|NEXT MORNING|

BRIANNA

I woke up at 4 a.m. the next morning, an early hour that felt wrong but somehow necessary. The night had been long and restless, plagued by a swirling storm of anxiety. The excitement of the trip was building, but so were the nerves. I could barely sleep, my mind racing through a thousand possibilities—about the flight, about being away from home, about how everything would unfold.

Reluctantly, I got up from bed, rubbed my tired eyes, and took a shower, hoping the warm water would calm my frayed nerves. Afterward, I quickly dressed in something comfortable for the flight, making sure to pack my essentials. I double-checked my traveling bag to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything important. The last thing I needed was to leave behind something I’d need for the journey.

I prepared a light breakfast—a simple bowl of cereal and some fruit—just enough to fill my stomach, as I wasn’t sure whether we’d be served on the plane. Time was ticking, and by 5 a.m., I was still waiting for Adrian to come pick me up. My anxiety only seemed to grow the longer I sat still, the minutes stretching endlessly.

Then, thirty minutes later, a knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I was instantly on my feet. It had to be Adrian; we weren’t expecting anyone else at this early hour. I jogged to the door and unlocked it, opening it to find him standing outside in his usual effortlessly handsome glory. His presence was like a calming force, though I wasn’t sure why, given the whirlwind of emotions inside me.

I greeted him with a warm hug, inviting him inside.

“Hey, good morning,” I said, my voice a little shaky despite my best efforts.

“Morning, beautiful,” he replied, his deep voice warm and reassuring. “Did you sleep well?”

I gave a small laugh, though it didn’t reach my eyes. “Actually, I didn’t. I was so anxious that I kept tossing and turning. I even woke up at 4!”

He chuckled softly at my confession. “Wow. It’s probably because this will be the first time you’re traveling out of the country, and you’re nervous about what the flight will be like.”

“You’re right,” I sighed, sinking onto the couch beside him. “And I’m also worried about leaving my mom and Mariana alone for a week. I mean, how will they cope without me around?”

“I’m sure they’ll manage just fine. You can always check in with them while you’re away,” he said, his voice soothing, as he placed his hand gently on my back, offering comfort in his usual steady manner.

I took a deep breath, trying to let go of the knot of worry in my chest. “Yeah, you’re right. I can do this.”

Adrian’s easy smile made me feel just a bit more at ease. “Okay, so you ready to go?”

I nodded, pushing myself off the couch. “Yeah, let me go tell Mom that we’re leaving.”

I jogged upstairs, quickly heading to my mom’s room. She was still sound asleep, as expected—who wouldn’t be at 5 a.m.? I gently tapped her shoulder twice, and she fluttered her eyes open, looking groggy.

“Good morning, Mom,” I whispered, trying not to disturb her too much.

“Morning, sweetie,” she replied, blinking sleepily before her gaze shifted to me fully. She checked me out from head to toe before raising an eyebrow. “You’re about to leave?”

I nodded. “Yes, Adrian is downstairs, and we’re about to head out now.”

“Oooh, Adrian’s here? Let me go say hi to him before you both leave,” she said, sitting up in bed. I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d heard the way I said “we’re about to leave” or if she was just caught up in the idea of seeing Adrian again.

“Mom, you should stay in bed. It’s too early for you to be walking around,” I protested, but I knew it was futile.

“Oh, please. I’ll be back in bed before you even notice. I just want to say hi to Adrian,” she waved me off, standing up despite my grumbling.

I rolled my eyes as she walked out of the room. Mom was such a drama queen, but I loved her.

I followed her downstairs, and the moment she saw Adrian, her eyes lit up in the way that made me wonder if he was slowly becoming her favorite person.

“Mrs. Jackson!” Adrian called cheerfully when he saw her, and they immediately pulled each other into a hug. I couldn’t hide my eye-roll, but I was sure Mom would accuse me of being jealous if she noticed.

“Adrian! How are you?” she asked, clearly thrilled to see him.

“I’m fine, thank you,” Adrian said, flashing that charming smile of his. I almost thought he was flirting with her—how could he be so smooth with everyone?

“Brianna told me you’re about to leave,” Mom said, still holding him in a gentle embrace.

“Yes, ma’am. We’re actually running a little late,” Adrian replied, his tone light, but there was an edge of urgency.

“Alright, take care of her, please. This is the first time she’ll be going out of the country.” Mom looked between the two of us, her eyes filled with concern, but I could tell she trusted Adrian.

“I will. She’s my responsibility now,” Adrian said with a serious expression, and I couldn’t help but feel a flutter in my chest.

Mom smiled softly at his words. “Thank you.”

Before I knew it, Mom was giving us both a warm smile and ushering us out of the house. “Y’all should leave now before you miss your flight.”

I grabbed my traveling bag and handbag, walking over to my mom to hug her. I closed my eyes for a moment, inhaling her familiar flowery scent that always made me feel at home.

“I’ll miss you, Mom,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

“I’ll miss you too, sweetie,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“Go now,” she added gently, pulling away from the hug.

“Bye, Mrs. Jackson!” Adrian called as we made our way toward the car.

“Bye, Adrian! See you soon,” Mom shouted back from the door.

“Bye, Mom!” I waved, then quickly hurried outside.

“Take care, darling!” Mom’s voice echoed behind me as I sauntered over to Adrian’s car. I tossed my bag into the backseat before climbing in beside him. Brandon was already in the driver’s seat, ready to take us to the airport.

Once on the road, my nerves were still running high. I couldn’t shake the feeling of anticipation that was building with every passing minute. I glanced over at Adrian, who was sitting next to me, his eyes closed and his head resting against the headrest.

“Adrian…” I said, unsure if he was asleep. “Are you sleeping?”

“No,” he murmured, his voice soft and relaxed, though his eyes remained shut. “I’m just meditating.”

“Hmm hmm,” I hummed, unsure of what to make of that response. “Why are you meditating, though? Nervous about the trip?”

He chuckled before finally opening his eyes. “I’m not nervous. This isn’t my first business trip. I’m just clearing my head.”

“Alright,” I replied, settling into the silence between us.

A few minutes later, we arrived at a quiet airport, and I couldn’t shake the eerie feeling that came over me. Why was it so quiet here? Wasn’t an airport supposed to be busy, filled with the hustle and bustle of travelers?

Adrian got out of the car, and I followed suit, feeling the nerves creep back up again. Brandon also stepped out, heading to the back to grab our bags.

“Adrian, why is this place so quiet?” I asked, my voice full of confusion. “I thought an airport is supposed to be a crowded place.”

“It’s quiet because this is a private airport. We’re the only ones here,” he said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

“Oh, really?” I asked, my mind still reeling. “I thought we were flying on a public plane.”

“Nah,” Adrian said, with a casual shrug. “Why would I take a public plane when I have my own private jet?”

My jaw dropped. “You have a private jet?!”

“Yes, I own this airport,” he added nonchalantly, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

I blinked, unable to process the information. “You own this airport?”

“Yeah, I actually have a private island in Hawaii too,” he added with a smug grin.

I froze in place, my mind struggling to catch up with his words. “You keep surprising me, Adrian. Just how many things do you possess? If you have a private jet, let me guess… you also have a private island somewhere?”

“Yeah, Hawaii,” he said, almost too casually.

I stared at him, dumbfounded. “I really don’t know anything about you.”

We finally reached the private jet, and my surprise only deepened. I was about to board a plane unlike any I’d ever imagined.