Sienna had never been on a private jet before.
She tried not to gape as she stepped inside, but it was hard to stay cool when the ceiling sparkled faintly with soft lights and the seats looked more comfortable than her old apartment couch.
Alexander was already seated, flipping through a tablet. He looked up when she hesitated at the entrance.
"Nervous?" he asked.
"A little," she admitted, settling across from him. "This is… a lot."
He smiled. "You'll get used to it."
"I doubt that."
"Good. I'd be worried if you got too comfortable with this world too quickly."
The flight attendant brought drinks and offered snacks. Sienna took a bottle of water, avoiding the champagne.
"You're not drinking?" Alexander asked, raising a brow.
"I feel like I need to stay alert," she said. "This whole thing feels surreal. What if I fall asleep and wake up back in my shoebox apartment?"
He chuckled. "Then I'd come find you."
She rolled her eyes. "Smooth."
---
A few hours into the flight, they sat side by side, watching the lights of cities disappear beneath them.
"Have you been to Singapore before?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Never left the country before this."
His eyes softened. "Then we'll make it memorable."
She looked at him. "Why bring me?"
"Because I wanted to. Because I knew this trip would be more pressure than usual, and I didn't want to go back to sleeping in hotel rooms alone."
Sienna tilted her head. "So, I'm emotional support?"
"Not just that."
"Then what?"
He paused, then said, "A part of me feels lighter when you're around."
The words landed like a whisper in her chest.
She didn't know how to respond. So she reached over and took his hand.
That said enough.
---
They landed in Singapore just after sunset.
The humidity hit Sienna like a wave the second they stepped off the plane. Warm and sticky, even at night. But the city sparkled in the distance—bright, alive, clean.
A sleek black car was waiting for them.
As they drove, Alexander pointed out landmarks, casually tossing facts like a local. She just nodded, taking it all in.
The hotel wasn't a hotel—it was an experience.
The suite took up the entire top floor. Two bedrooms, a private pool, floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the skyline, and more space than she knew what to do with.
"Two bedrooms?" she asked as they stepped in.
He gave her a look. "I wasn't going to assume."
She smiled faintly. "Good."
But her suitcase ended up in the master bedroom anyway.
---
That night, she stood on the balcony wrapped in a hotel robe, staring out at the city lights.
Alexander joined her, handing her a glass of chilled water.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Still processing," she admitted.
"You'll get tired of the view eventually."
"I don't think I will."
They stood in silence for a while.
Then she said, "What's the real reason you brought me?"
He turned to face her. "I already told you."
"No, the real reason."
Alexander sighed. "Because I knew this deal would get complicated. The man I'm negotiating with… he's old-school. Traditional. Family-centered. Bringing my wife makes things easier."
Sienna frowned. "So I am a prop."
"No," he said firmly. "You're not. You're here because I trust you. And yes, it helps that you're my wife. But that's not all."
She nodded slowly. "Okay."
"If it makes you uncomfortable—"
"It doesn't," she interrupted. "Not if you're honest."
He met her gaze. "I will be. From now on."
---
The next morning, things got real.
Alexander suited up in a sleek navy ensemble that made him look like he walked out of a high-end magazine. Sienna, with help from a stylist who arrived promptly at 7 a.m., wore a simple but elegant dress in deep emerald that brought out the gold in her skin.
"You look incredible," he said when she stepped out.
"I feel like I'm about to take an exam," she whispered.
"You'll ace it."
They arrived at the meeting venue—an upscale restaurant with a private terrace reserved just for them. Mr. Han, the man they were meeting, was already seated, surrounded by three younger men and one sharply dressed woman.
"Mr. Knight," Han said, rising to shake hands. "And Mrs. Knight. A pleasure."
Sienna smiled politely. "Thank you for having us."
They sat. Small talk began.
And surprisingly, Sienna didn't feel out of place.
She spoke when asked, smiled at the right moments, and even shared a story about a charity event she'd once volunteered at, which caught Mr. Han's attention.
"You are very grounded, Mrs. Knight," he said. "I like that."
Alexander gave her a subtle nod, and she felt her chest warm with pride.
---
After lunch, as they walked back to the car, Alexander said, "You were amazing."
Sienna grinned. "I didn't mess it up?"
"You made him like us more. That's better than I could've hoped."
She leaned close. "So I am your lucky charm?"
He smirked. "Definitely."
---
That night, they didn't talk much.
Sienna sat on the bed, flipping through the news on her phone, while Alexander worked at the desk in the corner.
It was quiet. Comfortable.
At some point, she stood and walked over to him, resting her hands on his shoulders.
He looked up.
"You're tense," she said.
"Just a lot riding on this."
"Want me to leave you alone?"
He reached for her hand. "Stay."
She pulled a chair beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder.
They didn't speak.
But they didn't need to.
---
In the middle of the night, Sienna woke up and found herself tangled in sheets next to Alexander.
It was the first time they'd shared a bed since the wedding night.
He was fast asleep, his face relaxed in a way she rarely saw during the day. His hand was draped across her waist, possessive even in sleep.
She stared at him for a long time.
She wasn't sure where this was going.
But for the first time since they signed the contract, she wasn't afraid of finding out.