CHAPTER 2

EVELYN

I never expected the partner-swapping party to be held on a remote island that had once belonged to my father, Carlisle.

A one-hour flight from the capital was followed by a fifteen-minute speedboat ride, until we finally reached a wooden pier that had since been renovated into something far more modern. The moment my feet touched the white sand, a strange sense of familiarity washed over me. The cliffs on the western side and the contours of the land felt unmistakably familiar.

This was indeed my family's private island, the one we'd sold about a year ago.

I had no idea it had been transformed into an ultra-luxurious resort.

An uncomfortable shiver ran through me. Why had a place that once safeguarded my family's privacy become the venue for a secret gathering of billionaires? Who owned the island now, and why had they chosen such an isolated location for this insane partner-swapping party?

A sense of foreboding crept into my mind, making the sea breeze feel even more bone-chilling than it should have.

When we arrived at the resort, several neatly dressed attendants greeted us and guided us through the open-air lobby toward the back of the island. I'd assumed we'd be given some time to rest in our room after the exhausting journey, but instead, the attendants led us straight to an expansive garden overlooking the open sea.

That was where the party was taking place.

Around ten married couples had already gathered, dressed in elegant evening gowns and formal attire. Yet instead of feeling impressed by the luxurious setting, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

“Remember what I told you, Evelyn,” Adrian whispered gently. “Whatever happens here tonight, just go along with it. I trust you, and I expect you to trust me, too. Even if something happens that's beyond our control, you have to believe that none of it involves any real feelings. Do you understand?”

I turned to look at him for a moment. An inexplicable pressure built in my chest, an instinctive warning urging me to turn around and run as fast as I could.

“Adrian, I don't know why, but I'm starting to have second thoughts.”

“Evelyn, you promised me. I want you to keep that promise. All right?”

All I could do was let out a long sigh and nod.

Before I could even calm my racing heart, Adrian gently took my arm and led me toward a group of men in black tuxedos. Standing among them was a tall, broad-shouldered man whose commanding presence immediately drew everyone's attention.

“Long time no see, Mr. Victor Devereaux. As I promised, I've brought someone with me,” Adrian greeted him with a tone of deep respect that bordered on outright flattery.

Victor turned toward us. His sharp, icy gaze seemed to see right through my forced smile, exposing the fear I was desperately trying to hide. His face was familiar. He was the business magnate who dominated the global technology and commercial satellite industries, a man I'd only ever seen in high-end business magazines.

“Your wife, Adrian?” Victor asked, his voice low, deep, and authoritative.

“That's right, Victor. This is Evelyn,” Adrian replied promptly before fixing his eyes on me, silently urging me to be charming.

Then he leaned closer to my ear and whispered, his voice quiet but unmistakably firm.

“Don't leave his side, Evelyn. He's the key to everything. Stay with him and make a good impression.”

Before I could respond or protest this outrageous request, Adrian stepped away, deliberately leaving me standing right beside Victor. For some reason, the sight of his tall, imposing figure sent a strange flutter through me when I glanced at him.

Good grief, why was my heart suddenly beating so much faster with this citrus-scented man standing beside me?

I quickly shook my head, trying to ignore the strange sensation. A split second later, the lights around us dimmed, casting the garden into a soft, shadowy glow. Several attendants entered the party area carrying trays, while a host stepped forward to begin the proceedings.

The sharp tap of a microphone from the center of the garden silenced the guests' murmurs. A man in a well-tailored suit stood before us, wearing a mysterious smile beneath the resort's dim pendant lights.

“Good evening, esteemed guests. Welcome to the opening night of our party,” the host announced in a resonant baritone. “As we all know, the main rule here is to let go of your inhibitions. And tonight, we're about to begin our first game.”

Immediately, the attendants began distributing black blindfolds to all the men standing around the party area.

My heart leaped into my throat. My feet felt rooted to the grass as I watched the men around me put on their blindfolds in tense silence.

“Gentlemen, please get ready. When the music starts and the countdown begins, you're free to move wherever you like and catch any woman within reach. Whoever you catch will be your partner for the night,” the host continued. “Once the music stops and the lights come back on, your pairings will be final. No switching partners after that. Is everyone clear on the rules?”

Soft classical music began to play, blending with the sound of waves crashing against the reefs in the darkness.

The blindfolded men started extending their arms, taking slow, tentative steps. I wanted to retreat, to get as far away from the crowd as possible. But before I could even take a single step back, a firm hand caught me around the waist. With a steady, controlled movement, the man pulled me into his arms before my panic could send me stumbling to the ground.

A sharp, luxurious citrus scent immediately filled my senses.

Victor Devereaux.

Before I could struggle or pull away, a large hand lifted his blindfold just as the music stopped and the lights blazed back to life. Victor's piercing eyes immediately locked onto mine.

“Let go of me, Mr. Devereaux,” I whispered sharply, struggling to keep my voice low.

I tried to push him away, but his hold was stronger than I expected.

“Easy, Mrs. Clearwater. You almost fell.” Victor loosened his grip as soon as I regained my balance. “There's no need to be afraid. I won't hurt you.”

Breathing hard, I instinctively glanced to the side.

Adrian was holding Carleste, Victor's wife, a socialite well known among the elite. My heart sank when Adrian looked back at me. Even from a distance, I could read his lips.

“Follow the rules. Everything will be fine.”

I could hardly believe he still had the nerve to say something like that after handing me over to a stranger.

“Relax,” Victor said beside me. “You're safe with me.”

“Time's up! The lights are back on, and all the pairs have been decided,” the host announced casually, as though what was happening before him were not a blatant violation of every moral boundary in a marriage. “Our esteemed guests will find the keys to their private rooms for this first night on the main table. Please take your respective partners and enjoy the long night ahead in your assigned villas.”

The announcement sounded like a death sentence to my ears.

Take our partners to our rooms?

So this was what this filthy game had really been about?

I turned toward Adrian, staring at him in disbelief. He didn't look the least bit troubled. Without a hint of guilt, he simply wrapped an arm around Carleste's waist and led her away from the crowd.

Instinctively, I pulled away from Victor and tried to chase after Adrian.

Unfortunately, as Adrian turned into a villa corridor, my foot caught on a stone, and I stumbled to the ground. My heart shattered when I looked up and caught sight of their reflections in the villa's mirror.

Adrian was kissing Carleste passionately.

I bit down on my lower lip until it hurt, struggling to contain the tears and fury threatening to spill over. I hadn't even managed to get back to my feet when Victor stepped forward and helped me up. He withdrew his hand as soon as I was steady enough to stand on my own.

“Your dress is dirty,” he said, pointing to the smudge of dirt along its hem. “Are you hurt?”

I shook my head, still too devastated to form a proper response.

“It seems you never wanted any part of this.”

“How could you... know that?” I asked, my voice trembling.

Meanwhile, Victor calmly brushed the dirt off my dress.

Strangely, that simple gesture made something warm bloom in my chest. It was as though he were quietly showing me that he wasn't the cruel man I'd assumed him to be.

“Because you've been the only one trying to leave this place from the very beginning.”

My eyes immediately filled with tears.

Victor continued, his voice steady.

“So... do you still want to defend your husband after seeing all that?”

I fell silent. I didn't even know how to answer him.

“You don't have to make any decisions right now, Evelyn,” he continued calmly. “But don't let anyone convince you that you deserve to be treated this way.”

His gaze shifted toward the villa where Adrian had disappeared with Carleste.

“Come with me. There's something you need to know.”