The next day...

Dominic and Mila boarded the jet.

The moment Mila stepped inside, she froze in astonishment.

The interior looked less like an aircraft and more like a luxurious flying mansion. Cream-colored leather seats lined the cabin, paired with polished walnut wood finishes and golden ambient lighting that gave the entire space a warm glow.

A long plush sofa stretched near the window, covered with silk cushions. Farther inside, there was even a private suite with a king-sized bed, a bathroom, and a dining area.

Crystal glasses rested neatly inside a minibar.

Mila slowly turned around, her eyes wide with disbelief. "This..." she whispered. "This is your jet?"

Dominic watched her, his lips curving faintly at her reaction. "Yes."

Mila walked farther inside, touching the soft leather seat with excitement sparkling in her eyes. "Oh my God..." She laughed softly like an excited child. "I’ve never been inside a private jet before."

It was not just any private jet. This was pure luxury beyond imagination.

She moved toward the large oval window and looked outside excitedly before turning back to him again.

"It’s so beautiful," she chirped, unable to hide her joy. "Everything feels unreal."

The happiness on her face made Dominic stare at her silently for a moment.

Her eyes were glowing brightly. The excitement in her smile was genuine and unguarded. For the first time in a long while, she looked carefree.

And Dominic realized something terrifyingly simple. Her happiness affected him far more than anything else in this world.

A softness appeared in his dark eyes as he walked toward her.

"If you like it," he said quietly, "I’ll buy you an even better one."

Mila immediately shook her head and laughed. "No. This is already too much."

She looked around once more, unable to stop smiling.

Dominic stood beside her silently, watching her excitement with a deep warmth spreading through his chest.

At that moment, he made a silent vow to himself. No matter what happened in the future, he would protect this smile. He would protect her.

No one would ever hurt her again. As long as he was alive, Mila would always be safe, cherished, and happy beside him.

They sat down as the jet started moving slowly.

Mila instinctively grabbed Dominic’s hand the moment the aircraft lifted off the ground. A soft laugh escaped her lips as she looked out of the window with sparkling eyes.

Dominic sat beside her quietly, allowing her fingers to remain intertwined with his.

From above, the city looked breathtaking. Buildings shrank into tiny shapes, roads became thin silver lines, and clouds floated around them like soft white waves.

Mila dropped her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for bringing me here," she murmured.

"Anything for you," he whispered, kissing her head.

A flight attendant soon approached and politely served wine along with expensive snacks and desserts.

Mila thanked her before immediately turning back toward Dominic with excitement still dancing in her eyes.

"You know," she began while taking a sip of wine, "this medical conference is extremely important. Doctors from all over the world will attend."

Dominic nodded quietly, listening.

Mila became more animated as she spoke about her research.

Her eyes shone with passion while explaining her work, the possibilities of the medicine, and how it could help patients suffering from this disease.

"There is still a long way to go," she admitted thoughtfully while absentmindedly picking up a snack, "but if everything succeeds, it could save countless lives."

Dominic remained silent. Truthfully, he barely understood half the medical terms she used.

Medicine was a world completely foreign to him. But one thing was crystal clear to him. Mila was extraordinary.

As he watched her speak with such intelligence, confidence, and passion, an overwhelming sense of pride stirred deeply inside his chest.

She wasn’t merely talented. She was brilliant enough to change lives.

Dominic stared at her quietly while she continued talking excitedly about formulas, clinical trials, and future possibilities.

And for the first time in his life, he suddenly felt small, insignificant. His fingers tightened slightly around the wine glass in his hand.

Mila was a gifted doctor. One day, she would become world-renowned. People would admire her, respect her, and praise her achievements. She would stand among the brightest minds in the world.

And him? What was he?

A gangster, someone who only knew violence, bloodshed, and survival.

The gap between them suddenly felt unbearably large.

Dominic lowered his gaze briefly. For years, he had never cared about education, status, or refinement. Power was all that mattered in his world. Fear was respect. Violence was survival.

Sitting beside Mila now, for the first time, insecurity quietly crept into his heart.

Did he truly deserve her? That question hit him harder than any bullet ever had.

Mila could save lives, while he had spent most of his life taking them. She belonged in bright conference halls, respected by the world. And he belonged in darkness, surrounded by enemies and blood.

A bitter feeling tightened in his chest.

Because of him, Mila was constantly in danger. Because of him, she couldn’t live freely like normal people. She had guards around her, enemies targeting her, and fear constantly lurking around her life.

If he had never entered her world, maybe she would have been happier. Maybe she could’ve focused entirely on her dreams without constantly being dragged into violence and danger. Maybe he was nothing more than a chain holding her back, a dangerous obstacle ruining her peaceful future.

A dark voice whispered cruelly inside his mind, ’Leave her. Let her go. Let her live freely away from your darkness, from blood, from death, and from you.

The mere thought of losing her felt unbearable.

His chest constricted painfully, as though someone were slowly crushing his heart inside their fist.

No.

He couldn’t do it. He loved her too much.

Somewhere along the way, Mila had become everything to him, his reason to fight, his courage, his peace, and his motivation to survive.

Without her, the world around him would become empty again, cold and meaningless.

The thought alone terrified him.

Dominic had faced guns, betrayal, torture, and death countless times without fear. But the possibility of Mila leaving him frightened him more than anything else ever could.

Losing her meant losing himself completely, his confidence, his control, and even his desire to live.

He couldn’t imagine waking up in a world where Mila no longer belonged beside him. His dark eyes slowly lifted toward her again.

Mila was still talking enthusiastically, completely unaware of the storm raging inside him.

A faint smile appeared on Dominic’s lips as he watched her.

’She is beautiful, brilliant, alive, and completely mine,’ he thought.

The possessiveness inside him tightened fiercely. No matter how much guilt or insecurity consumed him, no matter how many times he questioned whether he deserved her, he could never let her go.

Never.

’Even if the entire world calls me selfish for keeping her beside me, I will still choose her every single time.’

Because Dominic knew, without Mila, he would become nothing more than an empty monster wandering through darkness again.

Mila suddenly noticed he was strangely quiet, just staring at her intently. Heat spread across her face as she looked into his deep eyes.

"What are you looking at?" she asked shyly.

"You," he replied without hesitation. "You are brilliant, Mila. I am envious of you."

Mila laughed softly. She put the wine glass down and leaned in closer to him. "I am all yours. You don’t need to be envious of me."

At that, he smiled. "Yes, you are mine, and I’m yours."

He kissed her softly.

Warmth bloomed in her chest. Mila grinned against his lips.