Chapter 50: A Strange New World
Natalie~
I had never been on a plane before.
The entire flight, my heart had been lodged in my throat, an unrelenting weight of fear pressing against my chest. The moment the engines roared to life, my hands had turned ice-cold, gripping the armrests like my life depended on it. But Jacob had been there, warm and steady, his fingers lacing through mine without hesitation.
"It’s just a big, floating metal bird, Nat," he had said, voice laced with amusement. "We’ll land in one piece, I promise."
His humor didn’t help, but his presence did.
From the moment we stepped onto the plane, I had been treated like royalty. The flight attendants were kind, their smiles warm, their voices soft as they checked on me repeatedly, offering me food and drinks I barely touched. Even as we landed in Paris, the security personnel were nothing short of respectful, almost too kind. It was as if the universe had flipped overnight, replacing the cruel world I had known with one where people were actually... good.
Was this what it was like to be normal?
As we reached the airport entrance, a beautiful black car was already parked, waiting for us. The driver stepped out immediately—a man who looked like he was in his fifties, dressed sharply in a dark suit. His salt-and-pepper hair was neatly combed back, and his eyes crinkled with warmth when he saw Jacob.
"Master Jacob," the man greeted with a bow.
Master?
I turned to Jacob, eyebrows raised, but he only smirked.