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Chapter 221-Preparing for Takeoff
Chapter 271: Preparing for Takeoff
Alice closed the remaining distance between them and warmly embraced Dahlia.
“I hope your drive here was comfortable,” she said with a smile.
“It was,” Dahlia replied, returning the smile. “Thank you for making all the arrangements.”
Alice inclined her head gracefully before turning to Maya and Jaime, greeting each of them with a warm embrace.
“I imagine this is your first time visiting one of our private aviation facilities.”
Maya nodded honestly.
“It doesn’t look anything like I expected.”
Alice let out a soft laugh.
“Most people say the same thing.”
Jaime blinked.
“Wait… Aunt Alice, did you say one of your private aviation facilities?”
His genuine curiosity earned a soft chuckle from Alice.
“I did.”
She gestured around the enormous hangar.
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“Our family works in intelligence, cybersecurity, global logistics, and a few other industries where
discretion is essential. The nature of that work inevitably attracts unwanted attention, so we’ve always
valued privacy above publicity.”
Her smile remained calm and elegant.
“Because of that, we prefer to handle all of our travel through our own facilities whenever possible rather than relying on commercial airports.”
Jaime slowly looked around the hangar once more, unable to hide his amazement.
“This is incredible.”
Alice smiled before turning toward the three enormous reinforced crates standing near the center of the hangar.
“By the way, these are the customized transport containers I mentioned before for my antiques. The one in the middle has been modified.”
Maya followed her gaze before blinking in confusion.
“Aunt Alice… didn’t you say there were only two?”
Chapter 221-Preparing for Takeoff
Alice let out a light laugh.
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“I thought so too,” she admitted. “But I attended an auction yesterday and, well… I ended up bringing home a few more pieces than originally planned.”
She smiled helplessly before adding, “Fortunately, we had enough time to prepare one more container.”
Dahlia laughed softly.
“I had a feeling that was going to happen.”
Alice met her eyes and gave a playful wink.
“What can I say? Beautiful things have a way of finding me.”
As the two women shared a knowing smile, Jaime had already wandered over to the nearest crate. He slowly circled it, his eyes taking in the reinforced steel frame, heavy-duty locking mechanisms, and industrial-grade construction.
“They’re practically armored.”
He looked back at Alice.
“Are they?”
Alice smiled knowingly.
“They’re designed that way. Some of the pieces inside are simply irreplaceable, so I don’t like leaving anything to chance.”
Maya smiled apologetically.
“I’m sorry, Aunt Alice. Jaime tends to ask a lot of questions whenever something catches his interest.”
“Oh, don’t apologize,” Alice said with a warm laugh. “Curiosity is a wonderful thing. It keeps us humble enough to learn and brave enough to grow.”
She glanced at the crate before smiling.
“Although I’m probably not the right person to ask about the technical side of these containers. I only know enough to make sure my antiques arrive safely.”
She gave a small shrug.
“If you’re interested in how they’re actually designed and built, you’ll have to ask my children. Harper and Kenji are both nerds when it comes to anything involving codes, computers, and complicated systems. Their father and ! simply smile, nod, and let them get on with whatever it is they’re working on.”
Alice smiled mischievously before adding, “As for me, let’s just say my expertise lies in acquiring expensive things.”
She punctuated the remark with a playful wink, earning light laughter from everyone around her.
Chapter 221-Preparing for Takeoff
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Just then, a small group emerged from the glass-enclosed lounge and made their way toward them.
Jaime recognized them immediately.
“Dr. Anderson! Dr. Brown!”
His face lit up the moment he recognized them, and he hurried over with an excited grin.
Dr. Anderson smiled warmly.
“It’s good to see you again, Jaime,” he said, affectionately ruffling his hair before giving his shoulder a reassuring pat. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better,” Jaime replied enthusiastically. “I’m really excited.”
Dr. Brown smiled, clearly sharing his excitement.
“I don’t doubt it. You’ve been waiting for this day for years.” His expression softened. “Once you’ve recovered, you’ll finally be able to do all the things most people your age take for granted. I think you’ve earned that.”
Jaime’s eyes practically sparkled.
“Absolutely! I can’t wait!”
Dr. Brown then turned to Maya, his smile becoming gentler.
“And how have you been, Maya?”
Maya smiled back.
“I’ve been well, Dr. Brown. Thank you… for everything.”
He nodded warmly.
“Seeing both of you standing here like this is thanks enough. It’s been a long road, but you’ve both come
so far.”
Maya felt a familiar warmth spread through her chest. She smiled gratefully, knowing these simple words carried the weight of everything they had endured together over the years.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
Dr. Anderson seemed to sense the emotion quietly settling over the moment. Knowing there was no need to linger on it, he gently steered the conversation elsewhere with a polite nod
“Good morning, Ms. Thompson. It’s nice to see you again.”
Maya turned to him and returned the greeting with a warm, genuine smile.
“Good morning, Dr. Anderson. It’s nice to see you too.”
The two doctors then turned toward Dahlia
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Chapter 221-Prepanng for Takeoff
“Mrs. Blackwood,” Dr. Anderson said with a courteous smile. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Doctor,” Dahlia replied warmly.
Dr. Anderson then stepped aside and gestured toward the three people standing behind him.
“By the way, these are the other members of the medical team Mr. Ashcroft personally selected to oversee Jaime’s care during his stay overseas.”
He introduced each of them in turn.
*
“This is Nurse Emily Carter and Nurse Sophia Reed. Both have been with Ashcroft Medical Pavilion for over fifteen years and are among our most trusted senior nurses.”
He then gestured toward the young man standing beside them.
“And this is our youngest team member, Nurse Daniel Park. He came to us on the personal recommendation of the nursing board after graduating at the top of his class and has since become a valued member of our critical care team. From this point forward, the three of them will be part of your personal medical team.”
The three greeted everyone politely before introducing themselves.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Hana approached Alice and spoke quietly.
“Madam, subete no junbi ga totonoimashita.” (Madam, everything is ready.)
Alice gave a small nod before turning back to the group.
“Before we leave, would anyone like something to eat?”
Dahlia smiled apologetically.
“Eleanor packed enough food to feed an army. If we don’t eat it, she’ll never let us hear the end of it.”
ched softly.
Sounds like Eleanor.”
d Maya and Jaime.
two of you?”
miled and politely declined.
Alice said. “I suppose we’re ready.”
icipation settled over the room as everyone understood that the preparations were over
phase of their journey was about to begin.
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.