Golden Melody (Editing)

Chapter 55

Chapter 55 

Miexha Point of View

The pool sparkled beneath the morning sun.

Rose vines climbed high along the white stone walls, their shadows trembling across the water like lace.

I wore the swimwear Jayson had bought for me.

It wasn't cute at all. Just a white long-sleeved swim dress with tiny flamingo prints and tight leggings underneath. Very... modest.

I sat at the shallow edge of the pool, dipping my legs into the water.

The water lapped against my skin, cool and lazy.

Zatariel waded closer beside me, wearing a sleeveless shirt and dark shorts. He moved through the water slowly.

Jayson floated farther away in the deeper end, wearing a white T-shirt, orange swim shorts, and sunglasses.

He looked like a boy forced onto vacation against his will.

Asha, meanwhile, was arguing with the pool speaker again while adjusting the playlist, splashing so wildly that one poor maid nearly got soaked.

Zatariel leaned closer to me.

"You okay?" he asked quietly.

I nodded.

He held out his hand. "Want help swimming?"

I glanced around. No one seemed to be paying attention.

So I took his hand.

The moment I stepped forward, he gently pulled me into the water.

His arms circled my waist, steady and careful as he guided me deeper. One hand supported my back so I wouldn't lose balance.

"We're pretending," he murmured near my ear. "In case anyone's watching."

My hand rested lightly over his chest as he guided us through the water.

From a distance, it probably looked like a simple swimming lesson.

A shy girl learning how to float.

But to me, it felt like falling in love underwater.

"I think I like this class more than calculus," Zatariel whispered.

I blushed.

"You're not even pretending to pretend anymore."

"Nope," he said with a small smirk. "I'm terrible at hiding my feelings."

A quiet laugh slipped out of me as I rested my forehead against his shoulder.

Safe.

Hidden.

Just us.

============

Evening settled softly over the Dom mansion.

Outside, the sky melted into watercolor—lavender and gold blending into the kind of fading light that made everything feel like a memory before it even happened.

And today...

Today felt like one of the sweetest dreams I had ever dared to live in.

I twirled in front of the mirror, barefoot in my silk nightgown. My hair was a little wild, and my heart even wilder. I hummed a tune I'd just invented—something about summer and secrets and how a single glance could set your entire bloodstream on fire.

The someone, of course, was Zatariel.

Secret glances over burnt toast.
Hidden touches beneath the tablecloth.
A stolen kiss underwater when no one was looking.