Desiree stiffens beside me. Her excitement from moments ago seems to drain out of her."Paul? Gladys?" I say, barely concealing the edge in my voice. "What the hell are you doing here?"Paul chuckles like it’s the most casual thing in the world. "We thought we’d surprise you! Isn’t this great? All of us together in Santorini.”"Surprise us?" Desiree’s voice is cold, her hand slipping from mine. "What kind of surprise brings her along?" She nods toward Gladys, her eyes narrowing. And then she turns to Paul. “And you too. I still remember you being a son of a bitch.”Gladys steps forward, her smile never faltering. "Oh, Desiree, sweetheart. I didn't realize I was such an unwelcome guest." Her voice drips with false sweetness, the kind that makes my blood boil.Desiree crosses her arms, not bothering to hide her distaste. "You know exactly what you're doing, Gladys."“Come on,” Paul says. “We're family. Yeah, we fucked up. But let's move past that. I thought you’d be happy to see us."I
Desiree glances at me out of the corner of her eye, her lips twitching like she’s debating whether to stay mad at me or give in. After a short while, she tilts the phone toward me, scrolling back to the beginning of the flight.“Here’s the first one,” she says, her voice a little softer now. It’s a shot of her in front of the jet, her hair blowing in the wind and that excited, almost childlike smile on her face. I can't help but smile too.“And this one,” she continues, swiping to the next photo. It's her making a goofy face in the luxurious cabin of my private jet, her tongue sticking out while she flashes a peace sign. “I was trying to get you to smile in this one, but you were too busy brooding.”“I wasn’t brooding,” I say defensively, though the truth is I probably was. “I was... thinking.”She arches an eyebrow. “Thinking? Sure, let's go with that.”We fall into a comfortable silence as she scrolls through more pictures—selfies, shots of the island from the window, random pictu
Desiree's POVI don’t even know how I feel right now.The trip to Santorini had been wonderful. On the plane, at least. Caspian’s private jet had spoiled me with luxury, and for a while, I was lost in the excitement. But meeting Paul and Gladys at the airport had really pissed me off. I’d felt my stomach twist the moment I saw them stepping out of the car like they belonged here.But I can't stay angry when I'm with Caspian.He has this way of disarming me, making me forget why I’m mad in the first place. But that doesn't mean the frustration has disappeared entirely. I just... bury it. As we walk through the entrance of the hotel, the lobby is eerily quiet, almost too quiet for such an extravagant place. The usual bustle of guests is absent, replaced by the soft hum of air conditioning and the occasional rustle of curtains. Even the staff seems subdued, moving like ghosts as they prepare for what will likely turn this serene location into a battleground.“I still can’t believe you
It’s early morning, and the sound of Caspian’s vibrating phone pulls me from sleep. The steady buzz is relentless, and I groan, shifting under the covers.“Caspian,” I murmur, reaching out to nudge him. No response.I roll over and give him a firmer shake. “Are you going to get that?”He stirs, rubbing his face as he grabs the phone from the nightstand. “Hello?” His voice is groggy. “Yes, we got in yesterday. Of course, we’ll be there. Alright. Bye.”I prop myself up on one elbow, narrowing my eyes at him. “Who was that?”“Mike,” Caspian says, dropping the phone back on the stand. “He says we’re all having breakfast together in thirty minutes.”“Thirty minutes? And he’s just now telling us?” I toss the covers off, already feeling the rush of panic. Caspian sighs, leaning back into the pillows like he’s still too exhausted to function. “You can start getting ready. I can’t feel my legs. You destroyed me last night.”I laugh, swinging my legs out of bed. “Try to keep up, old man.”With
Caspian's voice is calm, but I can feel the tension in every word.Mabel raises an eyebrow, feigning innocence. “What do you mean? We’re just gathering for a nice, casual meal. Can’t a family enjoy some time together without suspicion?”Caspian’s eyes narrow. “This isn’t family. This is a business meeting dressed up as a vacation.”Mike clears his throat. “It’s nothing formal, Dad. We just thought it would be good to get everyone together, talk a little about the future of the company. You know, something light.”“Light?” Caspian says. “Then why weren’t we told about this before?”I feel a cold chill creep up my spine. This is exactly what we don't need. Paul, Gladys, Mabel—they’re all too close, and now this surprise meeting with shareholders? It’s too much, too calculated.Mabel’s smile doesn’t falter. “Oh, we didn’t want to bother you with details, Caspian. You’ve been so busy lately, and we figured you could use a break. But you’re here now, and we’re all very excited about the fu
Caspian's POVThe bitch has won. Somehow, Mabel’s managed to twist the others around her little finger. But something feels off. I can see it in the way they avoid looking at me, their expressions tight and uncomfortable. Whatever they’re doing, they’re not doing it willingly. And Mabel? She knows how to push my buttons, to manipulate the situation to her advantage. “If there were any major changes,” I begin, “I should have been involved. This isn’t something you spring on people over breakfast.”Mabel smiles. “Well, you’re here now. No harm done.”“No harm?” Desiree asks. “You’re making major decisions without including the people who matter most. And the fact that Paul and Gladys are here—uninvited—tells me exactly what kind of game this is.”Mabel waves a hand dismissively. “Your issues with Paul and Gladys have nothing to do with this. That’s a personal matter, and frankly, not my concern.”Fiona, Desiree’s sister, speaks up. “Maybe we should just enjoy breakfast and talk later?”
I can feel the frustration boiling under my skin, but I don’t take the bait. Instead, I gesture for Peter to lead the way.Outside the room, Peter exhales, rubbing his temple. “Caspian, I’m sorry. This wasn’t supposed to go like this.”“What’s going on, Peter?" I ask. "Why is Mabel being pushed onto the board? And why does everyone in there look like they’re scared of her?”Peter hesitates, his gaze shifting nervously, avoiding mine. “It’s… complicated. Mabel… she’s got something on the board members.”“What do you mean?”He sighs. “She’s been gathering information. Blackmail. Personal stuff she’s been holding over their heads for months. No one wants her on the board, but they don’t have a choice.”I take a step back, letting the weight of his words sink in. “Blackmail? Are you serious?”Peter nods, looking ashamed. “She’s got something on me too. That’s why I voted her in. If I didn’t, she’d destroy everything I’ve worked for.”I run a hand through my hair, trying to process what he
Desiree and I are back in our hotel room. She collapses onto the bed with a frustrated sigh, covering her eyes.“I guess our plans are ruined,” she says.“What plans?”She lowers her arm slightly, staring up at the ceiling. “We wanted to get her out of Mike's life. But she's still there, Caspian. We wanted to get her out of the company, and not only is she still there—she's now a board director. How did it get so out of hand?”I pace to the window, staring out at the view of the sea. “She’s blackmailing them,” I say.Desiree props herself up on her elbows, frowning. “I figured that much. So what are we going to do now?”Without replying, I pull out my phone and begin typing a message to Mike. He and I have unfinished business, and I won’t let him hide behind Mabel any longer. He’s got some explaining to do. ‘Meet me at the golf course in ten’, I write, then toss my phone back onto the nightstand.“I’ve already called my private investigator,” I say, turning back to Desiree. “Antonio w