The private terminal of Neo-Luminara International Airport was eerily quiet at this early hour, with the soft morning light stretching long shadows across the tarmac.
Arthur stepped off the Osborn family jet, his black overcoat draped elegantly over his shoulders, his expression as inscrutable as ever.
The familiar hum of the city greeted him, traffic buzzing, distant chatter blending into a symphony of normalcy, punctuated by the occasional wail of a siren. Predictable. Comforting.
He squinted against the rising sun, a faint smile breaking through his stoic demeanor. Just then, he heard an excited shout in the distance:
"Big brother! Over here!"
Turning to his left, he spotted a figure leaning casually against a sleek sports car, waving enthusiastically.
Ashley leaned against the hood of her gunmetal gray beauty, arms crossed and a playful grin dancing on her lips.
Dressed in a fitted leather jacket over a simple white blouse paired with black jeans and ankle boots,stylish yet understated,she looked effortlessly cool.
Her jet-black hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and her sharp green eyes sparkled with mischief as she watched him approach.
"Took you long enough," she called out playfully as she pushed off from the car. "I was starting to think you’d gotten lost!"
Arthur raised an eyebrow at her choice of vehicle,a low-slung marvel that exuded aggression with its smooth curves and commanding presence.
The Osborn crest gleamed proudly on its grille. "Where did you get this?"
Ashley smirked and tossed him the keys like they were nothing special. "While you were off doing whatever mysterious thing you do, Osborn Heavy Industries dropped this beauty! Limited edition,only 500 made."
She tilted her head slightly, teasingly adding, "I pestered Oscar for weeks until he finally caved."
Arthur caught the keys effortlessly with one hand. "Of course you did."
She shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "What’s the point of being an Osborn if you can’t exploit family connections?"
As Arthur slid into the driver’s seat, the engine roared to life with a deep growl that sent excitement racing through him.
Ashley buckled in beside him and immediately began fiddling with the radio.
"So," she said while flipping through stations before settling on an upbeat pop song that filled the car with energy, "where exactly did you disappear to for the past month?"
Arthur merged onto the highway smoothly; it felt like driving on clouds. "Business."
She groaned dramatically while rolling her eyes. "Ugh! You’re so boring! ’Business’? That’s all I get?"
"It’s true," Arthur replied lightly as he navigated around a corner just as a red light flickered on.
"A painfully vague truth," she shot back, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Come on, big bro! You just vanish without a word, ignore half my calls, and then reappear like some kind of moody ghost? At least throw me a bone here!"
He glanced over at her, chuckling softly. "Why? So you can spill the tea with your friends?"
She grinned mischievously. "Obviously!"
Arthur sighed, shaking his head in mock exasperation. "You’ll find out soon enough."
Ashley groaned again, slumping back in her seat as she gazed out the window at the city whizzing by.
"You’re impossible," she muttered. "Fine! Keep your secrets. But just know I’m going to crack this mystery eventually."
"I’m sure you will," he replied with a knowing smile.
A comfortable silence enveloped them as the engine hummed and soft music played in the background.
Ashley tapped her fingers rhythmically against the door, clearly deep in thought.
"You know," she said after a moment, breaking the stillness, "Uncle was acting super tense when I asked about you."
Arthur’s grip on the steering wheel tightened just a fraction. "Was he?"
"Mhm." She turned to scrutinize him closely. "And what about those news reports on some major military movement in Varenya? Strange timing, don’t you think?"
Arthur kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead, his expression calm and collected. "Just coincidence."
Ashley let out a laugh that danced through the air like sunlight breaking through clouds. "You’re such a terrible liar!"
With an exaggerated sigh, she leaned back into her seat dramatically. "Fine! But when whatever you’re planning inevitably blows up, and it will because let’s be real,it’s you I get to say ’I told you so’ to."
Finally cracking a smirk, Arthur replied, "Deal."
The car rolled to a stop outside the Osborn family estate, a sprawling modern mansion perched majestically on hills overlooking the cityscape below. Ashley unbuckled her seatbelt but lingered for a moment before stepping out.
"You know," she said softly now, her tone shifting to something more sincere, "you don’t have to go through everything alone."
Arthur turned to meet her gaze; his expression was unreadable yet intense.
She held his stare unwaveringly. "Just saying... Family is supposed to mean something, right?"
For a heartbeat or two, Arthur stayed quiet before finally whispering back with genuine weight behind his words: "I know."
Ashley studied him for another second before nodding thoughtfully.
She pushed open the door and stepped out but paused briefly to lean back inside one last time.
"Yes?" he asked curiously.
She shot him a playful smirk, a mischievous glint dancing in her eyes. "Just so you know," she teased, "next time you leave, I’m totally stealing your car."
With that cheeky declaration, she closed the door behind her and strolled confidently toward the house, leaving Arthur in the idling sports car, shaking his head with a bemused smile.
Some things never changed, like her knack for stirring up trouble.
And maybe, just maybe, he mused as he watched her retreating figure, that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
Looking at Ashley back, a faint smile slowly crept up his face.
He shook his head and gathered his thoughts as he got out of the car, with his hands in his pockets he slowly walked forward catching up to Ashley.
Looking around the a sense of relief washed over him.