Chapter 16
Vanessa's POV
The morning sunlight spilled through the sheer curtains, painting golden stripes across the white sheets. The sound of the ocean drifted in through the open window — rhythmic, gentle, like the world itself was still dreaming.
Vanessa stirred, stretching lazily before realizing Zack wasn't beside her. For a heartbeat, panic fluttered — until she caught the faint sound of laughter outside.
She pushed herself up, wrapped in one of Zack's white shirts, and padded barefoot across the cool tiled floor to the balcony.
There he was Zack Hudson, her husband barefoot, shirtless, standing near the garden, tossing something into the air. The "something" bounded back toward him, tail wagging furiously.
Vanessa smiled. "You made a friend already?" she called down.
Zack looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun. "Meet Sonic!"
The golden retriever barked once as if to greet her, tail wagging like it might detach from happiness. Vanessa laughed, descending the stairs to join them. The dog ran to her immediately, circling her legs and nearly knocking her off balance with excitement.
"He's a fast one," Zack said, eyes soft with amusement.
"Sonic," she repeated, kneeling to pet him. "Well, the name fits." The dog licked her hand in approval, then darted off toward the beach, barking once as if demanding they follow.
Zack grinned. "I think he's giving us a tour."
They followed Sonic down a winding path lined with hibiscus and palms until the villa opened into a wide, sandy clearing. A gentle breeze tugged at Vanessa's hair as the waves rolled lazily against the shore.
A small shed stood nearby, its open doors revealing rows of baskets, bird cages, and what looked like feeding bowls. Just then, an elderly couple appeared — Mr. and Mrs. Sean.
"Good morning!" Mrs. Sean greeted, her gray hair pinned neatly beneath a sunhat. "You must be the newlyweds. Sonic's been restless waiting for you."
Vanessa smiled warmly. "He's adorable. You're the caretakers here?"
Mr. Sean nodded, wiping his hands on a towel. "We look after the villa when the owner's away. And the animals, of course. Birds, turtles, sometimes strays that wander in from the village."
Zack's expression remained casual, but there was a flicker in his eyes — a subtle stillness Vanessa almost missed.
Mrs. Sean turned to him with a fond smile. "It's nice to see you again, Mr. Hudson. Been a while since you—"
Zack coughed lightly, cutting her off with a polite laugh. "Since I— visited a place like this, yes."
Vanessa tilted her head slightly, curious, but Mrs. Sean continued chatting cheerfully about the rescue animals and the morning feeding.
"Would you like to help us?" she asked.
"I'd love to," Vanessa said immediately.
Zack smiled — that quiet, fond kind of smile that told her he'd follow her anywhere.
They spent the morning feeding sea turtles, laughing when one particularly bold bird tried to steal a piece of fruit from Zack's hand. Sonic darted back and forth, chasing shadows and splashing into shallow waves.
Vanessa felt lighter than she had in years — her laughter blending with the rhythm of the sea, her heart overflowing with a peace she hadn't known she needed.
At one point, she caught Zack staring at her — not just looking, but seeing. His gaze was soft, reverent almost, and for a moment she wondered what was going on behind those blue eyes.
"What?" she teased, brushing sand off her hands.
"Nothing," he said quietly. "Just… you. You make this place feel like home."
She smiled, her chest tightening. "You're getting sentimental, sailor."
He laughed, but there was a truth beneath it — a truth she didn't yet know.
Zack's POV
As the afternoon light softened, Zack leaned against the railing of the villa's balcony, watching Vanessa below. She was throwing a stick for Sonic, her laughter echoing across the water.
He should've told her. About the villa. About the company. About everything.
But she looked so free — so happy — and for once, money and power felt like distant, meaningless things. Here, he was just Zack, the man who loved her.
Mr. Sean stepped quietly beside him. "She's wonderful," he said softly. "Brings life to this place."
"She does," Zack murmured.
Mr. Sean hesitated. "You plan on telling her one day?"
Zack's jaw tightened, but his smile didn't fade. "One day," he said. "When it feels right. For now… I just want her to have this."
That evening, Vanessa curled up beside him on the porch swing, Sonic asleep at their feet. The horizon glowed in shades of rose and gold.
"I could live here forever," she whispered.
"You already do," Zack said softly, tracing his thumb over her hand.
She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "You sound like you mean that."
He did. But the truth was tangled in layers she hadn't yet seen.
And as the waves kissed the shore below, Zack Hudson — the sailor with a secret fortune and a heart full of love — held his wife close, wondering how long paradise could last before truth reached the shore.