Chapter Two

I could barely sleep that night. The excitement of flying to Paris mixed with something else, something I couldn’t quite name.

Maybe it was just the way Dad had smiled when I mentioned my birthday like he was trying to hide something.

Or maybe it was the way he said, “I’ll arrange everything,”in that careful voice he always used when trying too hard to sound normal.

The next morning, the mansion was buzzing.

Staff shuffled in and out, prepping the guest rooms, finalizing flight arrangements, and discussing logistics with military precision.

That’s the thing about living with a billionaire you never really do anything "simple."

I wandered down the spiral staircase, still in my robe, when I noticed his office door slightly open.

Strange.

That door was always shut during his “critical meetings.”

I backed away quietly, heart pounding.

“Morning, Miss Ella,” the chef greeted, placing a covered plate in front of me. “Your favorite blueberry pancakes.”

I smiled weakly. “Thanks, Marcus.”

“Our flight leaves in the next hour, pack up your belongings” daddy said as he came out of his room.

“ I thought we weren’t going till tomorrow, I need to pack my clothes, makeup and other stuff under few minutes” Ella said, panicking as she hurried into her room..

*Two hours later*

“It’s breathtaking, Daddy,” I exclaimed, my voice trembling with awe as my eyes swept over the endless stretch of golden sand and sapphire waves.

The salty breeze caressed my face, filling my lungs with a rush of freedom I’d never felt before.

Just as he promised, Daddy had made everything perfect. Every detail from the seaside villa to the early morning arrival was flawless.

I felt the world slow around us as I opened my arms, embracing the warmth that seemed to radiate from both the sun and his presence beside me.

“Not half as beautiful as you, my darling,” he murmured, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine as his hand settled gently on my shoulder, firm and possessive, his touch searing through the fabric of my dress.

I blushed, unable to hide my smile. “Thank you, Daddy,” I whispered, my heart fluttering like a trapped bird.

He chuckled softly, the sound melting into the rhythm of the waves. “Go on, baby. Soak in the beach vibes while you can. I've got some work to finish.”

He leaned back in the armchair, laptop open, eyes glimmering with something unreadable.

I turned away, letting the wind toy with my hair as I sank into the deck chair. The ocean’s whisper called to me peaceful, mysterious, and impossibly alive.

As I sipped my drink, my thoughts danced restlessly, wondering if I should finally tell him what had been burning inside me all along.

The sun spilled gold across the horizon, casting warm ripples over the waves.

I sat back on the deck chair, savoring the soft breeze and the taste of orange juice cooling my lips.

My thoughts drifted toward him, the man who sat only a few feet away, yet somehow felt like a storm I couldn’t escape.

“Don’t you want to go swimming?” he asked, his voice low, teasing, the sound of it almost blending with the waves.

He lounged lazily on the armchair beside me, watching me with that unreadable smile.

I glanced at him, feigning nonchalance. “I would, but I need to put lotion on my back first. The sun’s ruthless today.”

He leaned forward slightly, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Do you need my help with that?”

My heart skipped. “Would you?” I asked, trying to sound casual, though the tension between us thickened like the air before a storm.

“Yes,” he murmured, holding out his hand. His eyes locked on mine as I placed the lotion bottle in his palm.

“Lie back,” he said softly, his tone steady but commanding, sending a wave of warmth through me.

“I’ll make sure you don’t burn.”

I obeyed, the world around us dissolving into the crash of waves and the whisper of wind.

His touch was careful, deliberate tracing sunlit paths across my skin, each motion slow, reverent. For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Only the sea did whisper secrets neither of us dared to say aloud.

The afternoon sun glowed softly over the ocean, casting streaks of gold across the water.

The air was warm and filled with the rhythmic whisper of waves breaking against the shore.

She sat on the deck bench, her jacket pulled lightly around her shoulders, watching the sea stretch endlessly ahead.

He stood nearby, quiet for a moment, before saying gently, “You don’t need that jacket. It’s too warm.”

She hesitated, glancing at him. His gaze held hers, steady, calm, yet charged with something unspoken.

Slowly, she slipped the jacket off, folding it over her arm.

“You always hide from the sun,” he teased lightly, though his tone carried more warmth than humor. “I gave you a dozen choices, yet you still picked this one.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile. “Maybe this one felt right,” she replied, brushing a strand of hair away from her face as the breeze played with it.

He stepped closer, the faint scent of the ocean mixing with his cologne.

“You look… beautiful,” he said, the word escaping him before he could stop it.

“Daddy I want to talk to you about something” I responded taking a deep breath.

“Sure my princess, hope you're fine”, he answered while moving down on my groin.

“Daddy can I have a boyfriend?” I asked and after some silence he said “Do you want to?”

“It’s not bad having one besides I’m twenty”, His expression shows he wasn’t happy.

“Ella, don’t forget you're a virgin” , immediately I turned red due to embarrassment.

“That’s why I should have” I replied to him but felt goosebumps immediately I caught him staring at my body like a predator. There was complete silence.

“Daddy I think we should continue swimming,” I broke the silence standing from the chair.