Chapter 56Roman"Is something bothering you that you can’t sleep?" I asked, my tone calm but firm.I wasn’t sure if we had reached a point where she could confide in me, but I hoped we had. Lyra had opened up about Ethan Bastard Montgomery before—her rambling as candid as it was infuriating to hear. The more I learned, the more I realized there was something she deserved to know. And something Ethan needed to pay for.She glanced at me, then gave a small laugh, though it lacked any real humor. "Well, you see through me now," she said, fidgeting with her fingers. "I don’t know if you can understand, but I feel... especially after this trip, we’re going back to reality, and..." She trailed off, biting her lip."You’re scared," I said, cutting straight to the point.She exhaled deeply and nodded. "I’m scared," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. Her gaze dropped to her lap, and her leg bounced restlessly. She was anxious, and I knew I wasn’t exactly the best person to comfor
Chapter 55RomanChapter 28RomanI raised an eyebrow, leaning back in my seat, and considered her for a moment. Surprisingly, she seemed unaffected by the kiss—no awkwardness, no hesitation. In fact, she seemed to have taken it in stride, the same way she handled everything else in life, with an unexpected grace and resilience.The days after the kiss had gone by faster than I anticipated. She had her space, and I had mine. Yet, somehow, we found moments of ease between us. Warm, even. She’d laugh at something ridiculous, drag me into one of her impulsive plans, and I... went along with it.It wasn’t bad.“You’ll regret it. Your head will hurt later. You need sleep,” I told her firmly, the finality in my voice leaving no room for argument.She huffed slightly, her shoulders rising and falling as she yawned again. The simple act was disarming. “I’m not worried about that. But, for the record, humans need sleep too, you know. And you’ve been awake for more than 24 hours now.”Was that.
Chapter 54Roman“Yes. . .”“Yes. . .”“Yes. . .”“Do you have more than one syllable for your old grandfather, you brat?” Grandfather bellowed through the phone, his voice so loud I had to hold the device away from my ear to avoid going deaf.I pinched the bridge of my nose, attempting to maintain my composure. “I’m answering your questions, Grandfather,” I said evenly, my tone cool and deliberate, as I leaned back against the seat. The jet hummed softly around me, a constant reminder of the privilege I was born into but rarely allowed to enjoy.Lyra was fast asleep in the small room of the jet, likely curled into herself like she usually did when she wasn’t on guard. I could still see her in my mind’s eye, graceful even in her sleep, her delicate features softened in relaxation. Meanwhile, my grandfather’s barking reminded me that peace was a temporary state.“She’s not going to stay with you if you act like this, Roman!” His words were harsh but carried an undertone of desperation.
Chapter 53LyraRichard, however, wasn’t done teasing. “How come we’ve never seen you both kiss?”I froze, my mouth slightly open in shock. Abigail playfully smacked her husband’s arm. “Richard! Don’t embarrass them!”But then she looked at us with curiosity. “Seriously, though. Are you two shy? You don’t seem shy, girl. Is it your man?”The group burst into laughter—everyone except Roman, who stood perfectly still, his expression sharp and unreadable.After a few more minutes of lighthearted conversation, Abigail and Richard wandered off, leaving Roman and me standing in the middle of the bustling marketplace.Suddenly, I felt an iron grip on my elbow as Roman turned me to face him. His eyes were intense, his face set with a look that made my stomach flip.“Do you think I’m shy, Lyra?” he asked, his voice low, almost a challenge.I blinked, my heart picking up speed. “I... no, I didn’t say that—”His face leaned closer, his ice-blue eyes locking onto mine with an almost dangerous int
Chapter 52LyraThe bustling market stretched before me, a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors and enticing trinkets. I couldn’t help but stop at nearly every stall, admiring the handmade crafts, delicate jewelry, and woven fabrics.“Oh, look at this!” I exclaimed, holding up a beaded anklet adorned with tiny seashells. “Isn’t it so pretty?”Roman, standing stoically a few steps behind me, raised a brow and glanced at it. “If you like it, why don’t you buy it?”I put it down gently and moved to the next stall without answering, my eyes lighting up at the sight of a carved wooden figurine. “Oh, this is pretty too!” I said, picking it up to examine the intricate details.Again, Roman followed my gaze. “You keep saying everything’s pretty, but you’re not buying any of it. Why not?”I grinned at him over my shoulder. “Because it’s pretty, but not pretty enough.”He tilted his head, his sharp gaze settling on me as if I were a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve. “What is ‘pretty enough’ for you?”I
Chapter 51LyraTwo days passed in a blur, each one blending into the next with a frustrating monotony. Roman was glued to his phone, fingers tapping away at emails, his deep voice filling the room as he made calls about deals, quarterly reports, and, occasionally, checking in on his grandfather. It was business as usual for him, even here, where paradise was practically begging us to step outside and enjoy it.After that dramatic Valentine’s stunt in the Maldives, we were splashed all over social media and gossip sites. Mission accomplished. We were officially the "it" couple for a hot second, even though we both knew better.Me? I holed up in our suite, flipping through books, bingeing rom-coms, and devouring the local snacks I’d sneakily ordered to the room. Roman kept his distance, not that I blamed him. We barely exchanged words beyond the essentials. He stayed tethered to his MacBook, running the empire like the Maldives was just another branch office.By the second day, the shi
Chapter 50Lyra“Here?” I laughed, gesturing to the setup. “But we’re already engaged, aren’t we?” I lifted my hand, prepared to waggle my ring at him, only to realize—oh no, no—my ring was gone.I gasped, my mouth dropping open. “Oh my god!” My face crumpled into what could only be described as a cartoonish baby-cry expression. “I lost the ring! My savings! My beautiful, hard-earned, overpriced ring! It’s gone!”Roman stared at me, unimpressed.“Do you know how long I saved for that?” I wailed, clutching my empty hand. “Months, Roman. Months of not getting fancy coffee or avocado toast! And now it’s just…just gone! It’s probably somewhere in the sand, being trampled on, or—or swallowed by a seagull!”He raised an eyebrow. “You’re worried about a seagull swallowing it?”“Yes!” I sniffled dramatically, throwing my hands in the air. “What if it gets indigestion? What if it chokes?”Roman sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Lyra—”“No, don’t you ‘Lyra’ me!” I cut him off, jabbing a
Chapter 49LyraMy breath hitched as Roman stepped into view, his expression a thunderstorm barely contained. Before I could say a word, he moved closer, so close that his chest brushed against my back.“Fuck off,” Roman told Martin, his voice low and lethal, “before I disfigure you.”Martin didn’t need to be told twice. With a hasty “Have a good day,” he disappeared into the crowd.The tension didn’t ease, though. Roman turned his attention to me, and I could practically feel the weight of his glare.“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded.I opened my mouth to explain—well, not really explain, more like defend myself—but Roman thrust my sundress into my hands before I could.“Put this on,” he ordered.I stared at the dress for a moment before reluctantly slipping it on. My mood soured when I noticed he was still glaring at me, his jaw clenched tight.“Are you mad?” I asked, attempting a smile to lighten the mood.“You drank,” he said flatly. “Even though I told you not to.”Oh, s
Chapter 48LyraI swiveled off the barstool, wobbling slightly but determined. I was here to have fun, damn it. And if Roman wanted to go off and entertain bikini-clad admirers, then fine. I wasn’t going to waste another second thinking about him.I peeled off my red sundress, revealing the white bikini I’d brought for this trip. The moment the air hit my skin, whistles erupted from nearby. My cheeks warmed, but I ignored them.I spotted a volleyball game nearby, with a group of sunburnt strangers shouting and laughing as they played. Perfect. I jogged over and jumped right in.“Can I join?” I asked cheerfully, grabbing the ball mid-pass.“Hell yeah!” someone shouted, and just like that, I was part of the game.We played for what felt like forever, the alcohol making me fearless. I dove for the ball, threw myself into the sand, and laughed harder than I had in months. When our team finally scored the winning point, the cheers were deafening.“Great job, gorgeous!” A guy on my team sai