MARION
The week passed in a whirlwind of meetings, calls, and endless site visits. I felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on my shoulders, but my mind kept flicking to Demetria, to the moments I’d stolen over FaceTime and in texts. She had been my constant thought, even in the middle of land acquisitions and blueprint revisions.
This morning, I met with my lawyer and Mr. Buckman, the landowner, to finalize the purchase of the plot in Santa Barbara for my new resort. The process had been methodical and detailed. My lawyer ensured every legal contingency was covered, including the zoning restrictions, environmental assessments, and utility easements. Mr. Buckman had been meticulous about the soil reports, access roads, and water rights. I signed the final documents with a flouri
