Chapter 13 - The Father's Welcome
Flight 402 rolled to a gentle halt outside the private executive terminal at JFK. Unlike the standard passenger gates where travelers had to jostle through crowded jet bridges, this aircraft docked alongside a polished private hangar reserved exclusively for Carter Aviation executives and dignitaries.
The cabin door opened, and Eleanor immediately stepped aside, bowing her head slightly as Ava stood up from seat 2A.
"It was an honor having you aboard, Miss Carter," Eleanor said warmly. "Have a wonderful stay in New York."
"Thank you for everything, Eleanor," Ava replied with genuine sincerity. "The flight was wonderful."
Ava walked down the short, carpeted mobile stairway into the crisp, cool autumn air of New York. Waiting at the base of the stairs, flanked by two gleaming midnight-black Mercedes-Maybach sedans, stood Daniel Carter.
He was dressed in an impeccably tailored charcoal overcoat, his tall, commanding frame silhouetted against the afternoon sun. But the moment his eyes landed on Ava, the formidable corporate titan vanished entirely, replaced by a loving father whose face lit up with radiant warmth.
"Ava!" he called out, taking long, eager strides toward her.
"Dad!" Ava picked up her pace, abandoning her formal composure for a brief second to run into his outstretched arms.
Daniel caught her in a massive bear hug, lifting her off her feet for a brief moment before setting her down gently. He pulled back, placing both hands on her shoulders as he looked into her eyes with deep pride and affectionate scrutiny.
"Are you alright, sweetheart? Did anyone else give you trouble?" he asked, his voice low and protective.
"I’m completely fine, Dad," Ava said with a soft laugh. "Marcus handled everything before we even left the ground. By the time we took off, row two was the quietest place on the plane."
Daniel smiled, though a sharp, dangerous glint flickered in his dark eyes for a fraction of a second. "Marcus did his job. But you did yours, Ava. You remembered your ground. You didn't trade your self-worth for someone else's comfort."
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He opened the rear door of the lead Maybach, allowing Ava to slide into the plush, heated leather seats before getting in beside her. The driver closed the door with a muted click that sealed out all external sound.
As the motorcade surged smoothly forward, leaving the tarmac behind and merging onto the highway toward Manhattan, Daniel turned to his daughter. "Tonight is the Carter Global Foundation Gala at the Plaza. The entire board will be there, along with half the business leaders in the city. And after this morning, everyone knows your name."
