"I can't believe you actually listened to me," Tsuyoshi said to his daughter as he drew a trolley. He only found out this morning that Ida had agreed to go on this getaway, and he couldn't have been happier. As a father, he only wanted what was best for Ida, and perhaps this is it.
"Don't say a word and help me with these two as well," Ida complained as she handed her carry-on bag to her father. It wasn't too hefty, but she was a spoiled child who usually whined about everything.
For some, Ida's audacity is what makes her irresistible. Tsuyoshi and his wife are to blame for this. They treated Ida like a princess because she was an only child. They fulfilled all of her desires with no question.
"I was just surprised that you thought of it," Tsuyoshi said as he adjusted the bag strap to fit more comfortably on his shoulder. "I am delighted that you are putting yourself first by going on this trip, Ida," he continued. "I can assure you that the sea waves will wash away all your sorrow."
"What are you..." Ida muttered, clutching her forehead in disbelief. "You sound like you work for them," she mumbled.
"Do I?" the man laughed heartily, a little embarrassed as he might have sounded that way just now.
Ida remained silent, thinking to herself, "I just know I'll regret this soon enough."
******
Avery finally got on the airplane to Kenya at 4 p.m. in Paris. Being highly sensitive to people and noise, he simply obtained a first-class seat. Well, there was also no way Avery would sit with anyone else who was clearly lower in status than him.
He wasn't exactly someone who complained loudly and behaved badly; well, he would if he wasn't protecting his image as the heir to a large corporation. But that's not the case, so he would instead pass judgment quietly with a single glance.
To add to the things that have already been stated, Avery is obsessed with hygiene practices. He had always suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder, which made it difficult for him to deal with unfamiliar places, especially when everything in that place was disorderly.
This is also one of the reasons why his personal assistant, Francis, worked so well with the getaway trip organizers. He had to inform them of Avery's preferences, such as modifying the color scheme of his room to a grey and white scale and getting rid of anything bright and flashy as that would displease the young billionaire.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Jacques," a flight attendant stated cordially, bowing down her head slightly after greeting him. She moved in closer, fully facing Avery before bending her body forward. She seemed to be making an effort to entice the man to look inside her blouse, intent on showing her cleavage.
"Do you need anything? Are you comfortable?" she inquired, a suggestive smile on her face.
Avery recognized what the woman was doing, so he returned his gaze to his laptop's screen, where he continued scrolling along an article page. "I don't need anything, thank you," he answered quietly, still unwilling to turn his head and give in to temptation.
"If you need anything," the woman seductively whispered close to his ear. "...I'll be here for whatever," she continued.
Avery tightened his jaws and remained silent. Perhaps this was one of the qualities that women admired about him. He always seemed uninterested in physical intimacy, in contrast to other men. Avery would probably never lay his hands on anyone's body if he wasn't set on marrying Vanna. Another thing about him is that he is a narcissist who just loves himself.
************
Ida flew from New York to Nairobi, Kenya, for around thirteen hours. Of course, she'd whine about it. Sitting for that long is exhausting, especially for the lower half of the body.
"My buttocks are all numb," Ida moaned, patting her hips side to side to encourage her blood to flow back down to her lower back and leg muscles. "I should've brought my dad so someone could help me with these," she mumbled, struggling to pull the trolley and hoist the carry-on bag on one shoulder, unassisted.
It was nearly 12 a.m., and her entire body was restless. She is scared she is about to pass out from exhaustion. And to think that the journey did not end there, Ida could only close her eyes in anguish. Later that evening, at 8 p.m., she'd have to catch another flight from Nairobi to Lamu, where Kiwayu Island was located. Love-Free Yacht Services will be waiting there to welcome her.
"Ms. Mitsuko," a man's voice could be heard a little further away from Ida.
"Who..." Ida murmured, her eyes narrowing as she tried to figure out if she knew that man. That's when she realized she'd forgotten something. "Oh, it must be them," she mused as she watched the man approach her.
"My name is Jaali from Love-Free Yacht Services," the man said, smiling warmly. "I will pick you up and take you to Hemingways Hotel, where you will be staying," he continued.
Ida didn't say anything, just stared at Jaali from head to toe, confusing him. "The package covers your stay at that hotel," he added discreetly.
"Yes, I know," Ida replied, nodding her head. "If I'm not mistaken, I'd be flying in a jet to Lamu," she added, seeking clarification.
"That's right, madame," Jaali responded pleasantly.
"Wonderful," Ida responded brightly. Without saying anything further, she handed Jaali the carry-on bag, which the latter eagerly accepted.
Ida began to walk, but she soon stopped and turned back to the man, asking, "Which way to the car?" with both eyebrows raised.
*******
Avery, on the other hand, had just finished a late-night dinner at Hemingways. He sat alone in an exclusive area, overwhelmed by different recipes that he couldn't finish on his own.
Nonetheless, sitting alone at a long table with no one else didn't make him lonesome. Nothing else matters to him at the moment except peace and quiet, which he hasn't had since he got engaged to Vanna and was asked to live under one roof as a way of getting to know each other better.
Following a brief period of contemplation over whether to order another drink of whiskey or return to his suite to rest, Avery made his decision. He moved the chair back slightly, making a tiny scraping sound.
"I'd love a quick shower," he mumbled to himself before standing up.
Avery gave his wristwatch a short check before smoothing the front of his blazer with his palm. He buttoned it up tight, ready to find his way back to the room.
On his way, Avery's gaze landed on the other side of the hallway, where a woman in a formal and classy rose-colored jumpsuit was walking. She was eye-catching, especially since her long neck was exposed and her hair was beautifully done up.
It was Ida.
And for some reason, as they got closer, Avery couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He was wondering if it was Ida's wonderfully proportioned facial features or her slim, small, enticing physique that continued to enchant him.
He had no idea that Ida was thinking the same way about him. She was trying to figure out if it was those deep blue eyes or Avery's nicely shaped body and tall stature that pulled her in.
They stopped right in front of one other, their gaze locked, but neither of them said anything. It was as if their eyes communicated things that, when spoken, would never create meaning.
Avery casually broke eye contact, as he turned to face the door to his room. Without further ado, he grabbed the hotel card key from his pocket and slid it into the door's lock.
Ida continued to watch Avery until he entered his room and delicately closed the door behind him. Ida could only mutter, "A mystery pretty boy," at that precise moment.
Right then, one side of her lips curled up into a suggestive smirk. Ida definitely desired him — everything about him, Avery.
Ida desperately wished for rest but closing her eyes didn't do anything. It's simply that whenever she tries to sleep, an image of Akio haunts her, as if begging for help. It was extremely bothersome that even taking medication couldn't get her to feel better.There is just one easy solution for distracting herself from her departed fiancée. She got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. When she arrived, Ida stood in front of the enormous wall mirror, looking at herself in nothing but a silk robe sleepwear.She gradually lifted both hands to her hair, undoing it with a simple pull on the hairband. Her hands then moved from her hair to her chest, then to her stomach, till the tip of her fingers touched the end of the knot that held the silk robe tight across her skin.Ida tugged on the string, causing the single piece of cloth to open up. That quickly exposed the center of her bare body. She had a firm chest with a narrow space in the valley of those breasts. Her waist was slender, b
They are currently confronted with exactly what Jaali feared.While on the phone with the senior manager, Jaali discovered that there had been an interruption to the system at the very moment Ida and Avery submitted their request for the service. The trouble is, they clicked on the submit button at the same minute, and the computer recorded it as one, giving them the same booking schedule.Obviously, the computer cannot be blamed for this error. This problem was brought about by the staff's lack of order."What do you plan to do with us then?" Avery inquired, his brow furrowed and his face stern. His hand was motioning a hand to Ida, who was standing beside him and was equally concerned about the situation."The senior manager told me that one of you should cancel and make a request for another schedule," Jaali explained, ashamed that he had to be the one to face these two billionaires. He couldn't help but feel small in front of them."That's fucking bullshit," Avery complained, shak
Ida and Avery were seated at opposite ends of the long table. Only the woman cast looks, while the man professed to be indifferent. He took apathetic bites of the food Ida had prepared, leading Ida to become a little peeved.She was always surrounded by people who appreciated everything she did, but being here with Avery simply doesn't feel the same. What irritated her even more was that Avery didn't seem any less attractive while doing something she didn't like."How annoying," she thought to herself as she poked a piece of meat, her gaze fixed on Avery's "It seems like you cooked exclusively for me," the man finally said, fluttering an eyelash at Ida's face. "You're not touching your food that much," he continued, "so I'm wondering if you cooked to impress me.""I can sense a strong pig-headed vibe off of you," Ida replied, attempting to offend him as well, but it didn't seem to work.Avery smiled again, skimpily biting his bottom lip before putting down his cutlery. "I have to say
"This is one of the scenarios from a movie I saw and really hated," Avery murmured, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.He had already positioned himself on the other side of the bed, in an awkward way. His body remained upright, and his hands were folded above his chest, as if he didn't know where else to put them.Ida lay next him, her eyes closed, looking the opposite direction. She was trying to sleep when Avery's speaking voice disturbed her. Because of how silent it was, the deepness of Avery's voice resonated in her ears."What scene?" she asked, opening her eyes but not turning her head to look at Avery."This uncomfortable sort of situation we're in," the man murmured as he decided to sit up. "Look, this is ridiculous," he said, motioning to the pillow barrier that separated them in bed. "I feel like a teen grappling with a new romance."Ida had to look behind her back to see what Avery was talking about. And when she realized what it was, she couldn't help but laugh. "We could ju
"Do you want to tell me about yourself?" Ida inquired, settling into a recliner next to Avery.The man was holding a cup of coffee which Ida made for him. That's why she went into the room and saw something she wasn't supposed to see. Don't get me wrong: Avery is still a little ashamed about it. It was only that, after a few moments, he realized he had nothing to be ashamed of in his physique. He believes he is perfect, which is very proud of him."Why would I want to tell you about myself?" he remarked, delicately sipping from his cup."Because it'll be extremely boring spending the entire morning without anyone saying anything?" Ida scoffed. She was tired of trying to explain everything to this man like he was a three-year-old."What if I don't want to talk about myself?" Avery inquired; his forehead strained. It made Ida sigh, knowing she wouldn't be able to push anything out of the man from then on.He was the mysterious and secretive type. Ida, on the other hand, was confident th
Ida couldn't help but chuckle at Avery's response. She found his sense of humor refreshing, especially in their current situation where tension could easily arise. "Well, I hope you won't be too disappointed," she said, still smiling.Avery leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of his coffee. "I highly doubt that," he said. "I'm sure you have at least something fun to show."Ida nodded her head, "Well, yeah. It's been a while since I've let loose and had some fun. I think it's about time I did that."Avery nodded in agreement, "I couldn't agree more. Life's too short to not enjoy yourself."As they finished their coffee, Ida couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected company. She had been dreading the idea of spending the next few days alone on the yacht, but now she was starting to look forward to it. Who knows what other surprises this trip could bring?Avery and Ida continued their conversation, discussing their plans for the rest of the day. They both agreed that a
The air was cool and crisp, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of saltwater and the sound of lapping waves. As they stood on the deck of the yacht, enveloped by the vastness of the ocean and the grandeur of the night sky, it felt as though time had stopped, and they were suspended in a moment of awe-inspiring beauty.Ida turned to Avery with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Hey, want to hear a joke?" she asked.Avery raised an eyebrow. "Sure, I'm always up for a good laugh," he replied."Okay, here it goes," Ida began. "Why did the tomato turn red?""I don't know, why?" Avery asked, intrigued."Because it saw the salad dressing!" Ida burst into a fit of giggles, clearly amused by her own joke.Avery chuckled, shaking his head. "That was terrible," he said, still smiling.Ida pouted playfully. "Hey, I thought it was pretty funny," she protested.Avery grinned. "Well, you know what they say, laughter is the best medicine. And if that's the case, I think I just got a healthy dose of c
Ida tossed and turned in her sleep, her face contorted in fear as she mumbled unintelligible words. Avery watched her with worry, his brow furrowed in concern. He could see the distress etched on her face, the lines of worry and fear deepening as the nightmare seemed to intensify.Her eyes flickered rapidly beneath her eyelids, and Avery could hear her ragged breath as she gasped for air. As he watched, Ida's face scrunched up even more, and she let out a low moan of fear. Avery's heart ached for her as he realized how helpless he was in the face of her torment.Avery watched Ida's face contort in anguish as she whimpered softly in her sleep. He couldn't bear to see her in such distress, and so he made the decision to wake her up.He reached out a gentle hand and placed it on her shoulder, shaking her lightly. "Ida," he said softly, his voice low and soothing. "Ida, wake up. It's just a nightmare."Ida's eyes fluttered open, and she gasped for air, her chest heaving. She looked up at