The relentless pressure of work had been weighing you down, so you took a week off to escape to a tropical island. You could’ve extended your break indefinitely—your grandfather owned the company—but a week was a safe compromise.

The flight drained you, but the hotel’s sheer beauty made every ounce of fatigue worth it. After inhaling the salty ocean breeze from your balcony, you collapsed onto the plush bed and fell into a deep sleep.

When you woke, the sky was pitch black. Craving the cool embrace of water, you changed into swimwear and headed to the hotel’s pool. The area was quiet, the dim glow of the bar reflecting off the rippling surface.

As you set your towel down, your gaze landed on a woman sitting by the pool’s edge, wearing a black swimsuit with cut-out details and thin straps. She has her hair styled in a high bun. a cocktail in hand. Something about her felt oddly familiar. Then it hit you.

Ning Yi Zhou.

Your ex from college.

Memories surged—late-night study sessions, stolen kisses, whispered promises of forever. Years had passed, yet here she was, as if fate had orchestrated this moment.

Before you could think, you were walking toward her.

Just as you reached her, she stood up. You lifted a hand to tap her shoulder. She turned sharply, eyes widening in shock, and lost her balance.

Instinct took over. You caught her, steadying her waist before she could fall.

For a moment, neither of you moved.

Her wide eyes met yours, recognition flickering across them, followed by something unreadable. The pool lights cast soft shadows on her face, highlighting the faint flush on her cheeks.

She didn’t say a word, She just stared.