The final nights of our beach vacation had arrived, and just like the last, sleep evaded me once more. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling until my eyes drifted to the glow of my phone.
12:51 AM.
Still wide awake. My mind refused to rest, stirring with thoughts I couldn't grasp or even name. I tried everything, deep breathing, emptying my mind, counting to a hundred, but nothing worked. Something, somewhere inside me, kept tugging. Something unfinished. Something waiting.
So I gave up. I slipped out of bed, careful not to wake anyone, and stepped outside. Maybe the cold breeze would cradle me into drowsiness, or maybe the silence of the waves would soothe the noise in my head.
The beach was breathtaking beneath the moonlight. Silver ripples danced across the dark waters, whispering secrets only the ocean knew. The breeze was crisp, like nature brushing its fingers through my hair. It felt like the world had stopped for a moment, just me and the stars.
I walked without direction, losing myself in the rhythm of the waves, thinking of nothing and everything all at once. I wanted to enjoy this last sliver of peace before returning to the concrete jungle of deadlines and suffocating routines. Maybe, just maybe, this moment would linger with me longer than the rest.
But then I heard it.
The click of heels against stone. The gentle tap of expensive shoes following behind. I turned my head ever so slightly and saw them.
Two figures.
A man, tall, broad, with skin like marble under moonlight. His outfit screamed wealth, elegance, and the kind of power that made others instinctively move out of the way.
Beside him, a woman.
My breath caught.
That familiar silky blonde hair cascading like liquid gold. A dress sculpted to perfection, her every movement refined and graceful. And that face... unmistakable.
Reina.
My boss.
The same woman who insulted my tie on day one, who tossed files onto my desk with a flick of her fingers, whose every glare sent shivers down our spines.
But this wasn't her. Not the Reina I knew.
Her face…
It glowed.
A soft, gentle smile played across her lips. A real one. Not a smirk. Not a mask. Her eyes shone in the moonlight, alive with warmth I never thought she possessed. And as I hid in the shadows, watching them from a distance, something inside me twisted.
Jealousy?
Ache?
Longing?
I couldn't tell.
I was about to turn away, to give her that moment of peace, when it happened.
Her smile vanished.
She stopped walking. Her hand fell from the man's arm. Her shoulders trembled. Then came the sob.
One soft cry that shattered the stillness of the night.
And the man… he did nothing.
He just stood there. Cold. Unmoved. Like her pain didn't even register.
I don't know what came over me. Something inside exploded, rage, instinct, something primal. Before I could stop myself, my body was already in motion.
I burst from the bushes.
My fist collided with his jaw. Hard. The sound cracked the silence like thunder. He staggered, falling to the sand.
"You bastard!" I roared. "Get away from her!"
Reina looked at me, her eyes wide, stunned. Her lips trembled but no words came.
I stepped between them.
Then he stood again. Blood trickled from his nose, and his eyes burned with fury.
"You're gonna pay for that!" he growled.
He lunged, but I dodged. My fist met his stomach this time, knocking the wind out of him. He gasped, stumbled back, then glared.
"This isn't the last time you'll see me, you piece of shit."
He wiped the blood from his mouth, turned, and limped away.
The moment he disappeared into the darkness, I turned to Reina.
"Are you… are you okay?"
But before she could answer, she flung herself into me.
Her arms wrapped around my back, her head buried into my chest. She sobbed. Not just soft whimpers... real, heart-wrenching cries. I held her. I said nothing. There was nothing to say, only comfort to give.
And for the first time since we met, it felt like our walls cracked.
She pulled away and grabbed my hand.
"Come with me," she whispered.
"Wait, where... ?"
But she didn't reply. Her grip tightened as she dragged me forward. I tried to resist, but her determination was overpowering.
Moments later, we stood before a massive beachside mansion. Elegant and hauntingly beautiful. Not just expensive, regal. Glass walls, golden chandeliers shining from inside, marble floors catching reflections of moonlight.
"H-hey, wait. This isn't... "
She yanked the door open.
"Shut up and get in," she snapped.
We entered. I stared. My jaw nearly hit the floor. Everything sparkled, vintage paintings, luxurious velvet couches, glass sculptures. A chandelier so grand it could've been ripped straight from a royal palace.
"Are you gonna keep gawking or what?" she hissed.
"S-sorry."
She led me into a bedroom the size of my apartment. The bed alone could host a soccer team.
"Sit your ass down."
I obeyed.
She stormed off, then returned with a bottle.. dark glass, golden trim, the kind of liquor you only see in movies with billionaires.
She poured herself a drink. Then me.
"What? Gonna just watch?" she barked before downing hers like water.
I hesitated, took a sip, and nearly gagged.
"God…" I coughed.
"You drink like a damn virgin."
"I… I am one."
She paused. Then laughed, loud, reckless, almost bitter.
"STUPID! STUPID!" she cried.
I froze.
"How could I be so fucking stupid!?"
She slammed the glass down. Her eyes glistened again.
"I gave him everything. Every cent. Every drop of love. I built his damn life. And he left me. For her. That bitch."
I said nothing. Words failed me.
Then she looked at me. No longer the cold boss. Just… a woman. Broken. Lost.
She leaned closer. Inches from my face.
"I'm tired," she whispered.
I tried to move, but she mirrored my every flinch. I stood up to escape the tension, but she yanked me back.
"You're leaving me too?"
Her voice cracked.
My chest tightened.
"No. I'm… I'm not."
She hugged me. Tight. Her warmth engulfed me. Her breathing quickened.
Then her lips touched mine.
Not playful. Not teasing.
Real. Raw. Desperate.
I stiffened.
"W-wait… Reina… you're drunk. I'm not that kind of guy.... "
She placed a finger over my lips. Her eyes darkened. She giggled, soft and dangerously seductive.
She climbed onto me.
Straddling my lap. Facing me. Her weight pressing against my legs, her body trembling but determined.
Her fingers traced my chest.
Her breath hit my skin.
She poured another drink, sipped, and leaned in.
Her lips met mine again, this time, transferring the burning liquid into my mouth. The alcohol danced between us. Intoxicating. Wild.
Over and over, she did it. Her giggles louder, her hands bolder.
Her hips pressed against mine.
Her kiss deepened, and my mind began to slip.
Her body heat. Her sighs. Her desperation.
"Stay with me," she whispered.
I couldn't move. Couldn't speak. The alcohol. Her weight. Her eyes.
Everything spun.
Her laughter rang in my ears.
Then darkness swallowed me whole.
I woke up.
Sunlight pierced through the curtains, blinding.
My head throbbed.
I groaned and tried to sit, but then I felt it.
Cold sheets against bare skin.
And something warm. Soft.
I turned my head slowly.
There she was.
Reina.
Her body curled against mine.
Naked.
Completely naked.
My arm wrapped around her. Her leg thrown over mine. Her cheek resting on my chest.
My mind screamed.
HOLY. SHIT.
I fucked up.
To be continued...