Loving You Too Long

Haisley was surprised to wake up in bed. The last thing she remembered was sleeping with Gilbert the night before. Perhaps Gilbert had kindly moved his body to another room. That’s what Haisley thought. She stretched and groaned before getting up from her comfortable bed. Once again, she was startled by the presence of a man she had never imagined standing there, looking at her with his arms folded across his chest.

“N-Nathan? When did you arrive?” she asked, her forehead wrinkled. Haisley groaned inwardly. How could she look so disheveled while he appeared so perfect in his short-sleeved shirt and khaki chinos, his hair still wet from the shower.

“Shouldn’t you be getting ready? We’re supposed to have breakfast soon, right?” he replied.

Haisley furrowed her brow again, not because of Nathan’s words, but more to remember where she had put her bag. She quickly got up and went to where she had left her bag last night. Then she brought the bag back into the room, placing it on the bed and taking out her toiletries and change of clothes. “What are you doing here?” Haisley asked because Nathan had been standing there like a Greek god statue born in modern times.

“Why? Do you mind?” he countered the question back at her. Haisley rolled her eyes and chose to enter the bathroom.

She showered quickly, ran her fingers through her hair, and dried it with a towel. Haisley emerged from the bathroom wearing a chiffon beach dress with a flower pattern that reached the floor, with a neckline in a sabrina shape.

The god statue was nowhere to be seen now. Haisley put her dirty clothes away before stuffing them back into her bag. Then she walked out of the room. Gilbert and his friends, including Loretta, had already changed into fresh clothes and looked as fresh as ever.

Looking at Gilbert, Haisley asked cheerfully, “Where are we going now?”

Loretta was already sitting next to Nathan, and Haisley tried to appear casual even though her heart felt hot. Alright, now Haisley knew why the god statue had followed them. Probably because he was afraid that the pretty girl would be flirted with by Gilbert’s friends.

Yes, Loretta was friendly, which made Gilbert’s friends easily get close to her. No wonder Nathan was afraid of his girl being taken away by someone else. Haisley sighed inwardly. She briefly wished she were Loretta but immediately shook her head. She was herself; she should never want to be someone else.

Seeing Haisley, Gilbert kindly approached and put his arm around her shoulder. “Nathan will treat us to breakfast near the pier area. After that, he will rent a yacht and take us around the island while having lunch there,” Gilbert announced. His friends seemed enthusiastic. On the other hand, hearing the words ‘yacht’ and ‘going around’ made Haisley have a bad feeling.

They had breakfast with Polperro’s typical seafood menu at a cafe not far from the cottage. They chatted in a comfortable atmosphere, discussing unimportant things.

Gilbert was never far from Haisley, and neither was Steven. They were always on one side of Haisley, making her feel like a princess who needed two bodyguards. As for Loretta and Nathan? Whether she liked it or not, Haisley had to admit that they did look good together. Oh God, why did Haisley feel her body temperature rising so quickly even though it was still morning?

For the first time, Haisley boarded a large luxurious boat that could accommodate a hundred people at once. She gaped at the lavish interior of the yacht rented by Nathan. Sofas, a pantry, a mini bar, luxurious bathrooms, and not to mention, there were five bedrooms inside, making her feel like a person who… And equally surprising, the yacht also had karaoke facilities. Stepping inside was like entering a five-star hotel. Only the word ‘Wow’ escaped Haisley’s lips, as well as Gilbert and their friends. Well, at least she wasn’t the only one feeling out of place right now.

Perhaps this was the life of young millionaires. Because even though Haisley came from an affluent family, she wasn’t as wealthy as the Gilbert and Nathan families. And this kind of luxury life wasn’t her style.

A chef with three assistants was already prepared to indulge their taste buds with undoubtedly high-quality food. Gilbert’s friends were naturally flattered by Nathan’s feast.

Except Haisley.

She felt more annoyed because Nathan’s special treatment wasn’t for her but for Loretta. But what could she do? Refusing wasn’t an option. What would Nathan say if she openly admitted her jealousy of the sweet gestures she had always longed for?

As a result, she chose to avoid the situation and sat on the deck. She preferred to sit on a plush sofa shaded by a large umbrella, enjoying the morning breeze carrying the scent of salt.

Gilbert approached her with a can of soda, seemingly taken from the refrigerator inside the ship. “Why the long face, Princess?” he asked nonchalantly. He held a can of beer in his own hand and opened it, causing a hissing sound carried away by the relatively loud sea breeze.

“Nothing,” Haisley replied just as casually, sipping the soda that left a bitter-sweet taste in her mouth.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“Don’t you like all of this?” Gilbert asked again.

“This isn’t what I imagined, G. I thought we’d be setting up tents on the island and making a bonfire while grilling fish caught by fishermen. Occasionally entertaining ourselves with a Hawaiian dance and singing. But now? I feel like this has turned into a show-off of wealth,” she complained, taking another sip of the cold drink.

“Are you jealous?” Gilbert asked once more. Haisley was sure his eyes were glancing her way teasingly behind the expensive Maybach sunglasses he wore.

“Jealous? Are you mocking me now?” Haisley retorted sharply. “As if you don’t know how I feel,” she snorted, making Gilbert laugh. He edged closer, playing with Haisley’s loose hair, tucking it behind her left ear and whispering.

“Don’t let him know you’re jealous, Princess,” he whispered. “He’s right behind us,” he continued before reaching out and placing his hand on Haisley’s shoulder, pulling her closer. Haisley complied, deliberately resting her head on Gilbert’s right shoulder. “Smart girl,” he murmured, stroking Haisley’s hair gently.

“You’re here!” That joyful exclamation was now very familiar to Haisley. Loretta had arrived. The beautiful girl wore a tempting red bikini with the bottom covered by a beach sarong, undoubtedly as expensive as her bikini.

Not to mention the wide beach hat that added to her charm.

Did she already know in advance that they were going to sail using this luxurious boat, making her look so perfect? While Haisley?

Well, it seemed like deciding to come here was a wrong choice. Haisley couldn’t swim anymore and despised being in the water. So buying a bikini, no matter how expensive or beautiful, was pointless. Because Haisley would never be able to wear it again.

Loretta and Nathan sweetly sat in chairs not far from where Haisley and Gilbert were seated, sticking together like glue. “Didn’t you bring a bikini?” the girl asked. Haisley shook her head.

“I didn’t bring one and didn’t intend to,” she replied honestly.

“Why? I mean, how can you go to the beach without a bikini?” Nathan answered on Haisley’s behalf. Haisley glared at him.

“Haisley has a fear of water. It’s not that she can’t swim,” Gilbert tried to mediate. Loretta looked at him-could Haisley interpret it as a pitying gaze?-which Haisley responded to impassively. Luckily, the girl didn’t continue discussing the reasons for Haisley’s trauma. “What are we going to do after this?” Gilbert directed the question to his sister.

“Nothing, except enjoying the delicious dishes from the chefs and savoring the night in the middle of the sea before we return tomorrow,” Nathan answered casually. Haisley froze in Gilbert’s embrace. All of this was beyond her expectations, concerning spending the holiday on the island.

Nathan certainly knew that Haisley no longer liked the ocean. Or was he pretending not to know? Not liking was not the right term; it was more of a fear. In the past, Haisley used to be a fan of sand, beaches, and the blue water. But since that incident, Haisley only dared to step her feet on the sand and beach. She didn’t dare to go any further than that. And now, she was trapped in an area she didn’t actually like. Although Haisley knew she would be safe, the fear still enveloped her heart, even if just a tiny bit.