They left even before dawn. It was an urgent meeting, so they had to take one of the business jets in a rush. Leal didn’t even bother taking a suitcase with her and just took a duffel bag as if she were running away. With Axel. Riye was caught up in the company’s minor financial problem so she had to stay behind, leaving only the two of them to travel to Moscow.

Axel carried her bag the whole time during the departure. They went to one of his jets, which had a luxurious interior—as ...