"Wow, Issa, you're rocking that swimsuit!"
She felt a bit awkward in such a revealing split swimsuit. It was just not her vibe. The soft red fabric hugging her stunning curves perfectly. Her healthy and smooth skin glistening in the sunlight.
"Well Joyce, I have a feeling my grandmother might have a heart attack if she catches sight of me in this. You know she's more of a traditional..."
"Come on Issa, we are in the most luxurious resort! We're here to celebrate my birthday, but more crucially, to turn some heads and make the boys swoon, remember? Don't act like a conservative old lady, girl!" Joyce gave a playful and mischievous wink, "Guess what? I'm absolutely certain that Brett's jaw will hit the floor when he lays eyes on you in that! Get ready for some serious heart-eyed emojis coming your way, girl!"
"Is there anyone who can zip your chatty lips?"
Brett is Joyce's brother, Issa’s first and only crush. Even so, his handsome features coupled with the fact that he hailed from an affluent family, made him seem like a distant dream, a star far out of her reach.
After all, she was just a poor college student. Tragically, she lost her mother in an accident when she was just four years old. Shortly thereafter, her father deserted her without a trace, leaving her in the care of her grandmother. To support the family，she worked hard in the college to gain scholarships.
Now, even though Joyce the Fairy Godmother had dressed her up into Cinderella in the swimsuit version, she still felt out of place with this little fabric, and in this rich resort. She looked at the magazine in her hand while her mind was filled with this year's exam schedule.
Suddenly, Joyce tapped her on the shoulder and screamed——
"Oh my! This can’t be true!" Joyce looked stunned by something, more specifically, by somebody.
She just threw her a glance before getting her eyes back to the magazine which she pretended to be reading. She didn’t want to cause any trouble so that she could go home early.
"He's here! I can hardly believe it! I assumed he was still in the States, but he's actually here!" Joyce added giddily.
She let out a helpless sigh to express her annoyance. Her friend seemed to lose herself around handsome men, again. She didn't even bother to look who Joyce was talking about. Plus, she wasn't really into guys. Her main focus was on her studies, scholarship was her goal after all..
"What a surprise! I never thought I'd see him here! I mean, I know his family owns hotels and resorts here and abroad, so I guess the rumors must be true. He's really thinking about buying this resort!"
"Who are you talking about?" she asked after a sigh.
She knew her friend wouldn't cease her gushing, so she decided to feign interest. Setting the magazine aside, she followed the direction of her friend's gaze.
"There he is - the elusive, strikingly handsome, and unfathomably wealthy playboy, Luke Contrero! The man clad in navy blue board shorts, boasting a mouth-watering six-pack,” Joyce responded, her gaze fixated unwaveringly on the object of her fascination.
The man was roughly twenty yards away from them, lounging comfortably on one of the beach chairs. Another similarly bare-chested man, also clad in board shorts, sat beside him. Even from this distance, it was clear that the man Joyce was swooning over was way hotter because he was a lot hunkier. However, she couldn't discern his features as his gaze was directed towards the sea.
***
"We're leaving tonight. I've seen all I need to. This place doesn't meet my standards. We'll inspect the other resort tomorrow." Luke told his cousin Reed who was also his assistant.
"What seems to be the problem? This place appears to be quite decent. See it's bustling with guests and I'm confident it will attract even more once you've put your touch on it. Investing in Sta.Teresita could be a wise move."
Luke took a sip of his sparkling water. He didn’t like alcohol. He only had it if he was with clients. He was a health buff. Some men have alcohol to release stress but he'd rather have sex with beautiful women than slowly destroy his body with booze when he had to blow off steam. He shrugged his shoulders.
"My decision is final! This place does nothing for me! It lacks any charm or appeal. It's an utterly dull location. Frankly, I believe investing in any property in this area would be a complete waste of my money and time." he told Reed.
His bodyguard Luis was standing a few meters from them. He didn’t need one because he could defend himself but his mother insisted. He agreed because he didn’t want to upset her since he knew that she only wanted him to be safe all the time. Good thing was, once he went back to the US, he didn’t have to bring Luis. He frowned when he felt something. He couldn’t explain it but a certain kind of energy wanted him to turn to his left.
Isabelle gasped when she saw the man’s face. Joyce was right. He was super hot! Luke’s eyes narrowed when he realized what made him look the other way. It was a woman but not just an ordinary female. She was breathtakingly beautiful. She was a bit far from him but he felt a certain electricity between them. His board shorts seemed to have become tighter at the front. His body was strongly reacting to the female. This was foreign to him and he didn’t know if he liked this urge or not. He had to be sure that she was not only beautiful this far. And he wanted to know if the force which was drawing him to her would be even greater once he saw her up close.
"Where are you going?" asked Reed.
"I'll check if buying this resort is really worth it," he said while he walked towards the woman who seemed to have bewitched him.
"Oh wow!! He's heading towards us!" exclaimed Joyce.
Isabelle didn't know whether to stay where she was or to run from the place. The way the man was looking at her was scary but at the same time gave her a feeling of excitement. Her heart was thumping as he came close to them. She almost caught her breath when he was just a few feet away from them. His body was really magnificent. He was undeniably attractive and his expression suggested that he was craving for something from her.
"Issa! He's completely devouring you with his eyes," Joyce whispered, utterly captivated as she observed Luke Contrero's handsome dark eyes fixated on her friend.
