After breakfast, the villa settled into a quiet lull where the only sounds were the waves rolling against the cliff and palm leaves brushing together in the breeze. Malia and Keoni cleared the table with gentle humming, and Chase stepped away to answer another call from his coach. The moment he left the dining area, I felt my shoulders relax, as if my body had absorbed all of the tension from pretending and needed space to breathe.
I walked toward the balcony doors, drawn by the smell of the ocean. The sunlight spilled across the wood floors like liquid gold, warm under my bare feet, inviting me outside. I hesitated, waiting for Chase to finish, but a soft voice reached me.
“You should enjoy the beach,” Malia said with a smile. “It is very private. No one can see you there, not even came
