The azure sky was adorned with clouds like fluffy cotton candy. The sunlight kissed them with a golden hue, making the view breathtakingly beautiful.
The airplane's engines roared, the sound reverberating even in the relatively quiet first-class cabin.
Matthew gazed out the window, his eyes taking in the sprawling view of London below. The city's iconic buildings were faintly visible in the distance.
Next to him, Margot Robbie had requested a blanket from the flight attendant. She initially intended to nap but found it impossible to fall asleep. Perhaps it was because of the Vogue interview she'd read earlier—Matthew's image lingered in her mind. Coupled with the persistent hum of the engines, sleep eluded her.
She opened her eyes and looked out the window. From her seat, she had an excellent view of the expansive wing and the engine mounted on it.
"Can't sleep?" Matthew asked, noticing her restless expression.
Margot nodded. "I feel like the engine is unusually loud. It's keeping me awake."
Matthew tilted his head, listening carefully. "Really? It doesn't seem loud to me."
The soundproofing in first class was excellent, and their seats were far from the engines. The noise was more akin to the hum of a car engine.
Margot frowned. "It's much louder than the plane we took from Australia to the UK."
Matthew shrugged, dismissing the difference. "Maybe it's just your hearing."
Margot returned her gaze to the magazine, flipping through it absently before looking up at him again. "When you became famous and successful, how did your life change?"
Having recently experienced a meteoric rise in her own career, Margot was genuinely curious. The viral video and the success of American Sniper had catapulted her into stardom.
Matthew thought for a moment and replied, "Life gets simpler." He paused briefly before elaborating, "To put it simply, I can do whatever I want."
Margot raised an eyebrow. "What did you want back then?"
"Not much, just two things," Matthew said candidly. "Making the movies I want and dating the women I want."
Margot laughed at his straightforwardness. "If it were me," she joked, "it would probably be making the movies I want and dating the men I want."
Matthew nodded slowly. "Exactly."
Margot's smile faded as she frowned and rubbed her ears. "Matthew, don't you think the engine is getting louder?"
Matthew listened again but shook his head. "Nope, sounds the same to me."
"I swear it's getting louder," Margot insisted, her brows furrowing. "Maybe something's wrong with my hearing."
She glanced around the cabin. People were calmly reading newspapers, listening to music, or napping. The flight attendants moved about, serving drinks. Everything seemed normal.
Margot began to wonder if she was imagining things. Perhaps the stress of her recent workload was catching up to her.
Maybe I should find a way to relieve stress… she thought briefly before her gaze fell on Matthew. She quickly looked away, embarrassed by her fleeting thought.
Why am I any different from him? she wondered. We're both shallow, judging people by appearances.
Margot knew she wasn't a saint. She drank, fought, and schemed when necessary. But did being a "bad girl" mean she had to pair up with a "bad boy"?
Before she could dwell on it further, she rubbed her ears again and turned to look out the window.
"Still think it's loud?" Matthew asked, noticing her discomfort.
Margot nodded slightly. "Yeah, maybe it's just stress."
Matthew turned his attention to the window as well. The wide wing gleamed with the sleek lines of modern engineering, and the massive engine…
Suddenly, he noticed a faint trail of black smoke emerging from the engine. A small fireball followed, erupting briefly before dissipating.
Matthew blinked, thinking he had imagined it. But the next moment, the plane shuddered violently, and a muffled explosion confirmed his fears.
"Fasten your seatbelt!" Matthew shouted, his voice booming. "Everyone, fasten your seatbelt!"
He quickly secured his own belt, his hands moving with practiced precision.
The plane continued to shake, the vibrations increasing in intensity. Matthew glanced at Margot, relieved to see her strapping herself in without panic. Her face was pale but composed.
The first-class cabin erupted into chaos as passengers looked around in alarm. Fortunately, the flight attendants acted quickly, urging everyone to stay seated and buckle up.
From behind, somewhere in the economy or business class sections, faint screams and cries could be heard.
Air travel, statistically the safest form of transportation, was also the deadliest when things went wrong.
The intercom crackled as the captain spoke, his voice calm and reassuring. He explained that one engine had malfunctioned but the other was operational. Since they had just taken off from Heathrow, they were preparing for an emergency landing back at the airport.
"What rotten luck," Matthew muttered.
Margot, surprisingly, managed a weak smile and pointed to her ears. "At least my hearing's fine."
Matthew leaned back in his seat as the plane's vibrations began to subside. It seemed the captain had adjusted the controls, stabilizing the aircraft. Judging by the view outside, the plane was turning back toward Heathrow.
Though the situation was still tense, the relative calm in the first-class cabin was a testament to the crew's professionalism.
"Will we… make it back safely?" Margot asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Matthew took a deep breath. "We will. Trust the crew."
In moments like this, there was little else to do but rely on the professionals. Matthew glanced at Margot and asked, "Scared?"
Margot nodded without hesitation. "Terrified. If we crash, there won't even be a body left. It's such an ugly way to go."
"True," Matthew said, rubbing his face. "I'd hate for my handsome looks to be ruined."
Margot chuckled despite herself. "Aren't you afraid?"
"Of course I am," Matthew admitted. "Terrified."
Fear was inevitable, but he tried to remain optimistic. "I've had two close calls in my life—one of which you saved me from. After a while, even fear becomes manageable. You learn to keep a level head."
Margot found herself strangely comforted. "I didn't think you had such strong nerves."
Matthew smirked, making light of the situation. "Don't forget, I was stranded on Mars for months. This is nothing compared to that."
Margot rolled her eyes at his joke but felt her tension easing. Looking around the cabin, she noticed how differently people were handling the situation.
A large man was drenched in sweat, his face taut with fear. A middle-aged man nearby was ghostly pale, while a long-haired woman visibly trembled in her seat.
Even Sean Bean, who had "died" countless times on screen, looked utterly shaken. Meanwhile, Tyrese Gibson, normally the life of the party, was crossing himself repeatedly.
In contrast, Matthew remained calm, even cracking jokes to distract her from her anxiety.
Margot couldn't help but admire his composure. Beneath his playboy exterior, there was a depth to him that was hard to ignore.
Matthew turned to the window again, his gaze fixed on the smoking engine. From his angle, he could only see a trail of black smoke but no visible flames.
"See anything?" Margot asked, leaning slightly toward him.
Matthew glanced at her, then grinned. "Ever watched The Twilight Zone?"
Margot shook her head. "No."
"There's a scene where a man looks out the window and sees a gremlin tearing apart the wing," Matthew said with a mischievous glint.
Margot groaned, lightly smacking her forehead. "If there's a gremlin, it's coming for you first."
Matthew chuckled. "Our situation isn't that bad," he reassured her. "Remember that flight a few years ago? A US Airways plane hit a flock of birds right after takeoff."
Margot nodded. "What happened?"
"The captain, Sully, landed the plane safely on the Hudson River. Not a single life was lost," Matthew explained. "Both engines failed on that flight. We're lucky to still have one."
Margot exhaled, feeling a flicker of hope. "Then we're in good hands."
"Exactly," Matthew said, his voice steady.
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