Do I make you addicted?

-Don't you want to undress in front of me?, he suggested, staring at my body.

-Say another thing like that and I swear that you will never receive your reward, I threatened him

-And you don't want to give me another taste of my reward?, he asked me

-...

As the plane continued its climb, I sat down on the bed after finishing getting dressed. Then I turned to Sheng Xing sitting in his chair, determined to understand the nature of this mission.

-What is the mission exactly? I asked, trying to unravel the mystery surrounding this emergency.

He took a deep breath before answering, his gaze fixed on my lips.

-Focus, I sighed

-We have to infiltrate a clandestine auction in enemy territory, he explained in a serious tone. Advanced weapons and sensitive information are about to be sold. To get in without arousing suspicion, you'll have to pretend to be my wife.

-What ? I exclaimed, surprised by the absurdity of the proposition. It is not possible ! Why not pretend I'm your bodyguard instead?

Sheng Xing shook his head, a serious expression on his face.

"It's too dangerous," he retorted. If you pretend to be my bodyguard, others might want to test our strength and seek to fight with us.

-Or else your brother or one of your friends!, I exclaimed

-No, it's even more dangerous, he replied.

-What do you mean?, I asked him

-As my wife, you will be able to blend in without attracting so much attention. Moreover, I am not only a military man here, I am also a renowned businessman. Having my wife by my side strengthens this coverage.

I took a moment to digest his words, weighing the pros and cons. The idea of ​​posing as his wife seemed ridiculous and uncomfortable, but he was right that a bodyguard would attract more confrontation.

"Fine," I said reluctantly, "but you owe me a detailed explanation of what I need to do and how this cover is going to work. And if something goes wrong, will you promise to protect me?

He nodded, a slight smile softening his features.

-I promise you. We'll go over the details of the plan now, he told me in a deep voice.

During the rest of the flight, Sheng Xing explained the ins and outs of the mission to me. He gave me information on the main players in the auction, the types of weapons and intelligence at stake, and our strategy for obtaining what we came for.

-Whatever happens, I don't want you to put yourself in danger, he warns me in a serious voice.

-I'm not going to stand there and do nothing if I see you in danger and-

-It's an order that I'm giving you, he cut me off sharply.

-Sorry but I'm not the type to follow the rules, I replied.

-I don't think you'd like to see me angry, he explained, looking me straight in the eyes.

-You can't know until I see you angry, I retorted amusedly

-Honey, I advise you not to play too much with my mood swings, he said to me, laughing darkly.

-Don't worry, I intend to play with your moods, I reassured him, now let's continue our discussion

He also taught me some personal details I needed to know to make our coverage credible: how we met, our fictional shared history, and a few anecdotes to give depth to our role. I listened attentively, memorizing every detail, aware that the slightest misstep could be fatal.

Finally, he took a small metal box from his pocket. He came closer to me and handed it to me. Inside, a simple but elegant ring gleamed under the plane lights.

-Here is your ring, he said. Put it on and keep it on at all times during the mission. It is an important symbol of our coverage.

I took the ring and slipped it on my finger, feeling the weight of responsibility that came with it. We were about to enter a dangerous and unknown world, but with every detail planned out, I felt a certain confidence building within me.

-And now you belong to me, he whispered in my ear

-Never, I answered him

-That's what we'll see, he said, smiling at me teasingly.

I felt him lightly nibble my ear without me expecting it. I quickly pushed him away, all red.

-This is your punishment for saying never, he told me

The plane began its descent toward our destination, and I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for what lay ahead. As we made landfall, I knew we would have to be on guard at all times, but at least we were prepared.