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Chris's reaction when he finds out wouldn't be pretty—I know that much.
She doesn’t know who I am… I can’t let Chris find out what happened tonight.
In all these thoughts and feelings rushing around me, I realize that I've entered an unknown territory, and the path ahead is filled with uncertainty.
I can’t let Chris find out I fucked his sister like this. Ever.
Chapter five
Emily
“Are you here with Lily again?” Chris's voice booms with anger as he yanks me by the arm, dragging me out of the supply closet.
His frustration is clear, and he wastes no time launching into a tirade. “Please don't tell me this is another one of your environmental schemes!” he growls. “I know that all these turtle flyers are both your doings.”
“I—” I attempt to respond, but he doesn't give me a chance to explain.
“What do you even hope to accomplish with this?” Chris's tone is exasperated as he continues. “You're basically just littering at this point. It's not sending the message you think it is, and it won't change anything.” He rolls his eyes, his impatience clear.
“You never know,” I counter. “If we can make enough people see how much damage these marinas do to our sea life…”
Chris puts a hand in the air to silence me. “Emily—first, it was your so-called ‘art installation’ outside Ben’s yacht…”
I click my tongue. “It was a statement piece!”
“I wouldn’t call piling ten pounds of garbage outside a billionaire celebrity’s yacht a statement piece!”
“Look, every item that Lily and I put on it was pulled directly from the pollution around the marina,” I explain.
I'll never forget that night when Lily and I decided to stage our "art installation" protest outside Ben's extravagant yacht during one of his lavish parties. We had carefully created oversized turtle sculptures made from reclaimed marine debris, each adorned with signs condemning marina pollution. Our presentation was a bold, artistic protest under the cover of darkness.
Our covert operation was short-lived, however. Benjamin Hawthorne discovered our endeavor and erupted in anger despite being one of my brother’s close friends. He banned us from his future parties, but…clearly, that did not deter us.
“Do you want to becompletelybanned from the marina? That's where this is going at this rate. You can't keep doing this, Em.” Chris pauses. He adjusts his glasses, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. “Yachts are private property. If you get caught by someone else, you could even get arrested. You're so lucky I was the one to find you.”
I attempt to interject with my perspective, but Chris cuts me off again, his frustration mounting. “Well, if you just—”
“I don't want to hear it.” His voice is firm. “Stay away from my friend's parties if you're going to pull stunts like this,” he declares sternly. “Actually, if I remember correctly, you're bothalreadybanned from Ben's parties. Don't make this harder than it needs to be.”
I can't hold back any longer. “Listen!” I call out, my voice firm with determination. “I'm not a child. Get off me. I can walk myself out.”
With a firm tug, I pull away from his grip, freeing myself from his hold. Turning on my heel, I storm away, making my way back toward the party, determined to find Lily.
I have to get out of here.
As I hurry, I can’t help but notice how sore my legs are. My face flushes, not from exertion but from the memory of what just happened in that supply closet. Yet, I'm left with a whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. The memory of the passionate encounter I shared with the handsome stranger with a sexy smirk lingers, and it's impossible to deny that it was an incredible experience…all I can think of now is his commanding presence and low voice that pushed me over the edge so intensely.
I can't help but grapple with the complexity of it all. On one hand, there's an undeniable attraction that drew us together. On the other, there's the age gap…which is apparent from how he carries himself, the depth in his voice, and the faint lines that grace the corners of his eyes behind the mask. He just looked so mature, so established in his life.
And here I am, getting kicked out of a party I had sneaked in to spread awareness about the marina's light pollution. I'm still young, working hard toward my dream of becoming an environmentalist to make a difference. We seem to have nothing in common—except for the love for literature.
Not to mention, he’s a complete stranger, of course. I didn’t even get to know his name. I let out a sigh—a mix of desire and caution makes me reflect deeply about myself.
Oh my god. What kind of person am I?
I criticize myself.
As I search the crowded room for Lily, my mind keeps circling back to that missing detail.
