Forbidden Attraction

Chapter 3.

Chapter Three: The Weight of Proof

The photo on Richard’s phone burns into my brain as we trudge back to the boat, the Santorini sun suddenly too harsh, too exposing. My sundress feels like it’s made of lead, and Daniel’s walking a step ahead, his shoulders tense, like he’s bracing for a fight. I want to grab his hand, to feel that spark again, but Richard’s right behind us, his silence louder than any lecture. My mind’s a mess—how did he get that picture? Was he watching us the whole time? And what’s he going to do with it?

The boat rocks gently as we climb aboard, the captain oblivious to the storm brewing among us. Mom’s waiting, her arms crossed, her sunglasses reflecting my guilty face. “What now, Ava?” she says, her voice sharp enough to cut. “You can’t stay out of trouble for one day?”

“It’s nothing,” I mutter, sliding onto a bench, my hands twisting in my lap. “Just needed some air.”

“Air,” Richard repeats, his tone flat but heavy, like he’s weighing every word. He’s still holding his phone, his thumb brushing the screen, and my stomach churns. Daniel sits across from me, his eyes locked on the horizon, but I catch the way his jaw clenches, the way his fingers tap a nervous rhythm on his knee.

“Richard, what’s going on?” Mom asks, her gaze darting between us. “You look like you saw a ghost.”

He doesn’t answer right away, just slips his phone into his pocket with a deliberate slowness that makes my skin crawl. “We’ll talk later, Claire,” he says, his voice low. “Family business.”

Daniel snorts, a bitter sound. “Family business, huh? That’s rich, coming from you.”

Richard’s head snaps toward him, his gray eyes narrowing. “Watch it, Daniel. You’re here on my dime. Don’t forget that.”

“Oh, I never do,” Daniel shoots back, leaning forward, his smirk sharp. “Big brother’s always got to remind me who’s in charge, right?”

The air crackles, and I swear the captain glances back, sensing the tension. I want to say something, to diffuse this, but my throat’s dry, my mind stuck on that photo. Did Richard take it himself? Was he creeping around the cove, spying on us? Or worse—did someone else see us and send it to him? The thought makes my chest tight, like I can’t get enough air.

“Ava, help me with the lunch baskets,” Mom says, her voice a forced calm, like she’s trying to steer us back to normal. But nothing about this is normal. I follow her to the cooler, my legs shaky, and start unpacking sandwiches, my hands fumbling with the plastic wrap.

“Mom, I’m fine,” I say before she can start. “Really. It was just a walk.”

She stops, a bottle of water in her hand, and looks at me, her blue eyes searching. “You’re not fine, Ava. You’re acting reckless, and it’s scaring me. Daniel’s… he’s not stable. You don’t know him like Richard does.”

I laugh, sharp and angry. “And Richard’s such a saint? He’s got secrets too, Mom. Or haven’t you noticed how he looks at Daniel like he’s a problem to be fixed?”

Her face hardens. “Don’t talk about your stepfather that way. He’s trying to keep this family together.”

“Together?” I snap, my voice rising. “You mean controlled. You’re so busy playing perfect wife, you don’t even see me.”

Her hand freezes on the cooler, and for a second, I think she’s going to cry. But then she straightens, her voice cold. “Go sit down, Ava. We’ll deal with this later.”

I storm back to my seat, my heart pounding, and catch Daniel’s eye. He gives me a small nod, like he’s saying *I’ve got you*, but it doesn’t ease the knot in my gut. Richard’s watching us both now, his phone still in his pocket, a ticking bomb I can’t defuse.

---

The rest of the boat tour is a blur of sparkling water and fake smiles. I keep my distance from Daniel, but every time our eyes meet, it’s like a current runs through me, pulling me back to that kiss in the cove. I want to hate him for making me feel this way, for dragging me into whatever mess he’s in, but I can’t. I’m hooked, and it’s terrifying.

Back at the villa, I’m in my room, pacing, when there’s a soft knock. I open the door, expecting Mom, but it’s Daniel, his face shadowed, his hair falling into his eyes. “We need to talk,” he says, slipping inside before I can stop him.

My room’s small, all white linens and sea views, and he fills it, his presence too big, too real. “What’s there to talk about?” I say, crossing my arms. “Richard’s got a picture of us, Daniel. We’re screwed.”

He runs a hand through his hair, his jaw tight. “I know. I saw it too. But listen, Ava, it’s not what you think. Richard’s not just pissed about us. There’s… stuff you don’t know.”

“Like what?” I step closer, my voice low, urgent. “You keep saying you’re trouble, but you don’t tell me anything. What’s he got on you?”

He hesitates, his eyes searching mine, and I can see the war inside him—wanting to tell me, wanting to protect me. “Richard and I had a deal go south a while back,” he says finally. “Business stuff. Bad people got involved. I took the fall so he could keep his perfect life. But he’s never trusted me since.”

I stare at him, my mind racing. “Bad people? Like, what, criminals?”

He nods, his face grim. “The kind who don’t forget debts. I’ve been dodging them for years. Richard knows, and he’s using it to keep me in line.”

My heart sinks. “So that photo… it’s not just about us? It’s about control?”

“Exactly,” he says, stepping closer, his voice dropping. “But Ava, I’m not letting him ruin this. Not you. Not us.”

His hand brushes my cheek, and I lean into it, my resolve crumbling. “This is insane,” I whisper. “We’re family, Daniel. If they find out—”

“They won’t,” he says, fierce. “Not if we’re careful. But you need to decide, Ava. You in, or you out?”

I’m trembling, torn between fear and the pull of him, the way he makes me feel alive. “I’m in,” I say, my voice barely audible. “But if we’re doing this, no more secrets. Promise me.”

He nods, his eyes locked on mine. “Promise.”

We’re so close now, I can feel his breath, and I’m about to kiss him when my phone buzzes on the nightstand, loud and jarring. I grab it, my heart stopping as I see the text—from an unknown number. It’s the photo from Richard’s phone, blurry but unmistakable: me and Daniel in the cove, our bodies pressed together, water glinting around us. Below it, a single line: *Leave him, or this goes public.*

My blood runs cold, and I show Daniel the screen. His face hardens, his hand closing over mine. “Who sent this?” he growls, but before I can answer, there’s a sharp knock at the door.

“Ava!” Mom’s voice, tight with anger. “Open this door. Now.”