Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

I felt my stomach churn, slapped a hand over my mouth, and bolted outta there.

Bella was right behind me, giving my back a few pats.

I leaned against the wall, puking my guts out until there was nothing left.

Ethan handed me a bottle of water. I took it, rinsed my mouth, and finally felt a bit human again.

Once I was back to normal, he asked, "Where to next?"

I shook my head. "I'm beat."

"Alright, let's head back," he said.

We grabbed a car and headed back to the hotel.

Climbing the stairs, my legs felt like they were made of lead.

Outta nowhere, Ethan scooped me up and carried me to the room.

"If you're tired, hit the shower and crash early," Ethan told me.

I nodded and shuffled into the bathroom.

Staring at myself in the mirror, I felt like I was looking at a stranger. 'Have I changed? Have I turned into someone cruel? Nah, people are like springs; push 'em too far, and they bounce back.'

I had dreamed a million times about getting back at Arthur, but I never thought it would feel this good.

After my shower, I found Ethan smoking on the balcony.

I walked out and stood next to him.

This hotel had a killer view, right by the Stellaris River. The night lights reflected off the water, making it look like a rainbow exploded. It was stunning.

An arm wrapped around me, a warm hand on my shoulder. "Why are you shaking? You cold?" Ethan asked, looking worried.

I looked at him, my eyes stinging, vision blurring. "I've never hit anyone before," I choked out.

Ethan looked at me deeply, his fingers gently brushing my earlobe. "Do you regret it? Feeling bad?"

I shook my head. "Bad people deserve what they get. I'm not sad 'cause I hit him; I'm sad 'cause this harsh world made me someone I don't like."

Ethan gave a tired, helpless smile. "Life forces growth upon us all. Pain and struggle make you strong. This world eats the weak. If you don't wanna be a doormat, you gotta learn to stand up for yourself."

He was right. He'd been pushing me to be strong all along. In the process, I had to let go and change some things.

Ethan suddenly remembered something and grinned. "You said you never hit anyone, so how'd I get this?" He pointed to the scar on his face.

That scar was a bit unfair. Feeling guilty, I cupped his face and whispered sorry, then stood on tiptoe and gently kissed the scar.

His eyes froze for a moment, then he cupped my face and, for the first time, kissed me gently, starting soft and then going deeper.

The breeze from the Stellaris River blew over, carrying moisture. I didn't feel cold; instead, my blood pumped faster, and my body warmed up.

His hand on my waist pulled me closer, and we got lost in our passion. I felt a tingle so many times before he finally let me go.

With my vision blurred, Ethan cupped my face, his smile intoxicating. "Do you like kisses like this?"

I blushed and nodded.

"Then let's do it again," he said, lowering his head.

I was so shy I buried my face in his chest, my whole face burning. Then I heard his soft laughter.

After a while, I remembered something and looked up. "What's with the $7 million? Why didn't you tell me before?"

Ethan leaned in, pinning me against the railing. He placed his hands on either side of me, trapping me in a small space.

Looking at the night view of the Stellaris River, he slowly said, "He took your photos and blackmailed me for $7 million. The night before the photos were posted, I gave him the money. After that, I beat him up. Getting $7 million for a beating; he didn't lose out."

I remembered that night when Ethan came back super late, his hands all banged up. He lied, saying he had just taken a fall.

Arthur didn't just wait for three days. He kept bugging Ethan after that, but I was totally in the dark.

If Arthur hadn't double-crossed us, I might never have known Ethan forked over $7 million.

"You shouldn't have given him the money. $7 million is a huge chunk, and he didn't even keep his promise," I said.

Ethan smiled and lifted my chin. "What's more important, you or the money? Do you think you're not worth $7 million?"

His words made my heart skip a beat, and before I knew it, he had already lifted my skirt.

"If you feel guilty, then make it up to me," he whispered in my ear, his voice rough and his breath hot against my skin. With the wind from the Stellaris River, we lost ourselves, throwing all caution to the wind.

It was our first night in Sunhaven City, wild and exhilarating.

Ethan said that since we were here, we should have a blast.

The next day, we hit up the Royal Botanical Gardens. The old-school architecture and exotic vibes totally captivated me. There were loads of gorgeous women in Harmonians ethnic group attire, dancing and showing off their slender waists. They were all smokin' hot. I couldn't help but glance at Ethan. "Think they're beautiful?"

He looked at me and grinned. "Yeah, but my wife is even more beautiful."

I knew he was just trying to make me happy, but it worked.

Oliver cleared his throat and said loudly, "They're just average."

Bella shot him a smile. "You have high standards, huh? You call that average?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I have high standards. I don't go for average women. The woman I like has to be extraordinary." The Harmonians had this cool water-splashing tradition. Next to the Grand Buddha Temple, there was a daily water-splashing event. The tour guide explained that splashing water symbolized being immersed in happiness for life.

We weren't paying attention and got splashed by a few Harmonian girls. We couldn't get mad 'cause it was supposed to be a blessing.

Buckets of water flew back and forth, making it feel like a rainstorm. Everyone was drenched. Ethan and I looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Ethan suddenly picked me up and spun me around under the artificial rain, making me feel like I was flying. His face was covered in water droplets, but he kept smiling.

At that moment, I truly believed that we would be immersed in happiness for life.

When Ethan finally put me down, I saw that Oliver and Bella had also started splashing each other at some point.

Bella, not satisfied with just being splashed, took advantage of Oliver's distraction and dumped a bucket of water over his head.

Oliver wiped the water off his face. I thought he was mad, but he suddenly looked at Bella and laughed. "Come on, pour me a few more buckets. I know you want me to be happy."

The already soaked Bella looked at Oliver and suddenly laughed. It was a particularly charming smile, one I had never seen in all the years I had known her.

Bella scooped up more water and splashed it at Oliver, who didn't back down and grabbed a bucket to splash back. "How can I be happy alone? Let's get soaked together."

As I watched them, lost in thought, Ethan suddenly kissed my cheek.

I was startled and turned back, and Ethan whispered ambiguously in my ear, "Let's get wet together."

Hearing the hidden meaning in his words, I instantly blushed.

Even the single Frank wasn't spared, getting surrounded and splashed by those Harmonian girls until he was drenched.

After the water-splashing game, Bella and I changed into Harmonians ethnic group attire.

When I came out, Ethan tilted his head to look at me, his smile indulgent. "You look beautiful."

In the evening, there was a bonfire party called Silverstream River Night. That night was full of joy and excitement, also full of thrills.