Chapter 0035
As the sun’s rays breached the clouds and descended through the endless sky, forming an iridescent barrier that hindered her view of him, scenes of Lucas and Sophia’s time together unfurled atop that shimmering wall.
The tender embrace between him and Sophia, his protective gestures, and his unabashed public appearances with Sophia, despite. still being married, along with his denial of their past two years together-each memory incrementally encased Madison’s heart in a layer of frosty indifference.
Unbeknownst to her, the warmth she once held was dissipating with the remnants of her farcical marriage, replaced by a newfound sense of liberation.
At that moment, the last vestiges of her trepidation were scattered by the sunlight, as if she was shedding her old self.
She turned to face Ethan, striking him with a question so unexpected it caught even the pajama-clad man off guard: “Ethan, are you this kind to all your employees?”
he question sliced through the air like the first gust of autumn,
ttering words like leaves and distancing them by more than mere
eters.
Though the sun’s glare obscured her view of his face, she caught the mirth in his voice, “What do you think?”
He lobbed the question back to her
Perhaps it was Lucas’ provocations that had whittled away her timidity, “I’m asking you.”
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Even Ethan hadn’t anticipated such candor from Madison.
Later, as the hazy morning light drifted around them, his towering. figure approached her. Despite his disheveled sleepwear, his
presence sent an inexplicable shiver through Madison’s core.
She had never experienced romance, not even with Lucas. Theirs. was a whirlwind marriage; they’d never courted like lovers but jumped straight into matrimony, which had been as placid as still water until it reached the tumult of the present.
Thus, Madison’s heart was unusually sensitive now, aware that Ethan’s every move seemed to cross the line between a boss and an employee.
Her kindness was not a sign of naivety.
This time, Ethan faced her squarely, no evasion in sight, “Ask me again, what you want to know.”
Suddenly, Madison remembered a saying.
A real man faces all questions head-on, never choosing to hide.
Lucas wasn’t that man, but Ethan was.
“Do you act this way with all your staff?”
“In what?”
ed, protective, advising,” Madison articulated each word ately.
Her gaze wasn’t its usual soft self but edged with a hint of sharpness, brimming with assertiveness.
Ethan, tall as he was, looked down intently into her eyes.
After three seconds, he said, “No.”
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He was not this way with every employee.
“Why me?”
Madison couldn’t understand her own sensitivity, perhaps a consequence of emotions yet to find release.
Did she serve some purpose to him?
Like how Lucas chose her for a rushed marriage because she
seemed fit for domestic life?
The turmoil in Madison’s eyes was fully visible to Ethan.
He seemed to see a small, prickly creature, a tiny beast baring its spines in defense.
When the man gently embraced her, Madison instinctively took a half step back, yet did not escape his assertive hold.
Ethan’s arms enveloped her, one hand at her waist, the other soothingly patting her back as his voice floated to her left ear.
“To be honest, I was afraid I’d scare you. If you need an answer, you can consider me nosy. But what I can tell you is, I’m not like this with everyone. If you don’t believe me, why not talk after you’ve finished your recovery training?”
Talk?
Madison felt Ethan’s warmth, scorching, sincere, even cautiously gentle.
Then, a pat on her head, so light.
The man chuckled, “If it gets too much, and you want out, call me.”
“I’ll come for you, come rain or shine.”
Those eight words brought tears to her eyes.
“Don’t overthink it. I’m just letting you know that you’re not alone in this world. With President Grant here, there’s nothing to fear. If you don’t want to do it anymore, just go home.”
Ethan released her, placing his hands on her shoulders, turning her around, and nudging her, “Go chase your dreams.”
As she turned, those burning tears fell and were embraced by the world below.
Each step she took was backed by sunlight and his support.
Madison lifted her head, her back to the dawn, facing the distant horizon.
Ethan remained still, watching her get into the car and slowly drive
away.
Finally, William came over and after a long gaze asked, “You like her?
“What does ‘like’ even mean?” Ethan wasn’t sure himself.
All he remembered was that Madison’s words had once carried him through tough times, mere whispers that held boundless strength.
Now that he had the means, he too wanted to lend her a hand from
the mire, to give her the courage to reach afar.
hed, he couldn’t help but instruct, “Take it easy on her at
base.”
mam raised an eyebrow.
Deny it all he wanted, but his actions spoke of affection.
For Madison, he’d broken rules time and again.
“A female pilot at the training base?” Charlie was astounded by the
news.
Hadn’t Mukino International’s policy been against female pilots?
Even if they did accept women, weren’t they supposed to be retired military pilots?
And she was the only one transferred from military flight to become Mukino International’s sole female pilot.
Could this new woman be from the military too?
Charlie signaled her co-pilot, “Go find out.”
At the training base.
Madison arrived with a complexion that wasn’t quite right.
On her way, she’d stumbled upon a news article.
The one about the red carpet event.
Ethan… Ethan was Mukino International’s chairman?
Wasn’t he just an executive?
Madison was stunned.
She never imagined the man who’d been protecting her held such significant influence.
“Miss Clark?”
Someone at the base noticed her standing motionless and approached to inquire.
Madison shook off the barrage of thoughts, “Yes.”
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The person greeted her warmly, “We’ve been waiting for you. Come on in.”
Following him into the base, Madison received Mukino
International’s exclusive pilot uniform.
When she donned the outfit, standing before the mirror, her heart. raced.
After years, she was once again clad in this attire.
A crisp white shirt, black trousers, the company’s emblem on the tie and the lapel.
Madison’s grip tightened, and a fierce glint of determination rose in her eyes.
No one could obstruct her path anymore.
Absolutely no one.
