A stranger beside me on a flight asked, “Could you pretend you fell asleep on my shoulder?” I almost said no. I had just left Chicago with my five-year-old daughter, two suitcases, and a marriage that had fallen apart three days earlier. But I agreed. Two hours later, I woke up still leaning against him—and discovered the quiet man beside me was one of the country’s best-known billionaires. Then my phone reconnected, and a message from my ex-husband appeared: I KNOW YOU TOOK FIONA TO NEW YORK.

alone.”

“I won’t.”

I heard Natalie’s husband talking in the background.

Then Natalie said, “Come here if you can. If you can’t, call me the second you know where you’re going.”

“I will.”

When the plane reached the gate, most passengers stood immediately.

Luca remained seated.

So did I.

Fiona woke and rubbed her eyes.

“Are we in New York?”

“Yes, baby.”

“Is Cousin Natalie here?”

“Soon.”

The flight attendant quietly asked us to wait.

A few minutes later, a broad-shouldered man in a dark suit entered the aircraft and walked toward us.

“Mr. Sterling.”

“Marcus.”

His eyes moved to me.

“This is Blaire.”

Marcus nodded politely.

“Ms. Vance.”

“What exactly is happening out there?” I asked.

“Your husband has been trying to determine whether you’re on this flight. Airport personnel have not given him passenger information. His investigators appear to be waiting in the public arrivals area.”

“Can he