Chapter 1 Rendezvous in the Wild

Bethany's stomach churned as the helicopter swooped low over the trees. Below her stretched vast acres of lush grand canyon, its thick green canopy forming a protective shield concealing the enigmatic wonders of the forest floor. Under normal circumstances, she would have been mesmerized by the untamed beauty of her surroundings, but her mind was consumed by thoughts of the impending meeting with the enigmatic man.

She couldn't fathom why she found herself dressed in this uncomfortably hot and scratchy suit, soaring above the Majestic Grand Canyon, willingly subjecting herself to a man who seemed oblivious to the concept of mercy - Jeffrey Benson.

Brilliant, dangerous, and damaged were just a few words that crossed her mind when she thought of him, none of which conveyed a sense of calm or comfort. Rumored to possess astounding wealth and wielding even more power than monarchs and presidents, he was reputedly a genius with numbers, earning comparisons to a walking computer by the financial press. Bethany couldn't help but feel pessimistic about this, given her aversion to technology, as she clung to her seat.

Below her, the trees separated to reveal a swollen river winding through a deep gorge, cascading over rocks in an explosion of frothy white. "With properties all over the world," she turned to the pilot, her mind bubbling with queries, "why has he chosen to make a home in such a remote location?"

"Because the man values his privacy, the world can't seem to leave him alone," responded the pilot, his eyes fixed on the treetops.

This explanation aligned with what Bethany had heard about him: ruthless, unemotional, and unsentimental - the list of uncomplimentary adjectives seemed endless. Despite his aversion to interviews, information about him was plentiful. "Is he a solitary individual?" she inquired.

The pilot, finger tapping at the controls, glanced in her direction before replying. "Well, I wouldn't exactly describe him as warm and fuzzy, if that's what you're asking. But women don't seem to mind. There's something about being bad and dangerous that attracts them. Not to mention the power. Women can sniff out power from a mile away. Power and money." His statement made Bethany ponder, momentarily questioning how anyone could mistake her for a billionaire's girlfriend. Suppressing the urge to laugh, she clarified, "I have a meeting with Mr. Jeffrey. His company initially invested in my business." The investment had indeed transformed her life. "He's what they call a business angel, though I'm sure you're aware of that since you work for him."

"Angel?" The pilot burst into laughter, causing the helicopter to swerve precariously close to the treetops. "Mr Jeffery Benson - an angel?"

"It's a figure of speech. It signifies that he invests in small businesses that pique his interest." And he had been interested in hers, until recently. The familiar sickness gripped her stomach, prompting Bethany to place her briefcase on her lap and softly stroke its surface, attempting to restore her shattered confidence.

The pilot couldn't stop laughing. "Angel. I don't know how he earns his money, but let me tell you one thing," he said as he focused on the horizon and adjusted the controls, "the man is far from being an angel." Determined not to be intimidated, Bethany straightened her posture in her seat. "I don't believe everything that's written in the papers," she asserted. "Obviously," the pilot glanced at her, and there was a faintly pitying smile on his craggy and weathered face, "otherwise, you wouldn't be here. I can tell you're a courageous girl with a strong mind, and that will serve you well in the jungle." Bethany downplayed attending the business meeting as an act of courage. "That depends on who you're dealing with," the pilot replied. As they flew through the mountains and the helicopter glided through a lush green valley, he continued, "and where. Not many people have the bravery to visit the wolf in his den." Despite her determination to remain open-minded, Bethany felt her mouth go dry. "You call him the wolf?" she asked. "Not me. That's the nickname everyone else has given him. I simply refer to him as the boss." The pilot adjusted the controls, causing the helicopter to descend. Feeling her stomach turn and her nerves spike, Bethany briefly closed her eyes and focused on not losing her lunch. Roller coasters were never her forte. "I'm sure Mr. Jeffrey is a reasonable man," she said, attempting to reassure herself. The pilot fixed his gaze on a spot far beneath them. "Are you?" he asked. "Then you clearly haven't met him yet. Brace yourself. We're going down."

"Descending?" Bethany's expression shifted from concern over sickness and the dangers posed by Jeffrey Benson to a more urgent worry at the pilot's ambiguous statement. "Does that mean we're landing or crashing?"

The pilot remained silent, his eyes squinting and his jaw tight as he manipulated the controls. They appeared to be heading straight for the trees, causing Bethany's anxiety to peak. Yet, at the very last moment, a small landing pad materialized, and he skillfully brought the aircraft down, landing it with a grace that seemed almost unnatural in the tight space between the trees.

"Definitely not crashing," Bethany quipped, her smile revealing the tension she had been holding in. "I had a mental picture of complete chaos."

The pilot responded, his voice laced with seriousness, "If you're meeting Jeffrey, be prepared for some chaos. I've seen even the toughest men reduced to tears in just a few minutes with him. My advice? Stand your ground. The boss despises weakness. Welcome to the Grand Canyon, Miss Sinclair, one of the world's most endangered ecosystems."

"Are you leaving me here, in the middle of nowhere?" Bethany's voice quivered with a mix of awe and disbelief as she caught sight of the lodge outside the window. It appeared to be constructed almost entirely of glass domes and weathered wood, blending seamlessly into the forest like a natural extension. "Oh," she breathed, her gaze rising to the suspended walkways high above the forest floor. "It's absolutely breathtaking. Incredible."