CHAPTER 34: A ROOM FOR TWO

Almost two weeks into being the contract wife of her former boss, Bianca found it wasn’t nearly as terrible as she’d imagined. Life with Adrian was actually... kind of enjoyable. The more she got to know him, the more he kept surprising her. They spent their time together peacefully, with Adrian often busy at the office while she had the apartment mostly to herself.

Take now, for example, after a long, non-stop flight of 7 hours and 10 minutes, Bianca was visibly exhausted. Adrian, noticing this, had told her to sit on one of the waiting benches at the airport while he went to buy them drinks.

"Here," he said, handing her a cold frappuccino from Starbucks. "It’s hot, so I figured you’d want something chilled."

That simple act of kindness made something flutter quietly inside Bianca’s chest. "Thanks," she replied, a small smile tugging at her lips as she accepted the drink.

"Hmm," Adrian hummed, sitting down beside her.

As he sipped his own drink, Adrian pulled out his phone and began checking the address of their accommodation for the two-week stay in Japan.

While he was focused on his screen, Bianca let her eyes wander around the airport. People came and went, she saw a couple kissing, a mother crying tears of joy as she hugged her arriving child, a group of teenagers laughing as they started their vacation.

To Bianca, airports were places full of unspoken stories, tears, laughter, kisses. Somehow, they all felt heavier here than anywhere else.

"The hotel’s not far. Just twenty-seven minutes by car," Adrian finally said, glancing at her as he read the directions on his map app.

"Let’s take a taxi."

"That’s what I was thinking too." Adrian stood up and reached for both his and Bianca’s suitcase handles.

Seeing him about to grab her oversized luggage, Bianca immediately jumped to her feet, feeling embarrassed.

"I’ll carry my own suitcase," she insisted.

Adrian gave her a faint smile and let go, handing her the gray suitcase without a word.

Yeah. They were on their honeymoon now.

They left the airport and got into a taxi. Adrian gave the driver the hotel address, and the taxi drove off. His grandfather had paid for everything, the flights and the hotel.

When they arrived at the hotel, Adrian ran into an unexpected problem.

After approaching the front desk, he gave his name and waited while the receptionist typed on her computer. A moment later, she looked up with a polite smile and said, "Yes, Mr. Williams, we have your reservation. One presidential suite for two weeks."

Adrian nodded politely, then asked, "Do you have any available rooms in the Presidential Suite? Or at least a Deluxe?"

He had intended to book a separate room for Bianca. Though their marriage was only contractual, she still his wife now and he wanted to treat her with respect. That meant making sure she was comfortable, and staying in a proper room. Nothing less.

The receptionist gave a courteous smile. "One moment, sir. I’ll check."

She tapped quickly on her keyboard, eyes scanning the screen.

After a few seconds, her expression turned apologetic. "I’m very sorry, Mr. Williams. All our rooms, including the Presidential and Deluxe Suites, are fully booked for the next few days."

"I see," Adrian responded with a faint smile, still sounding optimistic. "Does the Presidential Suite have any extra rooms inside? Or at least two beds?"

The receptionist shook her head apologetically. "No, sir. The Presidential Suite only has one bed. It’s designed specifically for couples or honeymooners, so there’s just one master bedroom with a king-size bed."

Adrian froze on the spot. That meant he’d have to share a room with Bianca for several days.

He hadn’t planned for this. And even though it was just a contract marriage, the thought of sharing a room with her made his heart beat a little faster.

"There aren’t any available rooms," Adrian said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned to Bianca.

Bianca blinked, her round eyes full of disbelief. Of all the luck, this had to happen now? She couldn’t possibly ask Adrian to change hotels or look for another one. That would be rude, especially after his grandfather had paid for everything. And she would never disrespect him like that.

They had agreed to book a separate room for her, but who would’ve thought the hotel would be fully booked and leave them stuck like this?

"So... I’m sharing a room with you?" Bianca said softly, starting to weigh the pros and cons of that arrangement in her head.

"Since all the rooms are full and there’s nothing available, like it or not, you’ll have to share a room with me," Adrian said with a calm expression, though there was a brief look of uncertainty in his eyes.

Bianca let out a quiet sigh. "Fine. I don’t mind sharing a room with you. You don’t mind either, right?" she asked, looking up at him.

Adrian, who had been staring at her, unconsciously let his gaze fall to her lips.

Oh, hell.

In that instant, Adrian knew he had a serious problem. He had to control himself, he absolutely could not do anything he’d regret later.

"I don’t mind," he said as calmly as he could, forcing down the sudden rush in his chest.

Damn it.

He quickly turned away, pretending to adjust the strap of his watch, trying to ignore the way she was looking at him and hoping she didn’t notice how awkwardly he was acting.

After typing something into the computer, the receptionist finally handed the room key to Adrian.

"Mr. Williams, here is your key. Someone will escort you and your wife to your room shortly."

Adrian took the key and said, "Thank you."

The receptionist smiled politely. "We hope you both have a pleasant stay, Mr. and Mrs. Williams."

Not long after, a young man in a hotel uniform approached them. "Please follow me, Mr. and Mrs. Williams..." he said, then escorted Adrian and Bianca to their room—the one Adrian’s grandfather had reserved for them.

Their room was located on the fifth floor of the hotel. The interior design was a mix of modern and traditional styles, featuring sliding doors made of shoji paper. It had a spacious living room separated from the bedroom, and a jacuzzi.

The long flight had made Bianca’s eyes feel heavy. She was starting to get sleepy.

"Tired?" Adrian asked gently, noticing Bianca’s soft yawn.

She nodded slightly, rubbing one eye. Her posture was relaxed, but her face showed clear signs of exhaustion.

"You should go to sleep," Adrian said, his voice low and calm. "I’ll take the sofa."

Bianca looked at him with a hint of concern. "Are you sure you’re okay with the sofa?"

"Yeah, I’m used to it. It was the same in Bali," Adrian replied with a faint smile, as if the memory amused him.

Still unsure, Bianca asked again, "Are you really okay with the sofa?"

Adrian let out a soft breath, his eyes turning to her with a trace of mischief. "Mhm. Why? Do you want to join me on the sofa... or do you want me to join you in bed?"

**