turned home

half-asleep, barely registering the sound of his foots

and something inherently him-wrapped around me. An arm curled a

lted

ay and shifted towar

who needs my heartbea

ply, just mo

ell is going

need it

, frustration evide

yes. "Go to sl

argue. But he didn'

y high in the sky. As I made my way downstairs

oing to be wit

he's sick, so I've been taking care of her. You mentioned wanting to go diving. I

I'm

ay anything more, he was already on the phon

oward a remote island-our island, the one Nath

niel's phone rang. I caught a

word. I just w

the yacht with swift, determined m

en, I w

owled, stin

d, the few coconut trees swaying in the breeze. There was

d the other side. The faint sight of a small dock i

step sinking deeper, dragging me under. My feet we

the sky darkened,

aw an unread message: "Com

traight for

niel-I simply didn't want him causing any

Without warning, a glass of red wine splashed down on me, the burning liquid

red, my vision bl

umbled, crashing into the dining table. Pain shot through my back as my white

erupted

rom me said with a light tone, her smile playful and her

his cousin since childhood. Don't you think you

ed myself, another glass of wine was thrown-this time

lifted my head. My face remained serene, unshaken. I

for a second before

intrigued. One person pulled out their phone and waved a video in front of me.

athaniel, his face dimly lit by the

fting her "I'll carry you,

'll step aside, because.

ice wa

e door behind

swept the room, then froze on

stantly. "What the he

a moment, someone awkwardly chuckled. "Nathaniel, we're jus

'd be comfortable." someone tried to make light of the situation, b

ma

hrough the room, sh

m went silent,

d to utter a

ng there-he walked straight to the front and his

pse of Freya sta

ith tears. "Nathaniel, isn't today my special day? Why are you leaving already? We

iel hes

oice was low, "Ca

es clinging to me, the blood sl

d to forc

ca

dly, glancing at Freya. "Go ahead, continue. It

s, sitting on the couches, qui

inning the bottle. The bo

you prefer pure

answer everyone was

u like someone who's been

denly fell silent. Just as he seemed about to forgo th

ally released the wine glass, h

Ye

re

, and Freya's face flu

a smug smile curling at the corners of her lips. Her gaze shifted t

itting over there all alone.

d the group cheered, diving

gain, and this tim

n you love mos

mmediately

at Antasia's deepest

pau

No

s expressio

st, he slammed it against the table. Glass exploded in a jagged spr