After a long and tiring day, from the ceremony to the reception, Bianca and Adrian finally made it to their bridal suite. It was the sa room Adrian had stayed in the night before.
An awkward silence hung heavily between the newlywed couple.
Bianca had already taken off the high heels she’d been wearing all day. Her feet felt like they were about to fall off. Wearing heels, after all, was a battle every woman knew too well. Still in her white tulle and lace wedding dress, she sat at the edge of the bed, gently massaging her sore feet.
Every now and then, she glanced at Adrian, who was sitting on a chair not far from the bed. He was untying his bow tie and unbuttoning the top of his shirt.
"Why are you looking at like that?" Adrian asked, raising one eyebrow to break the silence.
"Um, I was just thinking..." Bianca hesitated, her voice shy and unsure. "I can sleep on the couch if you want to take the bed."
"Oh, I see." Adrian’s tone instantly dropped, a subtle shift that was hard to read. "No need. I’ll sleep on the couch, and you can take the bed. You did well today, by the way."
Without another word, he stood up and walked into the bathroom.
Not long after, he ca out already dressed in his sleepwear. He grabbed his iPad from the table and said, "I’m going to step out for a bit. Just need so air."
Bianca nodded slightly without saying a word, watching as he headed toward the pool area.
Adrian opened his email and began checking the company reports sent by his new secretary, Karin.
A week before the wedding, Adrian had decided to let Bianca go from her position and hire a new assistant in her place.
After replying to Karin’s email, he turned off the iPad and looked up at the sky. The night in Bali was surprisingly beautiful. Stars filled the sky, and the moonlight glowed softly. He couldn’t stop looking at it. For a while, he just sat there, lost in the quiet.
When Adrian finally returned to the bedroom, Bianca was already fast asleep. His brow furrowed slightly as he caught sight of sothing.
Quietly, he walked closer. The blanket had slipped off. Gently, he pulled it back up to cover her again.
He didn’t walk away right away.
He looked at her closely. The makeup she’d worn earlier was gone, but even without it, Adrian could see how sweet she looked. Naturally beautiful. She was his wife now, legally, at least.
He sighed inwardly before making his way to the couch, which resembled a bed. It took him over an hour before sleep finally found him.
***
Knock... knock... knock... knock...
The sound of soone knocking on the door woke Bianca from her sleep. As she slowly opened her eyes, she saw Adrian walking toward the door and opening it. A man in a white uniform entered the room, pushing a food trolley, and then neatly placed all the food on the dining table before leaving.
"Wash your face. Then co eat," Adrian said, already seated at the table.
Hearing his words, Bianca’s brain, still wired to respond to her forr boss’s commands, instantly kicked into gear. She quickly got up from the bed and headed to the bathroom.
After washing her face, she joined Adrian at the table. "You haven’t eaten yet, sir?" she asked when she saw his plate was still empty.
"I was waiting for you." Adrian began scooping rice and side dishes onto his plate.
They ate in silence. The soft clinks of cutlery against porcelain were the only sounds during their first breakfast as a married couple.
"Grandpa wants to see both of us," Adrian said after they finished eating.
"Now?"
"Take a shower, then we’ll go see grandpa."
Realizing that she hadn’t showered while Adrian already looked clean, fresh, and slled good, Bianca instantly felt embarrassed. She quickly stood up. "I’ll go shower first."
Just as she took a few steps, Adrian called out, "Bianca."
She turned around reflexively and gave him a confused look. "Yes?"
"Please stop calling ’sir.’ You’re not my secretary anymore. And I’m no longer your boss. We’re married now. So... just call Adrian."
Bianca’s lips twitched at his words. Even though they were legally married, she still wasn’t used to her new role as the wife of Adrian Williams, her forr boss. Just thinking about it felt strange.
"Okay, sir, uh, I an, Adrian," she corrected herself awkwardly.
"And please don’t be so formal with . We agreed to this marriage because we claid to be in love. If people hear the way you talk to , they’ll think sothing’s off."
"But you’re still being formal with ," Bianca argued, not backing down.
"Ah. Right. I forgot. Mm... I—I an, as long as you’re my wife, I’ll try my best to treat you well. If there’s sothing you don’t like, please tell . And if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask ," Adrian said, looking at her with a serious expression.
For so reason, his words made Bianca’s heart race. She quickly looked away, unable to hold his gaze any longer.
"Thank you," she mumbled softly, unsure of how else to respond. "I’ll go take that shower now." She gave a small smile and continued walking away.
After showering and getting ready, Adrian and Bianca went to visit Sean at his room. When they arrived, Sean and Dean were deep in conversation in the living room.
"Grandpa. Dad," Bianca greeted them politely with a small smile.
Sean looked up and returned the smile. "Ah, there you are."
Adrian nodded, then took a seat beside Bianca. "Why did you call us here?" he asked as he sat down on the sofa.
"There’s sothing I want to give you and Bianca," Sean replied.
"What is it?" Both Adrian and Bianca looked clearly puzzled.
Sean picked up a long white envelope beside him and handed it to Adrian.
"What’s this, Grandpa?" Adrian asked, his voice low and hesitant, sensing this wasn’t just a simple envelope.
A gift for you and Bianca." Sean smiled warmly as he spoke.
Seeing that smile made Adrian’s heart feel warm too. Unconsciously, a small smile ford on his lips as he accepted the envelope. With a mix of gratitude, curiosity, and excitent, Adrian opened it.
His brows furrowed when he saw his and Bianca’s nas printed on a piece of paper. A flight ticket, to be exact.
"A ticket? What’s this, Grandpa?" Adrian asked, staring at the paper in disbelief.
"A gift," Sean repeated simply, a knowing smile on his face.
Adrian frowned deeper. "What’s the ticket for?"
Sean let out a soft laugh, the kind only grandfathers could pull off, full of warmth, mischief, and just a little bit of love. "Oh, Adrian. You’re usually sharp. But now? You really can’t figure this out?"
Adrian’s heart skipped. His eyes scanned the ticket again. Two nas. His and Bianca’s. One-way ticket. Bali to Japan.
His breath caught.
No way. No freaking way.
He didn’t say a word, but the panic was written all over his face.
Oh shit... Grandpa. You didn’t.
***
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