Jayden bowed his head to his parents and left the study to get ready for the trip. He didn't agree to what his father said neither did he oppose. As he walked back to his room his father's words came back to him.
"Don't do anything stupid. I'm still trying to clear up the scandal your recklessness caused me."
His father probably saw the look in his eyes when he thought about dying than go ahead with the marriage.
The scandal.
Two years ago right after his 18th birthday a video of him in a gay bar leaked. It would have been fine if he was just sitting in the bar, he could have made up some excuse. But he had too much to drink and ended up making out with some hot dude and spent the night with him.
Although the dude was hot, his parents didn't seem to think so when they saw the video. It was a setup from a rival company. His father's company income and sales immediately crashed. His father had to build again and the blame never left his head. His parents became more 'disciplined', than they already were. Honestly, because he felt a little bit of guilt was why he had always gone along with everything they said. Until now. Sebastian followed him. He didn't let his parents pick his personal staff either.
"Book a flight for Country H after my appointment in Country Z. Remember to keep it quiet." It wasn't that he didn't trust his butler, but his father's people were watching him too. Seb responded with a 'yes sir' and thankfully didn't ask any question.
Seb took up the role of a father in his life when Jayden was still young and his parents were flying around looking for wealth and fame. Jayden didn't like lying to him but he knew Sebastian would support any decision he made. He would let his parents run every part of his life except his marriage. To a woman. Seb have a tablet to take a look at something.
The news headline read;
'Jayden Hawthorn heir to The Hawthorn Enterprises isn't married yet because there's no lady worth it? Or he refuses to marry because he's gay?'
Turns out somebody is trying to take advantage of his response to a question in the press conference his father held for him yesterday. He did say he hadn't seen a lady worth marrying yet. He was just twenty for goodness sake. Although being gay was accepted generally but for him? The heir to the biggest company of four nations should be 'morally upright' they said. He turned to Seb
"Have someone trace who made the article. Take him and the report down."
"Okay. Your flight is in an hour, I'll meet up with you at the airport."
"Cancel it. I'll take the jet."
"The pilot is on his yearly vacation."
"Oh is he??" Jayden responded with voice full of sarcasm. He never got a vacation himself but his father gave people.
"Tell him to get here in the next hour or he'll lose his job." He didn't mean to be wicked but he couldn't help be jealous. Seb was about carry out the instruction when he decided to be merciful.
"When he comes back give him times two of his actual leave time."
"Okay."
With that he left. Jayden passed the mirror again pausing for a second to stare at his face. He was fairly handsome. He had his father's messy black hair and his mum's green eyes. Some people say he has a face no girl is immune to. It seems like even Lucy of Lambert wasn't immune either.
He had already made his decision. After the board meeting in Country Z he would go to his villa in Country H. It was like a safe haven to him, a place even his parents didn't know about.
He would prefer to spend the rest of his days there than to marry a girl his parents picked up f or him. Maybe he could even pick up that hot dude from back then. Who knows?
He just had make it through the board meeting at Country Z.
An hour later, Jayden sat comfortably in his private jet.
It had same dark interior like his room. It gave off the vibes of the bat cave. With a soft drink dispenser, a butt warming massage chair, two plush black velvet couch, a gold center table on top a black rug. It was comfortable. Jayden lounged on the couch in a way that would have made him mother have a seizure, he couldn't care less. Seb was speaking
"We've caught the guy who uploaded the article."
"Oh? That was quick."
"He didn't know what he was getting into. He's some random collage student aspiring to be a journalist. He claims somebody paid him to write the article. It sounds like the work of your fathers rival company."
He paused for a bit. Jayden knew the question about his decision was coming. Seb opened his mouth again to speak but paused when the door to the cockpit opened and the pilot came out looking like a rag doll.
Poor guy was probably sleeping when he got a call threatening his job. The pilot went in the direction of the rest room.
The weather outside had changed. A storm was coming. The plane shook a little and then continued smoothly.
It was quiet for a while. The silence, settling, unwelcomed between them. He respected Seb and he didn't want to lie to him but he also knew he would respect his decision.
Seb was about to continue when Jayden felt the sudden change in pressure in his ears but he knew the pilot wasn't out yet. It started slowly then suddenly the alarms blared off. Jayden and Sebastian rushed into cockpit and saw spilt coffee all over the control panel. The dumb pilot slept his brain numb and didn't remember to put the coffee cup in its holder. Jayden stood frozen.
'Oh God…'
The plane, nose tipped down, kept falling. The alarms kept blaring. It was all too fast and rushed. Seb took the steering and pulled up with all his might. The pilot at this moment rushed in with pants half up and wide eyes pressing buttons at random.
Jayden stood frozen.
Maybe he should have booked a flight and let the pilot sleep. It's was his fault. They were all going to die because of him. Strangely, he felt calm.
'No. This is not my fault.'
He had been blamed for everything and anything since his childhood that he had come to accept that as the truth. Now death was coming and he welcomed it with open arms.
The last thing he acknowledged was how beautiful the ocean looked when you are falling towards it from the sky. The morning sunlight hit just right.
And then…
Darkness.