Chapter 107: Selen in England

***the night before going to England**

The night before the flight, Selen sat on the edge of a mattress stripped of its sheets, staring down at the old journals and files spread around her.

A soft knock on the door broke the silence, and before she could leave the room to find out who it was, she looked up to see JK already standing in the doorway, his posture carrying the heavy exhaustion of a man who knew he was being left behind.

He was not just going to say goodbye over the phone, he had come to say goodbye in person. He had been as present as he could during the past few days, helping them pack their stuff and even using his connections to get them on a cargo plane so that everything would arrive before they reached England.

JK already had his flight booked for when he would come to see them- the day before his mother’s birthday. He would see them and then spend the following day with his mom. He was a wealthy man, but he did not have the luxury of just going in and out, leaving his company unattended to.

"So, this is it," JK said, his voice rough as he walked into the room. "It is," Selen replied softly, standing up to meet him. "The kids and I leave tomorrow morning. I wanted to thank you, JK. For everything." She said,

JK stepped closer, his hand reaching out for a brief moment before resting on her shoulder, a rare, vulnerable defeat in his touch. "Take care of them, Selen," he murmured softly. ℴ

"And take care of yourself. The sky over there gets heavy." he added.

JK was not the most emotionally expressive man, but he was when he came to Selen, which was why she managed to be and remain his only friend.

He spent the next hour helping as much as he could for all finishing details.

***The following day**

The next morning, the sun had barely come out when Newton arrived at the front door, exactly as Clancy had imagined. He wore a jacket, his face carrying a reliable and comforting calmness. He immediately began lifting the heaviest bags, loading them into the vehicle with steady precision.

"Make sure you keep the kids’ winter coats at the top of the trunk," Newton said, offering a warm, reassuring smile as he wiped his brow. "London is freezing this time of year," he said.

Just as Newton finished securing the final straps, a sleek black sedan pulled into the driveway. Patrick stepped out, looking entirely out of place among the moving dust but perfectly in control.

He walked up to Selen with a polite, deferential nod, completely ignoring Newton’s curious glance. "Good morning, Ms. Selen," Patrick said smoothly. "I have just received confirmation from our London coordinates.

Every single one of your personal parcels and household shipments has already arrived safely at your new estate by Mr Kamaal’s people. They have been unloaded and organized according to your exact specifications. You will not have to lift a finger when you land."

Selen felt a wave of relief, though a small part of her wondered how Patrick had managed the customs logistics so rapidly without asking a single extra detail from her.

"Thank you, Patrick. That takes a massive weight off my shoulders." she said gratefully.

Newton walked over, dusting off his hands. He looked at Selen, his eyes filled with a quiet, lingering sadness.

He did not push for a grand farewell. He simply wrapped his arms around her, holding her in a safe, predictable embrace that smelled of familiar cologne. "This is not goodbye," Newton whispered against her hair.

"Just six months, and I will visit as often as I can. Call me the second you land in England." He said and kissed her cheek. He gave the kids a tight squeeze, and stepped back. He would not be coming to the airport, knowing that she already had enough escorts and he could not stand to see them leave.

As Newton’s car drove away down the driveway, Patrick opened the passenger doors of the black sedan for Selen and the children.

But JK was already sitting in the front passenger seat of his own car, staring out the window. He had returned to ensure her departure to the terminal went without a hitch.

So Patrick had to tail behind as an escort vehicle instead.

When they finally pulled up to the terminal, Patrick got down first and led everyone. He did not guide them toward the commercial check-in desks. Instead, he led the baggage handlers straight toward a restricted security gate leading to the private tarmac.

Selen stopped walking, her brows furrowing as she pulled her children close. "Patrick, what is this? Our commercial boarding passes are for Terminal 4. Why are we heading toward the private airfield?" she asked in confusion.

Patrick turned around, his expression entirely professional, though a faint, knowing glint flashed in his eyes. Even JK was now on guard.

"There has been a slight alteration to your travel arrangements, Ms. Selen. Mr. Avelino took the liberty of cancelling your commercial tickets. He felt a public flight would be far too stressful for the children. You and the kids will be flying to England on his private jet."

Selen’s jaw tightened. A sudden heat flared in her chest. "He did what? No, Patrick. Absolutely not. Clancy cannot just manipulate my life and change my flight details behind my back! We had an agreement. I drew a line." she said.

"Mr. Clancy is only ensuring your absolute safety and comfort," Patrick countered calmly, gesturing toward the sleek, majestic aircraft gleaming on the tarmac. "The flight crew is briefed, the catering is customized for the kids, and your flight plan has already been cleared through London Heathrow. If you refuse, you will miss your window entirely, as the commercial flights are fully booked for the weekend." he said.

Selen looked from Patrick to the massive, imposing jet bearing Clancy’s corporate crest, and then down at her tired, yawning children. She was furious at his arrogance, at his total disregard for the boundaries she had so fiercely defended.