"Yes?" Hunter picked up the call, but his eyes stayed on Sienna, who introduced herself at the party but didn’t ask anyone’s name.

"Mr. Hunter? Mr. Hunter Levisay? I’m a big fan, sir!" Hunter wanted to roll his eyes. It was very rare that his number was shared, but this time, he had to ask Logan to do it.

He spoke just one word.

"Hmm."

Mr. Levisay. Your secretary told me that you want the Adios property. It’s an honor, sir."

"Hmm."

The skin between Sienna’s brows pinched when she saw Hunter saying only one word on the call.

"Adios property is yours, Sir. Though Mrs. Ruby Blackwell already asked me to buy it, but of course... you are... you... I mean... who can say no to you..."

The man kept blabbering, and Hunter didn’t know how to stop him. He wasn’t in the mood to listen to the crap.

"Your secretary also told me to invest in a company, so can I meet you in person so that we can discuss..."

"No need," Hunter uttered the words mechanically.

"Uh... yeah... okay... no need... I’ll invest... I’ll..." This time, Hunter didn’t let him finish.

"Someone will contact you," Of course, he couldn’t say in front of his wife that the man should talk to his secretary, Logan.

When he disconnected the call, Sienna’s eyes were on him with that chocolate smudge still there.

Hunter was trying his best to control the urge, "The man you talked to... in the party... He’s the owner of Adios Property and wants to invest..."

"What!" Sienna laughed, squeezing her eyes, "See? Chocolate croissant does wonders!"

Hunter straightened in his seat, "It was not a chocolate croissant," He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

"I know," She said gently, making him nod. It was good that she understood him so quickly.

"This might not be the chocolate croissant, Hunter, but... You know, I was really sure that tonight I’d impress those gentlemen and see?" She raised her palms excitedly, balling them into fists, "I always knew I had this aura, and... tonight it worked. Ha-ha. Wow!"

Hunter’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at her with raised brow. Did she really think...

"Yeah..." He chewed his lower lip, fighting the smile, "It was your aura indeed," He then reached out to touch her lips.

With a frown, her eyes dipped to his hand where he was caressing her mouth. She gulped her saliva before looking at his glasses, "What’re you doing?"

"Relax," He casually pulled his hand and took it near his mouth. For a moment, she thought he was going to lick it, "There was chocolate... there," He pointed to her mouth a little awkwardly. Or maybe she was the one being more awkward.

"Oh," She shook her head and tried to overcome the effect his touch had on her, "So..." She cleared her throat, "What was I saying, Hunter?"

Hunter rolled his lips again to hold back his laughter, "You were saying something about the party... your personality and aura..." Hunter reminded her.

"Ah...yeah... aura..." She smoothed an invisible crease on her gown, "I knew they were impressed the moment I walked in. Ruby said that she had already finalized the deal... thank god... this Mister Jeffery Stone... knows who the real deal is..."

This time, Hunter did start the engine. For the first time, he didn’t dislike the blabbering of a girl.

His wife had changed.

The day she approached him for the contract marriage, her face looked haunted. There were dark circles around her eyes that she tried to hide under makeup.

The Sienna who was sitting beside him right now was much more confident, sure of herself, and extra chirpy.

"Hey, menace..." He turned the steering wheel to his left, "I know you’re intelligent, with a strong aura and all..." He smirked, glancing at her, "Don’t you think, as your secretary, I also deserve some appreciation?"

"Appreciation?" Her nose scrunched a little as she saw the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Mr. Hunter Levisay. Are you making fun of me?" She asked with her raised brows and then folded her arms on her chest, "Of course, you also deserve appreciation. The way you sat there in the corner, watching me, learning how to approach people. I’m sure you’ll become a hotshot some day..."

"Hotshot! Huh!" This time, his smile widened, and Sienna couldn’t tear her gaze off his jaw. He looked too handsome with that grin playing on his lips.

Trying to divert her attention, she looked out the window. He must have felt the sudden silence because he poked his finger at her arm, "Menace? Did I offend you in any way?"

"No!" She pasted a tight-lipped smile on her face, "Not at all."

After a few minutes’ silence, when she didn’t initiate any talk, Hunter thought she had fallen asleep.

God! For the first time in his life, the silence didn’t sit well with him. He thought of stopping the car and apologizing.

Hunter Levisay. Apologizing to a woman for something he didn’t do! Nah!

Someone in his head made fun of him.

He cleared his throat to utter something. Anything...when suddenly she said something.

Thank God. At last, she spoke.

"What? I didn’t hear you, sugar."

"I said..." Her voice was barely above a whisper, "There will be a time in the future when you’ll do pretty well someday. I’m sure of that... and that time you’ll remember me."

Hunter got confused. Was she sleep-talking?

"Huh!"

"Yes..." She said sharply and then turned around in her seat to face him, clutching the back of her seat, "I’m doing all this so that ... you can learn, Hunter. Don’t you want to give a tough time to your family who abandoned you?"

Hunter couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped from his mouth.

"Wipe that off your face and learn to respect!" Her tone turned stern.

"Yeah... I’m sorry, and let me tell you, sugar. I’m learning a great deal from you..." When the car slowed down, Sienna realized that they had reached home, "And I’m sure... I’ll learn more..." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Yeah. That’s good," She smacked her thigh, annoyance flashing across her face, "And stop calling me that."

"Stop calling you what?"

"This... sugar thing..." She got out of the car and slammed the door. Hunter slowly chuckled and leaned his forehead to the steering wheel.

"Not call you sugar?" He thought for a moment and closed his eyes, then one corner of his lips lifted into a smirk, "That’s not happening, sugar."