Chapter 37

Tristan was seated in an armchair in his private jet, sipping a glass of whiskey before takeoff. Aurora was beside him, not as calm as he was, as it was her first time on a plane. She felt an uncomfortable flutter in her stomach and tried to think of anything other than the winged vehicle plummeting from the sky.

The pilot and the secretary entered the jet and were surprised to see Aurora next to their boss.

"What is she doing here?" Genevieve questioned.

"Aurora is traveling with us," Tristan replied indifferently, taking another sip of his drink.

"But this is a work trip! This girl shouldn't be here!" Genevieve protested.

"Genevieve, if it bothers you, then leave. The same goes for you," Tristan said, directing the last part to Xavier, who had yet to speak.

Genevieve grumbled and went to sit a bit further away from them, while Xavier settled into the seat in front of Aurora.

"I guess I can endure this Smurf until the end of the trip!" Xavier teased.

"What did you call me, walking giraffe?" Aurora retorted.

"Smurf!" Xavier repeated, receiving a tap on the back of his head. "Hey!"

"If you call me that again, it'll be much worse!" Aurora warned.

Despite the squabbles, the pilot announced that takeoff would occur in a few minutes. As the plane sped down the runway, Aurora became even more nervous and tried to disguise her fear. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly as the plane lifted into the air. Only when the aircraft stabilized did she open her eyes.

Tristan observed her, noting that she was no longer afraid and seemed to enjoy looking out the window.

"Are you still afraid of heights?" he asked.

"I'm not afraid of heights!" Aurora lied, surprised that he remembered.

"Stop lying to me," Tristan reprimanded.

She fell silent for a moment before admitting, "Fine, I am! Are you satisfied?"

"Not quite," he teased, leaning close to her ear, their lips just inches apart. "You know, I've always been curious about having sex in an airplane bathroom."

Aurora tried to resist, "Well, you'll remain curious!" She knew it was wrong and prohibited to have sexual relations on planes, even on a private jet.

But Tristan didn't give up easily, "Will you really refuse?" He lightly nibbled her earlobe, sending shivers down her body. "You're still nervous, I can see that..." Yes, she was nervous, but it wasn't the plane's fault; it was Tristan's. "I can make you forget about it in no time."

The forbidden thrill was strangely exciting. Aurora glanced at Xavier and Genevieve, both asleep with headphones on. If she had already succumbed to so many temptations, one more sin wouldn't damn her.

To Tristan's surprise and delight, she got up, taking his hand, and led him to the small restroom at the end of the aisle. She locked the door, trapping them in that cubicle, and unexpectedly, he pressed her against the door, kissing her passionately and exploring her body unabashedly. She pulled on his hair vigorously, making him gasp into her mouth. Aurora knew this experience would be memorable, and she was about to give in to the forbidden desire at high altitude.

At that moment, "sanity" ceased to exist in her dictionary. Aurora lost the voice of reason when she was with Tristan, more precisely when he invited her to indulge in carnal pleasures. She was a victim of her own desires.

With his help, she took off her clothes until only her intimate pieces remained. He buried his face in her neck, savoring her scent and the sounds of her sighs. He started sucking on the skin of that area while his hands roamed over her nearly naked body.

"You're so hot," he said with a voice filled with desire.

She couldn't bear the distance between them for much longer, and besides, she didn't want to linger too much in that bathroom, but she was going to make the most of every second.

Her hand, which was previously on the nape of Tristan's neck, slid to the first buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning them one by one. However, she struggled a bit, and as her body yearned for more contact, she didn't think twice about tearing the expensive fabric to explore the upper part of his body more thoroughly.

"What a wild girl," Tristan commented, lifting his head to look closely at her and smiling in a way that made her tremble.

He sat on the toilet with the lid down, pulling her waist to sit on his lap, molding their bodies together.

While they were in that small bathroom, possibly committing the greatest madness of their lives, outside, the big-eared individual woke up from sleep and removed his earphones, immediately regretting it.

"Don't they have any shame?!" Xavier exclaimed at the sounds that disturbed his mind. "How can Genevieve sleep through this?!" he asked himself, looking at the secretary in deep slumber.

Xavier put the earphones back on, this time at maximum volume, but it didn't help much. So, he started singing the song, believing that it would make things better.

"La, la, la, la, la, la... sing a song! La, la, la, la, la, la... Smurfs all day!"

***

Adelaide and Kai managed to organize everything quickly. It wasn't too late at night when they closed the restaurant and handed the keys to the boss. Afterward, they walked side by side to Kai's motorcycle parked at the back of the establishment.

"Aurora has arrived in Tokyo!" Adelaide said, looking at her sister's message on her phone. "She also said the trip was smooth, and she's already resting at the hotel."

"Ask her to send more pictures later," Kai suggested.

"I will," she replied, putting the device in her bag. "She must be having so much fun."

Kai glanced at her from the corner of his eye. Despite being happy for the opportunities Aurora was getting, Adelaide felt sad because of the distance between them. Since their parents' death, there was nowhere else to turn. Their grandparents were already deceased, and their parents were only children; only the two of them carried on the family name and honor, taking care of each other. That's why the bond that united them was so strong and resilient.

Kai got on the motorcycle, and Adelaide did the same, sitting on the pillion. During the ride, she thought about how her sister was moving forward with her life, doing what she loved, and being happy, while she was stuck in the same place, filled with doubts.

She snapped out of her thoughts when Kai stopped the motorcycle. She frowned, not understanding why he brought her to an amusement park.

"Why are we here?" Adelaide asked.

"I thought of bringing you here to distract yourself and not spend the whole night feeling lonely in that apartment."

Adelaide didn't know what to say. Kai wasn't one to make gestures like that; he also didn't show interest or concern for anything or anyone.

"Thank you..." she said, getting off the motorcycle with a wide smile, like a child going to her favorite park.

"I'll buy the tickets; it won't take long, so wait for me at the entrance," Kai said, heading towards the small queue at the ticket booth.

"Okay," Adelaide nodded, watching him walk away to the line.

And in that moment, as she observed him from afar on that cold winter night, she thought about what she really felt, and then something became clear. The love that bound a man and a woman for a lifetime wasn't the only way to love. Yes, there were various forms of love. She loved Kai for being by her side all the time and for teaching her more about adult life.

But what about Griffin? How did she love him? Actually... was what she felt even love?

***

No corner of that luxurious room escaped Aurora's eyes. It was very spacious, cozy, and the decor gave it a casual feel. There was a balcony with a beautiful city view that enchanted the young woman, making her even more eager to explore Tokyo.

"This place is amazing!" she said to herself in the room, making a call and getting ready to go out.

Aurora had just arrived at her destination, but Klaus was eager for more details. He wanted to know about the weather and curiously compared the Japanese to Americans in terms of beauty. Aurora laughed at his questions.

"I just got here, didn't see much on the way from the airport to the hotel," Aurora replied.

Still excited, Klaus asked her to give details about the hotel, even inquiring about the appearance of the receptionist and the chambermaid.

"Klaus! Calm down!" Aurora rolled her eyes but continued, "About the hotel, you would love it! This is the most luxurious place I've ever seen in my life!"

Klaus praised his friend, calling her powerful, but she quickly clarified that Tristan was the one financing the entire stay and thus the real powerhouse.

After finishing her makeup, she looked at herself in the mirror. Tristan had visited Tokyo countless times and planned to take her to some places and then have dinner at a restaurant.

"I need to hang up now..." Aurora said.

"I was about to say the same. International calls are very expensive!" She chuckled softly. "Goodbye, Aurora!"

After the call, Aurora put her phone in her bag and left the room in search of Tristan. She found him in the living room talking to Xavier, who seemed surprised. Intrigued, she stood where she was, unnoticed.

"What... did... you... say?" Xavier asked.

"I said 'no'," Tristan replied, sitting on the couch. "I'm taking Aurora out for dinner tonight."

Xavier was astonished by Tristan's refusal to go to Tokyo's best nightclub to hang out with Aurora. "What's happening to you? Did changing countries also change your personality?"

"Don't exaggerate," Tristan replied.

"It's not an exaggeration!" Xavier retorted, sitting next to him. "What's going on between you two? I'm not asking about the arrangement, because I'm aware of that part of the story... It's just that you've only been involved with her for a while, and it's changing you."

"What do you mean?" Tristan asked.

Xavier commented on the past Tristan, who would never reject a night of revelry. Tristan looked away, seeming uncomfortable with the topic, and denied being in love with anyone.

"Don't talk nonsense," he replied seriously, getting up. "And I haven't changed, I'm still the same."

As the girl listened to the conversation, she felt a tightness in her chest, realizing that her hopes were unfounded. She tried to pretend that she didn't care, but the reality was that she cared a lot. Accepting this situation seemed difficult, but necessary.

"Can we go now?" Aurora appeared in the living room, forcing a smile at the two men.

The three left the room, the third man went to his own room, and the other two walked outside the hotel, where a driver was waiting to take them anywhere they desired.

The afternoon and early evening were devoted to sightseeing. Aurora was excited, capturing everything in photos like a typical tourist. Tristan didn't seem as enthusiastic, but he accompanied her without hesitation.

As planned, they ended the tour with dinner at a restaurant.

"What do you think of Tokyo?" Tristan asked, sitting in front of her.

"Incredible! Everything here is so beautiful, it exceeded all my expectations!" She smiled, mostly happy.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," he said with a brief smile. "Tomorrow, I have to attend a business meeting; I'll probably be back in the late afternoon. Later tonight, I'll arrange for someone trustworthy to take you shopping."

"Shopping?" Aurora asked, looking confused.

"Yes, I'll give you my credit card. I want you to buy a dress to wear for a dinner with businessmen tomorrow night."

She took a moment to respond, processing that flood of information.

"That's not necessary. I already have a dress," she stated.

"But I want you to buy a new one. If you want, you can also buy something for your sister..."

That was the last straw, but she couldn't refuse. She had already accepted him paying for the trip and accommodation, and it wasn't the time to be proud. One of the few things they had in common was pride, but the differences were so many that it would take a notebook to write them down. What annoyed her the most was that, at times, he showed his feelings, while at other times, he concealed them very well. She just wanted to understand his actions and words, which often didn't seem compatible.

"Tristan..." the redhead paused, reconsidering if it was a good idea to question him about it.

"Yes?" Tristan said.

On that cold winter night, she pondered her feelings and realized something about him. Yes, they were alike, but at the same time different. Did he feel the same way too?

"Just tell me, what do you need? What do you want from me?" Aurora thought silently before answering out loud, "No, nothing."