Chapter 11:The Only One
1332 Words
Sienna
I was lounging on the sofa in one of Julian’s oversized dress shirts, my laptop balanced on my knees, when the penthouse door practically flew off its hinges.
Julian didn't just walk in; he charged. He looked like a man who had won the lottery and a marathon at the same time.
"I hope you took the day off and rested," he said, dropping his briefcase and pulling a small, velvet box from his pocket. "Because I have a surprise for you, baby."
He sat beside me and opened the box. Nestled inside was a delicate necklace—a thin gold chain with a single, pear-shaped obsidian stone surrounded by tiny diamonds. It was "Sterling Black" but wrapped in "Vane Gold."
"Today, when I saw this, I thought of you," he whispered, his voice losing its corporate edge. "Let me put it on you. But... you have to model it for me later, okay?"
I felt a flush creep up my cheeks at his teasing tone. I turned around, lifting my hair so he could click the clasp. The weight of the stone felt right against my skin.
"I took the day off," I admitted, turning back to face him. "But I worked from home. And while I was working, I had a question for you, Sir."
Julian’s eyebrows shot up. "A question?"
"How..." I bit my lip, trying to look stern. "How did you get so good at... everything? The rhythm, the hips, the... focus? It’s suspicious, Julian. Sterlings don't like being out-engineered."
Julian stared at me for a beat, then he let out a laugh—a real, booming laugh that echoed through the penthouse.
"Is that what you were worried about all day?" He leaned in, his eyes soft and genuine. "Sienna, you are the only woman I have ever slept with. I never actually had time for women and never really wanted to .Period."
My jaw dropped. "Wait, really? But you moved like—"
"I just wanted to do my best for you,"he admitted, a rare hint of a blush on his own neck. "I gave it my all because it was you. And besides, I really like what we were doing... and what we’re about to do now. So no, it’s always just been me and my hand until you came along."
I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing, the tension finally snapping. The "Construction King" had just admitted his only previous experience was a solo project.
"Well," I said, looping my arms around his neck as he scooped me up into his arms. "I suppose I can appreciate a man who does his research. But I think I need a few more live demonstrations to make sure the quality is consistent."
"Challenge accepted," Julian murmured, practically running with me in his arms toward the bedroom.
The discarded necklace box sat on the table, forgotten. The orange walls were still there, the pink glitter was probably still hidden in the rug, and the families were still a headache. But as Julian kicked the bedroom door shut, none of that mattered.
The war was over. And according to the "Sterling-Vane" treaty, everyone was a winner.
Honeymoon plans Maldives Mandate
Sienna
The penthouse was blissfully quiet, the only sound being the distant hum of the city and the rhythmic thumping of my own heart. I was tangled in the black silk sheets, watching Julian pad across the room to grab us some late-night snacks.
He returned a few minutes later, balancing a tray of charcuterie and wine, but he had something else tucked under his arm. A heavy, cream-colored folder with a wax seal I recognized all too well.
"Madame," Julian said, his eyes dancing with mischief as he hopped back onto the bed. "Look what I found tucked in the back of the safe while I was looking for the crackers."
He flipped it open. It was the Sterling-Vane Merger Agreement. Specifically, the clause we had both dreaded since the day it was signed.
"Section 4, Paragraph A: The Union shall produce a legal heir to both estates within the first twelve months of cohabitation..."
We both burst out laughing. It sounded so ridiculous now—so clinical and cold compared to the heat still lingering in the room.
"A legal heir," I giggled, tracing the formal calligraphy with my finger. "They made us sound like we were breeding racehorses, not getting married."
"I guess we don't really need the threat of this anymore, do we?" Julian asked. He didn't wait for an answer. With a slow, satisfied grin, he gripped both sides of the heavy parchment and ripped it right down the middle.
The sound of the paper tearing was the most beautiful thing I’d heard all week.
"The contract is officially void," he declared, tossing the scraps onto the floor. He turned to me, his expression softening into something hungry. "Which brings me to something I’ve been wanting to discuss with you. Now that the 'war' is over and the business is stable... let's go on our honeymoon. For real this time. No cameras, no press, and definitely no family. Where do you want to go, Wife?"
I leaned my head on his shoulder, thinking of all the places a Sterling is "supposed" to go—Paris, Milan, London. Then I thought about what I wanted.
"Somewhere with an island," I said softly. "White sand, turquoise water, and absolutely zero people named Vane or Sterling within a thousand-mile radius. Just us."
Julian’s eyes lit up. He was already reaching for his phone, his "Construction King" brain shifting into high-speed planning mode. "I know a private island in the Maldives. I did the infrastructure for the resort there three years ago. It’s remote, it’s luxury, and it has the fastest Wi-Fi in the Indian Ocean—just in case you need to order more glitter to prank me with."
"I think I'm done with the glitter for now," I laughed, pulling him down for a kiss.
"Pack your bags, Sienna," he murmured against my lips. "We leave at dawn. And I’m warning you now—I don't plan on letting you wear much more than that new necklace for the next ten days."
Julian
Leaving Salt City wasn't easy, but seeing Sienna in a sun hat and a sheer white sarong as we boarded the private jet made every cancelled meeting worth it.
As the jet leveled off at thirty thousand feet, I looked over at her. She was scrolling through her phone, a small frown on her face.
"Problem, Sterling?" I asked, leaning back with a glass of scotch.
"Leo," she sighed, showing me the screen.
GROUP CHAT: THE ELITE SIX
Leo: Spotted: The Vane Private Jet heading East. Destination? My guess is a 'Procreation Vacation.' Grandma is already buying baby shoes.
"He’s never going to stop, is he?" I groaned.
"Never," Sienna said, a wicked glint returning to her eyes. "But it gives me an idea. If they want a show, Julian, maybe we should give them one. Just... on our own terms."
"What are you thinking?"
She leaned over, whispering her plan into my ear. It involved a fake 'baby bump' photo, a very confused Leo, and a dramatic 'medical emergency' that was actually just us staying at the spa for an extra week.
I laughed, pulling her into my lap. "You really are a menace, you know that? I marry a woman to save my company, and I end up with a partner-in-crime who wants to troll the entire social register."
"You wouldn't have it any other way," she countered.
"No," I admitted, kissing the tip of her nose. "I wouldn't."
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