Imperial Capital International Airport, main terminal.
"Boss, the second Flight CA984 touched down, we boarded right away, but..."
On the other end of the phone, the assistant’s voice came through, careful and tense.
"We searched the whole plane and checked everywhere. Still didn’t find the woman you told us to look for."
Sebastian Blackwood’s face darkened on the spot. A heavy, freezing pressure rolled off him, cold enough to make the air around him feel sharp.
Even people over thirty feet away could feel that full-on arctic chill and instinctively kept their distance.
His sharp phoenix eyes stayed locked on the electronic arrivals board. The flight had landed ten minutes ago already.
At this point, she had probably slipped away again.
The second that thought crossed his mind, his expression turned even uglier.
He had finally gotten word that she was back in the country. No way was he letting her disappear from him again.
"Seal every exit in the airport. Search."
His low voice sounded like it had been dragged out of ice and snow, carrying an authority so absolute no one dared test it. Just hearing it made people’s scalps prickle.
Half an hour earlier, his men had already blocked the airport exits.
With things locked down like this, how was she supposed to grow wings and fly out?
A hard glint flashed through Sebastian Blackwood’s eyes.
He swept his gaze across the airport. Crowds surged back and forth, voices overlapping, noisy and chaotic.
That damn woman.
He strode off in one direction, long legs moving fast. Everywhere he passed, it felt like a gust of cold wind swept through. His handsome face was stormy enough to drip water.
His thin lips were pressed into a straight line.
Right now, he was seriously pissed.
...
About thirty feet away, a man was leaning sideways against a row of chairs, lazy and loose like he was just taking a break.
A pair of oversized black shades covered that ridiculously handsome face, cutting off every curious glance from the crowd.
He had on a black hooded tee with a sharp, low-key style. The hood came down so far it only left his chin visible, but even that little bit looked way too refined.
Black leather pants. Black combat boots. One long leg casually hooked over the other as he lounged back in the airport seat, lazy as hell yet still giving off that untouchable, boss-level vibe. Crazy eye-catching.
Quite a few girls nearby were already thrown off balance by that cool, killer face. Their hearts were clearly racing, and shy little smiles kept slipping onto their faces.
"Whoa, who is that? He’s insanely hot. Is he some celebrity?"
"I’m gonna go ask for an autograph!"
"No, wait, I want his WeChat!"
From the corner of his eye, Sebastian Blackwood caught sight of that person. His gaze paused for half a second, then shifted away again, cold and indifferent.
Only after he had walked past did the man resting with his eyes closed slowly open them.
Behind the sunglasses, those seductive peach-blossom eyes were bright and sharp, not sleepy in the slightest.
She stared steadily at the man’s retreating figure.
His presence was seriously intense. Even from this far away, she could feel the pressure rolling off him.
That man looked like he was searching for someone. And just so happened, it was the same flight she had taken...
Her heart gave a violent jolt.
No way... was he here for her?
Judging from that whole setup, he really looked like someone out to settle scores.
Natasha Whitmore stiffened all over.
The man suddenly turned back, his eyes razor-sharp, like they could slice straight through a person and see every secret buried at the bottom of their gaze.
What shocked her even more was that face—that face she knew far too well—crashing into her sight without the slightest warning. Her lips parted on instinct, stunned.
Oh damn.
Sebastian Blackwood!?
A flicker of guilt slid across her chest. She yanked her gaze back so fast it was like she’d been burned.
Can’t see me. Can’t see me.
She had only just gotten back to the country, and his intel was already this insane? He’d even brought people to block her here?
Can’t see me, can’t see me...
Pfft.
She was dressed as a man right now. If he could still spot her, that’d be straight-up ridiculous. What was there for her to feel guilty about?
Besides, what happened five years ago wasn’t her fault alone.
The second that thought landed, Natasha Whitmore instantly sat up straighter, confidence snapping back into place. Chin lifted, shoulders squared, she put on that bold, unbothered look and raised her eyes, ready to stare right back at him.
Only to find that he was already gone.
Uh...
Just then, the phone in her pocket started vibrating.
She pulled it out and slipped the Bluetooth earpiece on.
"Boss, Sebastian Blackwood seems to be looking for you!"
No kidding.
She had just seen it with her own eyes and heard enough to get the point.
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Who leaked the news that I was back?"
"Uh... well... that..."
