Chapter 1 - The Broken Seatbelt

Severe, violent turbulence violently shook the massive commercial airplane. Overhead compartments rattled, and the terrified gasps of two hundred passengers filled the pressurized cabin.
In the first-class section, Damon completely snapped.
The late-thirties mafia boss was sharp, exhausted, and incredibly intimidating. He had just spent forty-eight hours ruthlessly dismantling a rival syndicate in Europe. He didn't have the patience to sit through a storm. Damon furiously unbuckled his seatbelt, completely ignoring the illuminated warning signs.
A flight attendant stepped forward, raising her hands nervously. "Sir, you need to remain seated!"
Damon didn't speak. He simply glared at her with a dark, lethal expression that had made seasoned cartel leaders drop to their knees. He aggressively pushed past her, storming down the narrow aisle toward the economy section to find his security chief.
But halfway down the plane, Damon abruptly froze.
The cinematic realism of his sudden, absolute paralysis was breathtaking. The furious, untouchable apex predator completely stopped in his tracks, gripping the edges of the seats to steady himself. His angry expression vanished into pure, unadulterated shock.
Sitting defensively in the cramped row right next to him was Cassandra.
The beautiful brunette woman looked exhausted, her face completely pale with sheer terror. She was desperately pulling two young children close to her chest.
Damon didn't look at the little girl holding the gray stuffed elephant. He stared directly at the three-year-old boy sitting closest to the aisle.
The little boy had sandy-brown hair. But when he looked up, Damon completely stopped breathing. The child had Damon's exact, unmistakable green eyes, and the exact same deep dimple on his left cheek.
Little Luke looked up curiously at the intimidating man blocking the aisle.
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"Mama," Luke asked innocently, his clear voice cutting through the cabin noise. "Do you know the angry man?"
👉 Damon’s entire universe violently shattered, but Cassandra’s whispered answer would completely destroy his heart.