His pulse steadied-just enough to hear the next thing out of Ethan’s mouth.
“You used to love that sketchy barbecue place by the sidewalk,” he said, smirking. “I’d tease you all the time – told you one day you’d grow a third eye from all the mystery meat you were inhaling. You remember that?”
The table laughed. Light, harmless.
Damien didn’t.
He stared at Ethan instead.
And saw it.
That look.
Want.
Not curiosity. Not fondness.
But that specific, territorial kind of hunger. The kind that reached back. The kind that didn’t care how much had changed. The kind that remembered how she used to laugh when no one else could hear it.
And worst of all?
Maya hadn’t recoiled from it.
She was being polite-too polite. Her grip stayed firmed, but her smile turned fragile-like she was being polite for all the wrong reasons.
It was enough to make something ancient stir inside him.
Because Ethan hadn’t earned the Maya he was looking at now.
Not the woman who had grown, endured, transformed.
Not the Maya who reached for him when she needed steady ground.
And he sure as hell wasn’t going to take her from him.
Not when Damien knew-felt-that whatever Ethan was reaching for belonged to him now.
Clare
Loren 31 Carlen of Cubs-2
Half an hour later, breakfast was over, the table cleared, but the undercurrent of tension lingered thick in the warm island air.
Damien’s hand was still wrapped around Maya’s beneath the table-a quiet claim, an anchor in the storm. Without breaking their touch, he rose and gently tugged her to her feet.
And that’s when Damien saw it.
A flicker.
Sharp, unguarded.
Just for a second-but enough.
Ethan’s eyes had snapped to their interwoven hands, and something ugly passed behind them. Surprise. Jealousy. Maybe even something territorial.
But then-just as quickly-it vanished. Smoothed over with that easy grin, like it had never been there at all.
Damien didn’t grin back.
He didn’t need to.
His hand stayed right where it was-wrapped around what was his.
Together, they stepped out into the brilliant sunlight, joining Harper, Sienna, and Jessa as they made their way toward the Garden Pavilion.
The path wound through lush tropical landscaping – towering palms swayed lightly in the ocean breeze, ferns unfurled their delicate fronds, and vibrant bougainvillea climbed the rustic stone walls. The scent of jasmine and gardenia filled the air, mingling with the faint salt tang of the sea nearby.
The Garden Pavilion itself was a breathtaking spectacle: an open-air sanctuary draped in billowing white silk curtains, crystal chandeliers dangling from ancient mahogany beams, and tables set with polished silver and handcrafted porcelain. Around the pavilion, the manicured lawns gave way to exotic flowerbeds bursting with color-orchids, hibiscus, and rare tropical blooms that shimmered under the sunlight.
“It’s absolutely stunning,” Maya murmured, the tension in her chest easing just a fraction.
Harper nudged her playfully. “Perfect backdrop for the shoot-and perfect drama, apparently.”
Sienna smiled but glanced sideways at Maya. “So… how well do you really know Ethan Miller?
28
24
Maya kept walking, steady despite the questions. “We went to the same university. He was a senior but failed a class and had to retake it, which put him in one of mine. Our professor assigned us to the same group for a project-that’s how we met. A year later, I dropped out and never saw him again… until today.”
She paused, frowning slightly. “But… something feels different with him. I mean, sure-people change. Time changes them. But I don’t know… I can’t explain it. It’s just… off.”
Jessa’s voice was soft but deliberate. “You’re not the only one who feels it. There’s
something about him… I don’t know. Unsettling.”
Harper slowed her steps slightly, then glanced sideways. “Sienna?” She nudged her gently.” Penny for your thoughts?”
Sienna hesitated, her brows furrowing as if she was still trying to sort through the feeling herself. “I’m just… I don’t know. I feel like something’s not right.”
They all fell silent for a beat, the gravel crunching softly beneath their sandals as they walked through the lush path that led toward the garden terrace.
Then Sienna added, more slowly, “The truth is… his arrival caught me off guard. I never saw any confirmation about the talent, but I definitely didn’t expect it to be Ethan Miller.”
Jessa turned her head. “What do you mean?”
Sienna exhaled. “Last week, I accidentally saw a document on Trina’s desk-it had the name Altair Creative Group on it. That’s a boutique agency, smaller but legit. But Ethan Miller… he’s with Orion Models, right? That’s a completely different agency. Big, flashy, international.”
Harper blinked. “Wait-so if Altair was on the doc, but Ethan’s from Orion, then…?”
Sienna nodded, her expression tight with unease. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”
Jessa tilted her head. “Maybe the deal with the first agency fell through? That’s why Ms. Trinal had to switch to another one last minute?”
Sienna bit her lip, then shook her head slowly. “I thought about that. But from what I know, the budget we have for the talent isn’t anywhere near Ethan Miller’s range. He’s top tier now. Just one photo shoot with him usually starts in the six digits.”
Harper’s brows shot up. “For one day?”
Sienna nodded. “This is a three-day shoot. I seriously doubt Trina would throw a huge chunk of our budget on a single model-especially when we don’t need the influence. The fact that Isla Aurelia is a Blackwood Enterprise project? That already carries enough weight in the luxury market.”
3/4
CAMERA A Garden of outs
Maya’s lips parted slightly, a prickle rising beneath her skin.
Clam
Sienna continued, her tone edged with quiet concern. “In fact… we don’t even need a familiar face for the campaign. The whole point was to focus on the place-the island, the exclusivity, the lifestyle. So why him?”
Damien’s gaze remained fixed ahead, but his fingers tightened around Maya’s hand, grounding her.
“Sienna’s right,” Damien said, his voice low and deliberate. “The fact that Isla Aurelia is one of Blackwood Enterprises’ crown jewels is influence enough. We don’t need a big name to carry this campaign.”
He paused, then added-quieter, but with unmistakable weight-
“And for the record, Blackwood Enterprises doesn’t do business with Orion.”
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Cedella
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.