Chapter 80

The sight of a looming thundercloud typically instilled fear.

This feeling was heightened as a passenger's cry of despair echoed through the cabin, followed by a lightning strike hitting the plane's right side.

Although the damage was minor, the aircraft swayed briefly.

The cabin erupted into chaos!

Despite the best efforts of the purser and the flight attendants to restore order, passengers were overwhelmed with panic, pushing their way toward the cockpit.

Some pleaded to turn back, others demanded an immediate landing.

A handful, clueless about flying, confronted the captain directly, seeking someone to blame.

One particularly desperate passenger even requested a parachute from the purser, intent on escaping the perceived doomed flight.

Infuriated, the purser said, "Do you even know how to operate a parachute? Can you open it? The aircraft is under control. Please, take your seat."

The passenger was left speechless, realizing he had no knowledge of parachutes beyond movie scenes,where jumping from a troubled plane seemed customary.

Amid the chaos, Evelina remained calm, pressing her face against the window to study the thunderclouds.

Navigating through this intense cloud layer was challenging, yet not completely unfeasible.

While the chaos ensued, Jasper had already begun using his professional equipment to measure the cloud density and check the plane's status.

"Jasper!" Evelina abruptly pointed out an important finding. "Look, there's an opening in the clouds.lt might be possible for us to go through."

"Where?" Jasper quickly identified the same opening.

He was taken aback. His training in the military and access to advanced gear typically gave him an edge in such situations.

Yet,Evelina had noticed it first with just her eyesight,despite the challenging conditions.

How was that possible?

"Yes, exactly there," Evelina answered, peering at the instrument readings.

After reviewing the data, she said, "Sadly, the opening is quite narrow. It would require remarkable piloting skills to maneuver through."

Jasper agreed with a nod. "True. I've handled similar challenges before. It might not be too tough. I can help guide the pilot." Evelina was surprised to learn that Jasper was not only an expert marksman but also possessed piloting skills.

She said, "I've only ever been a co-pilot under my mentor."

While her flying abilities were competent, she had never handled the controls alone under such grave conditions.

Jasper, visibly impressed, complimented her."You know how to fly too, Evelina? That's remarkable."

He playfully tousled her hair and then stood, his expression earnest. "Do you trust me?"

"Absolutely!" Evelina rose swiftly, her expression one of resolve. "You'll manage to bring us down safely."

They would all make it out of this safely, including themselves.

With a confident nod and a smile, Jasper asked,"After we land, might I ask you over to my place?" "I must. Florrie expects me," Evelina replied,attempting to muster a cheerful smile.

"It's settled then." Jasper aimed to keep the goodbye light, not wanting it to sound too grave.

But the thought lingered-what if? What if something catastrophic happened during the flight? He didn't want to have any regrets. Evelina needed to know his feelings.

She was perceptive; surely, she would understand.

"It's settled," Evelina replied, gripping Jasper's hand tightly in a gesture of solidarity, offering him both strength and support.

However, to Cary, who had just observed this exchange, it appeared as though Evelina was overtly flirting with Jasper.

"What's going on here?"

He had finally extricated himself from lan amidst the turmoiI, only to find Evelina apparently in a meeting with Jasper! Esme and Margot had earlier suggested there was something going on between them, but Cary had dismissed those claims.

He had convinced himself that a man as distinguished as Jasper would never seriously consider Evelina, a woman who was already married.Cary thought Jasper's interest would be fleeting at best.

Yet here was Evelina, seemingly having won Jasper's heart by leveraging her medical expertise.

Enraged, Cary shouted, "Evelina, where is your decency? We're not even divorced, and you're already seeking a new partner?"

"Control your words!" Jasper retorted angrily. "Or l might just throw you out of this plane myself!"

At that moment, a flash of lightning momentarily lit up the sky, causing Cary's legs to shake.

Simultaneously, the purser's announcement crackled through the speakers. "We need medical assistance.

Our co-pilot has injured his arm and requires immediate care."

Typically, even skilled professionals hesitate to step forward in such tense moments, fearing the repercussions of their involvement.

Nonetheless, Evelina boldly said, "I'm a doctor.Let me help."

Cary tried to hold her back. "Are you insane? What if they blame you-ah!"

His protest was abruptly silenced as Jasper forcefully dislocated his arm.

Cary's agonized screams echoed through the cabin.

Jasper gave him a severe warning, "Evelina belongs to me. Stay away fromn her, or the consequences will be severe next time!"