"Welcome Queens, New York. The local time is 1:43 p.m. Thank you for flying Delta Airlines."

The moment I stepped off the plane and into JFK International Airport, I was engulfed by a whirlwind of relentless activity that immediately overwhelmed my senses.

The terminal was chaotic with a sea of bustling commuters of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds pulling rolling suitcases and hurrying in every direction, each one seemingly in a hurry to get somewhere.

Getting to the pick up area where I was sure I'd be meeting Stefan, I fumbled for my phone and dialed his number.

After a few rings, he answered. "I'm here Cookie, where you at?"

My cheeks flushed. "Hey." I looked up at the sign above me to try and figure out where exactly I was. "I'm standing in front of a place called Yonah... "I paused and looked back up again. "Yonah Schim..."

He chuckled. "Save it, I see you."

I swiveled around. "Where?" I strained my neck to look further into the dispersing crowd, trying to recognize someone I knew. "I can't see you."

"Turn around, I'm right behind you."

Instantly, I spun around, and there he was, my tall, dark, and hot as sin bothers best friend standing amid the sprawling metropolis with a bouquet of flowers in hand.

My heart soared. It was like I had forgotten to breathe. "Oh my God, Stefan!" I gleamed, trying to blink away the shock as I continued to stare straight at him.

"It's me, baby." He grinned at me so widely that his sparkling white canines flashed. "I've missed you."

I couldn't contain my excitement. In that bustling airport, surrounded by curious onlookers, my suitcase was unceremoniously dropped and I sprinted towards him and launched myself into his arms, nearly knocking us both to the ground.

"Easy there Tiger," Stefan grunted and laughed, spinning me around like he always did when I was younger.

"Oh my God, I can't believe this is you." I buzzed when he finally set me down and ruffled my hair. "You look so different." I placed my hand on his chest, noticing the tattoos running all over his thick tawny arms striped with bulging veins. "Do you live in the gym?" I poked his biceps. "Look how hard you are!"

He grabbed my hand and laughed. "Maybe we should take this conversation somewhere private."

I looked over at the apprehensive stares we were getting from the passing crowd and understood what he meant. "Sure, yes."

"I'll get the bags."

My body bubbled with excitement as I stared through the window at the huge overwhelming buildings bursting into the sky.

My first glimpse of the city had been from the plane. It looked so tiny from up there, but seeing it now had me bewildered.

This was so surreal and it was hard to believe I was in New York. I'd read a lot of books about it but nothing compared to experiencing it in real time.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Stefan asked, and I turned my eyes away from the window to him with a stupid smile on my face. It was, it was amazingly beautiful and I almost laughed at how remarkable it was but then I remembered the real reason why I was here, and the whole enthusiasm just kind of withered.

I was going to be wedded to a man I didn't know or love in exchange for money. A part of me was elated about the money, and an equal part felt disgusted by the fact that I was pretty much selling myself.

It didn't matter tho. After a few days spent contemplating, I decided it was worth the risk. In six months it was going to be over anyway.

"How far are we from his house?" I asked in return.

He glanced away from the road to meet my eyes. "Well, not that far. Twenty minutes maybe. If we're not stuck in traffic, that is."

I nodded and turned to steal another furtive glance at the waving water glittering sapphire blue.

So beautiful.

"Is Tristan going to be home waiting?"

"He traveled for a business trip but he put everything in place for you so you have nothing to worry about."

Well, that was relieving to hear. Once we passed the bridge, I relaxed into my seat and stared out at people lagging about the sidewalks.

My mouth fell apart and I blinked, awe-struck by the building coming into view.

Huge was one word. This was enormous and so high up in the sky that I had to twist my neck just to drink in the full sight of it.

If I thought the Manhattan view was magnificent, this was definitely the deal breaker.

Stefan, looking unfazed as he had probably been here a thousand times before, nodded at the two barrel-chested security guards who stood by the large gates that opened up on our arrival.

"This place is huge," I lauded, unable to hold back my astonishment.

A soft chuckle breezed past his lips. "Wait until you see inside." He chirped, navigating through the circular driveway that had a Dolphin sculpture placed in the middle with water ejecting out of its mouth and spraying into the sparkling fountain below.

When we reached the glimmering entrance, he killed the engine and I got down, smoothening my sweaty palms over my pants while he opened the trunk and pulled out my suitcase.

"This way," he urged, leading me up the tiled stairs.

The uniformed doorman standing by the glass sliding doors greeted us with a two-finger salute and I smiled while Stefan interacted with him for a moment before ushering me into the majestic lobby shimmering with bright white lights and sleekly designed furnishes.

The smell of expensive cologne hit me. People moved around, dressed in designer clothing. The space smelt and spelled superfluity. It was the complete apex of luxury and style, and I felt a little embarrassed standing in my stripped jeans with faded knees and my washed-out sneakers but they didn't seem to care about me. In fact, no one looked my way.

It was a good thing I guess.

"The elevator is down the hall," Stefan informed and I nodded, following closely behind as we maneuvered our way through the lobby to the express elevator labeled private on the other end. Stefan stopped and punched a code that automatically opened the metal doors. Stepping in, time seemed to warp as we ascended to the penthouse level. When the doors slid open, I was immediately greeted by astonishing panoramic views of the city that literally knocked the breath out of my lungs.

"Welcome home." He toed off his shoes and casually walked in but I was frozen in place for a second, awed, allowing my mind to register what I was seeing.

This wasn't a 'welcome home', that was a gross understatement. This was a 'welcome to Paradise'.

The floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped the ample living space, bound by eccentric cream pencil pleat drapes. Just opposite was a burning electric fireplace mounted below the large television that lined the Rivoletto textured wall, and adjacent to that were the extremely exorbitant L-shaped cream leather couches that went in tone with the Rosa Aurora marble flooring and...

"Sienna?" Stefan called, interrupting my voyage.

I blinked. "Yeah?"

He looked like he wanted to laugh. "You coming?"

"Yes, sorry." I quickly toed off my sneakers and ran to catch up with him.

He led me on a tour, showcasing the penthouse's remarkable features, from the state-of-the-art kitchen equipped with the latest culinary gadgets to the sprawling terrace that overlooked Central Park. Everywhere I turned, I was met with breathtaking views of the city that never slept.

"This one's for Tristan." He lectured, pointing ahead to the door at the end of the hall. "This," he pointed to the left. "Is his study. And that," he pointed to my right. "Is his painting room."

My brows lifted. "He paints?"

He gave an affirmative nod and took a few steps forward, and then he stopped and dug his hand into his pocket for a key that he handed to me. I darted my eyes up at him and lowered it to the key sitting in my palm.

He nodded towards the door, grinning down at me. "Go on."

I swallowed and stepped forward. I placed the key in its hole and twisted twice before pushing the door open to a space that was bigger than my whole apartment.

Holy...

The room was a masterpiece of design, with a king-sized bed that appeared plucked from a royal palace. A full wall of windows offered a captivating, unobstructed view of the city's glittering skyline, like a sea of stars.

My eyes widened as I absorbed every exquisite detail. "Stefan, is this...my room?"

"You bet." He moved past me and entered. "I wasn't sure of your taste so feel free to redecorate. Everything you need will be provided."

My legs moved, taking me further into the room. I blinked once, twice. This penthouse was a realm of luxury that had existed only in my wildest dreams. "Pinch me, Steph." I beckoned. "I think I'm dreaming."

He laughed, looking up at the ceiling. "Ava, please raise the blinds."

"Welcome again, Stefan. Raising the bedroom blinds." A feminine automated voice boomed off the walls, making me jump.

The blinds opened slowly, showcasing the evening sun as it dawned over the city of Manhattan, and maybe I would have enjoyed the view better if I wasn't startled.

"That's Ava," Stefan explained. "Tristan's smart system that manages his floors."

"Welcome home Sienna," The automated voice returned. "I am Avalon, your guide specifically designed and programmed to cater to your every need."

Goosebumps popped out of my skin. This was totally insane and astonishing at the same time.

"The staff are off for tonight. Why don't you settle in and join me downstairs? I'm sure you're famished. I'll warm up something."

My lips suddenly felt dry. I licked them. "That's a great idea."

"Alright," he moved forward and kissed my head. "See ya."

The moment he left, I looked around and broke a smile.

Heaven. I was in heaven.