The water taxi from Paradise Atoll docked at Malé's chaotic jetty just after noon, the engine's hum cutting through the midday clamor of vendors hawking fresh coconuts and tourists fumbling with maps.
Aria stood on the upper deck of her father's yacht, clad in a flowing white sundress that skimmed her legs, oversized sunglasses perched on her nose like armor, and her auburn hair twisted into an effortless knot that had taken a stylist's hour to perfect.
She pretended to scroll through her phone, liking influencer posts about Maldives honeymoons, but her eyes were fixed on the budget ferry unloading its passengers across the dock.
She told herself she wasn't looking for anyone. The holiday was over.
Time to return to Manila, board meetings, and the Vanderbilt empire. No loose ends, no
