LOGINThe weekend morning arrived drenched in golden, unclouded sunlight, a rare and brilliant gift for the usually fog-bound Shutter Island. The sea breeze carried a crisp, invigorating bite that rustled the deep green leaves of the ancient oaks lining the parkway. Sunlight filtered through the sprawling oak tree canopy, casting dappled patterns of shade and light across the grass where Davis, Kimberly, and Robert waited by the roadside.Robert leaned casually on a polished, obsidian-black walking cane with a silver handle, looking remarkably stately in a light linen blazer. Beside him, Nurse Kimberly paced the edge of the grass, her eyes wide with breathless excitement as she adjusted her sunhat. Davis stood a few paces back, trying his absolute best to project his usual calm, effortless composure. He wore a fitted, charcoal-grey cashmere crewneck sweater over a crisp white collared shirt, dark tailored jeans, and sleek leather boots.Then, down the winding park pathway, two figures came
Chelsea pushed open the screen door of Ma Cheryl’s modest, weather-worn cottage, the familiar scent of lavender and old paper washing over her.Inside, Eugene was leaning over his mother, gently maneuvering her into her carved wooden rocking chair. Although Ma Cheryl managed a wan, affectionate smile as Chelsea entered, Eugene hardly looked up from his task, his face a tight mask of exhaustion.Chelsea walked over, setting her purse on the side table. "You’re supposed to be at the pub, Gen," she said softly, reaching out to smooth Ma Cheryl’s knitted cardigan over her shoulders."Yep," Eugene grunted, straightening his spine. "But Ma rang and needed help getting up. Since you were unavailable, I showed up."A quick stab of guilt poked at Chelsea's ribs. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, leaning down to press her cheek against Cheryl’s pale cheek before looking back at Eugene. "I tried to make my meeting with Davis as brief as possible."Eugene sighed, a deep, weary sound that signaled his
Chelsea chose a simple, blue flowery dress for the occasion—decent, modest, and fitting for a brisk Sunday afternoon. As she had explicitly made clear to Eugene before leaving the house, she was merely meeting Davis to have "a talk," exactly as he had termed it. And she was utterly determined to keep it strictly at that. No matter how gentle, cooperative, or reformed he appeared, she couldn't afford to lower her guard. At his core, he was still a Dylan, backed by a formidable corporate force and the unlimited resources required to launch a devastating custody battle if he so chose.A ten-minute drive brought her to the Gold Light Open-Air Restaurant, the establishment Davis had selected for their meeting. Perched high on a rocky bluff, the terrace offered a breathtaking, panoramic view overlooking the restless ocean.When Chelsea stepped onto the wooden deck, she did a quick scan of the patrons and spotted him immediately. Amidst the low hum of sea breeze and chatter, Davis was hard t
"Hey, Gen." Chelsea waved at Eugene with a rigid, overly cheerful smile.Eugene’s eyes flicked from the bare chest of the towering stranger to Chelsea’s flushed face. He managed a stiff, nervous smile, but the atmosphere in the laundry room curdled instantly into a dense, suffocating silence.Panicking, Chelsea snatched the faded t-shirt from Davis’s hands. "I... I should press your shirt a little," she babbled, her voice hitting a sharp, unnatural pitch. She turned on her heel and practically fled down the hallway, her sneakers squeaking against the floor.The moment she was around the corner and out of line of sight, Chelsea leaned her back against the wall and let out a long, ragged wheeze. What the hell was going on? How on earth had she not heard Eugene open the front door? And why did it have to be today, of all days? Every instinct screamed at her not to leave the two men alone in a cramped laundry room, but she simply couldn't stand the unbearable awkwardness for another secon
Evans stepped into the narrow hall, carefully balancing two steaming mugs of black coffee, and set them down on the low wooden table. He sank onto the worn sofa across from Davis, the springs groaning beneath his weight.Davis slowly straightened his posture, adjusting to the sudden stillness of the room. "Mr. Evans," he began quietly, his tone laced with a deference he hadn't known he possessed a year ago.It struck Evans as intensely surreal. A little over twelve months ago, he had been just another line-item employee on the payroll of this young man’s vast corporate empire—working hours without Davis ever knowing his name. Now, by some twisted turn of fate, he was the grandfather to Davis Dylan’s child.The last time Evans had heard from the Dylan family was during those chaotic weeks following Chelsea’s sudden disappearance from New York. He had promised Davis he would make contact the moment he tracked her down, largely because he had seen the genuine, raw agony in the young exec
"Dad, he was about to leave," Chelsea protested, her voice tight with exasperation."Oh, sorry," Evans stammered, his gaze darting awkwardly between his daughter and Davis. The air in the narrow hallway was suffocatingly dense."I'd like to stay for coffee, sir. Thank you very much," Davis said firmly, his deep voice leaving no room for argument as he deliberately ignored Chelsea’s burning glare.Before Chelsea could fire back another refusal, a soft, preliminary purr echoed from the back bedroom, rapidly escalating into a full-throated, earsplitting shriek. The peaceful nap was officially over. Evans let out a quiet curse and quickly dashed down the hall to retrieve his granddaughter.Chelsea moaned in frustration, dropping her chin toward her chest. Beside her, Davis felt the sharp edge of his defiance instantly evaporate, replaced by a sudden, violent thrumming in his throat at the sound of the infant's distress.Moments later, Evans emerged from the hallway cradling a plump, red-f
The party ended the way all things did for Davis—too slowly for his liking.By the time the last applause faded and the final copy of Fire was signed, Davis’s smile had tightened into something practiced and hollow. He stood beside Chelsea as flashes popped and congratulations poured in, nodding, s
As they settled into the luxurious seats, Chelsea realized that Davis wasn't with them. "Is… Davis coming later?" she asked Amber, trying to hide her disappointment."He's meeting you at the event," Amber replied, smiling. "But first, we're going to get you ready for the night. You're going to look
The words hit like a slap. “What?” Chelsea stepped closer. “Why?” “There was an environmental issue on one of the floors,” he said quietly. “They said I was responsible.” “But you weren’t,” she protested immediately. “You’ve been saying for weeks that the equipment was faulty.” “I know,” he
Chelsea bolted in through the glass doors of the clinic panting breathlessly. The clinic buzzed with controlled chaos—rolling carts, murmured diagnoses, sharp footsteps echoing down white corridors that smelled faintly of antiseptic and burnt coffee. It was nothing like the small facility she had







