Chapter 2 - THE ISLAND WITHOUT A NAME
We reached the island shortly before sunset.
I stood on the yacht's upper deck as the coastline appeared.
White sand.
Turquoise water.
Palm trees.
A long wooden dock stretching toward a villa built into the hillside.
The place looked unreal.
Like something from a luxury travel magazine.
Antonio stood beside me.
“Welcome to Isla Serena.”
I looked at him.
“You named your private island?”
He smiled.
“My grandmother did.”
I blinked.
“Your grandmother?”
He nodded.
“She bought the original property forty years ago.”
I stared.
“Your grandmother owned an island?”
Antonio laughed.
“She was a remarkable woman.”
The yacht slowed.
Staff waited at the dock.
A woman in her sixties stepped forward.
“Signor Russo.”
Antonio smiled.
“Lucia.”
She hugged him.
I stared.
I had never seen anyone hug Antonio Russo without asking permission.
Then Lucia turned toward me.
“And this must be Sophia.”
I smiled nervously.
“Yes.”
She took my hands.
“Welcome, sweetheart.”
Her warmth surprised me.
Antonio watched quietly.
Lucia looked toward him.
“You finally brought your wife.”
He sighed.
“Lucia.”
She ignored him.
Then leaned toward me.
“He's been preparing this place for weeks.”
I froze.
“What?”
Antonio closed his eyes.
“Lucia.”
She smiled.
“The flowers. The rooms. The gardens.”
I looked at him.
“You planned all this?”
Antonio met my eyes.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
May you like
My heart tightened.
For the first time, I wondered whether the honeymoon was more than a sudden business decision.
