The first jolt was so slight, Anna almost wondered if she had imagined it. The glass in her hand trembled as the jet dipped sharply before stabilizing again. Opposite her, Adrian remained still, utterly unaffected, sitting back with his usual calm authority. Anna forced herself to stay composed. Private jets deal with turbulence all the time—nothing out of the ordinary. But then came the second drop—more sudden, more jarring. The aircraft lurched violently, and her whiskey sloshed perilously close to the rim. Instinctively, Anna clenched the armrest. A quiet chime echoed overhead.
"Just a bit of turbulence," the pilot's calm voice floated through the intercom. Anna nodded to herself, pretending reassurance even though her heart was pounding. Fine. Absolutely fine. Then, another jolt rocked the plane—this time harder. The cabin dipped sharply, and for a moment, she felt weightless, a rush of adrenaline surging through her chest. Before she could stop herself, she whispered, "Adrian, is this normal?" The moment the words left her mouth, she froze. Adrian's eyes lifted slowly to meet hers—a flicker of recognition in his gaze, small but unmistakable. Elena Vale wouldn't have said his name like that—too familiar, too instinctive. Neither spoke for a tense heartbeat.
Then Adrian leaned back, his face unreadable. "Yes," he answered quietly. "It's normal." Anna forced a small, nervous laugh, trying to cover her mistake. "Good," she said lightly. But the damage was done—Adrian was watching her differently now, more intently. Suddenly, another wave of turbulence hit—they shuddered violently, lights flickering, the plane rocking hard. Her pulse quickened. Flying was never her favorite, and now it felt like an ordeal. The jet jolted again, and without thinking, Anna reached out to steady herself on the table.
Adrian stood—slow, deliberate—and approached her seat. The cramped space felt increasingly oppressive as he drew closer.
"Come here," he said.
Anna blinked in confusion. "What?"
"The turbulence will feel worse if you sit alone over there." His tone was firm, leaving no room for doubt.
After a brief hesitation, Anna stood. As she moved, the plane lurched again. Adrian gently guided her into the seat beside him, his hand briefly resting on her back—a touch that sent an unexpected warmth through her. The plane shook once more. Instinctively, Anna reached for his forearm, her hand tightening around it before she even realized it. His muscles were solid and unmoving, completely steady.
She looked up quickly. "Sorry," she whispered.
He didn't pull away—in fact, his arm shifted slightly, making her grip more comfortable. "It's fine," he replied softly. The turbulence eased gradually, but the closeness between them remained—their shoulders nearly touching. Anna inhaled the faint scent of his cologne, dark and expensive, and became acutely aware of how close they were. Adrian turned his head slightly toward her.
"You don't like flying," he said.
It wasn't a question.
Anna lifted her chin. "Elena Vale isn't afraid of anything."
A small smile curved Adrian's lips. "Interesting."
"Why?" she asked.
He studied her for a moment. "Because just now," he said slowly, "you called me Adrian."
Her heart skipped. The space between them tightened. She forced a small smile. "I thought that's what you asked me to call you."
He held her gaze. "Yes," he said. "But most people don't forget themselves during turbulence."
Anna leaned back, trying to remain composed. "Maybe I was just distracted," she said calmly.
His eyes moved over her face, then down briefly to her midnight blue dress before returning to her eyes. "Were you?" he inquired.
Anna met his gaze steadily. "Yes."
The silence stretched longer than expected. Finally, Adrian leaned back, breaking the moment. Outside, the clouds began to thin as the aircraft rose above the storm. The ride smoothed, but inside the cabin, something had shifted—something darker. Adrian looked at her again, and this time, his faint smile was far more dangerous. The turbulence had confirmed what he already suspected: Anna Ray was still inside Elena Vale. And the longer they were together, the harder it became for her to keep the two separate.