Another day passed.
That afternoon, Sienna stood in front of her wardrobe, her eyes wandering over the rows of beautiful dresses neatly hanging inside. Each one seemed to be calling out to her, making the decision even more challenging.
She remembered Zachary telling her they were going on a date, with dinner at a fancy restaurant.
"Should I wear something formal, semi-formal, or casual?" she murmured as her fingers lightly brushed over the fabrics.
She let out a small laugh and shook her head.
"My goodness, why does choosing a pretty dress for this man feel so difficult?"
The thought made her smile.
Her life had changed so much in such a short time. Back then, she only owned a few formal outfits and mostly wore simple, casual clothes. Now, this entire wardrobe belonged to her, filled with dresses she had never imagined owning.
After several minutes of debating with herself, her hand finally stopped on a sleeveless, knee-length light cream dress. She slipped it on and stood in front of the mirror, turning slightly from side to side as she studied her reflection.
The dress wasn’t overly elegant or too simple. It felt just right.
"Hmm... this looks pretty."
She nodded to herself, pleased with her choice.
"You look perfect, girl." She praised herself after putting on a knee-length black coat.
A gentle smile spread across her lips as she admired herself in the mirror. Without realizing it, her thoughts drifted to Zachary. She couldn’t help wondering what kind of expression he would make when he saw her.
She loved how the dress fit her slender figure, gently highlighting her curves without being too much. It made her feel beautiful, confident, and excited for their first real date as husband and wife.
Sienna decided to leave her long, wavy hair down, letting it fall naturally over her shoulders and back. There was no need for an elaborate hairstyle. Since her skin was already naturally clear, she simply applied moisturizer and a little lip gloss before deciding she was ready.
"Girl, you’ll be late if you spend any more time getting ready," she reminded herself with a soft laugh.
When Sienna walked downstairs, she saw Skylar coming in from the back of the house.
The little boy looked slightly sweaty from his basketball class, but the moment he spotted her, his tired face brightened. His eyes sparkled as he hurried over to her, his smile signaling an unreserved excitement.
"Oh, Mommy!" he exclaimed happily. "You look so pretty!"
Sienna laughed as she stopped to wait for him.
"Thank you, sweetheart." She gently brushed a damp strand of hair away from his forehead. "Are you finished with your basketball class?"
Skylar nodded proudly.
"Yes, Mom! I’m tired..." he admitted with a dramatic sigh before breaking into a grin. "But it’s okay. My teacher said I’m getting better at dribbling the ball. And next week he will teach me how to shoot..."
"Really?" Sienna smiled proudly. "That’s wonderful, Sky. Mommy knew you had it in you."
He puffed out his little chest, clearly pleased with the praise.
"I even made it past the cones without losing the ball," he said proudly.
"Wow." Sienna widened her eyes playfully. "Does that mean I’ll have to call you Mr. Basketball now?"
Skylar giggled and shook his head. "No, Mom... just Skylar."
"Good..." She laughed softly. "Because Mommy likes calling you Sky."
He smiled even wider before slipping his small hand into hers.
"All right," Sienna said gently. "Now go take a shower and get changed. Don’t stay up too late tonight, okay? Mommy and Daddy will be home late."
Skylar nodded, already knowing exactly why.
"Because you’re going on a date," he said with a knowing smile. "Daddy has to take good care of you."
"He certainly does," Sienna replied with a laugh.
"I hope Daddy buys you yummy food," Skylar added innocently. "But don’t forget to bring dessert home if there’s any."
Sienna couldn’t help laughing at his adorable request. "I’ll see what I can do."
"Promise?" He blinked.
Look how adorable he was, her smile wider. "I promise..."
Only then did Skylar seem satisfied.
"Okay, Mommy." He smiled brightly. "Have fun on your date. No need to think about me; I will eat a lot of my dinner."
Sienna’s smile softened with affection. She bent down, cupped his cheeks, and kissed his warm, slightly flushed face.
"I love you so much, my sweet boy," she whispered.
"I love you too, Mommy."
Skylar wrapped his little arms around her in a tight hug, and Sienna hugged him back just as warmly, savoring the moment before gently ruffling his hair.
"Go get cleaned up," she reminded him with a smile.
"Yes, Mommy."
Still smiling, Skylar happily skipped toward the elevator while Sienna watched him for a moment, her heart full.
Only after he disappeared into the elevator did she pick up her bag, take one last calming breath, and finally leave the house to meet Zachary.
As soon as Sienna got into the car, she looked at Logan, who was sitting behind the steering wheel.
"Where are we going, Logan?" she asked.
He met her gaze through the rearview mirror before answering politely. "Ma’am, we’re heading to Sterling Capital."
Sienna nodded in understanding. Since Zachary had asked her to meet him there first, she assumed they would leave for their date together afterward.
She took out her phone and quickly sent him a message.
"Honey, I’m on my way."
His reply came only a few seconds later.
"See you soon, my wife."
A gentle smile spread across Sienna’s face as she read the short message. It wasn’t anything particularly romantic, but somehow, those few words warmed her heart.
She locked her phone and rested it on her lap before turning to look out the window. The afternoon sunlight bathed the busy streets as people hurried along the sidewalks, each occupied with their own lives.
Watching the city pass by, she realized they were passing through part of the city she seldom passed through. And now, she wondered where Zachary planned to take her for dinner.
Would it be somewhere elegant? Somewhere quiet? Or perhaps somewhere with a beautiful view?