Chapter 19: Surprise, I’m Getting Married

Chapter 19 - Surprise, I'm Getting Married Bianca and Adrian flew straight back to New York that evening. Mr. Scott had actually suggested they stay the night and return the next day, but both politely declined. While they were on the plane, somewhere halfway through the flight, Bianca suddenly turned to Adrian. "So... are we going on a honeymoon too, sir?" she asked casually, as if discussing the weather. The question caught Adrian completely off guard. He blinked at her, momentarily thrown. "What did you just say?" he asked, glancing at her, his voice low but confused. "I asked if we're doing a honeymoon thing... like normal newlyweds do?" She'd finally voiced the question that had been pestering her thoughts ever since they left Santa Barbara. For most couples, going on a honeymoon was expected, standard, even. But for Bianca, it wasn't just uncomfortable—it was unthinkable. The idea of traveling somewhere alone with her emotionally unavailable, ice-cold boss made her stomach twist. The potential awkwardness, the forced intimacy... the weird sleeping arrangements? It was a nightmare disguised as a tropical getaway. She shuddered just thinking about it, her mind spinning with all kinds of tragic, awkward scenarios. Thankfully, Adrian had no idea what was going through her head. If he did, he might've choked on his in-flight champagne. "Honeymoon?" he echoed, one brow raised. "You want to go on a honeymoon?" "No! That's not what I meant," Bianca said quickly, waving her hands in panic. "I just wanted to make sure we're on the same page." He tilted his head. "Meaning?" "I mean... considering our marriage is just for show, I thought we could, you know, skip that part. The honeymoon thing. No offense." Adrian gave a bitter smile, then turned to the woman sitting beside him. "I didn't realize you disliked me that much. A honeymoon with me sounds that awful to you?" "Huh?" Bianca was flustered by his words. "That's not what I meant—" "Forget it. I get it," Adrian cut her off, clearly not interested in hearing any more. Her repeated rejections were finally starting to get to him. Maybe he had been too confident in his looks, assuming every woman would naturally be drawn to him. But Bianca? She was proof that not every woman was impressed by what he had. For the rest of the ride back to New York, neither of them said a word. Both were too busy getting lost in their own thoughts. *** The next day, after work, Adrian had already made plans to meet up with Zak and Rafael. He'd dropped a message in their group chat, asking them to meet at a trendy restaurant & bar in downtown New York. Once office hours ended, Adrian drove straight there. When he arrived, Zak and Rafael were already waiting, lounging at a round table near the window. With his long strides and his suit jacket hanging open, Adrian walked over to them. "Yooo... Ad!" Zak greeted, clapping him on the back. "Ad," Rafael added with a casual nod. "Sorry for keeping you guys waiting," Adrian said, sliding into the empty seat. "No big deal," Rafael shrugged. Zak took a sip of his white wine while eyeing Adrian. "Thought you were buried in that massive project. How's it going?" "It's running smoothly. Already about 60% done," Adrian replied. "But that's not why I asked to meet. There's something else I wanted to talk about." Zak raised a brow. "For a second I thought you needed funding or something. So? What's this about?" Adrian took a breath. "I'm getting married." "What??" Zak nearly jumped from his seat. His voice rang loud enough that several nearby diners turned their heads. He quickly threw up an apologetic smile and waved at the onlookers before turning back. "You're getting married?" "Yeah." "You're getting married?" Zak repeated, eyes wide. "Are you pranking me right now?" "No. I'm not pranking you, Zak," Adrian said flatly. "You can ask Raf." Zak immediately turned to Rafael, narrowing his eyes. "So, you knew, Raf? And neither of you thought to tell me?" Adrian rolled his eyes. "I'm telling you now, aren't I?" Zak pouted, clearly offended. "No, that's not the same. Why did Raf find out before me? You should've told us at the same time." Adrian shrugged. "I wanted to tell you both at the same time, but you had some family thing going on. So I told Raf first." He gave Zak a pointed look. "That's on you, man. Why'd you have to have a family event right then?" Zak folded his arms like a sulking child. "You should've waited! You weren't supposed to tell Raf first! I feel... betrayed. Deeply. Emotionally." Adrian rolled his eyes. "I already told him, Zak. What do you want me to do? Rewind time? Send a memo to your feelings?" Zak pointed an accusing finger. "You broke the bro code. There's an order to these things!" Adrian waved a dismissive hand. "Oh, get over it." Zak slumped dramatically into his chair like Adrian had just broken his heart. Again. "Fine," he huffed. "I'm over it. But I'm emotionally scarred for life." While Zak was reacting like he'd just been told aliens were landing, Rafael remained calm, sipping his drink like this was old news. Adrian rolled his eyes. "You'll survive." Zak perked up instantly, curiosity taking over. "Okay, spill it. Who's the lucky girl? Is she a model? An actress? A secret princess from Monaco?" Raf snorted into his drink. "Dude, this isn't a Netflix drama." Zak ignored him, eyes locked on Adrian. "Don't tell me it's an arranged marriage with a mafia heiress. Wait, are you doing this for an inheritance? Please say yes." Adrian rolled his eyes at Zak's over-the-top imagination, then let out a long, dramatic sigh. "This wasn't part of the plan, okay? Even I didn't expect to be the first one of us to get married." "You're seriously getting married, Ad?" Rafael asked, eyebrows raised, wanting to make sure this wasn't just one of Adrian's sarcastic moments. "I'm serious, Raf. The wedding's in two weeks." Zak choked on his drink. "TWO WEEKS?!" Adrian just gave a helpless little smile. Rafael raised an eyebrow, his tone calm but serious. "Isn't that a little... fast? You're not exactly the impulsive type, Ad. Who is she?" Raf leaned forward, curiosity finally cracking through his calm exterior. "Who's the woman that actually made Adrian Williams say yes to marriage?" "Come on, man. Who's the girl? Don't keep us hanging!" Zak eagerly asked. ***