Past

She foolishly rushed towards the forest as she heard the explosion but was pulled back by a force. The flames were not huge. The rain was more dominant.

She could save them if only the man would release her. He restrained her from going any further, knelt down and provided her with a support, "It's too late! They're gone."

She refused to listen to him. Those were a nightmare. Nothing of this was real. Victoria held the man tightly as she cried. This was impossible. Her parents were no more in this world. What has she done? She had let them die. She left her parents in their car. She wanted to be with them. She wanted to reach them. Her mother; her father. She needed them. They were all she had. She should have died with them. She felt weak. She could not look there anymore, towards this dark forest.

The man held her tightly in his arms and blue lights were already covering the dark area and their alarms were screeching to her ears but they meant nothing to her. Her world was shattered. Her tears seemed to be infinite. The wet jacket of the man was masking her face, away from this cruel world.

A shouting voice spoke, "Sir! We've blocked the area. The firemen are not required. The fire's already down!" The commissioner gently pulled away from Victoria and looked at her straight in her eyes even though she was not looking at him, "Will you go with this man?" She was still under shock. She was lifeless. The constable took her hand and pulled her away. She could not anymore resist to any force. What would happened next would hold no meaning to her? The two people who had always been by her side, had supported, had loved and protected her were no more. They left her and she could do nothing about it.

Victoria was made to sit in a police car and she was asked several questions. She wondered what she was looking at. A person. He was asking her questions she could not even hear. She looked at the other side and pressed her forehead against the windshield.

The man was still talking but all she could hear was the sounds of the accidents that replayed like a broken cassette in her mind. That impact with the lorry. The several rolls that the car made. Her mother's ghostly silence in the car, her dad urging her to get out of the car and the explosion.

Present ~ Seven years later

She raised her eyes from the book she was reading and looked outside the round-shaped window, expecting to see the land beneath her. Were they not supposed to be already above the sea?

An announcement was made, "We have to make a forced stop at Heathrow Airport. Please book your seatbelts. The flight will last twenty minutes longer. Excuse the service."

She was annoyed but mostly curious. Why? Was there a technical problem? She clutched her seatbelt and continued her reading. She could hear some disagreements among the other passengers but she took no notice. Her studies in Cambridge were done and she got a master's degree in business studies, economics and entrepreneurship.

The plane landed and the door opened not for them to get down but for another person to come in. The pilot himself had come to personally welcome the man, "Mr Hills, It's a pleasure to have you on board! Please come in."

The man removed his aviator sunglasses and shook his hand firmly, "I apologies for the trouble. Proceed to your cabin. I'll find a place."

He walked into the plane and was not disturbed by the several pictures that the passengers-mostly women and girls- were taking of him. He was used to this. He could not help but think with a smirk. The great CEO has detoured this plane. How could they say no? I'm their most important investor.

His private jet had a technical problem and he would not have for 2 hours for a flight to New York. He saw a place near a young woman who was indulged in a book and that was where he decided to sit. He knew he was subjected to female's glances and stares. What to do? He was so familiar with these gestures.

Women were creatures who would betray for money. Thirsty for rich guys. But the woman that was sitting beside him had nothing to do with the way he described women.

She was not even looking at him. Did she not notice him or did she not hear his name: Jake Hills, one of the richest handsome men in this planet.

He cleared his voice and ordered "Give me The Economist."

Victoria looked at the magazine that was stacked in a pocket at the chair before them. She frowned as she mentally calculated the distance between the book to her and the book to him, "You can reach it by yourself."

So ill mannered. He could have asked for it and not order as if she worked for him. Jake stared at her and rudely said, "Do you know to whom you're talking, miss?"

Victoria rolled her eyes and mocked, "Of course! To the imbecile that detoured a plane only for his selfishness. Don't you know how late all these people would get because of this drama of yours?"

He never bothered about anyone other than his divorced father. His mother was another woman who married for the sake of cash.

Jake leant towards her and smirked, "They won't bother! This airline belongs to me. I own more than half of its shares. I can throw you out if I want. Apologies now."

Victoria was shocked. Such a ruthless man and she admitted that he was intimidating but that was not a reason to accept defeat, "Excuse me but I've paid for this trip not like some people...who will just barge in the middle of a flight! "

She returned to her book, satisfied with the answer she threw on him. That woman was stupid. She did not know who he was or else she would have never behaved like this. He saw an air hostess walking to attend to a passenger and halted her. A single motion towards the magazine and the woman eagerly obeyed. She placed it on him, gave him a lingering squeeze on his shoulder and walked away.

He tapped Victoria's arm and said, "You see. She's smart. She knows me or else she would not have refused me."

Victoria was frustrated, "Oh please, are you blind or what, can't you see I'm reading?"

He laughed like the evil himself, "You're not reading, sweetheart. You are looking at me, wondering how it happened that a handsome rich guy like me is sitting beside you."

She stared at him. He had lots of guts. She realised how much she disliked him. She dryly responded, with a tip of sarcasm, "Simply because there's no other place around here. Now can you just make as if I'm not here? Thank you."

She now focused on her book. Where had she reached? That devil always disturbed her when the story was getting interesting. He suddenly faked a yawn and stretched his arm completely in front of her, blocking her view. That was it. Her patience had reached its limits.

She violently pushed his hand and angrily whispered so as not to attract anyone, "What are you doing?"

He innocently looked at her as if he was looking at the void, "Goodness gracious. I'm hearing voices now. I thought no one was sitting beside me."

Victoria wanted to slap him. She calmed herself and softly said, "Mr Hills. What do you want?"

She knew his name? Now it was getting exciting. Has he finally succeeded in getting her under his control?

He cooperatively replied, "I want an apology."

Victoria had had enough of him. A devil, that's what he was. She looked into his blue eyes which were intently fixed on hers, waiting for the desired answer. She had promised herself she would never give up.

"So?", he urged.

She took a deep breath and responded, "I owe you nothing."

He was getting impatient, "You are so stubborn, aren't you? Don't think you'll leave this plane without apologising to me." He pointed his finger towards her and she slapped his hand away, "Who do you think you are?"

He chuckled and proudly responded, "The great Jake Hills after all. Who else? Now, worry about the things I can do to you, sweetheart...of course, if you do not say sorry to me."