Before anyone could interrupt again, Rowan gently cupped her face. His thumb brushed softly against her cheek.
Then he leaned down and kissed her.
It wasn't rushed.
Nor was it dramatic.
Just gentle.
Intentional.
The kind of kiss that said everything he hadn't quite managed to put into words.
Ulyana's eyes fluttered closed immediately.
For a moment the entire tarmac seemed to disappear.
The jet.
The staff.
The operation.
None of it mattered.
Unfortunately, everyone else was still very much present.
Across the tarmac, Hak suddenly became fascinated by a luggage cart.
It was the most interesting luggage cart he had ever seen.
He refused to look in their direction.
Meanwhile Graham was beginning to suspect the aircraft would never actually leave.
At this rate they would miss several time zones before departure.
The rest of the staff weren't doing much better.
Many openly stared.
The female staff in particular looked completely enamoured by the scene unfolding before them.
Several were already mentally retelling this story.
Repeatedly.
For years to come.
Eventually Rowan pulled back.
Though not very far.
When he looked at her, he found Ulyana's eyes still closed. As though she hadn't quite caught up to reality yet.
A smile tugged at his lips. "Angel."
Slowly her eyes opened.
"If you miss me, call me."
His voice softened.
"I'll answer if I can."
She nodded.
"Otherwise I'll call you back at a time that works for you."
Another nod.
Only now Rowan noticed something.
She was holding onto his suit sleeve.
Not tightly.
Just enough.
As though some part of her still didn't want him to leave.
Ulyana mumbled something that Rowan couldn't make out. His heart immediately softened.
"Angel?"
"Mhm."
"What was that?"
She looked away.
"Nothing."
"It wasn't nothing."
A pause.
Then: "Don't…" The words were barely audible.
Rowan blinked. "What was that?"
More mumbling.
He leaned closer. "Hmm?"
Ulyana sighed dramatically.
Clearly suffering.
Then finally blurted it out. "Don't dress handsome for other girls."
The moment the words left her mouth, she looked away entirely.
Mortified.
The silence that followed lasted all of three seconds.
Then Rowan laughed.
Not because he was mocking her.
Because she was adorable.
Absolutely adorable.
Ulyana immediately groaned. "Forget I said that."
"Never."
"Rowan."
"No."
He was smiling far too much now. "I think that's my favourite thing you've ever said."
"Please stop."
"I can't."
"You're making this worse."
His grin widened, then, because he couldn't help himself, he gently tilted her chin so she would look at him.
"Angel."
She refused.
"Angel."
Eventually she looked up.
Immediately regretting it, because Rowan looked overly pleased.
"I have no interest in dressing handsome for other girls."
The teasing vanished from his voice.
Leaving only sincerity. "I'm dressing handsome for you."
Ulyana immediately covered her face again.
Across the tarmac, Graham turned away.
"Nope."
Hak looked skyward.
The pilot checked his watch.
The ground crew pretended they weren't listening.
And Rowan, completely oblivious to the suffering he was causing everyone around him, smiled at the woman holding onto his sleeve as though she was the only person there.
Eventually Rowan glanced down at his watch.
The moment he saw the time, he sighed.
A genuine sigh.
Because if he delayed much longer, air traffic scheduling would become a problem and they'd be stuck waiting several more hours before departure.
Unfortunately, that still didn't stop him from stealing one more kiss.
"Rowan."
"Just one."
"You said that five kisses ago."
"This one counts differently."
Ulyana rolled her eyes.
The kiss landed on her lips briefly before he pulled back.
Then he rested his forehead against hers.
"Okay."
His voice softened. "You promise to stay healthy and call me."
Ulyana nodded. "I promise."
"And I'll promise not to dress handsomely for anyone but you."
A laugh escaped her immediately. "You're so annoying."
"I know."
He kissed her cheek this time.
Satisfied.
For now.
Then finally he stepped back.
Though not very far.
"I really have to go now."
The reality of those words seemed to settle between them.
Slowly, Ulyana released the sleeve she'd been holding onto this entire time.
Neither commented on it.
Because both of them had noticed.
She smiled instead.
"Safe travels."
"And you behave."
"No promises."
"That's what I'm afraid of."
That earned one final laugh.
Then Rowan turned and began walking toward the aircraft.
Ulyana waved after him.
He waved back.
Then she waved toward Graham.
Who looked like a man carrying the collective stress of several countries.
"Bye Graham!"
"Goodbye, Madam."
The relief in his voice suggested he was mostly happy the plane was finally leaving.
Then she waved toward Hak. "Bye Hak."
Hak lifted a hand.
His foul mood had returned in full force.
Though he still managed a small nod in her direction.
Then Rowan stopped.
Halfway up the stairs.
Something made him turn around one last time.
The evening wind tugged at his jacket.
The entire tarmac seemed to pause.
Ulyana immediately pointed toward his pocket.
Rowan frowned.
Confused.
Then reached inside.
His fingers closed around something small.
He pulled it out.
A tiny capsule.
The familiar scent hit him instantly.
Her perfume.
A smile spread across his face before he could stop it.
When he looked back toward her, Ulyana simply blew him a kiss.
The smile widened.
Without missing a beat, Rowan reached out and pretended to catch it.
Then carefully tucked the imaginary kiss into his jacket pocket beside the perfume capsule.
The reaction from the staff was immediate.
Several crew members looked physically pained.
One ground crew worker covered his face.
A security officer stared at the sky as though asking for strength.
Graham pinched the bridge of his nose again.
"Enough."
Another staff member nodded.
"Enough."
A third looked toward the aircraft.
"Please leave."
The pilot was especially supportive of this suggestion.
Meanwhile Rowan and Ulyana looked entirely pleased with themselves.
Completely oblivious to the emotional damage they had inflicted on everyone around them.
Finally Rowan laughed, gave her one last wave, and disappeared into the aircraft.
The jet door closed shortly afterward. The engines began to roar to life, the entire tarmac collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
At last, the plane was leaving. And the romance show was finally over.
At least for now...
- - -
Ulyana stood there long after the aircraft door had closed.
Long after the engines had begun roaring.
Long after the jet started moving across the tarmac.
Her hand instinctively found the pendant resting against her chest.
The silver felt cool beneath her fingertips.
She held onto it tightly.
Watching.
The Volkov jet accelerated.
Then lifted into the evening sky.
And for some reason, the sight made her chest ache.
Far more than she expected.
Far more than it should have.
Beside her, Lionel remained respectfully silent.
The older chauffeur had seen enough of life to know when someone needed space.
Still, after a few moments, he spoke gently.
"Madam."
Ulyana blinked.
"Mhm?"
Lionel smiled softly. "I can see he really treasures you."
The words nearly undid her.
"Mhm."
That was all she could manage.
Anything more and she genuinely thought she might cry.
So she simply continued watching the shrinking lights of the aircraft.
Until eventually it disappeared entirely.
Leaving only the darkening sky behind.
Why is this goodbye especially hard?
The question lingered.
Because she'd said goodbye to people before.
To friends.
To family.
To Hak.
Countless times.
Yet somehow this felt different.
Her fingers tightened around the pendant.
And before she knew it, her mind drifted back to a conversation from earlier that day.
Back to the office couch.
Back to one of those quiet moments she'd come to treasure.
"Okay."
Ulyana had been laying across the couch while Rowan sat beside her.
She looked at him thoughtfully. "Imagine it's ten years from now."
Rowan raised an eyebrow. "That's specific."
"Just answer."
He chuckled. "Fine."
She smiled. "Let's say you and I did end up married."
The words felt strangely natural now.
"What would you hope we do together?"
Rowan was quiet. For once not teasing or being smug, just genuinely thinking.
"Hmm…"
He leaned back slightly and closing his eyes imagining it.
The silence stretched for several moments.
Then: "I'd hope we have some children."
Ulyana's heart softened.
Rowan continued. "I'd hope we've travelled the world together."
A small smile appeared on his face. "I'd hope we're still making each other laugh."
Another pause.
"And I'd hope we're stupidly overjoyed."
The smile widened slightly, as though the image in his head genuinely made him happy.
Then he opened his eyes.
And looked at her.
Not joking.
Not hiding behind sarcasm.
Just honest.
Completely honest.
Ulyana remembered how much she'd liked that version of him.
The vulnerable version.
The man beneath the title.
Beneath the responsibilities.
Beneath everything else.
Words had completely failed her in that moment.
So instead she had leaned over and kissed him.
Because somehow that felt easier than explaining what his answer had done to her heart.
- - -
The memory faded.
And suddenly Ulyana understood why this goodbye felt different.
Because for the first time in a very long time, someone had made her look forward to the future.
Not just tomorrow.
Not next week.
The future.
Years from now.
A future she could actually picture, but now that person was flying away.
Ulyana smiled sadly to herself, then looked down at the pendant again.
"Please come back to me in one piece too."
The words disappeared into the evening breeze, before she finally turned toward Lionel's waiting car ready to begin counting the days until she saw him again.
- - - - -
The Volkov Private Jet
Rowan's POV
It had been a very long time since Rowan had experienced anything resembling romance.
Long enough that he'd forgotten how inconvenient it was.
The moment the jet door sealed shut behind him, his heart sank. Outwardly, nothing changed, he still wore the same calm expression.
The same composed posture.
The same Chairman Volkov demeanor everyone expected.
Internally?
A complete mess.
For the first time in years, he found himself wishing someone was sitting beside him.
Not Graham.
Definitely not Hak.
Ulyana.
His hand drifted into his pocket.
His fingers immediately found the small perfume capsule she'd slipped to him on the tarmac.
A smile appeared despite himself.
Why has she captured my heart so easily?
The question had been bothering him for weeks.
Because Rowan had dated before.
He'd had relationships.
Women he respected.
Women he admired.
Women he genuinely cared about.
But none of them had affected him like this.
None of them had made him look forward to ordinary moments.
None of them had made him want to leave work early.
None of them had made an empty seat beside him feel noticeable.
His thumb rolled the perfume capsule between his fingers.
And before he knew it, his mind drifted backward.
Back to the lookout.
Back to the night of their first date.
Back to one particular conversation.
"Can I ask you something?"
Ulyana looked up from where she was sitting beside him.
"Depends."
Rowan chuckled. "Can I ask about your last heartbreak?"
For a moment she was quiet, then, to his surprise, she answered honestly.
Completely honestly.
No games.
No walls.
No pretending.
"Grayson Pierre."
The name meant nothing to Rowan.
At least initially.
But as Ulyana spoke, his expression had gradually darkened.
She explained enough for him to understand.
Serial cheating.
Manipulation.
Cruelty disguised as affection.
A man who had taken advantage of her trust.
By the end of the story, Rowan had quietly added Grayson Pierre to a mental list. Not that he intended to do anything.
Mostly.
Then the conversation shifted and somehow became even more personal because eventually she told him the truth.
The truth about Hak.
The lingering feelings.
The complicated history.
Everything.
At the time, Rowan remembered feeling surprisingly calm about it.
Not because he didn't care.
But because his feelings for Ulyana hadn't fully developed yet.
At that point there had mostly been respect.
Admiration.
Curiosity.
She fascinated him.
That was all.
Or so he'd thought.
Then she'd said something.
Something completely innocent.
Something she probably didn't even remember.
"I love my man hardworking."
She'd spoken matter-of-factly.
Without hesitation. "And I love working hard myself."
A smile had appeared on her face.
"So don't expect a lazy wife."
Wife.
The word shouldn't have mattered.
Yet somehow it did.
Because she hadn't sounded embarrassed.
Or hesitant.
She'd spoken as though partnership was something she genuinely looked forward to.
Something she took seriously.
The memory remained crystal clear.
The ambition in her eyes.
The confidence.
The warmth.
The way she viewed building a life with him so seriously. And looking back now…
That had been the moment.
The exact moment that the trajectory of his feelings had changed.
Not dramatically.
Not instantly.
But undeniably.
After that conversation, he had started noticing things differently.
Started looking for her first in a room.
Started wanting her opinions.
Started making space for her in his plans.
And somewhere along the way…
Respect had quietly become affection.
Affection had become attachment.
And attachment had become something far more dangerous.
Rowan leaned back in his seat.
Staring out the aircraft window into the darkness beyond.
Then laughed softly to himself.
Because despite all his experience…
Despite all his age and supposed wisdom…
He'd fallen for a woman who called him baby by accident and then spent ten minutes denying it.
And he wouldn't have it any other way.