CHAPTER 26: THE SURPRISE TICKET

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 same 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 me 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 came 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 some 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 something.

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 someone 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 come eat," Adrian said, already seated at the table.

Hearing his words, Bianca’s brain, still wired to respond to her former 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 smelled 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 me ’sir.’ You’re not my secretary anymore. And I’m no longer your boss. We’re married now. So... just call me 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 former boss. Just thinking about it felt strange.

"Okay, sir, uh, I mean, Adrian," she corrected herself awkwardly.

"And please don’t be so formal with me. We agreed to this marriage because we claimed to be in love. If people hear the way you talk to me, they’ll think something’s off."

"But you’re still being formal with me," Bianca argued, not backing down.

"Ah. Right. I forgot. Mm... I—I mean, as long as you’re my wife, I’ll try my best to treat you well. If there’s something you don’t like, please tell me. And if there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask me," Adrian said, looking at her with a serious expression.

For some 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 something 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 formed on his lips as he accepted the envelope. With a mix of gratitude, curiosity, and excitement, Adrian opened it.

His brows furrowed when he saw his and Bianca’s names 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 names. 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.

***