Eric rolled his eyes at Adam. "Not interested."
Adam sighed dramatically, clearly disappointed. "Men, always choosing women over their friends. No fun at all!"
Among their group of friends, Adam was the least skilled swimmer, so he had suggested the race as an excuse to "break up" couples, but instead, he ended up being the butt of everyone’s jokes.
Meanwhile, Richard and Amelia were having their own fun, with Amelia’s voice ringing out, "Richard, stop it! Where are you touching!?"
"Where haven’t I touched before? It was an accident!"
Ella laughed so hard that tears nearly came to her eyes. Before they knew it, the delightful afternoon slipped away, and the sunset bathed everything in a warm glow. The evening sky was filled with stunning colors, casting a reddish hue over the ocean and the faces of lovers, leaving a beautiful, unforgettable mark on the day.
Ella and the others took countless photos before reluctantly heading back to the luxurious, resort-like house Richard had rented on the island.
The house was enormous and opulent, with each suite featuring a private hot spring. However, being summer, it wasn’t exactly hot spring season.
After retrieving her phone, Rachel carefully examined it before retreating to her room and dialing Leah’s number.
"Leah, I’m at Blue Dream Island. Mr. Nelson and that little wench are really close. Do you have any good ideas?" Rachel asked cautiously.
Leah paused on the other end, her expression darkening. "Let me think..."
Leah hung up, and about ten minutes later, she called Rachel back. They spoke for a few minutes, discussing the details of Leah’s plan, before ending the call.
Rachel’s eyes flashed coldly. "This plan... it’s not perfect, but since they’ve already seen through me, there’s not much else I can do."
Rachel understood that no matter what scheme she devised against Ella, Eric would never believe her—he would always believe Ella instead.
A man blinded by love, tying himself to one tree, she thought disdainfully.
Smirking, Rachel calmly set her phone down and headed towards her coworkers’ room.
After dinner, Ella and Eric took a walk around the island. The scenery was truly breathtaking: swings, cobblestone paths, blooming flower beds, whimsical rocks, and caves...
The air carried a slight salty breeze that brushed against their cheeks, but Ella felt utterly content.
John called, and Eric listened silently for a while before responding, "Alright, contact Brian and the others abroad. See if they can help us identify that person."
After hanging up, Eric glanced at Ella.
"The person who took Hannah left the country yesterday afternoon for Country W. It seems... they’re trying to get her treated."
Eric’s tone was sharp, and Ella frowned, her mood souring. "Bad guys are like cockroaches—impossible to get rid of."
"If he even thinks about hurting you, I won’t hesitate to deal with him," Eric said, his expression softening as he reminded himself that he was on vacation with his woman and didn’t want this news to ruin their time together.
Besides, with his resources, he really had nothing to fear.
Ella nodded, her interest waning. "Let’s go back. My legs are starting to feel weak."
"You really need to work on your stamina," Eric said with a slight frown.
Ella glanced back at him with a flirtatious smile, making his heart skip a beat. "I’m not like you—I don’t need to train in martial arts to deal with shameless people!"
"Starting tomorrow, you’re getting up at six to go running with me!" Eric ordered as he wrapped his arm around Ella’s waist. Her face scrunched up in dismay. Running at six in the morning? She was a habitual late sleeper—wasn’t this a bit too harsh?
The rooms in the villa were plentiful, but Ella, being a bit shy, hadn’t agreed to share a room with Eric.
That night, they all gathered in the hotel’s lobby for a party. They devoured a three-tier cake and then had a cake-throwing fight, leaving everyone covered in whipped cream.
Even when she was separated from Eric, chatting with the other women, Ella could still feel his intense gaze on her.
After the party, everyone returned to their rooms to wash off the cake and cream from their hair and bodies.
Eric had just finished his shower, wearing a loose bathrobe that revealed his toned, muscular chest. His chest muscles were undeniably enticing, and a few drops of water trickled down from his still-damp hair, sliding down his handsome face.
He looked effortlessly alluring, a sight that could easily make anyone swoon.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Eric opened it to find a shy-looking female server standing outside. "Mr. Nelson... Miss Davis has requested your presence at the natural hot spring on the first floor."
There was indeed a hot spring on the first floor, though it was a public space.
Eric nodded, then closed the door to change into something a bit less revealing before heading downstairs.
The hot spring was located behind the house, nestled in the garden. Steam rose from the water, and on either side of the spring, several canna lilies swayed gracefully in the breeze, their vivid petals adding a touch of exotic beauty.
Eric immediately spotted a woman in the hot spring. Her long hair cascaded down her back, wet and floating on the surface of the water. The ripples in the water, combined with the mist and light, made her submerged body appear somewhat obscured, enhancing the ethereal beauty of the scene.
For most men, the sight of those soft, alluring lines would ignite desire.
But Eric stood there coldly, his gaze icy.
The woman in the hot spring wasn’t Ella—it was Rachel.
This woman had the audacity to strip down and wait for him here, trying to seduce him!
Rachel’s face was flushed from the heat of the spring, her long lashes fluttering as droplets of water accentuated her fair skin.
Pretending not to notice anyone was there, Rachel reached up to gently stroke her neck, letting her hand glide sensuously downwards.
To most men, it would be an incredibly seductive gesture.
"What are you doing here?" Eric’s voice was cold and cutting.
Rachel’s face snapped up in shock. Seeing someone watching her, she let out a staged scream, quickly sinking her body lower into the water and covering herself with her hands.
"Mr. Nelson... y-you... what are you doing here?" Rachel’s delicate face was painted with a look of panic, her eyes filled with a mix of shyness and unease.
This kind of innocence could be quite captivating.
And Rachel was, in fact, still physically pure, never having been with a man.
So, despite her boldness, there was a genuine sense of embarrassment at being seen .
Eric raised an eyebrow sarcastically. Did Rachel really think that flashing some skin would be enough to seduce him? Did she take him for someone who couldn’t control his base instincts?
"Someone told me my woman was waiting for me here. Imagine my surprise to find you instead," Eric sneered. "Rachel, you’ve really grown thick-skinned, haven’t you?"