I didn't wait to see how he'd react. I walked straight to the intercom.
Behind me, Xavier stood there, unsettled, his throat working over and over.
I ignored him, announced the diversion plan, and went back to the cockpit.
I hadn't expected him to follow.
I blocked the cockpit door, ignoring the way his mouth kept opening as if he wanted to speak.
"Sir, please return to your seat right away."
He'd never seen me this cold. His pupils shrank, and he suddenly grabbed my arm.
"You're not going to drag out the landing just to get back at me, are you?"
Looking at the naked distrust in his eyes, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Ruin my career, for you?" I shook his hand off. "You're not worth it."
With that, I slipped into the cockpit.
But as I moved to shut the door, he jammed it hard.
"I don't trust you. What if you settle scores at everyone's expense? Swap her out! Let the first officer fly!"
The first officer stiffened, then said evenly, "Captain Vance is the best pilot at this airline. Her skill and professionalism are known by everyone."
"She's handled countless emergency diversions, including far worse conditions in bad weather, and she still has a spotless zero-incident record."
"If you keep this up, can you take responsibility for what happens?"
Xavier's face darkened until it looked ready to drip.
Of course he couldn't take responsibility.
His precious illegitimate son was in danger, and his beloved mistress was heartbroken.
Only I could save them.
He had no choice but to pull his hand back, seething, and watch the door close in front of his eyes.
Every bit of the noise was shut out.
I let out a slow breath.
The pain of losing my daughter, my husband's betrayal—all of it, every love and hatred, set aside for now.
In the pilot's seat, I was only the captain of this flight.
The one thing in my mind was getting every passenger safely on the ground.
Twenty minutes later, the plane touched down smoothly.
The instant I set the parking brake, my vision blurred.
The blows one after another and the high-intensity flying had drained me, body and mind.
But I couldn't let go yet.
I made my way to the cabin door and saw Xavier hurrying toward it.
He didn't spare me a single glance. He slammed into me, shoving me aside.
Before the dark took me, all I heard was his voice, thick with reassurance.
"Don't be scared, Dora. Felix is going to be fine."
Xavier stood in front of the cabin door. One second, two seconds.
The door still hadn't opened.
His brow drew tighter and tighter, and what little patience he had left burned away fast.
His voice shot up. "Amelia Vance! What kind of game are you playing now?"
Just then, the head flight attendant cried out.
"Captain Vance! Wake up! Are you all right?"
"She sat up all night at the wake yesterday without sleeping, got called back to work the moment the funeral ended, and then that whole thing happened. In just a few days, look how thin she's gotten!"
Xavier froze, and only then did he notice how gaunt my face had become.
His chest tightened without his meaning it to. "She... passed out?"
Dora tugged at his sleeve. "Xavier, Miss Vance looks really bad. She probably needs to go to the hospital. She... she wouldn't take Felix's ambulance, would she?"
"She wouldn't dare." Xavier's expression turned cold. "She was full of life a minute ago when I wanted her replaced, and now that she's seen the ambulance she's playing dead. You guessed it—that's exactly what she's after, the ambulance."
I opened my eyes slowly, straight into the contempt filling his.
"What? Not going to keep pretending?"
Whatever last trace of warmth was left in my heart went cold for good.
Bracing myself against the wall, I made it to the cabin door and used the last of my strength to turn the handle.
The door swung open with a boom. I stayed inside and didn't look at Xavier again.
After the ambulance left, the crew received notice that the flight couldn't take off because of the weather.
At the head flight attendant's insistence, I was taken to the hospital for an IV too.
On my way out, I passed the room next door and heard Dora's voice inside, tearful.
"Xavier, why isn't Felix waking up? I'm so scared..."
"I looked into it. This hospital isn't good at treating Felix's condition, but the one in the next city is, and it's closer to the airport too."
"Do you think Captain Vance picked a hospital that can't cure Felix on purpose, just to get back at us?"
