Unwrap Your Desire

OLIVIA

AFTER SUCH an intense fight I had with Chase and days of crying my heart out, I could not deny how excited and nervous I was to finally see him again. It was strange how my heart was instantly filled with hope and love all over again right after the roller coaster of emotions I went through. I never thought I would still feel such positive emotions after drowning myself in the depths of heartbreak and sorrow.

My lips curled up into a smile. I was sitting beside the plane window and looking at the sea of clouds outside. The fact that Chase made an effort to come up with stunts like these just to be forgiven made me feel the warmth inside my chest.

He never failed to make me feel extra special.

I let out a long sigh and sipped my tea, pursed my lips as I tasted the best tea ever and couldn’t help but wonder what would happen once we saw each other.

“I missed him…” I said to myself as I leaned my back against the soft and comfortable backrest of my seat.

It almost took two hours before the plane finally landed on a private island that I would say was too far away from the city. I was greeted by the fresh salty air as soon as I descended to the white sand while holding my luggage bag.Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.

My eyes immediately roamed around the island. I gasped, completely stunned by the beauty of the entire place. The ocean was crystal blue, and I could see a lot of starfish and seashells on the shore. Palm trees could be seen everywhere; there were rock formations on some parts of the island; and the sound of ocean waves and whispers of the wind made my body feel more relaxed.

The plane left after a couple of minutes, and for a brief moment, I stayed on the shore admiring the view. I took my phone out and had taken a lot of pictures of the island before I noticed that there wasn’t any cellular signal here either.

“The island being an island…” I commented. I looked around and saw the trail on the left part of the shore.

I hadn’t seen a single soul on the shore, so I decided to walk to the trail, hoping that I would see Chase or someone that would point me to the exact place I needed to go to. As I walked my way, I was amazed by the beauty of the plants and trees I passed by. This island was clearly being taken care of despite the fact that it was secluded and far away. Charles probably spent a million dollars just to keep its authenticity for him to enjoy whenever he felt like going island hopping.

I shook my head as I thought about how many islands he owned by now.

After a few walks, I found myself standing in front of a private villa. I was hesitant to enter it, but it was the only house I had seen in this place, and the thought that Chase was probably inside and was waiting for me doubled my courage to enter it.

The gate was not locked, which made my attempt to trespass easier. Still dragging my luggage bag, I walked to the porch and came to a halt to compose myself.

“Do not be so nervous. It is going to be alright, Liv…” I said to myself and took several deep breaths as I gathered all my thoughts and the words I wanted to tell Chase.

I decided to forgive him; to forget those hurtful words he said, and to apologize for lying to him. I wanted to assure him that I would never make the same mistake again and that I would never make him worry again. I would tell him that despite everything that happened, I still love him and I miss him so badly.

Those thoughts made my heart pound aggressively. I knew this was beyond madness as it was not part of my original plan to suck money out of his pocket, but I no longer give a damn.

All I knew right then was the fact that I was madly in love with him…

I took one deep breath and then pushed the door open.

“Chase?” I called his name as I entered the villa.

My jaw dropped when I glanced at every corner of the place. The villa was so spacious. It had a minimalist interior design. The walls were painted white and brown, which complemented the antique furniture sitting around in its right places. The living room was enormous and had a fireplace too, and on its right side there was a glass door that would lead to an outdoor pool and the oceanfront view.

“Chase, I’m here!” I called once again. This time my voice was loud enough for him to hear.

I was hoping to hear a response, but all I heard was silence. I pouted my lips and decided to leave the luggage bag on one of the couches and ran upstairs.

The second floor also had a living room and a balcony where a couple could sit for a romantic lunch or dinner while gazing at the ocean view in front of them, and there were rooms available on the other side of the hallway.

“Chase?” I called my husband as I walked to the hallway and checked the rooms one by one.

I entered the master bedroom and saw some luggage beside the king-sized bed. I quickly inspected it and figured out it was Chase’s stuff!

“Chase!” I rushed into the bathroom, hoping to see him there, but to no avail. “Where is he?”

I could not help but wonder where he went at this point. He was supposed to wait for me here. Could it be that he was at the beach all along? I palmed my face, thinking that our paths didn’t cross when the plane landed here earlier.

With that in mind, I quickly descended to the first floor and went out of the villa.

I ran towards the shore and called his name as I wandered. Perhaps the plane landed on the wrong part of the island, and Chase was on the other side of it, waiting for me. Even though I was starting to feel a bit tired walking and calling his name, I did not stop even for a minute as I really wanted to see him badly.

However, I already checked every area of the front part of the island, and Chase was nowhere to be found. Worry filled my chest. His luggage was already in the villa, which meant that he arrived here before me… But where did he go?

I went back to the villa, trying my best to be positive despite being anxious about my situation. I checked the pool, garden, kitchen, and backyard, but Chase was nowhere to be found.

Maybe we went somewhere to prepare something special for me?

I settled with that hunch as I could never entertain negative thoughts at this point. I sat on one of the couches and leaned my head against the backrest while waiting for Chase. Out of exhaustion, my eyelids feel heavy, and even though I tried my best not to fall asleep, I unconsciously yawned and shut my eyes.

When I finally woke up, I realized that it was almost sunset. My eyes widened, and I stood up and called out to Chase again, hoping that he had already arrived at this time. However, my voice just echoed in the house, and nothing… no one ever responded.

I gasped. My chest tightened at the thought that Chase might have forgotten that he was supposed to be here, or that his work was way more important than fixing the loose ends of our relationship. I mean, if he could not make it, why even start a plan like this?

Damn it!

I stormed out of the villa and inspected the whole area, but I hadn’t found a single soul that would help me get home as I no longer wanted to be here anymore.

I walked and continued to mutter curses under my breath while holding back my tears. I could not believe I had to deal with this situation. Let alone, I had anticipated this. All the excitement I felt from the plane before I arrived here went away, and the only thing that was left was embarrassment.

My feet felt the sand once again. I took several deep breaths as I gazed at the ocean and the sun setting down from afar. I swallowed so hard. Tears started to stream down my face, but my hands were quick to wipe all of them off.

“I should not have listened to them… I should not have listened to my freaking heart,” I said, kicking the sand to let out my frustration.

I ended up picking up some marbles on the sand and throwing them into the sea while cursing and venting my rage. I felt as if I was being power tripped by Chase Maxwell, and he was sitting comfortably at home, laughing and mocking me.

“Darn it!” I yelled and threw anything solid that came into contact with my hand from the ground.

I then sat on the sand and watched the sunset while crying and wishing that my misery would just end. I hugged both of my knees and buried my head on top of them and sobbed like a child missing in an unfamiliar place.

My wet cheeks were kissed by the salty air. I bit my lower lip. My emotions overpowered the shit in me, to the extent that even impossible ideas started to whirl around my head.

What if he found out about my real identity and, out of his anger, he decided to ditch me and left me hanging on this island all by myself?

What if this was my punishment for deceiving him?

My heart felt as if it was being wrenched severely. I knew that Chase had all the good reasons to seek revenge because I deceived him, and I knew that I had no right to complain because I was the one who started this whole mess… just because I wanted to get rich overnight.

OLIVIA

I remained still. My eyes gazed at the sea and let both of my thoughts and the sound of the waves consume my head. I realized that no matter how I tried to make myself happy, I would always end up getting hurt because my course of actions were never right.

I heaved a sigh and looked down. My fingers reached for the white sand and drew circles on it while tears were streaming down my face.

I felt so tired from both crying, thinking, and hoping when the situation was so clear as the crystal blue sea.

I mustered the courage to finally stand up. Putting out a huge sigh, I decided to call this a day. Tomorrow, I will find a way to get home.

I glanced at the sea for the last time, and then I turned around and walked back to the trail. However, I stopped midway when I heard the sound of something from afar. At first, I thought it was some crickets making a noise at night, but when the sound became clearer, I realized it was a vehicle.

I looked at the sea. My forehead creased when I saw a white thing moving, or should I say, approaching the shore.

Squinting my eyes, my mouth dropped when I realized that it was a yacht, and as it got closer to the shore, I noticed that the person navigating it was none other than Chase…

My heart raced so fast and loud that it hurt my limbs already. Tears pooled in my eyes as I stiffened in my direction. My eyes could not look away from the sight anymore.

“Chase…” I whispered.

I assumed he had abandoned me; that he no longer cared enough to pick me up on this island, and that he was pulling such stunts to exact his revenge on me.

But the glimpse of hope inside my chest told me Chase would never treat me that way.

When the yacht finally stopped near the shore, Chase quickened his pace and jumped onto the white sand immediately. His eyes looked everywhere, and when he finally met mine, I saw the relief and worry in his expression.

He ran towards me. My tears were still falling when he closed the distance between us. I gasped when he immediately pulled me to him and engulfed me in a warm embrace.

All my worries, anger, and what ifs instantly vanished the moment I felt his arms covering my trembling body.

“Oh my God, Reese…” he muttered and quickly released me. His hands cupped both of my cheeks, inspecting me from head to toe. “Are you alright? Look, I am so sorry.”

I nodded and offered him a thin smile. Even though I already gathered my thoughts when I first arrived here, I became lost for words the moment I saw his face.

How I missed this man in front of me… It had been days of pure emotional terror.

He let out a huge sigh and kissed my forehead. “I am so sorry if you waited for hours. I am truly sorry. It was my fault. We had trouble back in the city, and my plan turned into a mess… Please forgive me… I didn’t mean to make you cry again, my love.”

I swallowed so hard as I tried to process all his explanations. I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed to think that he’d taken revenge on me on purpose. But here he was, proving to me that my thoughts were all wrong.

“So, you didn’t ditch me?”

He gave me a wide-eyed look before he shook his head.

“No way, baby! Why would I do that? We had a situation back there. The people I hired to set up my surprise backed out, and I had to find new ones who could help me. I didn’t know it would take that long. Had I known that it wasn’t easy, I should have adjusted the time for the plane to pick you up at a later time.”

“Oh, okay…” were all the words I could say.

I was totally speechless at this moment. I could not even look him in the eyes properly. But I knew deep within my heart that I was relieved to finally see him here.

“I apologize, Reese, for all these mishaps. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting for so long.”

“I… I know, Chase. It’s alright,” I said, and smiled a bit.

“The crew will set up everything for us.” He looked in the yacht’s direction.

I followed his gaze and noticed that he actually brought people to help him with his surprise. My cheeks flushed, thinking that Chase had gone to this extent only to apologize for what happened.

“In the meantime, let’s go to the villa. Your skin is cold,” he said.

I cleared my throat and only nodded at him. I knew he was staring intently at me, but I couldn’t meet his gaze without feeling awkward. Perhaps I was wrong to think that I had mastered how to act in front of him because my stomach was twisting in shyness right now.

He guided me as we walked down the pathway that would lead us to the villa. The entire place was filled with darkness. Chase turned on the buttons for the lights, and in an instant, the living room was filled with coziness.

“We can go back to the yacht after an hour, Reese,” he said, which made me turn to him.

The way he stared at me sent shivers down my spine. His ocean blue eyes were like trying to read my mind and I had to look away as I couldn’t take it. Clearing my throat, I nodded my head in response.

“I’m going to take a bath first,” I said, grabbing my luggage and walking upstairs.

I could have sworn that I felt as if my heart would explode any minute. I wanted to hug him, to kiss him, and tell him how sorry I was… But I was also embarrassed about this conflict between us, and even though I wanted to ignore it, I just couldn’t.

I went to the master’s bedroom and put my luggage on the bed.

“Calm down a bit, Liv…” I uttered as I grabbed the towel.

I walked to the bathroom to take a bath. After that, I wore a bathrobe and went out. I opened my luggage bag to look for a nice dress that I could wear.

The door opened. I was shocked when Chase entered the bedroom and looked at me. I cleared my throat and looked away.

“I’m going to change clothes,” he said as he walked toward me.

“Alright…” I said in my soft voice and continued with what I was doing.

I cursed under my breath when I realized that Lara only put sultry stuff like black lingerie, thongs, see through underwear, and a freaking vibrator inside my luggage. The only wholesome thing was the dress itself!

I held the lingerie while I bit my lower lip firmly.

“Damn it, Lara. I’m going to kill you,” I mumbled.

“Nice lingerie you got there. I bet you look lovely in it,” Chase commented.

I could feel the heat engulfing my face upon hearing his statement. When I looked at him, I noticed that his eyes were pinned on the lingerie on my hand, then he glanced at me and gulped.

“Lara put it inside my luggage bag. It wasn’t me,” I said awkwardly.

I saw how his lips curled up for a smile, and without any hesitation, he removed his t-shirt and flaunted his broad chest and six-pack abs. I was so surprised by his sudden undressing of the shirt that I wasn’t aware I was already licking my lower lip.

I only came back to my senses when he giggled. He also opened his luggage and grabbed some stuff when a see-through boxer fell on the floor.

What the hell, Chase?

I coughed and looked away. I grabbed my things and stormed into the bathroom so I could get dressed.

I fanned myself as soon as I closed and locked the door.

“Calm down, Liv…” I said to myself and huffed in frustration.

Why do I feel so hot all of a sudden? I shook my head and shoved the sultry thoughts aside. I got dressed and wore the simple red spaghetti dress Lara lent to me and partnered it with a white pimp sandal. I put some light makeup on my face too, and after that I styled my hair while letting it loose.

After a few minutes, I was all ready.

I went out of the bathroom and saw Chase putting on an elegant watch on his wrist. He was only wearing a black long sleeves, pants, and shoes, yet he could easily attract every person that would see him. He was such a head turner.

I sucked in a breath when his ocean blue eyes glanced at me. My heart pounded so aggressively with the way he stared at me.

“Ready?” he asked.

I nodded and offered him a thin smile. “Y-Yes…”

“You look stunning… as always,” he commented.

I stiffened when he walked towards me. “Let’s go?”

I was surprised when he held my hand, which made me look at him. He guided my hand to his arm and tapped it softly.

My cheeks flushed at that gesture.

Damn it, Chase!