Reborn Heiress: Escaping My Contract Marriage with the Cold CEO
Chapter 96: Promises, Promises

Chapter 96: Promises, Promises

VANESSA BELMONT JANG

I groaned, but let him take my hand again, following him through the house to a set of double doors at the back. He pushed them open, revealing a private terrace overlooking the ocean, a shaded daybed, and—

"A pool?" I blinked at the infinity edge blending seamlessly into the horizon.

Nathan’s thumb brushed over my knuckles. "Thought you might like a swim."

I arched a brow. "Just a swim?"

His laugh was low, knowing. "We’ll see."

I didn’t wait. Slipping free of his grip, I stepped out of my sandals and pulled my sundress over my head, tossing it aside before diving into the crystal-clear water. The cool rush of it against my skin was heaven.

When I surfaced, Nathan was still standing at the edge, watching me with heated eyes.

"Coming in?" I challenged.

He didn’t hesitate.

The water barely had time to ripple before his arms were around me, his body pressing me back against the pool’s edge. His mouth found mine, hungry and insistent, and I melted into him, my legs wrapping around his waist.

"This is definitely my favorite part of the house," I said between kisses.

Nathan’s laugh was a rumble against my lips. "Good. Because we’re not leaving this island until you’ve christened every room."

I nipped at his lower lip. "Promises, promises."

***|***|***|***|***

NATHAN JANG

The moment Vanessa’s sundress hit the deck, I forgot how to breathe.

Sunlight glistened on her bare shoulders as she arched through the air—a flash of golden skin and dark hair—before slicing into the water. She surfaced with a gasp, droplets clinging to her lashes, her lips curved in that wicked smile that had been unraveling me from the first day we met.

"Coming in?"

Like I could resist.

I was moving before the challenge fully left her mouth, shedding my shirt in one motion. The water barely had time to ripple before I had her pinned against the pool’s edge, her legs locking around my waist like she was made to fit there.

Christ. The feel of her—slick skin, racing heartbeat, the way her teeth scraped my lower lip—sent fire licking through my veins.

"This is definitely my favorite part of the house," she murmured against my mouth.

I laughed, dragging my hands down her back, memorizing the dip of her spine. "Good. Because we’re not leaving this island until you’ve christened every room."

Her sharp little bite to my lip shot straight to my groin. "Promises, promises."

***|***|***|***|***

NATHAN JANG

The water rippled around us as I lifted Vanessa from the pool, her body slick and warm against mine. She laughed as I set her on her feet, the sound brighter than the Caribbean sun overhead.

"Hungry?" I asked, tracing the curve of her hip where her sundress clung to damp skin.

She arched a brow. "For food? Or...?"

I nipped at her shoulder. "Both. But dinner first."

The kitchen was exactly as I’d designed it—open, airy, with a six-burner range and a wine fridge stocked with her favorite Sauvignon Blanc. Vanessa perched on the marble countertop, swinging her bare feet as I moved between the refrigerator and the cutting board.

"Watch the master at work," I teased, drizzling olive oil into a skillet.

She rolled her eyes but leaned forward, chin propped in her hands. "Mmm, is that garlic I smell? You’re playing dirty, Jang."

I smirked, tossing in a handful of chopped shallots. The scent bloomed golden and rich between us. "Just wait."

For the next twenty minutes, I worked while she watched—searing scallops until they caramelized, tossing fresh papaya and mint into a salad, reducing balsamic until it thickened to syrup.

Every few minutes, I’d steal a kiss, or she’d sneak a taste, her fingers darting in to steal a slice of papaya before I could swat her hand away.

"Thief."

She laughed. "Stole your heart, right?" She waggled her brows, and I grinned.

By the time I carried the plates outside, the sun had dipped low, painting the terrace in shades of amber and rose. I’d set the table earlier—white linens, hurricane candles, a single frangipani blossom floating in a shallow bowl between our wine glasses.

Vanessa’s breath caught. "Nathan..."

I pulled out her chair. "For my wife."

The first bite of scallop melted on her tongue, her eyes fluttering shut. "Oh my God."

I grinned, swirling my wine. "My wife likes?"

"Your wife loves."

We ate like that—slow, savoring, our ankles tangled beneath the table as the candles flickered between us. The ocean sighed against the shore below, a lullaby just for us. Vanessa fed me a bite of papaya, her fingers lingering at my lips.

"Can we live here forever?"

I caught her wrist, pressing a kiss to her palm. "We can."

A gust of wind made the candle flames flicker. Then the linen napkin beside Vanessa’s plate lifted, fluttering to the deck like a wounded dove.

The second gust hit harder. Palm fronds shook above us. Out in the cove, the water darkened, waves chopping against each other where they’d been smooth all evening.

I stood so fast my chair scraped. "Inside. Now."

The wind howled through the trees as I grabbed Vanessa’s hand, my grip tightening as another violent gust sent her hair whipping across her face.

We abandoned our half-finished dinner as wine glasses toppled and the tablecloth thrashed around like a drunken ghost, its edges snapping against my legs as we ran.

Vanessa’s bare feet slipped on the rain-slicked deck. I caught her around the waist just as the first fat raindrops exploded against our skin. Somewhere beyond the rising chaos, thunder growled, shaking the teak planks beneath us.

"Go!" I urged, shielding her body with mine as palm fronds became projectiles. The once-placid infinity pool now churned like the ocean beyond it, its waters sloshing over the edges.

A fork of lightning split the sky, illuminating Vanessa’s terrified face.

Timber cracked, groaned above us. "The pergola!" shouted Vanessa.

She shoved me forward, out of danger.

Then the pergola collapsed.