Sanford: The Billionaire's Regret

Amethyst Martinez “Oh my freaking goodness—I almost missed this,” I muttered, biting back a curse that was just on the tip of my tongue. My heart raced as I hurried through the terminal, scanning the faces of the flight attendants walking around, looking for someone familiar. When I realized today’s pilots were part of a different crew, I couldn’t help but overthink. It has been a habit ever since I got accepted into Sanford Airlines. I don’t know what I was thinking, but this was the offer that creepy agency gave to me. I had no other choice since numerous airlines rejected me, I didn’t have any hopes for this one but I got accepted. Strangely. My mind was also elsewhere—far away from the busy airport and up in the clouds, I couldn’t stop worrying about my little girl. I had barely managed to pull myself away from her tear-streaked face. She had clung to me like she never wanted to let go, and I had hated every second of it. I don’t want to leave her, but I have to support our living. Leaving her with Mom worries me more, but I had no choice, Aly and I had conflicts with our flights today. “Good afternoon, Amy! You almost missed us!” Jessica’s cheerful voice broke through the haze of my thoughts. She waved excitedly from the side, her cheeks flushed as if she had been laughing moments before. I forced a smile, “Almost, yeah,” I replied, still feeling the weight of leaving my daughter behind this morning. As Jessica leaned in to talk to some other flight attendants, I noticed the almost giddy energy bubbling up among them. Giggles and squeals punctuated their conversation, and it was obvious they were all caught up in some kind of excitement. I half-listened though I pretended to be uninterested as I checked my clipboard and shuffled through pre-flight paperwork. Still, their whispers continued as we made our way through the airport toward immigration. Whoever or whatever they were talking about clearly had them preoccupied, and I found myself wondering who could that be. Someone famous? Are we flying with a celebrity? A new captain? My patience was wearing thin, and the steady hum of their conversation was getting louder in my head, distracting me from everything else. By the time we boarded the plane, their excited chatter still hadn’t let up, and my nerves were fraying. They were going on and on about this mysterious person, not even trying to lower their voices. I decided to put my things on the crew rest station. I have fixed my things there and did a little retouch. When I was done, I went out to join them and again, they burst into a fit of giggles. Are they still not done with it? “Okay, that’s it.” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but it cut through their conversation like a knife. All eyes turned to me, their expressions frozen as if I had just snapped them out of a trance. “What the hell is going on? You’ve all been at it for the past half hour—who is this person you can’t stop talking about?” “Oh my goodness, Amy! You just missed him! The yummy pilot!” Jessica squealed, practically drooling over her words. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she covered her mouth just in time, noticing that the co-pilot and first officer had just walked past us. “Cut it out, Jess,” I said, nudging her lightly but firmly. “The co-pilot and first officer just walked by, and the passengers are going to start boarding soon. We need to get to work.” I tried to sound stern as I pushed her towards the front, hoping she'd focus. But Jessica was relentless, her giddiness overflowing. “I swear, Amy! He's so unbelievably handsome!” Her voice still buzzed with excitement, making me want to shake her back to her senses. Soon, the boarding process began, and I quickly slipped into professional mode. As passengers trickled in, we greeted each one with bright, welcoming smiles, guiding them to their seats and assisting wherever needed. It was our routine, something we had done a thousand times before. But even as we worked, Jessica couldn’t seem to stop herself. “I'm telling you, Amy! Just wait until you see him!” I half-listened, hoping her obsession with this mystery pilot would fade once we got busy. Once the plane was in motion, our tasks multiplied. Jessica and I moved quickly down the aisles, ensuring every overhead compartment was securely latched, and checking on the passengers. My mind was focused, but part of me couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was slightly off. Then, the captain’s voice came over the intercom, smooth and authoritative. “Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Welcome aboard. This is Captain Sanford speaking…” I froze, mid-step, my eyes instinctively drifting upwards as if I could see him through the speakers. That voice. That unmistakable voice. It couldn’t be, could it? My heart raced as recognition hit me like a wave crashing onto the shore. How could I ever forget that voice? That low, raspy tone that used to whisper my name...especially in the moments when he was behind me, breath hot on my neck. Everything inside me froze, my body suddenly betraying me. I turned to Jessica, who was oblivious to my inner turmoil as she worked. I tapped her shoulder, my hand trembling, and when she spun around, her expression was still one of bright excitement. “Who—who’s our captain for today’s flight?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Jessica beamed, not realizing the storm brewing inside me. “Oh! It’s the yummy pilot we kept squealing about a while ago! Captain Tyron Yilmaz Sanford!” The world seemed to shift under my feet as the sound of his name echoed in my ears. I could feel the color drain from my face, and my throat tightened, making it hard to breathe. My hands trembled uncontrollably as I clutched at the nearest seat for support. “Amy? Amy, are you okay?” Jessica’s voice cut through the haze as she noticed my pallor. Her face creased with worry as she lightly shook my shoulders, trying to get me to focus. “I—I need to get off this plane,” I muttered, my voice quivering. “I can’t stay here.” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “What? Amy, you can’t just leave! What’s going on with you?” She continued to shake me, her concern deepening. “Amy, snap out of it!” But I couldn’t. I couldn’t process anything except the overwhelming thought pulsing through my mind, the question that screamed louder than the roar of the engines. Why him? Of all people, why does it have to be him? Of all the flights, in all the skies, why did I have to be trapped on this one? The same flight as Tyron Yilmaz Sanford, the man I swore to avoid. The father of my daughter.