Ashes Of The Throne | Part I

Chapter 151 | The One That Filmed Everything 🍆

Timeline - June 19th | Present Time

The morning unfolded in soft, golden hues as Matthew and Eko relaxed by the poolside, their laughter still echoing faintly from the sunrise hours spent at the beach. The day had settled into a tranquil rhythm, and Eko, with an air of effortless elegance, plucked a strawberry from the vibrant fruit platter before them. The sunlight, gentle but insistent, wrapped them in its embrace, casting a radiant warmth over their picture-perfect escape.

Matthew lounged opposite her, the curve of a grin playing at his lips beneath his sunglasses, his chest still rising and falling in the aftermath of their earlier antics. Their playful tickling battle had ended with Eko retreating in breathless laughter to the plush poolside chair, and now the air between them was saturated with the kind of peace that comes only after peaceful happiness.

Eko took a slow sip from her mimosa, the chilled glass resting lightly against her fingertips. She sank deeper into the cushions, her rose-gold sunglasses slipping slightly down her nose, offering her an unfiltered view of Matthew. He was stretched out languidly, a vision of sunlit perfection. The crisp white of his cargo briefs and open-collared shirt contrasted sharply with his golden tan, every line of his toned body seemingly sculpted by the light itself. To her, he wasn't just beautiful—he was a reminder of everything good in the world, the kind of presence that made the mundane seem extraordinary.

And yet, as much as she loved the man before her, a sharp pang of jealousy stirred within her. His perfectly golden-tanned skin, kissed by the sun in all the right ways, seemed to glow with a radiance that felt almost unfair. Every sculpted line of his absurdly flawless body caught the light like a masterpiece on display, an effortless perfection she couldn't help but envy.

It wasn't fair.

Not even close, she thought, a flicker of self-deprecating humor softening the sting. How did he manage it so easily? While he lounged like a sun-soaked deity, she had to lather herself in SPF so thick it felt like armor, just to avoid turning into a blotchy, mismatched mannequin on their wedding day.

"Does she remember?" Matthew's voice slid into her thoughts, smooth and amused, cutting through the lazy rhythm of the morning. He raised his mimosa, the sunlight catching on the sleek lines of his black aviators. Eko couldn't see his eyes, but she didn't need to—the faint curl of his lips betrayed his mischief every time.

Rolling her eyes, she stretched out her legs with a smirk. "She remembers something," Eko drawled, her tone light but teasing. "Enough to start a full-blown meltdown, at least."

Taking a slow sip of her drink, Eko adjusted her rose gold sunglasses, perfectly perched on her nose, as she observed her soon-to-be husband lounging far too comfortably for the chaos unfolding. "But don't worry," she added, her voice tinged with dry humor. "I'm sure it'll hit her soon enough now that she's conscious."

Matthew's laugh was a deep, low rumble, his grin spreading wider. "Oh, you'll hear her scream all the way from here when she realizes who she drunkenly married."

Eko shook her head, her own grin mirroring his. "I think you're more likely to hear him than her."

Matthew burst into laughter, the sound rich and unrestrained, echoing across the pool. "Yeah, squealing in absolute delight," he teased, nearly choking on his drink. "Followed by that split second of pure panic when he realizes what he's gotten himself into. I mean, how do you even explain to your girlfriend that you accidentally married the one person she's actually jealous of?"

His laughter carried on, carefree and infectious, and Eko couldn't help but smile. It was obvious he was relishing the fact that, for once, the drama wasn't theirs to navigate. But her amusement faltered as a thought crept into her mind, one she hadn't considered until now.