Madina stared long while after Bilal entered the private jet, a scowl etched on her features because when she's browsed those pictures, they were not clear and she didn't want to dig deeper since she'd planned on seeing him the next day. She wished she did.
But what would happen then?
One thing is for certain, she is not going to quit this job because of a man. Her dreams won't be shattered because a man is involved, she's long canceled that from her life. But at least, she wouldn't have been taken by surprise at his now gentlemanly behavior.
When did he become such a man? And how on earth is the last person she's thought to be a billionaire, be one? Are they now plucking money from a special tree somewhere? She cannot begin to imagine how he's made so much wealth in less than five years.
There is something wrong here and since she is always attached by hip with chaos and danger, Madina is going to find out every single thing about him. It doesn't matter if she's going to have to hire someone to do it for her. Or squeeze time with her MacBook while they are away in Singapore.
Her eyes flicked to the guy standing next to her. Her co-pilot, Mahfuz. Maybe he can help her get through with the little things he knew about Bilal? The guy looks too hyper and respects Bilal so much to utter even one blasphemous word related to his boss.
Then there is Captain Louis, the man is also in the same equal category as Mahfuz. They are in awe with the man. He cannot be a bad person in their eyes but she knows that this is all a charade and facade. This is not who he really is.
She watched closely as the three air hostesses -they are too much for a private jet anyway- giggle behind their hands after a small talk with Bilal. No wonder everyone thinks he is a good guy when that is far from the truth. Far from the person she's met.
This reality of his is all fake! She will prove it to everyone that he is not who he seems to be.
"Shall we?" Mahfuz murmured from beside her, his tone engraved with buzz and adventure. He is a decent guy.
Madina let the scowl melt from her face, took a deep breath and release through her mouth. "To Singapore." She made a cheers motion with her empty hand and followed him to the jet.
This Bombardier Challenger 3500 had lifted Madina's mood the minute she parked her G-wagon at the tarmac. This particular jet is the only one she's never really worked with in the past and one of her favorites. There is no pilot on earth that doesn't want to fly BC 3500 or any BC for that matter.
It features the most technologically advanced cabin in its class and introduces productivity enhancing features such as the industry's first voice-controlled cabin and the revolutionary Nuage seat.
The Challenger 3500 aircraft provides the ultimate combination of sustainability, performance and reliability you can count on 365 days a year. It offers innovative, eco-friendly solutions and features to lower its environmental impact. Meant for billionaires, of course.
The latest addition to the iconic Challenger platform-the aircraft of choice among top corporate flight departments and charter operators worldwide-the Challenger 3500 aircraft provides the ultimate combination of range, speed and field performance.
Only the most powerful amongst the rich could get something like this is their possession. It only dish out more curiosity and questions from Madina. Fortunately, she never gives up when it comes to feeding both sides of her. And not when Bilal is in the middle of it.
As soon as Mahfuz opened the cockpit door, Madina's shoulders relaxed and her expression yaw serene and phlegmatic. It features the best-equipped cockpit in it's class with more baseline equipment than the competition, superior aesthetics and is equipped to meet current and upcoming navigational requirements.
"Visual inspections of the aircraft first, Mahfuz." Madina ordered from her own seat at the right. She's going to watch him for the first few hours before taking over.
Mahfuz gave her a lazy smile with thumb's up. He began checking by testing the emergency and safety systems, configuring the GPS and instrumentation, checking the weather, routing, and weight & balance.
The flight engineer sitting in between Madina and Mahfuz gave her a shy smile which she returned with a wide happy one. She's excited to be there with them even though she's not so exhilarated anymore after meeting their boss. That won't dampen her mood.
Aeronautical engineers work with the theory, technology, and practice of flight within the Earth's atmosphere. Fox here looks intelligent enough to alert them beforehand. She adores brilliant and calculating flight engineers, that is their trait.
"You should do the announcement let's hear your own part." Mahfuz nudged the headset into her hands making her face split into toe-curling grin.
Madina held the onyx Bose A30 Aviation Headset in her hand then quickly adjust it over her head with the mouthpiece resting close to her lips. She took her aviators from her pocket, cloaked her eyes against the setting sun in front of her then waited for thumbs up from Mahfuz.
"Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Welcome on board. This is Co-pilot Madina Sambo speaking and I have some information about our flight. Our flight time today will be twelve hours, fifty five minutes and our estimated time of arrival in Singapore Changi Airport is 06:59PM local time. The weather in our route is good and the forecast says it will be cold in Singapore when we arrive. We remind you that if you need any special attention, all our crew will be at ready to assist you."
Both Fox and Mahfuz grinned at her in well done before Mahfuz said. "Let's kick the tires and light the fires."
And they took off, high into the sky where Madina believed she belongs in. Her eyes were wide open, titillation and galvanized enthusiasm soared in her blood making her forget all her problems and past behind. Her boss's face included. All she could focus on is the present.
--
Madina groggily woke up from the noise flooding from the other room. A slow snakelike hiss ricocheted from her lips at the thought of her roommate for the next six days being an early riser. She cannot cope with such inconvenience for the life of her.
She made her way to the en-suite and took a quick shower, in a hurry to leave the room. Making her way back inside her room, she tentatively removed her outfit for the day because she is supposed to catch up with Mahfuz and Fox for lunch later. It's probably still early in the morning much to her dismay.
Taking out a carmine Sunspel camel sweater from her Dolce & Gabbana suitcase, she shrugged it on and went for a marmalade Escada fox leather leggings and literally yanked her legs inside. Her hand fell on her Hublot wrist watch, a smile stretched across her face.
She's been looking for that watch, the first gift Mariam has ever personally given her.
Last but not the least, she chunked her sock-clad feet into a chartreuse Adidas sneakers. She's wearing such combination that would make every head turn, that has always been the goal. Weird orange, yellow, red and green always makes people want to look some more.
Since she's fast when it comes to putting on wigs, she did it last. She took an auburn color water wave human hair wig from her collection. Maybe in her past life, she was born in another dimension with red hair and jade green eyes. She's obsessed with characters with such features.
Moseying around the room, she fixed everything back inside her suitcase and started dragging it out of the room and to the living room where the three air hostesses from the jet were lazing around with pancakes and waffles. Madina gritted her teeth.
When she was told she was going to share a room with one of the air hostesses, she thought that one would be following them to their own room right next door since she is the only one here with her. If she finds out how boring she is, she'd want to be with her friends instead.
But nooo! They all are here with their cheap wigs clasped to their heads and sweats that has seen better days. Doesn't he pay them all well?
When they noticed her standing by the doorway, one of them waved, the other gave a tentative smile while her roommate nodded at the pancakes in front of them as if asking her to join. Join them? Sit down there on the floor and have waffles with syrup along with them?
Giving a curt shake of her head, Madina made her way out of the room with her suitcase behind her. She despise them all for giggling and loving that beast clad in suit because he's faked a few charming smiles at them.
She heard them gossiping about her right before the door closes.
"She's so arrogant. And look at her fashion sense, ew. I wonder how she became a pilot." One of them, probably the one that waved at her with too much enthusiasm.
"Maybe she thinks she's better than us because she's a pilot. At least, we've been working for Mr. Hashem for two years."
"I think she's just cranky from jet lag." Aww, that was her roommate.
She brushed all they say off because it doesn't matter. What they think of her is the last thing to disturb her time here away from chaos.
Keeping her suitcase outside the corridor, she went down to the receptionist and took the keys from her. She's already booked a room before she showered so she made her way to the elevator that took her to the floor immediately before the penthouse.
Opening the door to a State Room Suite King, she gave a large breath. Finally, privacy!
The suite consists of large flat screen tv, air conditioning, sound proof walls and doors, refrigerator, dining area, free Wi-Fi, living room with complete set of sofas. All the electronics are Apple.
She threw the suitcase on the floor and land on the king bed face first while thanking God she wasn't wearing any makeup. She rolled around on the bed for several hours before hunger started chirping from her lower belly to her back. Not happening. That is a sign that her ulcer might just make an appearance.
Rising from the bed, Madina made her way out to the elevator where she waited for a few seconds before it stopped and opened for her. What she didn't expect was to see Bilal inside looking all professional and freaking handsome stroke suave in navy blue suit and pants.
What she wanted to do was ignore him but from the devilish smile that got smeared across his face at the sight of her, she knew that was infeasible. He's seen right through her with those eyes filled with unsettling intensity. Like he is removing the layers from each tier of her secrets.
He made his way towards her in the small rectangular box, expression not giving anything away so she made hers the same. Two can play.
She realized that he wasn't just tall, he was huge and he walked with purpose and assurance. Though he wore a custom navy blue three-piece-suit, it looked like a polished veneer, a service he did for the rest of mankind. That's how he feels anyway. Right from when he was a boy.
His face wasn't handsome, but rugged, like the wild beauty of the craggy Highlands. Cacao eyes shade of brown leaf sat above a sharp nose. Her eyes fell to his sideburns and beard, it makes him look more dangerous and powerful. Those hairs circling his wide expressive lips.
Burn... change direction... abort!
The fact that such a despicable human being could be so handsome was proof that the universe was vastly unfair, or at least very badly organized.
With that shit-eating grin still on his face, he politely greeted in a gruff tone that sent a jolt down her core. "Good afternoon, Miss Sambo."
Madina swallowed something thick in her throat before narrowing her eyes. "Afternoon, Mr. Hashem."
"Are you enjoying your stay here? Heard you've changed your room?" He transferred the briefcase from his right to left hand then use his right hand to graze the sides of his sideburn making her fingers tingle.
She hid away her shock. How did he find out about the room exchange? She hadn't told anyone about it. Not even her roommate! This guy is something else. Someone that should make her more vigilant but is it wrong that she's excited to find out more about him?
"Yes, I am. Yes, I did." Madina had to curl her fingers, making tiny moon crescents in her soft palms.
"Why did you change your room?" He asked in a tone that sounded concerned but she knew better. It was just the polite way he's practicing. He isn't this gentleman.
"Because I don't like having roommates."
"Really? You could've fooled me." He murmured the last sentence even though he knew she's heard him and it made her furious. "Why didn't you tell me? I would've asked for another room for you or request that Daneen join the others so you can have the room for yourself."
When she didn't say anything, he added in a commanding voice. "You should do that next time."
"Why?"
That grin was back on his face again. He should be lucky his teeth are straight and white. "You see, Miss Sambo, I am the one responsible for your well-being while you're working for me. And here in Singapore, I'm the one responsible for everything you do. Understand?"
"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and whip out her phone from her pocket to message Mahfuz that she's going down to the restaurant.
She didn't noticed when Bilal closed the gap between them and stood just a foot away from her. Her breath came out in rushed and rugged sounds, heartbeat pounding in her ears while blood rushed to her head at an uneven speed. Madina swallowed and raised her eyes to meet his.
They were devoid of any emotion. Even the shit-eating grin of his was nowhere in sight. When he grounded out the word again, it was hefty with command, tyrannized with warning signs that she shouldn't fuck up her answer. "Understand?"
"Y-yes." She gritted out through gnashed teeth not knowing why she felt compelled to give him an answer and why the fuck did she stammer.
Bilal's grin came back with full force as he stepped back away from her just when the elevator door opened.
"I'll see you around, Miss Sambo. Try not to get in trouble while you're at it." And with that, he brushed past her and out of the hotel leaving her with her jaw slackened.
Madina cursed his entire ancestors before taking a different direction to the restaurant. If he thinks he can now talk to her anyhow just because he is her boss, then he's got another thing coming. She won't let this just slip away or continue to happen. He will see the difference from the girl she used to be and the woman she is now.
He won't notice what is going to hit him till it's too late. That is for sure!
So what are you think so far? Is it getting somewhere? Interesting? Share your thoughts with me after every chapter abeg🥲 it's been long since I've gone through writing and publishing immediately....