Raelle and Shui Xian were all set to leave for their honeymoon. The whole family gathered to see them off. Seeing them all following behind them, Raelle looked back and said, "What are you all doing?"
"Seeing you off," replied Xiang Wai.
"Why would we need you to see us off? It's not like we are going on our final journey..." Shui Xian covered Raelle's mouth before she could finish that sentence. He smiled at everyone awkwardly and sighed to himself mentally. His wife really didn't think before speaking. Was this something to say before going on a journey?
"She means that you guys shouldn't bother with this. Go back inside. We can leave now."
Raelle looked at Shui Xian who smiled soothingly at her and pulled her outside. "Why stop me?"
"Do you want to make everyone sad?" asked Shui Xian. "Wifey, you are not supposed to say such unlucky things when you are going out of home. It can make them worry unnecessarily. Also, you should know that trouble comes from the mouth. Aren't you afraid of trouble the most?"
Raelle pursed her lips and finally dropped it, "Fine. I might have said something wrong. I will try not to do it again."
"Good girl!"
Raelle gave him a look, "That sounds weird."
Shui Xian smiled at her. They first took the chopper to the airport and then took the private jet. Even until now, Raelle had no idea where they were going.
"Are you really not gonna tell me where we are going?" questioned Raelle.
"Nope," replied Shui Xian. "You'll know soon enough. Why keep asking about it?"
"Why can't I just ask? I feel like I'm being kidnapped again. No idea about my future."
Shui Xian sighed, "Stop talking nonsense. Even if it's a kidnapping, you are still the one who fell in love with the kidnapper."
Raelle faked a gasp, "Hey, that sounds familiar. I think I heard my new secretary talking about a book she read where the kidnapped girl fell for her kidnapper. She said something about dark romance. I have no idea what that meant."
Shui Xian coughed to hide his smile and suggested, "How about you try reading this book?"
"I don't fiction though," replied Raelle. "I only tried it once because of Cloe but it wasn't that fun."
"Cloe suggested you contemporary romance. I think you'd like dark romance better."
"Isle of Seraphina."
"Sounds fitting," replied Raelle as she turned to him, her eyes filled with wonder. She'd been to many beautiful places before, but this... This was different. Really different. It felt intimate, like a secret world built just for the two of them. A perfect honeymoon getaway, far from the chaos of life, where only the sound of the ocean and the whispers of the wind would accompany them.
Actually, Raelle understood better why he picked this place as their honeymoon destination. Not only because he had beautiful memories of this place but also because of her. Raelle didn't like crowded places and Shui Xian knew it well. Why would he make her uncomfortable over their honeymoon? At least, they had to have a space that only belonged to them.
"Only you and I are here," said Shui Xian. "Isn't it a perfect place for a honeymoon?"
"It's not that exaggerated," retorted Raelle. "What about the crew and the workers who live here to take care of the island?"
Shui Xian cleared his throat and gave her a reproachful look, "Darling, can't you just let me be romantic for a while? Why hit me with the reality almost instantly?"
"Living in reality is better," argued Raelle. "I can't let you float in the clouds. What would I do if I can't catch up to you up there?"
"How is that possible?"
"I'm a grounded person," reminded Raelle. "I like the security of the ground under my feet. So, I refuse to float in the clouds like you. Doesn't that mean I won't be able to catch up to you?"
Shui Xian burst out laughing and led the way for her saying, "You really have all the right reasons for all my wrong ideas."
"That means we complement each other."
"That's true," agreed Shui Xian as he pinched her cheek. "I do look good with you around."
Raelle's heart swelled as she gazed at the island again. The beauty of it all was the quiet, peaceful energy it radiated. It was all so perfect. But even more than the place itself, it was the thought behind it. Shui Xian had done this for her, for them. It made her realize, yet again, just how much he loved her, how deeply he understood her desire for serenity and space. He understood that he didn't have to do anything fancy to touch her heart, it was always the sincerity that got to her instead of grand gestures.
"How else did you even become my husband?" she asked, her hand gently brushing his arm, her fingers tracing the familiar lines of his skin. "Isn't it all because we look good together? What else do you have in store for me?
Shui Xian chuckled softly. "Let's just say I have a few surprises up my sleeve. And this," he gestured to the island, "is only the beginning."
She smiled, her gaze softening as she looked at him. "Then, I can't wait to see what else you have in store."
He pulled her close, his hand resting on the small of her back. "I promise," he whispered against her ear, "this will be the most unforgettable adventure of our lives."
With that, they turned toward the island, hand in hand, the start of their honeymoon in this secluded paradise unfolding before them. Shui Xian tightened his grasp on her hand in his own as he looked forward to this adventure with her.