The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Angel tried her best to push what had happened in the kitchen to the back of her mind. She laughed with her friends, played games, argued with Max, and completely carried Miley to dominate everyone in Free Fire. But despite all the distractions, the image of the white-haired girl never truly left her.
Eventually, Miley was the first to leave.
"My mom just texted me," she announced while grabbing her bag.
Angel looked up from her gaming setup.
"Already?"
Miley nodded.
"My cousin is in town. Apparently he's leaving tonight, so Mom wants me at the airport."
"Your cousin?" Angel teased.
Miley rolled her eyes.
"Yes ."
"Say hi for me."
The two girls smiled at each other before Miley hugged her goodbye.
"See you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow."
A few hours later...
Hangar_New York
Several luxury vehicles pulled up near the private terminal.
Miley stepped out beside her mother, adjusting the sleeve of her jacket.The airport wasn't crowded.
Most of the people there belonged to wealthy families accustomed to private travel.
A sleek black jet sat waiting on the runway.
The Black family crest was painted near the entrance.
"There they are," Miley's mother said.
Miley followed her gaze.
A beautiful woman with dark blonde hair stood beside the aircraft speaking with an airport employee.
Beside her stood Samuel Black.
The moment he noticed them approaching, he straightened slightly.
"Miley."
"Samuel."
A smile started breaking across his face. "There you are."
Miley rolled her eyes. "You say that like I'm late."
"You were."
"I was not."
"You definitely were."
"I came as fast as I could!" Miley protested, making Samuel laugh softly.
Miley's mother arrived shortly after, and Samuel immediately stepped forward to greet her with a polite, warm smile. "Good evening, Auntie."
She smiled warmly back, patting his shoulder. "Look at you, Samuel. Safe travels, okay?"
Meanwhile, Miley turned to Jane, greeting her with a respectful smile and a warm hug. "Hello, Aunt Jane."
Jane hugged her back tightly, looking her over. "My goodness, Miley, you've grown so much."
"Everyone keeps saying that," Miley groaned dramatically.
"Because it's true, dear," Jane laughed.
"Wait, Aunt Jane," Miley said, stepping forward with a slight pout before Samuel and his mother could head toward the jet. "Why didn't you guys tell me Samuel was in town? I only found out at the last second!"
Jane chuckled, glancing at her sister-in-law. "We did, sweetie. I called your mother the day we landed."
Miley's mom gave an apologetic laugh, tapping her forehead. "Oh, that's right, they did. I completely forgot to mention it to you, Miley. My mind has been all over the place with work."
Miley groaned, turning her gaze directly to Samuel. She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes playfully. "Okay, but what about you? You have my number. Why didn't you tell me you were here? I wanted to introduce you to my best friend!"
Samuel's heart skipped a beat.
Angel Dove.
He knew it instantly. There was no doubt in his mind who Miley was talking about. This was it. This was the perfect opening—the exact right time to bring her up, ask his question, and finally get some answers. The words were right on the tip of his tongue.
Yet, he froze. Something held him back, a strange protective instinct he couldn't quite explain. He remained silent, letting the golden opportunity slip away.
Before Miley could question his hesitation, the aircraft door opened slightly and the pilot stepped into view, nodding politely toward Jane and Samuel. "Excuse me, ma'am, but we're fully cleared and ready to depart."
Samuel rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Sorry, Miley. Things have been a little hectic since I got here."
Miley narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before sighing dramatically.
"Fine. I'll let it slide this time."
A small smile tugged at Samuel's lips.
"Thanks."
The pilot cleared his throat politely, reminding them that it was time to leave.
"Guess that's my cue," Samuel said.
Miley waved as Samuel and his mother headed toward the jet. After a few final goodbyes, they boarded the aircraft and settled into their seats.
As the jet prepared for takeoff, Samuel stared out the window, barely noticing the activity around him.
His thoughts drifted back to Angel Dove.
And the dreams.
Those strange, vivid dreams that felt more like memories than imagination.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop thinking about them—or the unsettling feeling that somehow, they were connected.
****
Samuel leaned back in his leather seat as the private jet climbed higher into the evening sky, the lights of New York gradually disappearing beneath a blanket of clouds.
Normally, he didn't mind the constant travel. Because of his family's status, he had spent most of his life moving between countries, attending elite events, private galas, and high-profile business functions. It was just his reality.
But this time felt different. He didn't want to leave.
The original plan had been for him to remain in New York for another week while his mother handled her remaining business meetings. But an urgent school matter had unexpectedly come up back in London—something important enough that both he and his mother needed to return immediately.
Samuel rested his head against the cool window pane. If it had been anyone else in his position, they probably would have complained, made excuses, or begged to stay behind. But what excuse did he actually have? That he wanted to stay in New York because of a girl he had met for less than five minutes? A girl whose last name he only knew because he had spent hours secretly searching for her online?.
A small, self-deprecating smile tugged at his lips. His mother would never let him hear the end of it. There was no reasonable explanation he could offer—at least, not one he could ever say out loud.
The only real reason he wanted to stay felt entirely ridiculous: the dreams. For months, he had been having the exact same recurring dreams about a mysterious girl with green eyes. Dreams that had somehow, impossibly, led him straight to Angel Dove.
Samuel glanced down at his wrist, his fingers absentmindedly brushing against the silver bracelet he always wore. It had belonged to his grandmother, the woman who had practically raised him alongside his parents. After she passed away, it was given to him, and he hadn't taken it off since. Touching the smooth metal always had a way of grounding him and making him feel calmer.
He sighed quietly, looking away from his wrist. Even if he did tell his mother about the dreams, what good would it do? She would only worry, badger him with questions, or assume he was overworking himself. None of those outcomes sounded appealing, so he kept the truth to himself, just like he always did.
Outside, darkness slowly swallowed the sky. Samuel closed his eyes, a heavy thought weighing on his mind " would he ever see Angel Dove again?".
For some reason, the uncertainty of the answer bothered him far more than it should have.