Chapter 18 GREECE
Genevieve set the bag down and quietly slipped out, the door clicking shut behind her, leaving a slightly dazed Lena in the silence.
Ethan's is quite smooth, she mused.
Lena sat at the edge of the bed, her fingers gently brushing the soft leather of the cream-colored shopping bag Ethan had given her earlier. Slowly, she untied the satin ribbon and peeked inside.
Nestled within layers of delicate tissue paper was a sundress. Simple but elegant. The kind of elegance that didn't scream for attention yet demanded it anyway. The fabric was light, like it had been spun from a summer breeze, and the muted blush tone brought out the softness of her skin. the cut flattering, and the stitching so fine it was almost invisible. It was beautiful.
She stood and held it against her frame, smiling without even realizing it. Then, almost shyly, she stepped into the bathroom to change.
When she emerged, the transformation was subtle but unmistakable. The dress fit like it had been made just for her, flowing with each movement like a second skin. She glanced once in the mirror, then down at herself, brushing a hand along the hem.
She stepped into her heels, added her sunglasses, and gave herself a quick glance in the mirror.
Without hesitation, she opened the door and walked out to meet Ethan.
Ethan stood in the center of the expansive parlor, his voice low as he spoke into the phone. The room was quiet, save for the soft echo of his footsteps as he paced slowly across the marble floor.
Then the door opened.
He caught a glimpse of Lena from the corner of his eye and paused, just briefly. Her long hair fell effortlessly over her shoulders, her arms slender, skin smooth. The dress, simple, modest, but undeniably elegant fit her perfectly, like it had been made with her in mind.
She looks really pretty, he thought.
Funny. When he agreed to the contract, her appearance hadn't mattered to him. He hadn't cared if she was tall, short, plain, stunning; he just wanted a way out. A solution. But now, seeing her like this, poised and graceful, he realized something.
He got lucky.
Being seen with someone like her well, that was more than he bargained for.
"Mr. Sinclair?" the voice on the other end called, snapping him back.
Ethan blinked, straightened slightly. "Yes. I'm here," he said, pulling his eyes away from Lena.
Why did you take so long to change?" Ethan scolded lightly..
She blinked, caught off guard. "Uh i literally just changed and came here immediately."
"The chopper's already here," he said, glancing at his watch. "Let's go."
Chopper? she thought, picking up her pace.
She gave a small jog to catch up, her heels clicking softly against the floor. This must be a fancy date, she muttered under her breath, now walking briskly beside him, trying to match his long strides.
They walked briskly to the driveway, where a sleek black 2026 Mercedes S-Class waited under the soft afternoon sun. The vehicle gleamed, A uniformed chauffeur stepped forward and opened the rear door without a word.
Lena paused for a moment, her eyes widening slightly as she took it all in. She wasn't easily impressed but this? This was different.
It's gonna take me a minute to adjust, she thought, from being a broke artist to stepping into a 2026 S-Class like it's nothing.
She lingered, her gaze sweeping across the front grille and low-slung body. "Is this the hybrid model?" she asked, casually but with just enough curiosity to show she knew what she was talking about. "The 4MATIC all-wheel drive, right? You can hear it, it's way too quiet for a regular V8."
You noticed that?" he said, almost impressed. "Yeah, it's a hybrid. AMG-tuned, though. Still has power, just... quieter. You've got a good ear, most people can't tell the difference."
"It's got the 4MATIC all-wheel drive, adaptive suspension, and the interior's insane, ventilated seats, ambient lighting that adjusts to your mood, voice command, everything. And the torque on this thing" He stopped suddenly, catching himself.
He cleared his throat, straightened up a little. "Anyway... yeah. It's a hybrid." Ethan was getting carried away.
"Wow, that's so cool," Lena said, turning slightly in her seat to face him, genuine curiosity in her voice.
Ethan glanced at her, his smile lingering. "Yeah... it is."
He raised a brow, momentarily surprised. Most people just said nice car. He studied her for a second longer, then chuckled.
"Do you like cars?" he asked, folding himself into the back seat beside her.
"I love cars," she replied without missing a beat, settling into the plush leather seat like she'd done it a hundred times before.
Ethan peeked at her from the corner of his eye, a faint smile curving on his lips.
Of all the things he hadn't expected from this contract... that she'd speak his language.
He didn't say it, but it showed in his expression Ethan Sinclair was obsessed with cars. And now, he was suddenly intrigued.
They zoomed off smoothly, the Mercedes gliding through the winding roads with barely a sound until they reached a private helipad nestled behind a line of tall hedges. Waiting beside the sleek black chopper were a few of Ethan's security men, loading two of his briefcases into the storage compartment.
Without much delay, they boarded. The interior of the helicopter was surprisingly quiet, lined with dark leather seats and polished metal accents. Lena strapped in, still trying to wrap her head around everything.
The pilot turned slightly and spoke over the headset. "We'll be flying to the Sinclair estate in Greece. Estimated flight time is one hour, twenty minutes."
Lena blinked. "Greece?" she repeated, turning to Ethan. "I thought we were going on a date."
Ethan barely glanced up from his tablet. "We are," he said, casually flipping through something on the screen. "We'll continue our honeymoon in Greece."
Lena didn't flinch. Her voice was calm, but her words were sharp. "You invited your ex over only to abandon her here. That's not nice."
"I didn't invite her over," Ethan replied, unbothered, his eyes still on the tablet.
She gave a small scoff. "Even if our marriage is contractual, it doesn't sit right. The media's in a frenzy. Everyone's talking. And I'm the one they're laughing at."
At that, Ethan set the tablet down.
His gaze lifted steady, intense and locked onto hers. "Are you jealous?" he asked, his voice low, unreadable.
She froze.
She hadn't expected him to say that. Hadn't expected him to look at her like that. She quickly looked away.
"My reputation matters to me," she said quietly. "The public sees me as a clown, for allowing my husband to pull a stunt like this."
Ethan didn't blink. "Don't bother about the public," he said, his tone steady, almost commanding. "We'll sort that out."
His voice was calm, firm, undeniably certain it made her believe him, even if she didn't want to. She glanced at him briefly, searching his face, then turned to the window.
The sky stretched endlessly around them, the world below slipping away as they flew higher.