News channels exploded.
Headlines used words like sabotage, executive turmoil, acquisition risk, internal conspiracy.
Harold retained counsel.
Julian Marks was found in Vancouver trying to board flight to Hong Kong.
He was detained.
NorthStar Technical turned out to be controlled by a former Sterling subcontractor paid through a consultancy partially funded by Harold.
More evidence surfaced.
Harold had not intended physical disaster.
Investigators eventually agreed.
The device was designed to trigger false warning.
But counterfeit connector carried unpredictable failure risk.
Intent did not erase danger.
Neither did it erase fraud.
Victoria returned to Seattle two days later.
On a different aircraft.
Ethan piloted.
Before departure, she entered cockpit.
Leah looked between them, clearly aware of something.
Victoria ignored her.
She looked at Ethan.
“Any suspicious parts?”
He smiled.
“I personally inspected everything that can reasonably be inspected.”
“Reassuring.”
“You could take commercial flight.”
“I could also walk to Seattle.”
Leah coughed.
Victoria looked.
Leah said:
“Nothing.”
Ethan turned toward Victoria.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
Then quietly:
“Fly me home.”
His expression softened.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She glared.
He smiled.
“Victoria.”
“Better.”
The relationship became complicated almost immediately.
Not because attraction faded.
Because reality arrived.
Ethan worked for her.
Victoria owned the flight department.
Human resources discovered the relationship before Victoria decided whether it was a relationship.
Naomi Chen, her assistant, closed Victoria’s office door one Monday morning and said:
“You kissed your pilot.”
Victoria looked up.
“You seem confident.”
“Mara saw you.”
“Mara should improve confidentiality.”
“She told me because I oversee executive risk.”
Victoria stared.
Naomi sat.
“I don't care personally.”
“Comforting.”
“I care professionally.”
Victoria sighed.
“What do you recommend?”
“Reassign him.”
“No.”
Naomi raised eyebrows.
Victoria corrected.
“I mean perhaps.”
“You just answered.”
“I dislike this conversation.”
“Then stop dating employees.”
“I am not dating him.”
Naomi stared.
Victoria’s phone buzzed.
Message from Ethan:
Grace says your company’s stock chart looks like a ski slope. She wants to know if this means she should buy.
Victoria smiled before stopping herself.
Naomi saw.
“Not dating.”
“Leave.”
Naomi stood.
“Reassign him.”
Victoria knew she was right.
She hated that.
That afternoon she called Ethan.
He entered office.
Not cockpit uniform.
Dark sweater.
Jeans.
He had come from simulator training.
He closed door.
“You look angry.”
“I’m always angry.”
“Different angry.”
“I need to remove you from my flight detail.”
He stopped.
“Okay.”
That answer annoyed her.
“No argument?”
“What argument?”
“You're surprised.”
“Yes.”
“But?”
“HR.”
She stared.
“Naomi?”
“Grace is twelve. I understand workplace relationships.”
Victoria looked toward window.
“This feels like punishment.”
“No.”
“It feels like boundary.”