After making sure everything was cleaned up for the night, Mark was about to head to his room when Sara finished packing her suitcase.
"Have you finished packing?" she asked.
"Yeah." He nodded. "What about you?"
"Just finished." She smiled. "Let me help you with the cleaning."
"Sure."
As they cleaned the kitchen together, Sara said, "Caden called a while ago. He said we'll meet at the airport at ten tomorrow morning."
"Okay."
Once they finished, Mark turned and walked toward the guest room.
"Mark?" Sara called.
He looked back. "Hmm?"
"Where are you going?"
"To sleep."
She blinked in confusion before pointing toward her bedroom.
"You don't have to sleep in the guest room."
Mark hesitated. "Because I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
Sara thought, He isn't wrong... but what should I do now? He'll think I want to sleep with him.
"Are you okay?" Mark asked. "I just thought you wanted to get to know me first."
Sara felt embarrassed.
"You can go to your room."
Without waiting for his response, she quickly returned to her room.
Mark stood silently. Sara thinks she likes me, but she doesn't really know me. Maybe she's only impressed by my family or my profession. Besides... my heart isn't completely free yet. This marriage is going to be harder than either of us expected.
Inside her room, Sara tried to sleep, but she was so embarrassed that she didn't want to face him the next morning.
The next morning, Mark and Sara reached the airport right on schedule. The awkwardness from the previous night still lingered between them. Sara spent the entire drive staring out the window, avoiding even a single glance in his direction.
As they entered the terminal, Mark spotted Lilly and Caden waiting inside a coffee shop. Nearly two hours remained before their flight.
"Morning," Sara greeted softly as they joined them.
"Morning," Lilly replied with a smile.
They passed the time over coffee, making light conversation until the boarding announcement interrupted them. Picking up their luggage, the four of them headed toward the gate together.
Throughout the flight, Sara stayed with Lilly.
Inside the business class cabin, Lilly said, "I want to sit with Sara."
Caden looked at Mark, who seemed completely unbothered.
"Okay."
Caden and Mark sat together in the front row. Caden soon fell asleep while Mark quietly read a magazine.
After the flight took off, Lilly turned to Sara.
"The flight is only an hour and a half. Why are you sitting with me instead of Caden?" Sara asked.
Lilly smiled.
"Because I feel like you're avoiding Mark."
Sara was surprised. If Lilly noticed, then Mark definitely noticed too.
"Did he do something?" Lilly asked.
"The problem is... he thinks too much about me."
Lilly looked confused.
"About you?"
"I mean... he takes care of me too much."
Lilly felt her heart tighten a little but forced a smile.
"What I mean is... that's what I don't like."
Lilly didn't want to continue the topic.
"Don't overthink it."
"Yeah," Sara replied.
He's gentle, handsome, intelligent, and caring. How could anyone not fall for him? But now it's becoming a problem. After last night, he probably thinks I'm a pervert.
Lilly couldn't understand why hearing those words made her feel uneasy.
The flight arrived on time.
They came out of the airport, tired from the journey.
A man immediately walked over to Caden.
"Good afternoon, sir."
"You can load our luggage," Caden said, pointing toward all four of them.
"Caden, who is he?" Sara asked curiously.
She sat beside him.
"He's my friend's assistant."
"Assistant?"
"Yes. We're staying at my friend's hotel."
Lilly and Mark sat quietly in the back, avoiding eye contact.
Suddenly, the car went over a speed bump. Lilly's head was about to hit the front seat when Mark instinctively placed his hand above her head to protect her.
He immediately pulled his hand back and looked around to see if anyone had noticed.
Thankfully, Sara and Caden were busy talking.
Panicking, Lilly quietly moved closer to the window.
She silently thanked God that neither Caden nor Sara had seen what happened.
The hotel was enormous. Its entrance was beautiful, and staff members were everywhere.
The assistant asked the hotel staff to escort everyone to their rooms while he took Caden to meet his friend.
Lilly and Caden's room was directly opposite Mark and Sara's.
After meeting his friend, Caden returned to his room.
Lilly was already dressed for sightseeing.
"Do you want to go with them, or would you rather spend time with me alone?" Caden asked.
"As you decide," Lilly replied.
"Okay. Let's invite them."
"I'll call Sara."
Lilly smiled.
"Okay."
Back in their room, Mark and Sara quietly unpacked their luggage. The silence between them was almost uncomfortable, with neither of them knowing what to say.
Sara's phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence.
She glanced at the screen before answering.
"Hello?"
"If you're ready, we can head out," Caden said.
"Sure. We'll be there in five minutes."
"See you."
After ending the call, Sara looked toward Mark.
"Caden's waiting downstairs. Should we go?"
Mark nodded. "Let's go."
A few minutes later, they stepped into the hotel lobby, where Lilly and Caden were already waiting in casual clothes.
The city looked incredibly traditional, as if time had never changed it.
The streets were filled with shops selling traditional clothes, jewelry, and local food.
Caden and Lilly walked together in front while Mark and Sara followed behind.
"This city was built in 1200 B.C.," Caden said proudly.
The other three looked at him.
"Stop making up stories," Sara laughed.
"It's true," Caden replied playfully.
Caden took Lilly inside a shop.
Mark and Sara followed, but they behaved like strangers who had just met.
Caden noticed.
"Don't you think we should leave them alone?"
Lilly glanced at Mark and Sara.
"Okay."
Without saying anything, the two quietly left the shop.
Sara turned around.
"Lilly?"
She couldn't find either Lilly or Caden.
"Mark."
He walked over.
"What happened?"
"Where are Lilly and Caden?"
Mark looked around.
"I can't find them either. Let's check outside."
Sara nodded.
She called Lilly, but there was no answer.
Then she called Caden.
He didn't answer either.
Meanwhile, Caden and Lilly were sitting in a restaurant ordering food.
Caden smiled.
"Don't answer their calls."
Sara sighed in irritation.
"Forget it. They'll come back."
Mark looked at her in surprise.
"I thought you cared about your sister."
He hadn't meant to say it, but the words slipped out.
"I do care," Sara replied. "But I know she'll be fine because Caden is with her. Maybe they just wanted some privacy."
She angrily walked ahead.
Mark quietly followed.
After a while, Sara slowed down.
Maybe I said too much.
Walking beside her, Mark asked,
"Do you want to eat something?"
"Sure."
They entered a café and ordered cake with traditional tea.
After a moment of silence, Sara said,
"I want to know more about you."
Mark calmly nodded.
"Okay."
"Can you tell me about yourself?"
"You can ask me anything."
Now that they were finally talking, Sara had no idea where to begin.
Mark waited patiently, watching her with curiosity.
Just then, the waiter arrived and placed their cakes and tea on the table.
After another awkward silence, Sara asked,
"Where do you think we should go after this?"
Mark wasn't expecting that question, but he calmly took out his phone.
"I'll check."
After searching for a while, he smiled.
"I found a place. There's a fountain show in the evening."
"In the evening?"
"Yes. We can walk around until then and enjoy the city."
"Okay."
They walked along the roadside.
Almost every couple they passed was holding hands.
Sara wanted to do the same, but after what had happened the previous night, she didn't have the courage.
Instead, she walked close enough that her hand almost brushed against his.
Mark sensed how close she was and quietly took a few steps ahead.
How embarrassing. As a woman, why do I have to do this? He should be the one holding my hand, Sara thought.
As they continued walking through the market, Sara's eyes suddenly stopped on a jewelry shop.
In the display window was a pair of earrings identical to the one she had lost.
That's it...
Without thinking, she stepped inside.
She picked up the earrings and looked at them carefully.
"Are these genuine?" she asked the shopkeeper.
"Yes, ma'am. They're exactly the same design."
Relief washed over her.
Thank goodness.
Mark had walked ahead, so she quickly paid for them before hurrying outside.
The moment she stepped onto the street, she nearly bumped into Mark.
He looked at her with a puzzled expression.
"I was looking for you."