The Billionaire's Authentic Daughter ▶️

9 1 | J U L I E T

We all stood on the deck, looking at the view as Norman took us out to sea. Unexpectedly, the sky was cloudy and a chill settled in the air as a result of the lack of sun.

Nia, Boonsri and Pari seemed to have gotten over their phobia of touching anything on the yacht and were resting their elbows on the handrail without being bothered over the number of people who must've previously touched it.

The three girls along with Colin were huddled together. Aurelio and Frida were away from us, murmuring softly to each other. As always Abeo was with me and Eli was with Norman, learning how he worked the yacht.

Nova was the only one alone in one corner, looking awkward with a bunch of high schoolers. He looked like he was our babysitter, even Norman's who was in college and must be the same age as him. He was so silent, he might as well have not been there at all.

I was enjoying the view while half hearing what Abeo was telling me about his sister, who I had no interest in knowing about, but still I was half attentive in case he told me anything about his dad which I could use.

But twenty minutes later when I concluded he wasn't going to stop yapping about his sister, I interrupted him rambling. "I'm in the mood for some ice cream. Will you get it for me? Actually, just get the whole thing here so we all can have it."

It was as if he treated my wish as a command because he went to get it. It will take him a good couple of minutes before he'd be back. He might be athletic but that thing was going to take out all his energy for him to drag it out here by himself and maybe that was what would finally make him shut the fuck up for once.

Someone bumped into my back and I turned to see Nia, laughing at whatever they were talking about. She steadied herself by gripping the railing and looked at me. "Didn't see you there."

No apology.

"Then get your eyes checked if you can't see a girl well over a head higher than you."

She got all up in my face, well at least she tried given she was a lot shorter than me. "Or why don't you keep your distance and go be a loner somewhere else?"

Before I could reply someone stepped between us, blocking our view of each other. I looked up to see Nova's hoodie-clad broad shoulders and back to me.

I couldn't see what he did or what look he gave her but she stepped back from him and turned to her friends.

Maybe Nova was taking my request to protect me from those three a little too seriously.

When he faced me, he was blank. He glanced at me, then rested his arms on the rail like me and stared at the sea. Our elbows brushed, a feather-like touch that sent goosebumps to sprout on my arms and for me to shiver all of a sudden.

We stayed like that in silence for a few minutes, interrupted only when Abeo's half dead form dragged the box of ice cream outside.

"Did you bring ice cream for every single living thing on that island?" Abeo gasped out.

Nova just stared at him worriedly and offered a hand to help him up. He slapped it away and staggered to his unsteady feet.

The others immediately crowded around to get their favorite flavor. Sloane grabbed three at once as if her life depended on it.

"I'll take one for Norman," Eli said.

"Hey, shouldn't we also offer it to that other guy who won't come out of the cabin?" Pari asked.

"He said that he doesn't want us to bother him," Colin reminded.

"I don't care. I'd like to know who I'm travelling with. What if that guy is a criminal escaping his punishment? We'll be framed for smuggling him out or something."