Chapter 53: Let Me Introduce You To My Son
Sienna’s gaze slowly shifted back toward the helicopter. That thing. That flying thing with rotating blades that slowly takes off and lands, that flies not too far from the ground.
She couldn’t help but feel her heart race with nervousness.
’How am I supposed to ride that thing? I can’t even manage turbulence on a plane...’ she thought, her face close to breaking.
She gently stepped out of the car, her movements a bit stiff, as if cautiously approaching a challenging moment.
"Can I cancel this job?" she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible as her eyes remained locked on the helicopter. "I don’t think I signed up for this level of adventure..."
But almost immediately, another voice in her head responded. ’Triple your salary. All right, brave yourself, girl.’
Just as Sienna was mentally preparing herself for what felt like a life-threatening decision, Zachary’s voice called out from behind her.
"Sienna."
Sienna turned and saw Zachary walking toward her, the little boy now walking calmly beside him. The little boy is no longer as ignorant as he was before. This time, he stares at her, though his gaze seems cold.
"Let me introduce you to my son," Zachary said, his tone steady, almost casual, as if he were introducing a colleague rather than revealing something that completely shifted the ground beneath Sienna’s feet.
But for Sienna, nothing about this moment felt casual. She was still standing there, caught somewhere between disbelief and quiet shock, her thoughts struggling to keep up with the reality unfolding before her.
Sienna had already heard the little boy call him ’Daddy,’ but hearing the confirmation from Zachary still surprised her.
’His son... This young boy is his son...’
The word echoed in her mind again and again, refusing to settle into something she could easily accept. At this moment, another question entered her mind, ’If he has a son, there has to be a family... a wife, right?’
The thought landed heavily in her chest.
Still, Sienna forced herself to straighten, her posture instinctively adjusting as if she were back at work, facing an important guest.
A gentle smile slowly formed on her lips as her gaze settled on the young boy standing beside Zachary. For some reason, the moment their eyes met, something unfamiliar stirred within her. A faint, dull ache: soft, confusing, and impossible to name.
"His name is Skylar..." Zachary continued, his voice softening slightly as he looked down at the boy. "Sky, greet Aunty Sienna... She will stay with us at the villa this weekend."
’Aunty.’ The word rang in her mind like a bell, clear and loud.
And strangely, instead of discomfort, a quiet warmth slipped into her heart.
’Oh...’ she thought, almost amused despite everything. ’So I’ve been promoted already... from confused guest to aunty in less than five minutes.’
Skylar didn’t move right away. He simply stared at her, his gaze no longer distant like before. This time, there was something else in it, curiosity, perhaps even a hint of confusion, as if he were trying to understand why this unfamiliar woman had suddenly appeared in his world.
Sienna stepped forward. She smiled warmly and extended her hand toward him. "Hello..." she said gently, her voice softer than she intended. "It’s nice to meet you.... Skylar."
The boy blinked once, then slowly raised his hand.
"H-Helo..." he replied, his small fingers brushing against hers.
The contact was brief, almost fleeting, but the warmth of his hand lingered just long enough to make her smile widen without her realizing it.
Then, the little boy gently pulled his hand back, instinctively reaching out to hold his father’s hand.
Sienna smiled nervously because she didn’t know what to say next. Or what to do. Or how to act around a man who, just moments ago, had become infinitely more complicated in her eyes.
Thankfully, Zachary seemed to notice. He cleared his throat lightly, stepping in as if to rescue her from her own silence.
"We should head out now," he said, his tone returning to its usual calm. "We’ll fly directly to the villa. It’s on the border city, so it won’t take long." He turned and began walking toward the helicopter, naturally guiding Skylar along with him.
Sienna followed, though her steps were noticeably slower. Her gaze drifted toward the helicopter again, and just like before, her confidence quietly faded.
’I still don’t like this...’ she thought, her stomach tightening slightly as the distance between her and that flying machine grew smaller.
After a few seconds of internal struggle, she hurriedly approached Zachary, lowering her voice.
"Um... to be honest..." she began, her tone hesitant. "I don’t really like flying. I’m... kind of afraid of turbulence."
Zachary paused for a fraction of a second, clearly surprised, before a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"There’s no need to worry," he said calmly, glancing at her. "I’m a good pilot, and the weather is perfect for flying. No turbulence. Nothing but smooth flying. You’ll enjoy the flight. You’ll see."
Sienna was utterly stunned.
’I’m sorry... what?’ she thought, her expression momentarily frozen. ’Did he just say he’s the pilot?’
Before she could process that properly, Zachary had already helped Skylar into the helicopter with ease. Then, naturally, he turned back and extended his hand toward her.
She didn’t even realize she accepted it.
Her fingers wrapped around his almost instinctively, and the moment their hands touched, her heart skipped a beat... fast, sudden, and completely uninvited.
’Focus, Sienna,’ she scolded herself inwardly. ’This is not the time to notice things like that.’
Quickly, she climbed into the helicopter, adjusting her expression as if nothing had happened.
Still, the faint warmth on her cheeks betrayed her.
Skylar, already seated and buckled in, glanced at her briefly. His small eyes lingered for a moment, as if silently observing her reaction, before he calmly put on his headset like someone who had done this many times before.
Sienna sat beside him, trying to mimic his calmness.
It didn’t work.
Her fingers fumbled slightly with the seatbelt, and when she finally managed to secure it, she let out a small breath of relief as if she had just completed a difficult task.