small smile graces her lips, and for the first time since we boarded, she looks a little more at ease.
Over the past few days, Iâve seen a side of her that not many people get to witness. Sheâs kinder, softer. Instead of simply monitoring her companyâs departments through the surveillance system, she now personally visits them, checking in on each team, ensuring everything runs smoothly. Itâs a change that didnât go unnoticed, and I can see how much sheâs grown.
And soon, very soon, Iâll finally gain access to her private development room. The place where all the research data and files regarding my brotherâs project, the foundation for 8G technology, are stored.
I push the thought aside for now and focus on her. I lift her hand to my lips, pressing a gentle kiss on her knuckles before pulling her closer. I guide her head to rest against my shoulder.
"Sleep, baby," I whispered, stroking her hair. "Iâll wake you up once we land in the Netherlands."
She looks up at me, warmth in her gaze. Then, to my surprise, she leans up and presses a soft kiss against my cheek. "Thank you," she murmurs before finally closing her eyes, allowing herself to rest.
I tighten my hold around her slightly, watching her as she slowly drifts off to sleep. A part of me feels guilty, knowing that my presence in her life has a purpose beyond just being by her side. But for now, I push all of that aside and just hold her close, savoring the moment while it lasts.
.
.
.
.
.
We were now stepping off the plane, one of the many perks of flying on a private jet. No delays, no waiting, just a smooth and timely arrival.
She was the last one to disembark. As I turned my head, I saw her walking down the steps like a model gracing the runway. There was no denying it, she was absolutely stunning. Especially when she smiled. Her brown eyes, now more visible under the afternoon sun, shimmered like polished amber. No wonder so many people were drawn to her.
"We get it, youâre mesmerized by her beauty," Karla whispered beside me, snapping me out of my trance. "But we need to go inside now; we still have a meeting to attend."
"You guys go ahead. Iâll wait for her," I said, my eyes still locked onto her figure.
Karla shook her head with an amused smile before heading toward the limousine.
The moment she reached the ground, I instinctively pulled her close by the waist. "You look breathtaking," I murmured.
She chuckled, her fingers lightly brushing against my chest. "All for you, Delen," she whispered with a playful smile before we both got inside the limo.
"The Federation of Technology compound will be our next stop," the driver informed us.
"Alright," Ruby responded coolly.
I leaned back, absorbing the moment. This wasnât the main headquarters of the Federation of Technology, but according to Karla, Ruby was here to meet someone important, someone who had insisted on meeting her personally.
As if on cue, Rubyâs entire demeanor shifted. She reached for her watch, adjusted it precisely on her wrist, and then slid on a pair of elegant yet practical glasses. Her long hair, which had been cascading freely moments ago, was swiftly gathered into a sleek ponytail. Suddenly, she exuded an aura of power and sophistication dangerously expensive and effortlessly sexy.
I swallowed hard.
Why did my heart suddenly feel uneasy?
Why did I feel this strange sense of fear?
It didnât take long before we arrived at the compound. Before stepping out of the limousine, Ruby instructed all of us to leave our gadgets and accessories, earrings, necklaces, rings, inside. Her trust issues were apparent, but justified. She didnât want to take any risks, knowing that even the smallest item could be bugged.
As we stepped out, an enormous gated facility loomed before us. The sheer size of the compound was staggering, and the security presence was overwhelming. Guards in high-tech gear, equipped with advanced weaponry, patrolled the area.
"Just⦠wow," Lesley muttered, clearly impressed.
A tall woman in a sharp suit approached Ruby with a professional yet respectful demeanor.
"Goedemiddag, mevrouw Ruby. Meneer Siglo Zkevich wacht op u." (Good afternoon, Ms. Ruby. Mr. Siglo Zkevich is waiting for you.)
Ruby nodded. " Goedemiddag, Priscilla. Ik kan niet wachten om hem te ontmoeten." (Good afternoon, Priscilla. I cannot wait to meet him.)
Lesley and I exchanged glances. Ruby spoke Dutch so fluently, as if she had been raised speaking it.
"Zullen we al naar binnen gaan?" (Shall we go inside already?) Priscilla asked.
"Zeker." (Sure)
Priscilla gestured for us to follow her as she led us through the grand entrance.
Before I could take in my surroundings, a tall man strode up to Ruby with an eager expression.
"RUBYYYYYY!"
Without hesitation, he wrapped her in a tight hug.
My blood instantly boiled.
"Gosh, Siglo, stop being like that," Ruby scolded him, her tone half-annoyed, half-amused.
Siglo simply chuckled.
"So, can we proceed now?" Ruby asked, her business-like tone returning.
"Sure, sure."
We all took our seats as a massive hologram flickered to life at the center of the table. A detailed digital map of Southeast Asia illuminated before us, pulsing with highlighted danger zones and marked locations.
"The conflicts in Southeast Asia are escalating," Siglo began, his tone shifting into seriousness. "We need your companyâs expertise to track down the hackers who infiltrated the banking systems of the UAE. They stole a substantial amount of funds, and, even worse, they breached Saudi Arabiaâs entire database. Our intelligence suggests that the hacker is currently hiding somewhere within the warzone in Iraq."
Ruby leaned forward, her fingers steepled together. "This is a serious breach. Are we working together on this, or is my company expected to handle the situation alone?"
"I initially tried handling it myself," Siglo admitted, exhaling sharply. "But the moment we got close to tracing the hackerâs location, our entire system shut down. Whoever they are, theyâre damn good."
Ruby nodded, processing the information.
"And how soon do you need this case solved?" she asked.
"How soon can you solve it?" Siglo countered.
A smirk played on Rubyâs lips. "Depends. When do you want it done?"
Siglo grinned, shaking his head in amusement. "Of all the arrogant people Iâve met, youâre the only one Iâve actually developed a crush on."
My fists clenched under the table.
That woman is mine.
Karla, sitting across from me, chuckled at the tension in the room. "Excuse me, Siglo, but youâre a little too late," she teased.
Siglo raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh? And whoâs the lucky one?"
Karla tilted her head in my direction.
Sigloâs eyes flickered toward me, and a slow, knowing smirk crept onto his face. "Well," he mused, leaning back in his chair, "as long as youâre not married yet, I still have a shot right Ruby?"
I shot him a glare, resisting the urge to wipe that smug grin off his face.
Siglo turned back to Ruby, his tone returning to business. "Jokes aside, how long do you realistically need to solve this?"
"Give me a day and a half," Ruby responded without hesitation. "Iâll start working on it after my vacation."
Siglo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you can handle this in just one and a half days?"
Rubyâs eyes flashed with confidence. "Do you doubt my teamâs capability? Donât forgetâsome of your own people were trained under my company."