Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
How long would it be before they could ascend now?
Serena couldn’t have felt prouder, and for once, she looked at Martin with genuine affection.
At the summit.
Romeo wrapped his arms around Mirabella from behind, both of them gazing down at the sprawling Oakridge City below.
How he wished he could freeze this moment in time.
“Bella,” Romeo’s voice was tender and magnetic, “do you like Dawnstar?”“Are we talking a fleeting fondness, or the settle-down-and-stay kind of like?” Mirabella played along, still captivated by the view. “If it’s the latter. I’d rather build our life back home.”
“Then that’s where we’ll be,” Romeo said indulgently. “Wherever you want to live, I’ll follow. If you wish to disappear, we’ll retreat to the heart of the wilderness. If you want to make your mark, I’ll be by your side, through thick and thin.”
Mirabella turned, her smile light, “And what if I’m just hungry?”
Romeo chuckled, his hand instinctively finding her stomach, “What about some gourmet food?”
“Perfect.”
When the two of them hand in hand stepped out of the elevator back on the first floor, everyone was stunned.
“Doesn’t that guy look just like Romeo?”
“Kinda does, is it really him? He’s even more handsome than in the pictures online!”
“Who’s that girl with him? She’s gorgeous!”
“Was it them who booked the whole place? Did Romeo do that for her?“
“Isn’t she just the luckiest girl ever?”
“Does anyone know who she is, like, for real?”
“Are they, like, dating or what?”
Romeo held Mirabella’s hand as they made their way out, flanked by a phalanx of bodyguards.
“OMG, they’re like a perfect match. I swear their love story beats any TV show romance!”
“She’s so gorgeous, like, even prettier than some celebs!”
“Think they’re off to grab a bite?”
Serena was in such a good mood, but all the chit-chat around her had totally killed her vibe by the time she made it to the top floor!
When Romeo had left the top floor earlier, he’d snagged a souvenir for Mirabella—a tiny Emerald Tower keychain.
Now, they each had one, and Mirabella couldn’t help but laugh, “When did you get this? I didn’t even notice!”
“While you were texting back.”
Remembering, Mirabella realized that she had been replying to her aunt, who had asked if she would be home for dinner. She had told her she’d be dining out with Romeo, and in that short span, he had managed to buy the gift and surprise her.”L really love it.” Mirabella threaded the key into her new keychain.
Seeing how much she cherished his gift made Romeo’s mood soar even higher.
Beside the towering Emerald, there lay the Luminescent Brook, and now, Romeo had chartered a whole boat for a dinner cruise with Mirabella.
The vessel’s cabin was designed with clear glass, allowing them to savor a scrumptious meal while taking in the stunning views along the Luminescent Brook.
From Stellar Palace to The Emerald Tower, from The Serenity Temple to the Veteran’s Retreat, the boat offered a unique charm of Oakridge City that was truly unparalleled.
Other tourists, spotting their boat bathed in cozy light, with the bow and stern decked out in vibrant marigolds, couldn’t help but stare in wonder and envy.
“Why is their boat different from ours?”
“It’s so much prettier! Look at how crowded our boat is, and they seem to be all alone.”
“Did they, like, charter the whole thing?”
“Look at us, having to book weeks in advance, and the prices are all over the place depending on where you sit.
But they can afford a whole boat. So loaded!”
Mirabella hadn’t expected a simple date to be turned into such a grand affair by Romeo.
Even the starters, main course, and dessert were tailored to her tastes.Meanwhile, Serena, at the top of the Emerald, had lost all enthusiasm, her mind fixated on the image of Romeo taking Mirabella’s hand and passing by her.
She gazed down at the Luminescent Brook, twinkling with lights, and wondered aloud, “What’s that?”
Martin replied gently, “That’s the dinner cruise along Luminescent Brook. Wanna give it a try?”
“Yeah, sure.” Serena nodded.
The tourists on the ground were shocked at how extravagant the couple was, leaving not even an hour after reserving the place.
“Talk about splurging, just to enjoy the view for less than an hour. Is money just like onions to rich folks, not worth much?”
When Serena heard the surrounding envy and awe, her mood lifted a bit.
She let Martin lead her forward, not watching where she was going, just staring at the photos Martin had taken of her on the top floor.
“Look at this mess you shot, it’s so bad!” Serena handed her phone to Martin.
Martin couldn’t see any issue, “It looks great, your expression, the pose, and even the background.”
“You made me look fat! Don’t you think this angle makes me look a bit chubbier than the last one?”
Martin inspected it closely. Perhaps there was the slightest difference, but without scrutiny, it was imperceptible.
“Can’t you take a joke?” Serena snapped, her irritation barely concealed.
Martin reined in his grin, finding her annoyance oddly endearing, “Sorry, my photography skills need some work.
I’ll do better next time.”
“Just make sure you do! And you better start learning how to take pictures like other boyfriends do for their girlfriends!”
Martin was oblivious to the complaint; instead, he latched onto the words “boyfriend” and “girlfriend”.
So, in Serena’s mind, she already considered him her boyfriend, right? And by default, she saw herself as his girlfriend.
With that thought, a sweet smile crept back onto Martin’s face.
They had left too late, and by the time they got to the riverbank, all the private boats were gone.
Other people had booked their boat tickets weeks in advance. Serena was taken aback to learn that a single boat’s pricing varied depending on whether you were at the bow, midship, or stern.
“What about sharing a boat with others?” Martin asked the attendant.
“None left either, unless someone is willing to sell their spots to you. Not just private boats, there aren’t even individual seats available.”
Martin hadn’t anticipated the dinner cruise being such a hit. He glanced at Serena, unwilling to let her down, he haggled with other tourists and finally managed to purchase two high-priced tickets at thebow of the boat.
Serena, however, was less than thrilled. Squeezing onto a boat with so many others was beneath her, especially surrounded by ordinary couples, influencers, and families with kids.
For someone of her standing to share space with others, she felt it was a blow to her dignity.
“I’m sorry you’re upset, Martin said, not fully aware of the local customs. Fortunately, the dinner was high-quality enough not to give Serena any real cause for complaint.
With the noisy atmosphere around her, Serena felt irritable, but then Martin snapped a photo of her, skillfully capturing just her, the dinner, and the view without any intruders.
“Is this better?” Martin tried to lift her spirits.
“Much better,’ Serena admitted, scrolling through seven or eight pictures, finally starting to cheer up.
But her good mood didn’t last long. She noticed a beautiful glass boat gliding by, its lighting and decorations far superior to their own.
“I wonder who that guy is over there, being able to rent out an entire boat like that.”
“He must be loaded, look at all those flowers. What are they called? I’ve seen them somewhere before.”
“Are they marigolds?”
“In this chilly weather, they must’ve been shipped in from elsewhere, right? Maybe that girl on the boat loves them and he arranged it all for her.”
“Oh my gosh, that’s so romantic:Serena’s face fell at the mention of “marigolds.” But when the neighboring boat passed close by, she was shocked to see Romeo feeding Mirabella dinner on that boat!
His smile was full of adoration, treating Mirabella as if she were the apple of his eye.
Mirabella returned his smile, her gaze filled with him alone.
“That guy’s really handsome and young! He looks like he’s in his twenties!”
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.