"What? Your date?" She stared into his eyes and saw how serious he was. She couldn't tell if this condition was going to be okay. "Only your date, right? I mean… just a companion for that event? Nothing more?"

Putting his hands in his pocket, Gael chuckled upon seeing the expression on her face, she looked like she was not totally against it and was still obviously hesitant. Tilting his head, he had a smug look on his face, "Were you expecting more?" He bent forward until his face was less than a foot away from hers. "I mean… I don't mind if you want us to try dating."

Her brows immediately furrowed as she took a step back by instinct, "Don't be ridiculous."

He shrugged as he stood straight and gazed back at her seriously. "It will be for one night only and just as my companion."

Thinking that there was probably no harm in it, Samantha straightened up and nodded. "Okay, I will be your date on that charity gala."

'It will be harmless, right? Just one night to accompany him in the gala in exchange for his help.' She convinced herself while her heart raced.

"Oh and one more thing, you need to pack your bags as it's quite far." Gael started walking, leaving Samantha behind confused and surprised. She followed him right away and questions ran in her mind as she tried to catch up from his long strides.

Reaching the road, the two of them crossed to the other side but Samantha halted before she arrived at the sidewalk. "Wait... What do you mean quite far? How far is this place? I can't leave for a long time… I can't leave As.h.!.+" She objected.

"That's not a problem, Ms. Kim. You can bring him with you. You can even bring your friend and your bodyguard." He answered before turning back to look at her.

Just as Gael faced her, his attention was caught by the speeding car that was approaching just a few meters from them. He immediately grabbed her hand and pulled her towards his embrace tightly, spinning them around so that his body was on the opposite side before the speeding car was about to hit them. Tires screeched and the car only stopped for a bit, a meter away from where they were.

"Son of " He gritted his teeth as he glared at the car who was already driving away.

Gael's men including Philip came jolting towards them but stopped when they saw that they were okay.

He looked down at Samantha who was pressed against him and his heart pounded wildly but he immediately snapped out of it and held her shoulders. "Are you okay?" He asked, concerned if she was hurt somewhere.

Shocked by what just happened, Samantha only nodded and did not say anything, making Gael wonder if she was truly fine. He scanned her body once more and he finally sighed. "Jeez, why were you behind me, anyway? Can't you walk beside me? What if I didn't notice that car?" He said before releasing her.

He was truly fl.u.s.tered and his heart just wouldn't calm down. Giving her a fierce look, he was both concerned about her and annoyed at himself for caring.

She knitted her brows and wanted to talk back but there were no words coming out. The two of them walked back to Samantha's apartment quietly and when they arrived, Gael handed his phone to her. "Give me your number."

"I don't have a phone," she replied. Gael raised his brows, seemingly confused. Who in this day and age doesn't have a friggin' phone?

"Why not?"

"Because… well, I just don't okay?" She crossed her arms, feeling defensive but did not want to explain further.

Gael rubbed his forehead, 'This woman,' He sneered in his thoughts.

"What about your friend?" He tilted his head towards Hannah. "I need to be able to contact you. How else will you know what time we'll be leaving?"

Thinking about it for a minute, Samantha decided that it was indeed necessary. But his father took her phone and she could only act as a filial daughter.

After deciding, she received Gael's phone and saved Hannah's phone number. "There."

"Good. I'll see you in a few days," He winked before he turned around and left her apartment.

Samantha closed the door and leaned on it as she recalled what happened during their walk. Did she do the right thing? 'It's not a big deal right? I'm just going to accompany him on this event and nothing else,' She told herself.

The next day, Samantha packed all the things that she needed but made sure that Ashton's things were all ready.

She received a text message from Gael, telling her to just pack all her necessities and that he will pick them up in two days.

Time went by so fast and it was already the day when they will leave. Samantha became nervous as time tic-tocked. Somehow, she had already placed her trust in him but not knowing what's going to really happen, it was giving her b.u.t.terflies in her stomach.

The three of them sat and waited in the living room until Gael arrived. Hannah's phone rang and when she saw that it was Gael, she handed her phone to Samantha.

"h.e.l.lo?"

"I'm outside, let's go," he said briefly before he ended the call.

…

Inside Gael's limo.

"Where are we going?" Samantha asked while they were in the car.

"You'll know soon when we land." He tapped his phone and placed it on his ear — soon after, he was already talking to someone over the phone.

They were surprised to hear him. Land? Just where were they going? But Samantha could no longer ask as Gael had been busy on the phone the entire car ride.

Soon enough, they arrived at the tarmac in Country A.

Getting out of the limousine, Samantha, Philip and Hannah stared at his private plane. All three of them didn't know where they were flying to. Samantha had to convince Philip to keep this a secret from her father first until at a later time. She was so sure that her father was going to stop her but that time, she wanted to follow her guts even if it was giving her a weird feeling.

Noticing that they just stood rooted on the ground, Gael turned his head and called for them. "We need to go."

Immediately, they followed him inside the plane and found their places to sit comfortably. Samantha had asked him where they were headed to a few times but Gael would not budge so all they could do was wait. They've been flying for many hours and Samantha started to become nervous and restless.

Why was their plane ride taking so long?

After about sixteen hours of flying, the plane finally landed. Slowly, the descended down the plane and all three of them gaped at what they saw in front of them.

They were speechless.

Samantha's heart throbbed when she scanned the familiar airport in front of her. How did she not suspect that they were heading towards Country K? And why there of all places?!

Finally finding her own voice, she spat, "What the h.e.l.l are we doing in my country?"

The corner of Gael's mouth curled upwards. "Welcome home."