Chapter Fifteen: Secrets Before the Honeymoon
542 Words
The sky over the coast of Santorini bled into a gentle pink as Liam and Anna arrived at their honeymoon villa—a secluded cliffside escape overlooking the shimmering Aegean Sea. It was everything Anna had never dared dream of: quiet, beautiful, and completely theirs.
The twins had been left in the care of Liam’s trusted housekeeper and Faith, who had promised them “the best week of sleepovers ever.” For the first time in what felt like forever, Anna and Liam were alone—just man and wife.
“You didn’t have to rent an entire island,” Anna teased as they stepped into the candlelit living room.
Liam smirked, pulling her close. “You’re worth the whole continent.”
They laughed, kissed, and melted into the moment. But their bliss was about to be shattered.
---
Back in New York…
A tall figure stepped out of a sleek black car parked at the DeWitt corporate tower. She wore red—bold, commanding, unforgettable. Her heels clicked against the marble floors as she strode up to the receptionist.
“I’m here to see Liam DeWitt,” she said, removing her sunglasses to reveal piercing emerald eyes.
“I’m sorry,” the receptionist replied politely, “Mr. DeWitt is on his honeymoon and won’t be back for—”
The woman interrupted, her tone cool and sharp. “Tell him Scarlett Hart is back… and I never break a deal.”
---
Meanwhile, in Santorini…
Anna woke up to the sound of crashing waves and an empty bed. She wrapped herself in a robe and stepped out to the balcony where Liam stood shirtless, sipping coffee and staring at his phone—his brows furrowed.
“What is it?” she asked, gently touching his back.
He quickly locked the screen and gave her a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Nothing important. Just business.”
“Liam…” Anna pressed, sensing the shift.
He hesitated, then sighed. “There’s a woman named Scarlett. She was part of a past deal—one I thought was over. But she’s back, and I don’t know what she wants.”
Anna frowned. “A business rival?”
“More than that,” he admitted quietly. “We were… close. Before I met you.”
Anna stepped back. “How close?”
He met her eyes. “We were together. Briefly. But it ended years ago. I swear.”
Silence settled between them like a storm cloud.
“Why is she contacting you now?” Anna asked softly.
“I don’t know. But I’ll find out.”
---
That evening, as Anna unpacked her suitcase, she found an old envelope—tucked deep in one of the smaller pockets. Confused, she opened it.
Inside was a letter—her own handwriting.
The one she had written that night five years ago and left in the hotel room… for a stranger she never thought she’d see again.
> “I don’t know who you are, but tonight changed me. If we never meet again, thank you… for giving me something real in a world that never felt safe.”
Her hands trembled. Tears filled her eyes.
He had kept it. All this time.
- Writer
