The shrill buzz of her phone woke Bella. Groaning, she fumbled for it. "Hello, Uncle Joe," she mumbled, still half-asleep.
"Good morning, Ella. Happy new month, darling."
Bella rubbed her eyes. "Happy new month, Uncle Joe."
"I called about what we discussed yesterday," Joe said.
Bella sat up at once, suddenly alert. "The proposal?"
"Yes."
"Do you already have the ring?"
"I don't know Vera's size, and I don"
"She wears a nine," Bella cut in with certainty.
Joe chuckled softly. "That's helpful. Thank you. Now... any ideas?"
Bella grinned. "Mum's always dreamed of being proposed to at the beach. We'll need to create the perfect setup there."
"We can trick her by saying it's just a girls' outing," Raquel's voice chimed in suddenly.
"Hi, baby. Happy new month," Bella greeted, laughing as Raquel snatched the phone.
"Annyeonghaseyo, Unnie! Same to you!"
Joe cleared his throat. "I've sent over some ring designs. Check them and let me know which one feels right."
Bella switched to speaker, scrolling through the images. Before she could decide, the twins burst into her room like a storm.
"Noona, let's plan Mum's proposal!" Jayden shouted, bouncing on her bed.
"Let's call Uncle Joe properly and do this right," Kayden added.
"Hello, Oppas," Joe's amused voice came through the speaker.
The twins blinked, startled. "Oh—hi, Uncle Joe," Jayden said quickly.
"Good morning, Dad," Kayden added with a sheepish grin.
Raquel giggled. "Good morning, baby sister," she teased.
Together they browsed the options until one design silenced them all: a Tiffany Soleste pear-shaped halo ring, diamond set in platinum. Elegant. Timeless. Unmistakably Vera.
Joe didn't hesitate. "It's expensive, but worth it. Nothing's too much when it comes to her."
Bella quickly spread the word. Bianca offered to handle the cake"a big one, with I said yes in cream letters." Liam and Alexia, natural decorators, promised to transform the beach with flowers and lanterns.
All that remained was to get Vera there without raising suspicion.
Later, Bella and Raquel staged their plan in the kitchen while Vera prepared lunch.
"Unnie, are you free this weekend?" Raquel asked innocently.
"Hmm, yes. I've got a flight tomorrow morning, but I should be free by the weekend."
"Great. I've never really had a beach day. Can we go?" Raquel said with wide, pleading eyes.
"I can take you even if Ella's busy," Vera offered.
The girls exchanged a secret smile. The trap had sprung.
"Yay!" Raquel squealed, hugging Vera.
"I'm free, Mum. Let's all go together. I'll even book a resort for us," Bella added.
"Alright, then." Vera smiled warmly.
Before they could celebrate, Bella's phone buzzed. Mrs. Rose Henshaw lit the screen.
"Hello, Miss Walter," Rose's clipped voice came through. "There's been a change to your flight schedule. Check your email for details. Be early tomorrow."
"Understood, ma'am," Bella replied.
Curious, she pulled up her inbox and gasped.
Her first international assignment. New York City.
"Ahhhhhhh!" Bella screamed, startling Vera and Raquel.
"Ella!" Vera scolded.
"Unnie, kin cha-na? Are you okay?" Raquel asked, alarmed.
Bella bounced on her toes. "I just got scheduled for New York! My first international flight outside Europe!"
Their surprise melted into pride. "Congratulations, darling," Vera said, hugging her.
Bella rushed upstairs to pack, her mind spinning with excitement.
The Next Morning
The sky was a soft shade of gold when Bella arrived at the tarmac. She tugged her suitcase behind her, her heart racing with anticipation. At 9:30 a.m., she learned another surprise: the flight wasn't commercial.
It was a private jet.
"Me? Already?" she whispered. Her training didn't cover this level yet, but orders were orders.
The passengers had already boarded. Bella quickly ducked into the restroom to compose herself. She adjusted her uniform, smoothed her hair, and whispered a prayer.
When she stepped out, a familiar scent hit her instantly. Sharp, masculine, unforgettable. Her heart dropped.
"Christian," she muttered under her breath. "Of course. I should have known when they changed my schedule so suddenly."
Memories of their kiss flickered across her mind, leaving warmth spreading through her chest. She shook her head furiously. Focus, Ella. Focus.
She pivoted, intending to retreat to the restroom, when his voice wrapped around her like a net.
"Bella, why do you always run from me?"
She froze.
"I wasn't running," she said too quickly, forcing a smile. "I just... forgot to switch off the light in the restroom."
Christian's smirk told her he wasn't fooled. "The lights are automatic, Christal. Sensor-based. You know that."
Heat rose to her cheeks. Embarrassment mixed with anger.
"And you're not listening to music either," he added, eyes glittering. "Your phone accidentally paired with my AirPods. I heard silence."
Bella yanked the AirPods out of her ears, humiliated. She turned to leave, but his hand caught her wrist.
"Christal, please." His voice was softer now, pleading. "Stop running from me. Talk to me."
She froze again, her heart pounding, her skin tingling beneath his grip. She could hear the sincerity in his tone, even though she refused to look at him.
Why did his words always make her feel like the ground beneath her wasn't steady anymore?
Bella froze when she heard the rawness in Chris's voice. Vulnerability wasn't something she associated with him the youngest billionaire in Europe, a man the world chased. Yet here he was, looking at her like she was the only thing steadying him.
Her chest tightened. Maybe she meant more to him than she had ever allowed herself to believe.
But Bella shook the thought away. Chris had confessed that he liked her, yes, but it all felt too fast, too impossible. Men like him were used to women falling at their feet. She didn't want to become one of those women desperate, chasing, disposable. She had never liked anyone before, not even platonically. She had been part of the NBSB club No Boyfriend Since Birth her whole life. Relationships were uncharted waters.
"Can you sit?" Chris asked softly, releasing her wrist.
She hesitated, then lowered herself into the seat opposite him. Her pulse was unsteady, but she couldn't keep running. Not after their date, their hug... their kiss.
Chemistry there was no denying it. She had felt it in the way her heart raced when he stood too close, in the heat that spread through her when his hand brushed hers. She remembered that kiss far too vividly the softness of his lips, the warmth of his breath, the way time had blurred. It had been her first kiss, and despite her stubborn denial, it had been perfect.
"I'm sorry," Chris said suddenly, breaking her train of thought. "I shouldn't have brought you on board without telling you."
Bella frowned, glancing around the luxurious cabin. "Why am I the only attendant here? That's not normal."
Chris smirked. "Who told you that?"
"I don't see anyone else," she replied, crossing her arms.
"They're here, just not allowed in this section. I designed this plane myself. There's a reception built in, separate from the main cabin for situations like this." His smile was proud, teasing.
Bella blinked, finally taking in the interior properly. The jet wasn't just a plane. It was a flying palace. A gleaming office space with wood-panel finishes, leather seats, and soft lighting that made it feel like a high-end lounge. The kind of place billionaires negotiated deals... or cornered flight attendants into heart-thudding conversations.
Before she could comment, Chris leaned forward, his gaze sharpening. "Why didn't you ever ask me why I kissed you?"
Bella's breath hitched. "Because... I didn't know how."
"Then let me tell you." His voice dropped lower. "I missed you. And I wanted you to remember me. So I kissed you. Like the story of Beauty and the Beast I thought maybe it would bring back what you'd forgotten." He paused, holding her eyes. "And don't act like you didn't kiss me back, Bella."
Her heart stuttered. His words dug up the questions she had tried to bury. Remember him? What did that even mean?
"Are you saying... we met before the accident?" she asked, studying his face carefully.
"Yes," he said without hesitation.
Her throat went dry. "When? Because I don't remember you at all."
Chris's expression softened with something like longing. "You had just turned eighteen. It was 2016, at a gala."
Bella blinked, then burst into laughter. She laughed so hard tears pricked her eyes. "A gala? Mr. Hampson, I've never been to one in my life. You've got the wrong girl."
His smile faltered, his disappointment almost palpable. Without a word, he pulled out his wallet and slid a photograph across the table.
Her laughter died instantly.
It was a picture of them together. She was in a red gown she remembered owning once the one she'd bought for prom but had mysteriously disappeared from her closet. In the photo, she was smiling, standing close to Chris as though they'd known each other forever.
Her blood ran cold.
"They never told you, did they?" Chris asked quietly.
Bella's voice shook. "Told me what?"
He looked torn, his hands restless as he rubbed his thumb over the edge of the picture. "It's not my place to say. Part of me wants to be selfish and just tell you everything. But I can't bring myself to hurt you like that."
Her stomach twisted. Something was wrong very wrong. And whatever it was, her mother had answers. Answers that had been hidden from her all along.
As Chris's eyes lingered on her, full of a strange mix of hope and regret, Bella realized two things:
One he wasn't lying. And two whatever secret bound them together had the power to shatter everything she thought she knew.