"We're here," the driver announced.
My heart nearly stopped. Through the tinted windows of the van, I could see a sea of people. It was a massive send-off; hundreds of Caius Vale fans were waiting at the port, cameras ready and lungs prepared to scream. Oh no. Why did we ride with him? We were about to walk straight into a hurricane.
"Oh, look at the crowd," Ms. Mimi, Caius's manager, sighed from the passenger seat. She looked back at me. "Put your ID on, Gaby. You're coming out first to help me and the security clear a path. And you—" she looked at Finn, who was practically vibrating with excitement. "I think you can manage yourself."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Finn chirped.
The door slid open, and the wall of sound hit me. I stepped out, trying to look professional despite my trembling knees. But then, Caius stepped out.
The world seemed to go quiet for a split second before the screaming doubled in volume. He looked effortlessly dashing in his summer outfit—white linen, dark shades, and that "Top Star" aura that made it seem like the sun only shone for him. I found myself dazed, staring at the back of his head.
Suddenly, the crowd surged. A fan pushed forward, and I lost my footing on the uneven pavement. I closed my eyes, bracing for the hard ground, but instead, I felt strong arms wrap around me.
I looked up, breathless. Caius was holding me, his face inches from mine. For the fans, it probably looked like a romantic movie poster. But then he leaned down, his voice a sharp whisper in my ear.
"Focus... idiot."
He set me upright and immediately turned back to the crowd, waving and flashing that perfect, practiced smile. I stood there, stunned. He's handsome, but his mouth is a nevermind.
We finally made it past the gates and into the docks. But the shivering didn't stop once I was away from the fans. In fact, it got worse when I saw Dorian. He was leaning against a railing, his eyes burning with a low, dangerous fire as he watched us approach.
"Finn," Dorian said, his voice a low growl.
Finn jumped nearly a foot into the air. "Oi! Dorian! You scared me."
"I told you to watch Gaby."
"I am watching him! Look, he's right here. Arrived safely in a luxury van!" Finn answered confidently. Dorian just gave him a look of pure disappointment before turning his "Scary Gaze" toward Caius.
"What?" Caius asked, looking just as annoyed.
"Cai!" A high-pitched voice interrupted the tension. Dianne, the lead actress, came running over and immediately linked her arm with Caius's. Caius looked like he wanted to shake her off, but she held on tight, waving to the fans still visible through the glass partitions.
Ah. PR. I'd always assumed they were dating for real—everyone in the country did. Seeing how cold Caius was the moment the cameras weren't directly on him made me realize how much of his life was just a script.
We boarded the boat—a sleek, modern ferry. Louie took the window seat, and I quickly signaled Finn to sit next to me. But before Finn could move, two shadows converged on the row.
Dorian and Caius were literally shoulder-checking each other, trying to get to the middle seat first. It was like watching two toddlers fight over a toy. Finally, Dorian used his weight to shove Caius aside and sat firmly next to me. Not to be outdone, Caius sat in the seat right next to Dorian.
"Where am I supposed to sit?" Finn asked, looking at the full row.
"Why are you here?" Dorian snapped at Caius. "You should be with Dianne. She's already annoyed."
"None of your business," Caius muttered, crossing his arms and closing his eyes.
"Oi. They just ignored me," Finn pouted. I signaled him to take the seat in front of us instead.
As I settled in, I noticed the branding on the seat covers. Vinzo Shipping Lines. "Vinzo?" I muttered, tracing the gold embroidery.
"Oh, the Vinzos," Louie leaned over. "They're the primary sponsors for the series. They're letting the production use this ferry for the island commute."
"Really? We're lucky, then."
"Not really," Louie lowered his voice, glancing around. "Don't you know about that family? People say the shipping is just a front. They actually control the underground. They're the 'Kings' of this city—the kind of people who can make someone vanish without a trace."
My blood ran cold. "W-what? Like in the movies?"
"The world is big, Gabriel. There are secrets we aren't meant to know."
Vinzo. The name tasted familiar. I remembered seeing a golden business card hidden under a stack of bills in Alistair's room a few weeks ago. It had that same elegant 'V' logo.
I looked at the waves outside, my mind racing. Alistair said he was getting a "promotion" for a VVIP client. Surely... surely my hardworking, kind brother couldn't be involved with people like that?
I gripped my bag, the "bad feeling" in my gut turning into a full-blown knot.
----
The ride was surprisingly peaceful after the seat war—mostly because both Dorian and Caius ended up passing out from exhaustion. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing when I looked over. Dorian's head was resting heavily on Caius's shoulder, and Caius's head was tilted back, resting right on top of Dorian's.
They looked like two grumpy kittens, a complete 180 from the "Scary Director" and "Top Star" personas they wore like armor.
When the boat finally jolted against the dock, they both bolted upright.
"What the hell are you doing?" Dorian snapped, wiping his face and pulling back as if he'd been burned.
"You're the one who used me as a pillow, Director," Caius shot back, his voice husky from sleep.
They kept bickering all the way down the gangplank until we stepped onto the sand. The moment my feet hit the island, I forgot about them. The water was a crystal, electric blue, and the air smelled like salt and tropical blooms. It was breathtaking.
"Wahhh! Look! It's so beautiful!" I shouted, the "Professional Intern" mask slipping for a second. I couldn't hide my excitement.
"Yes. Beautiful," a voice said softly behind me.
I turned, expecting to see Finn. Instead, it was Caius. He wasn't looking at the ocean or the sunset. He was looking directly at me, his gaze intense and unreadable. My heart did that weird, fluttering thing again.
"What are you looking at?!" Dorian stepped between us, his face twisted in disgust.
"What's your problem? I'm not looking at you," Caius answered coolly, though he didn't pull his gaze away from me until Louie stepped in.
"Oi, enough! Let's go," Louie sighed. "We need to check in. The shoot starts this afternoon."
Dorian grabbed my arm, practically dragging me and Finn toward the bungalows. "Let's go, Interns. Move it."
He had already arranged our room: Dorian, Finn, Louie, and me.
"Brother, is it alright for you to stay with us?" I asked as we walked into our modest cabin. "I thought the AD gets a private villa with the senior team?"
"Nah. I'm staying where I can keep an eye on you two," Dorian said firmly.
I just sighed. I was officially in a tropical paradise, but I was also in a high-security prison run by my own brothers.
We spent the afternoon setting up the first "Golden Hour" shot. Caius and Dianne were supposed to look like a couple lost in paradise, but every time the director yelled "Cut!", Caius would immediately drop Dianne's hand and walk toward the monitors—toward me.
"Water," he barked, not looking at anyone else.
I scrambled to hand him a bottle. Our fingers brushed, and I felt that familiar jolt. He lingered for a second too long, his thumb grazing my knuckle, but I felt a murder gaze form my right. I look at it and Dorian is on our way to us.
"Gaby, can you go to the equipment tent?" Dorian asked, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Can you get the spare script I left in the table. " he said
The equipment tent was cool and quiet, a temporary sanctuary from the humid island heat. I shuffled through the stacks of paper on the folding table, looking for the spare script Dorian had asked for.
My hand brushed against a heavy manila folder tucked under a clipboard. Curiosity got the better of me. I pulled it out, and my heart stopped.
It wasn't a script. It was a Termination of Contract.
My eyes scanned the legal jargon, landing on the bolded name at the top: Caius Vale. He wasn't just switching agencies—he was retiring. Completely. The biggest star in the country was planning to vanish at the height of his career.
What? Why? If he left now, the industry would implode. Was this why he seemed so distant? Why he treated the "PR" romance with Dianne like a chore?
"What are you doing?"
A voice, low and sharp, cut through the silence. I jumped, the folder slipping from my numb fingers and hitting the dirt floor.
Caius was standing in the tent flap. The harsh afternoon sun was at his back, turning his silhouette into a dark, imposing shadow. He stepped inside, the light catching the hard line of his jaw. He didn't look like a "Top Star" anymore. He looked like a man who had been caught keeping a secret.
His eyes fell on the paper on the ground. Then, slowly, they traveled up to mine. The intensity in his gaze made the air in the small tent feel like it had been sucked out. I felt small. I felt trapped.
"I... I was just looking for the script," I stammered, my heart hammering against my ribs. "I didn't mean to—"
He stepped closer, his boots crunching on the dry ground. He didn't stop until he was inches away, forcing me to tilt my head back just to see him. He reached out, his hand hovering near my face before he gripped the edge of the table behind me, effectively pinning me in place.
"There are things you shouldn't touch, Vanilla," he said.
His voice wasn't just serious; it was dark, laced with a warning that made my skin prickle. He wasn't the "dashing actor" from the ferry anymore. He looked tired, angry, and strangely... desperate.
"Some things," he whispered, leaning down until I could feel the heat of his breath, "are better left in the dark. Do you understand?"
Outside, I heard Dorian's voice calling for the next set-up, but I couldn't move. I couldn't even breathe. I was looking into the eyes of a man who was ready to throw away the world—and I had a terrifying feeling he was looking for a reason to stay.