Chapter 102

The soft chime from the cabin speakers cut through the warm, playful haze that had settled over the cabin.

“Ladies, we’ll be landing shortly in the Maldives.”

Rowan let out an exaggerated sigh, sinking deeper into her seat. “Already? I was just getting comfortable.”

Celeste laughed, then turned toward the window as the jet began its slow descent.

The sight below stole the rest of her words.

Bright turquoise water stretched endlessly beneath them. Tiny islands sat like jewels in the ocean, ringed with white sand and overwater villas extending into the sea.

“…oh my God,” Celeste whispered.

Naomi glanced over at her reaction and smiled to herself.

“Pretty nice, right?”

Celeste turned to look at her. “Pretty nice? Naomi, this looks fake.”

Rowan leaned across slightly to get a better view. “Yeah… okay. I’ve seen pictures, but this in person?”

She shook her head.

“Wild.”

Naomi straightened in her seat, effortlessly composed as always, adjusting her shirt cuffs like they weren’t descending into one of the most beautiful places on earth.

“You both knew where we were going,” she said calmly.

Rowan smirked. “Yeah, but knowing and seeing are two different things.”

Celeste nodded quickly. “Way different.”

The jet banked gently, giving them a sweeping view of more islands scattered across the water.

Celeste stared out the window. “This is crazy.”

Naomi’s eyes flicked to her.

“You haven’t even seen where we’re staying yet.”

Rowan slowly turned her head toward Naomi.

“…what does that mean?”

Naomi just smiled.

“It means I planned everything.”

Rowan laughed. “Of course you did.”

Celeste looked between them. “Wait… everything everything?”

Naomi nodded once.

“The villa. The transfers. The excursions. Spa reservations. Private dinners. Anything you could want.”

Rowan placed a hand over her chest dramatically.

“She’s rich and organized.”

Celeste laughed.

“That’s dangerous.”

Naomi shrugged lightly.

“I like details handled.”

Rowan leaned back in her seat, shaking her head. “No, you like spoiling people.”

Naomi glanced at her.

“That too.”

The wheels touched down smoothly on the runway, the cabin giving a soft jolt before slowing.

Celeste smiled wide without even trying to hide it.

“We’re really here.”

Naomi stood once the signal changed, grabbing her sunglasses.

“Yes, bae. We are.”

Rowan stood too, stretching. “I’m not gonna lie… this might be the best trip I’ve ever been on already.”

Naomi looked at her.

“You haven’t even left the plane.”

“Exactly,” Rowan replied.

The cabin door opened, and warm tropical air rushed in carrying saltwater, sunshine, and that clean ocean scent that instantly makes everything feel lighter.

Celeste closed her eyes for a second and breathed it in.

“…yeah. I needed this.”

Naomi’s expression softened.

“I know.”

They stepped down the stairs together onto the tarmac, the sun bright overhead and the water visible not far away.

A private resort representative waited nearby beside a luxury boat transfer.

Rowan looked at Naomi, then at the boat, then back at Naomi.

“Please tell me you didn’t book the whole boat too.”

Naomi slid on her sunglasses.

“I booked what was necessary.”

Celeste laughed. “That means yes.”

Naomi gave a tiny smile.

“Come on,” she said, reaching for both of their hands. “My girls have a villa waiting.”

Rowan nearly stopped walking.

“My girls?“

Celeste’s cheeks warmed instantly.

Naomi kept walking like she hadn’t said anything at all.

“Yes,” she replied smoothly. “Keep up.”

Rowan looked at Celeste.

“I love it here already.”

Celeste laughed, squeezing Naomi’s hand as the three of them walked toward the boat.

The boat cut smoothly across the crystal water, leaving a white trail behind them as the airport island disappeared into the distance.

Celeste sat near the edge, one hand gripping the rail, the other pushing her hair back as the warm wind hit her face.

She looked around slowly, still trying to process where she was.

Water so clear she could see shadows moving beneath the surface.

Little islands in the distance.

Sky so blue it almost looked edited.

“This is unreal,” she said for the fifth time since landing.

Rowan laughed from the cushioned bench behind her.

“You’ve said that every three minutes.”

“Because every three minutes it gets unreal again,” Celeste shot back.

Naomi sat across from them, legs crossed, sunglasses on, completely unbothered by the luxury surrounding her like she belonged in every version of it.

She took a sip of chilled water and smirked.

“You two are adorable.”

Rowan pointed at her.

“No. You are suspiciously calm.”

Celeste nodded.

“Yeah. Like this is just casual for you.”

Naomi tilted her head.

“It is casual.”

Rowan groaned dramatically.

“There she go again.”

Celeste laughed, then looked back out over the water.

“…so how far is the resort?”

Naomi checked her watch.

“Ten minutes.”

Rowan’s eyes narrowed.

“You timed the boat ride?”

“I timed everything,” Naomi replied.

Celeste shook her head.

“She really did plan the whole trip.”

Naomi looked at her over the rim of her glass.

“I told you I did.”

The boat slowed gradually as they approached a long wooden dock stretching over the water.

At the end of it stood a line of staff in white linen, smiling warmly.

Beyond them—

Rows of overwater villas with private decks.

Palm trees swaying.

A restaurant built over the ocean.

And the kind of view people save to vision boards.

Celeste stood up slowly.

“No way.”

Rowan stood too.

“Ohhhhh no.”

Naomi smiled to herself and rose last.

The boat docked gently.

A manager stepped forward with a warm welcome and offered chilled towels and fresh fruit drinks.

“Welcome back, Ms. Naomi.”

Rowan whipped her head around.

“Back?”

Celeste turned too.

“Back??”

Naomi accepted the towel calmly.

“Mm.”

Rowan stared.

“You’ve been here before?”

Naomi nodded once.

“I came when it was under renovation.”

Celeste blinked.

“You came to inspect the resort you invested in, didn’t you?”

Naomi gave her a small approving smile.

“Smart girl.”

Rowan grabbed Celeste’s arm.

“She called you smart girl. Did you hear that?”

Celeste laughed, cheeks warming.

The manager motioned toward a private buggy waiting nearby.

“Your residence is ready.”

Rowan froze again.

“Residence?”

Naomi looked between them.

“Yes.”

Celeste laughed nervously.

“Why do I feel like villa wasn’t the right word?”

Naomi started walking toward the buggy.

“Because it wasn’t.”

They climbed in, Celeste and Rowan exchanging looks while Naomi sat in the middle like none of this was dramatic.

The buggy rolled down winding paths lined with tropical flowers and pools reflecting the sunlight.

Then it stopped.

In front of a massive overwater retreat at the end of its own private walkway.

Glass floors.

Infinity plunge pool.

Two stories.

Outdoor shower.

A deck with stairs descending straight into the ocean.

Silence.

Rowan got out first.

“…Naomi.”

Celeste stepped beside her, speechless.

Naomi got out last, smoothing her shirt.

“What?”

Rowan slowly turned.

“This is not a villa.”

Naomi looked at the building, then back at them.

“It’s technically a villa.”

Celeste laughed so hard she had to bend forward.

Rowan pointed at the place.

“This is a billionaire Barbie dream house.”

Naomi smiled.

“Come inside. You haven’t seen the bedroom yet.”

Rowan gasped dramatically.

Celeste grabbed Naomi’s hand instantly.

“Take me now.”

Naomi laughed as she led them up the walkway.

Naomi led them through the front doors, and both Celeste and Rowan stopped dead in their tracks.

The inside was even worse.

Or better.

Depending on how dramatic you wanted to be.

Floor-to-ceiling windows wrapped around the entire space, giving a full panoramic view of the ocean from every angle. Sunlight poured across polished wood floors. A sunken living room sat in the center with oversized cream couches. Fresh flowers were arranged everywhere. The air smelled faintly of sea salt, citrus, and something expensive.

Celeste slowly turned in a circle.

“…absolutely not.”

Rowan walked past her, staring upward at the vaulted ceilings.

“This is ridiculous.”

Naomi slipped her sunglasses off and set them on a table.

“It’s nice.”

Both of them snapped their heads toward her.

“Nice?” Rowan repeated.

Celeste laughed in disbelief.

“You cannot keep calling things like this nice.”

Naomi shrugged lightly.

“I don’t like overselling.”

Rowan pointed around the room.

“This place sold itself.”

Naomi smirked and started walking deeper inside.

“Come on.”

They followed her into the main suite—and immediately stopped again.

The bedroom faced the water completely, one entire wall made of glass. A massive bed sat centered toward the view, draped in soft white linen. The bathroom beyond it had a soaking tub overlooking the ocean, twin rainfall showers, marble counters, and an open-air section leading outside.

Celeste covered her mouth.

“No way.”

Rowan walked straight to the bed and threw herself backward onto it.

“Ohhhh yeah. I live here now.”

Naomi leaned against the doorway, watching them with quiet satisfaction.

“You haven’t seen upstairs.”

Celeste slowly turned.

“There’s an upstairs?“

Naomi nodded once.

“Second bedroom, gym, rooftop deck.”

Rowan sat straight up.

“Gym?” she asked suspiciously. “Why would you ruin vacation with cardio?”

Naomi laughed.

“It’s there if you feel guilty.”

Celeste wandered toward the glass doors leading outside and slid one open.

Warm air rushed in instantly.

She stepped onto the deck.

Below her, the ocean glowed in shades of blue she didn’t know existed.

To the right sat an infinity plunge pool. To the left, stairs led directly into the water.

She turned back inside.

“…Naomi.”

Naomi looked at her.

“Yes, bae?”

Celeste shook her head slowly.

“I don’t know whether to kiss you or fight you.”

Rowan called from the bed.

“Do both.”

Naomi laughed and walked toward Celeste, stopping close enough to rest a hand at her waist.

“You can start with the first one,” Naomi said softly.

Celeste smiled despite herself and kissed her quick—but it turned into longer than quick almost immediately.

Rowan groaned dramatically from the bed.

“Hello? Some of us are also attractive.”

They broke apart laughing.

Naomi looked over at Rowan.

“Come here then.”

Rowan was off the bed in seconds.

Celeste shook her head.

“You move fast when motivated.”

Rowan slid between them and wrapped an arm around each of them.

“I adapt.”

The three of them stood there for a moment on the deck, ocean breeze moving around them, the sound of waves below.

Then a staff member gently knocked and rolled in their luggage.

Naomi thanked them and closed the door again.

Rowan looked at the bags.

“So what’s the plan now, Miss I-Planned-Everything?”

Naomi didn’t miss a beat.

“Unpack. Swim. Late lunch on the water. Sunset massage. Private dinner tonight.”

Silence.

Celeste blinked.

Rowan blinked.

Then Rowan slowly looked at Celeste.

“She might be the love of my life.”

Celeste laughed.

“Get in line.”

Naomi crossed her arms, amused.

“You two done?”

Rowan grabbed Celeste’s hand and started toward the stairs leading to the water.

“Nope.”

Celeste laughed as she got pulled along.

“Where are we going?”

Rowan grinned.

“To test if this water is as rich as everything else.”

Naomi shook her head, smiling as she followed behind them.