Sebastian's Tide

Chapter 5: Uncharted Waters

The following week, Baste found himself alone in his office at the marine research facility, reviewing the data from his recent expedition. His mind was still spinning from the meeting at the family headquarters. Alina Cruz's presence lingered in his thoughts, her sharp words and piercing gaze echoing in his mind.

He couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something had shifted between them, though he wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. There was no denying that she was capable—intelligent, driven, and determined to push forward with the Sierra Verde project.

But it was her utter disregard for the environmental consequences that bothered him. She seemed more interested in getting the resort up and running than in the long-term health of the surrounding ecosystem.

His phone buzzed, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was a message from Sammy, his younger brother, who had always been the most business-minded of the group.

Sammy: We need to talk about the Sierra Verde timeline. I know you’re not happy, but you need to consider the financials. Let’s grab lunch?

Baste sighed and set the phone down. He didn’t want to talk about the project anymore. He didn’t want to be the one to stand in the way of the family’s business. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that the project was too important to just let slide. If they didn’t address the environmental concerns, it would be a disaster.

But talking to Sammy about it? That was a different matter. Sammy was all about the numbers—he didn’t care about the reefs or the oceans the way Baste did. Still, it was family, and they needed to be on the same page if they were going to have any chance of stopping the project from going off track.

“I’ll meet you at the usual place,” Baste texted back.

A half hour later, Baste was sitting in a small, cozy café on the outskirts of the city, waiting for Sammy. He glanced out the window, watching the hustle of the busy streets. The city was always buzzing, always alive with activity, but he couldn’t help feeling detached from it. It wasn’t the kind of place he found peace. The ocean was where he felt at home.

When Sammy arrived, he immediately slid into the chair across from Baste, his sharp, calculating eyes scanning the menu. Sammy was always quick with business, never wasting time on pleasantries.

“You’re late,” Baste said, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Like you don’t have better things to do,” Sammy shot back. “Besides, you’re the one who asked for lunch, remember?”

Baste laughed, though it didn’t feel genuine. “I’ve been thinking a lot about Sierra Verde.”

Sammy raised an eyebrow. “Of course you have. You’ve been thinking about it nonstop since the last meeting. What’s the issue this time?”

Baste leaned forward, his voice lowering. “It’s not just about the timeline, Sammy. It’s about the environmental impact. The marine life, the coral reefs—it’s all at risk. And I’m not just talking about a few hundred fish. If this project goes through as it’s planned, it’s going to destroy entire ecosystems.”

Sammy shook his head, clearly unamused. “Baste, I get it. You’re all about saving the ocean. But you’ve got to understand that this is bigger than just a few reefs. This project is going to bring in revenue, jobs—it’s going to help the entire region. We can’t just sit back and let it fail because of your environmental agenda.”

Baste’s jaw tightened. “It’s not an ‘agenda,’ Sammy. It’s the future of the planet. You can’t just ignore the science.”

“Science doesn’t pay the bills,” Sammy countered, his tone sharp. “And we can’t afford to ignore the bigger picture. I know you’re passionate about the ocean, but there’s a lot more at stake here than just your precious coral reefs.”

The words stung more than Baste cared to admit. He had always been the idealist, the one who fought for what was right. And yet, every time he tried to explain his position, it felt like his brothers—especially Sammy—dismissed him as if his concerns were unimportant.

“I’m not asking you to abandon the project,” Baste said, struggling to keep his voice steady. “But we need to do this the right way. We need to involve real environmental experts, not just tick off boxes for some ‘eco-friendly’ stamp of approval.”

Sammy paused, his expression softening just a fraction. “Look, Baste, I’m not saying I don’t care about the environment. But you have to understand that we’re not just running a charity here. We have investors, shareholders—people who are expecting us to deliver. We’ve already committed to the project. Backing out now would be a huge loss for the family. For all of us.”

Baste stared at his brother for a long moment, the weight of his words settling heavily between them. Sammy had a point, but it didn’t change the fact that the project was a threat to the ecosystem. He had a responsibility to speak out, to try to protect the reefs.

“I know,” Baste said finally. “But I can’t just sit by and let it happen without doing everything I can to make sure we don’t destroy what makes Palawan special.”

“I get it,” Sammy replied, his voice softening. “But don’t forget, we’re all in this together. We’ll figure something out. Just—don’t make this personal. It’s business.”

Before Baste could respond, his phone buzzed with a new message. He glanced at it quickly.

Alina Cruz: I’d like to discuss the environmental report in more detail. Can we meet tomorrow afternoon?

Baste’s pulse quickened. Of course, it was Alina. She had a way of pushing things forward, no matter how much he resisted. He didn’t want to meet with her—he wasn’t ready to face her again. But the truth was, if he didn’t, the entire project would move ahead without his input, and he couldn’t allow that to happen.

He typed a quick response.

Baste: Fine. Let’s meet tomorrow. But this discussion is not over.

He put the phone down, his frustration building once more. “It looks like I have a meeting tomorrow.”

Sammy raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. “Alina Cruz?”

Baste didn’t answer, only took a sip from his coffee. Sammy didn’t need to know everything. But the tension between him and Alina was undeniable, and it seemed to be escalating with every conversation. Whatever they were building—professionally or personally—it wasn’t going to be easy.